: Tue Feb 17, 2009 10:34 pm  

Benji Marshall told by NRL that he can't play next off season in Japan: http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,865 ... 14,00.html That will obviously fustrate Benji, make him leave Wests and join us. Great news!

Benji Marshall told by NRL that he can't play next off season in Japan: http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,865 ... 14,00.html That will obviously fustrate Benji, make him leave Wests and join us. Great news!

: Tue Feb 17, 2009 11:26 pm  

Alex BP' wrote: Benji Marshall told by NRL that he can't play next off season in Japan: http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,865 ... 14,00.html That will obviously fustrate Benji, make him leave Wests and join us. Great news! Correct it must be a done deal, infact maybe he will play against Castleford on friday night.

Alex BP' wrote: Benji Marshall told by NRL that he can't play next off season in Japan: http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,865 ... 14,00.html That will obviously fustrate Benji, make him leave Wests and join us. Great news! Correct it must be a done deal, infact maybe he will play against Castleford on friday night.

rl : Wed Feb 18, 2009 8:37 am  

We are doing as much as any SL club to give youth players a chance.
Last weekend we have seven Wigan academy players in the 17.
Goulding, O'Carroll, McIlorum, Hock, Hansen, O'Loughlin, Tomkins.
Saints had 6 in their 17 and Wire 5 in theirs.

Re: rl : Wed Feb 18, 2009 9:45 am  

Father Ted wrote:

We are doing as much as any SL club to give youth players a chance.
Last weekend we have seven Wigan academy players in the 17.
Goulding, O'Carroll, McIlorum, Hock, Hansen, O'Loughlin, Tomkins.
Saints had 6 in their 17 and Wire 5 in theirs.

But unfortunately the anti-Wigan bandwagon will roll on as long as we keep giving them ammunition to fire at us.

The likes of Goulding, O'Carroll, McIlorum, Hock, Lockers, Joel Tomkins, Prescott, etc, are conveniently forgotten by the 'Wigan don't develop their own any more' crowd. And will continue to be so long as high profile youngsters - I'm thinking specifically of Ainscough and Sam Tomkins - languish in the reserves.

It doesn't always help that some of these kids have their own unofficial spokesmen, who stir things up and muddy the waters. Nickey Stanton appeared to be a good example of that. People were forever promoting him and expressing disgust when he wasn't selected, and yet, when he finally did depart, there were no SL takers. But that said, it's easy to understand the frustration of home-grown 20-year-olds, who probably want nothing more than to wear the cherry and white, when the likes of Phelps and Bailey, who are of only moderate talent and don't seem to know what it means to represent Wigan, keep getting selected ahead of them.

: Wed Feb 18, 2009 10:36 am  

[Gareth] wrote: we have poeple in the forwards for that (locky?), no need to sign another foreigner We don't. O'loughlin I like as a captain but he isn't quite the caliber of leader I was talking about plus he needs experienced players along side him. Trent Barrett has said it was the quietest dressing room he'd ever been involved in and at Wakefield did it look like we had a leader? Or a player with a rugby league brain? Take Brad Drew for example he has a rugby league brain on him. Good kicking game, exploited that left hand side in the first half & just kept things simple. It's something you can't coach. It's instinct. We don't have any players with this. We're a young team with desperate need of experience and leadership. Richie Myler is a promising lad but he hasn't established himself in super league yet and we have a young enough team as it is. I don't think he's the answer. There's nothing wrong with signing aussies as along as they're of the right caliber and will bring something to the team that no englishman will. To get my point across a bit better have a look at the 2002 Wigan squad http://wigan.rlfans.com/fusion_pages/index.php?page_id=153 We had experience right across the park and people with a rugby league brain. Radlinski,Dallas,Connolly,O'Neil,Lam,O'connor,Newton,Smith,Cassidy,Furner,Farrell Compare that to the side we have today and you can name one - Sean O'loughlin? Maybe Fielden and Bailey but that's it. We have a talented young team but it needs experience and leadership to help us out when times are tough (Wakefield game) and when at certain points in the game we should be doing certain things. Like at the Wakefield game, 10 minutes to go, 6 points down, we walk to the scrum instead of running to stop the clock.

[Gareth] wrote: we have poeple in the forwards for that (locky?), no need to sign another foreigner We don't. O'loughlin I like as a captain but he isn't quite the caliber of leader I was talking about plus he needs experienced players along side him. Trent Barrett has said it was the quietest dressing room he'd ever been involved in and at Wakefield did it look like we had a leader? Or a player with a rugby league brain? Take Brad Drew for example he has a rugby league brain on him. Good kicking game, exploited that left hand side in the first half & just kept things simple. It's something you can't coach. It's instinct. We don't have any players with this. We're a young team with desperate need of experience and leadership. Richie Myler is a promising lad but he hasn't established himself in super league yet and we have a young enough team as it is. I don't think he's the answer. There's nothing wrong with signing aussies as along as they're of the right caliber and will bring something to the team that no englishman will. To get my point across a bit better have a look at the 2002 Wigan squad http://wigan.rlfans.com/fusion_pages/index.php?page_id=153 We had experience right across the park and people with a rugby league brain. Radlinski,Dallas,Connolly,O'Neil,Lam,O'connor,Newton,Smith,Cassidy,Furner,Farrell Compare that to the side we have today and you can name one - Sean O'loughlin? Maybe Fielden and Bailey but that's it. We have a talented young team but it needs experience and leadership to help us out when times are tough (Wakefield game) and when at certain points in the game we should be doing certain things. Like at the Wakefield game, 10 minutes to go, 6 points down, we walk to the scrum instead of running to stop the clock.

: Wed Feb 18, 2009 5:56 pm  

There an article in todays Express suggesting Wigan have renewed intrest in Ryan McGoldrick.

However, it does go onto to say ''Brian Noble was seen at Wheldon Road to watch him play on Sunday.'' which I presume is the source of the speculation.

Just a co-incedence that we play Castleford on Sunday, eh?

: Wed Feb 18, 2009 6:48 pm  

Alex BP' wrote:

There an article in todays Express suggesting Wigan have renewed intrest in Ryan McGoldrick.

However, it does go onto to say ''Brian Noble was seen at Wheldon Road to watch him play on Sunday.'' which I presume is the source of the speculation.

Just a co-incedence that we play Castleford on Sunday, eh?

I'd despair if we signed McGoldrick. I know the story is probably bull but it worries me all the same.

We have 4 or 5 youngsters crying out for a chance before we go signing another average Australian.

rl : Wed Feb 18, 2009 7:03 pm  

Noble would be at Castleford to watch the game and their squad rather than McGoldrick.

: Wed Feb 18, 2009 7:14 pm  

Cadoo! wrote:

.



Trent Barrett has said it was the quietest dressing room he'd ever been involved in and at Wakefield did it look like we had a leader? Or a player with a rugby league brain?

Take Brad Drew for example he has a rugby league brain on him. Good kicking game, exploited that left hand side in the first half & just kept things simple. It's something you can't coach. It's instinct. We don't have any players with this.

.

There's nothing wrong with signing aussies as along as they're of the right caliber and will bring something to the team that no englishman will.

.

thats why u need the aussies ticka

Re: rl : Wed Feb 18, 2009 7:26 pm  

Father Ted wrote:

Noble would be at Castleford to watch the game and their squad rather than McGoldrick.

Or both

I believe McGoldrick had a very good game for Castleford as well.