Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Oct 17, 2023 10:28 am  

Salford, Castleford & Toulouse in for Cust according to League Express.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Oct 17, 2023 10:33 am  

sergeant pepper wrote:

I've not criticised the club?

Seemed like you were criticising the player and club for letting him and others break contracts when you wrote -

“Here's a novel idea, if you're a talented player and have aspirations to play in the NRL don't sign long term contracts with your current club. Instead of a 4 year one, sign a 2 year one and just leave at the end of it.“

That’s how it came across to me anyway.

All I’m saying is we don’t know the clauses in those contracts and both club and player may well be honouring them.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Oct 17, 2023 10:46 am  

hatty wrote:

Then let them go to a rival. We aren't and should never be used as a springboard to the NRL.

We are and have been for quite some time. Whether we like it or not 99% of the best British players ultimately want to go to the NRL at some point. We're not in the same situation as 20 years ago where we could reasonably hope to fend off NRL interest. Too big a difference in the money, quality of competition and international selection prospects. We need to work that reality to our advantage, not pointlessly try to fight against it.

I would not he surprised at all if Wigan used this as a selling point to help secure the best youngsters (we'll develop you and help you achieve you ambition of playing NRL as we have with Tomkins, Williams, Gildart, KPP, Smithies etc). Presently the only way not to be a stepping stone to the NRL is to not get players who will ever be good enough to play there (bar the very odd example such as Farrell who clearly chose not to for whatever reason).

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Oct 17, 2023 11:04 am  

Stu M wrote:

Prior to that injury on Good Friday, he was sublime. Constantly taking on the line, had a great short kicking game, range of passing, his pace off the mark and sidestep was outstanding. I think your Sean Long analogy is a good one. Our attack was superb, we were pasting some teams, (scored over 40 at HKR for example just a few weeks before his injury)

I know Rogues will probably back me up on this but at the time of him coming through he was described as the finest young talent coming through and by a distance.

Together with Hanley.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Oct 17, 2023 11:21 am  

Add another sub plot to the Smithies thing, some respectable people (who used to post on here) are saying he's not been picked because of the way he's gone about getting his nrl move.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Oct 17, 2023 11:28 am  

sergeant pepper wrote:

Add another sub plot to the Smithies thing, some respectable people (who used to post on here) are saying he's not been picked because of the way he's gone about getting his nrl move.

If that's the case, it validates other fans perception that Wane is highly influenced by his Wigan connection when it comes to the national team. If that's the reason he's been left out it's completely uncalled for. I'm struggling to see why he hasn't been picked otherwise though. I think Smithies & O'Neil can feel very hard done to not to be in there.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Oct 17, 2023 11:40 am  

Such a tough spot to break in to loose forward. There’s no way anyone is playing ahead of Radley and then you could make cases for Knowles, Smithies, Cam Smith and Elliot Minchella at least. I’m not saying Smithies shouldn’t be in but I probably wouldn’t have picked him in my squad just on performance alone (and he has been excellent).

I agree with the post above actually that Brad O’Neill is unlucky. He would’ve been in my squad, instead of Danny Walker and I think he’d have worked well alongside Daryl Clark. He’s very young but he looks made for test match rugby league to me and I’d have given him a taste of it before the World Cup/Ashes.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Oct 17, 2023 11:51 am  

sergeant pepper wrote:

Add another sub plot to the Smithies thing, some respectable people (who used to post on here) are saying he's not been picked because of the way he's gone about getting his nrl move.

The club have been aware and comfortable with how Smithies went about his departure.

To say otherwise is false.

He has handled it in a very professional and respectable way which the club were fine with.

The way it has been dealt with by both sides has resulted in us being able to go early to secure a replacement and plan for life without him in 2024.

The most obvious but less conspiracy theory focussed reason for him not being selected is he is still a young developing player who has put his body through the mill in the last few years and with a view of what is to come for him is being allowed a rest to recover, and prepare for his move.

We are now in a new World Cup cycle.

Wane knows what certain players are capable of, no need to rush them into these games when we still have opportunities down the line to pull the team together for an actual tournament.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Oct 17, 2023 11:55 am  

jonh wrote:

The club have been aware and comfortable with how Smithies went about his departure.

To say otherwise is false.

He has handled it in a very professional and respectable way which the club were fine with.

The way it has been dealt with by both sides has resulted in us being able to go early to secure a replacement and plan for life without him in 2024.

Just reporting on what I've read on Twitter, from people I know of and aren't involved in unsubstantiated rumour mongering.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Oct 17, 2023 11:56 am  

Grimmy wrote:

We are and have been for quite some time. Whether we like it or not 99% of the best British players ultimately want to go to the NRL at some point. We're not in the same situation as 20 years ago where we could reasonably hope to fend off NRL interest. Too big a difference in the money, quality of competition and international selection prospects. We need to work that reality to our advantage, not pointlessly try to fight against it.

I would not he surprised at all if Wigan used this as a selling point to help secure the best youngsters (we'll develop you and help you achieve you ambition of playing NRL as we have with Tomkins, Williams, Gildart, KPP, Smithies etc). Presently the only way not to be a stepping stone to the NRL is to not get players who will ever be good enough to play there (bar the very odd example such as Farrell who clearly chose not to for whatever reason).

I never saw any of the Leeds "golden era" team wanting to play in the NRL, Ryan Hall only went at the back end of his career. Same with St Helens, other than Thompson who else from their glory years went to Aus? We appear to be the only NRL feeder club in superleague.