Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Nov 16, 2023 11:38 pm  

Zig wrote:

That’s not correct mate. Sutty was super fit at the end of his Wigan career. The reason for that was down to him training at Blundell’s as well as at Wigan.

Firstly I’ll say I rated Sutton. He did a good job for us, was successful, durable and I also admired the fact he was straight up with the club about not signing a new deal and he played out his contract and didn’t try to force a way out.

Secondly though, I was somebody who questioned his motivation to get in such good shape, with only a few months left of his Wigan career, at the time he did it. You’re right, he was in way better shape ‘before’ he left Wigan but only a matter of a few months before. It was as clear as day to me that he choose to put that graft in ready for the pre season he’d be facing in the NRL. I found it slightly disappointing that it had taken that move being sealed to bring about that transformation but that’s been and gone. Maybe it was all a coincidence but it didn’t feel it at the time tbh.

In terms of him coming back to Superleague, I’d be interested to see how he got on if he did but from what you read, he’s very settled over there, with an Australian wife and family.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Nov 17, 2023 8:05 am  

jonh wrote:

Agree re Sutton he was a slow burner for me but in his last year, where he was still probably only 23/24, I thought he was outstanding and lost the puppy fat.

I’d have him back in an instant if he were coming back.

So long as it's without his spare tyre.

I've seen all the other posts, but can't be bothered replying to them all.

Suffice to say this: I can't be bowled over by the prospect of a guy returning to Wigan, who only seemed to get fit when he was due to leave the club. Maybe that was our fault, not being as tough with him as he knew Ricky Stuart would be, but it betrays a certain mindset that I've come to despise: Wigan RL are a stepping stone to greater things. That may be true in the modern age of RL but it's not something I grew up with, it's not something I like and it's not something I'm ever going to get used to.

Note ... this is not a blanket condemnation of players who leave Wigan, just those who do so but then give a lot more to other clubs than they gave to us. I wouldn't have thought that was a controversial opinion.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Nov 17, 2023 9:37 am  

Cruncher wrote:

So long as it's without his spare tyre.

I've seen all the other posts, but can't be bothered replying to them all.

Suffice to say this: I can't be bowled over by the prospect of a guy returning to Wigan, who only seemed to get fit when he was due to leave the club. Maybe that was our fault, not being as tough with him as he knew Ricky Stuart would be, but it betrays a certain mindset that I've come to despise: Wigan RL are a stepping stone to greater things. That may be true in the modern age of RL but it's not something I grew up with, it's not something I like and it's not something I'm ever going to get used to.

Note ... this is not a blanket condemnation of players who leave Wigan, just those who do so but then give a lot more to other clubs than they gave to us. I wouldn't have thought that was a controversial opinion.

Who went to other clubs and gave more to them than us?

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Nov 17, 2023 10:04 am  

How unusual is it for the squad numbers not to be released with or before the new kit? Does this suggest we still have some "announcements" to make in both directions?

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Nov 17, 2023 10:53 am  

ralvag wrote:

How unusual is it for the squad numbers not to be released with or before the new kit? Does this suggest we still have some "announcements" to make in both directions?

You’d have to think there will be movement in or out (or both) yet or else they’d have released them.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Nov 17, 2023 11:08 am  

Jukesays wrote:

Who went to other clubs and gave more to them than us?

The guy we’re talking about, Sutton. I’ve not bagged anyone else for it (I don’t think).

I shouldn’t have put it in the plural, I suppose.

The likes of Betts, Clark, Robinson, Faz etc could hardly have done more in their time in Cherry and White, so no one could complain when they left.

In general terms, I’m not overly fond of players who try to wriggle out of contracts, but we don’t know what their private dealings with the club entail, so if they’re not happy at Wigan, it’s probably best if they go. And that wasn’t Sutton anyway. But for me, he was manifestly a fitter and therefore better player at Canberra than he was at Wigan. All that potential sent to someone else. And that rankles with me.

But hey, if he came back and was awesome, I’d happily eat my words.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Nov 17, 2023 11:10 am  

NickyKiss wrote:

You’d have to think there will be movement in or out (or both) yet or else they’d have released them.

Yea I don’t think Hampshires staying or going been announced yet

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Nov 17, 2023 12:18 pm  

It won't let me quote a previous post but on Sutty - does anyone know what Wigan set his target weight at?
They don't just say to players 'go and do some gym work' they set players target weights and physical goals to achieve, maybe they wanted sutton a bit heavier than what Canberra wanted and he set himself a goal to get there in the last few months of the season so as not to start off on the back foot, maybe Wigan set his goals differently in the last part of the season, who knows I know I dont and i'm sure most on here dont either.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Nov 17, 2023 2:21 pm  

ralvag wrote:

How unusual is it for the squad numbers not to be released with or before the new kit? Does this suggest we still have some "announcements" to make in both directions?

Maybe it’s a way to stop people buying the kit on the first day it’s released and overwhelming the printers? Think this has been the case in the past, although it did make me think the same that there could potentially be more movement.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Nov 17, 2023 2:42 pm  

Cruncher wrote:

The guy we’re talking about, Sutton. I’ve not bagged anyone else for it (I don’t think).

I shouldn’t have put it in the plural, I suppose.

The likes of Betts, Clark, Robinson, Faz etc could hardly have done more in their time in Cherry and White, so no one could complain when they left.

In general terms, I’m not overly fond of players who try to wriggle out of contracts, but we don’t know what their private dealings with the club entail, so if they’re not happy at Wigan, it’s probably best if they go. And that wasn’t Sutton anyway. But for me, he was manifestly a fitter and therefore better player at Canberra than he was at Wigan. All that potential sent to someone else. And that rankles with me.

But hey, if he came back and was awesome, I’d happily eat my words.

Ryan Sutton in 2017/2018 was our best prop imo and pretty sure as I've had this discussion a few years back when the same subject cropped up, he played 95% of the games in those years.
He carried us (strangely enough in 17 along with FPN who was never as bad as some people made out) in 2017, and his form was fantastic in 2018
When, and ill stress this, he'd just turned 22!!!!
In fact he played 91 games for Wigan in his last 3 seasons with 2 x GF wins, a WCC win and a CC final.appearance when he was 20, 21 and 22!!!

He had also told the club at the end of 2016 that he would see out his contract and look for opportunities in the NRL so he didn't do what some fans criticise players for I.e. leaving mid way through a contract.

Hes been good at Canberra, and in 1 year I think you could say Very Good (i don't watch a lot of NRL so can't say too much but I don't think he's set the world on fire, just a few people surprised he's done as well as he has).
But I'm not surprised, the signs were there at Wigan but not a lot of people wanted to see it.
I'll tell you what though, I'd have had 2016/17/18 Ryan Sutton over Joe "Butter fingers lazy soft booty" Bullock, Tony "BFUT" Clubb and Mitch "Invisible" Clarke" any day of the week which is what we ended up with in 2019/20

He was maturing, maybe as others have said he was asked to play a different way, given wiehht targets differently or whatever

But no way on earth did he let us down in anyway or only give 80/90% before he left