Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Nov 01, 2023 8:21 pm  

I was really looking forward to OF joining but him being back at Saracens rules it out IMO.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Nov 01, 2023 9:05 pm  

NSW wrote:

I was really looking forward to OF joining but him being back at Saracens rules it out IMO.

Agreed.

With with dad looking likely to be named Lions coach for the 2025 tour as well I’d say he will want to be involved in that too.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Nov 01, 2023 9:10 pm  

I’ve always wondered with Farrell what the overlapping seasons of League and Union would mean. I don’t have a clue if there has ever been any sort of chance of it happening but even if it was going to happen, would that be immediately or would it be when the Union season was through? Looking at Google, it seems like that has just started and finishes in June. We’d have about half a season left then. Could it be that he comes on a contract that starts part way through our season, with him spending that first half a season bedding in, getting minutes in a couple of positions and then looking to push for a regular position at the start of 2025?

As I say, not a clue if there’s any truth in it but I would still say him not coming in immediately doesn’t kill it stone dead. That will come as and when he signs a new deal in Union (which won’t be too far down the track if he is staying).

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Nov 02, 2023 8:14 am  

On reflection, it might have been difficult for OF to adjust back to League in any effective way. It would have been a fun signing to make, especially given the various salary cap discounts we could have called on, not to mention the wave of publicity ... but would that have been enough for us in the long-term?

Being hardnosed about it, it's unlikely he'd have made a satisfactory replacement for both Smithies and KPP. Once the fuss had died down, we might still have found ourselves wanting in the back row.

Taking a strictly common sense approach to this, if Mike Danson is really ready to stump up big cash, there are probably better options out there.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Nov 02, 2023 10:12 am  

I have always thought OF was a none starter for many reasons but I wouldn’t say him going back to train with Saracens means the deal is 100% off, it may still be in a negotiation stage? Or it may have been agreed to let him play for another couple of months before coming Wigan (although personally I think we would want him here as early as possible learning the ropes).

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Nov 02, 2023 10:51 am  

OF was captain of the age above at rugby league and absolutely dominated as a teen at amateur level and service area (now called scholarship). You see kids develop early and play an age up but I've never seen one always be the best player on the pitch whilst playing an age up. I know there's a big difference between that and Super League but it's not right to say he's untested at rugby league. He was already looking destined for big things prior to converting to RU.

I think the pros would massively outweigh the cons when you consider how good he could potentially be, the marketing benefits (both for the club and the sport) and the fact he wouldn't count on the cap. Having said all that, I don't think he's coming, yet anyway.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Nov 02, 2023 1:35 pm  

Grimmy wrote:

OF was captain of the age above at rugby league and absolutely dominated as a teen at amateur level and service area (now called scholarship). You see kids develop early and play an age up but I've never seen one always be the best player on the pitch whilst playing an age up. I know there's a big difference between that and Super League but it's not right to say he's untested at rugby league. He was already looking destined for big things prior to converting to RU.

I think the pros would massively outweigh the cons when you consider how good he could potentially be, the marketing benefits (both for the club and the sport) and the fact he wouldn't count on the cap. Having said all that, I don't think he's coming, yet anyway.

When he was 13 years old... that was 18 years ago

Logan Tomkins and Iain Thornley also played the age above at St Pats, means a lot at the time but nothing once you get to the older ages.

Plenty of players dominate in the 13-16 year old bracket and then never make it at the higher level. Similar to the fact that there are many players who don't get picked up early on but make it at a later age (Makinson, Powell, Crosby).

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Nov 02, 2023 1:41 pm  

If OF does sign... I can't see it being revealed while Lenagan is still Chairman.

MD takes charge on 1st December and what better way to start his stewardship of the club than announcing a blockbuster signing and the handshake opportunity. A signing of that magnitude isn't going to be announced on Twitter at 6pm on a Tuesday.

Would make sense for OF to train and stay match fit for another month, if that is the scenario.

I don't think it'll happen, but not 100% sure either.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Nov 02, 2023 7:36 pm  

Someone in our Rugby group posted this

Just listening to Eddie Jones on the Simon jordan podcast and he said Marcus smith will have to step up for England now Farrell is ‘going to the other side’

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Nov 02, 2023 7:43 pm  

Jukesays wrote:

Someone in our Rugby group posted this

Just listening to Eddie Jones on the Simon jordan podcast and he said Marcus smith will have to step up for England now Farrell is ‘going to the other side’

I watch that podcast but point blank refused to watch that episode as Eddie Jones makes me angry just looking at him but I might flick through it now.

**Edit** just found the part and he says Marcus Smith will have to step up over the next couple of years as Owen Farrell is “getting on the other side now”. It seems like he means he’s in the latter stages of his career tbh, rather than him saying he’s moving on.