Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Aug 01, 2016 9:38 am  

post wrote:

I think for next year we need another back, personally I'd like to sign Matty Russell back, can't be on too much money at the Dire and he's a Wigan lad.

Good player, but from what I understand he and Shaun Wane don't get along. Apparently one of the reasons we didn't re-sign him on his return from Australia. Might be rubbish but it's just what I understand of the situation.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Aug 01, 2016 10:47 am  

post wrote:

I think for next year we need another back, personally I'd like to sign Matty Russell back, can't be on too much money at the Dire and he's a Wigan lad.

Agreed, Tierney is good cover for 1, 2 and 5 but we look light at centre IMO. You would think Gildart is bound to lose form at some point given his age and inexperience. If/when that happens or injuries inevitably strike it would be good to have an experienced player with something to prove ready to step in rather than weakening the pack by putting Bateman there, or relying on Higginson, who could probably do with some time on dual reg/loan

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Aug 03, 2016 8:03 am  

The Matty Smith to Saints rumours won't go away. It looks like Wigan want him off the cap. Could explain his last two performances? He looks a player totally shot of confidence.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Aug 03, 2016 9:03 am  

LewCharnock wrote:

The Matty Smith to Saints rumours won't go away. It looks like Wigan want him off the cap. Could explain his last two performances? He looks a player totally shot of confidence.

It's one of those very difficult situations here you have a player who is very popular for his personality but who is just not delivering the goods on the field.

Matty is an out-and-out good guy, but his tenure at Wigan seems to have coincided with a period during which we are becoming a progressively less dangerous attacking force ... until it's reached the point where we can no longer score tries.

Whether that's his fault, the pack's fault for failing to create a platform for him (I would get rid of several forwards too, if I could), or whether it's just that SW's reached the end of his effectiveness as coach, I don't know. But the scrum-half's first job is to make things happen in attack, and there's no sign of that. It's inevitable that he's going to be the first casuality of the big change-around that I feel is coming.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Aug 03, 2016 9:28 am  

LewCharnock wrote:

The Matty Smith to Saints rumours won't go away. It looks like Wigan want him off the cap. Could explain his last two performances? He looks a player totally shot of confidence.

He's been poor for a lot longer than two games. I can't many super league sides being eager to sign him, certainly not play off contenders.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Aug 03, 2016 10:30 am  

Grimmy wrote:

He's been poor for a lot longer than two games. I can't many super league sides being eager to sign him, certainly not play off contenders.

Very true, but I think the last two games he has hit rock bottom. The missed conversion and the pass that went to ground when we had huge numbers last week smacked of a guy who has been drained of any confidence in his ability. Those two incidents were key last week but there were also a number of attacks that fizzled out due to him taking the wrong option.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Aug 03, 2016 12:06 pm  

LewCharnock wrote:

Very true, but I think the last two games he has hit rock bottom. The missed conversion and the pass that went to ground when we had huge numbers last week smacked of a guy who has been drained of any confidence in his ability. Those two incidents were key last week but there were also a number of attacks that fizzled out due to him taking the wrong option.

The last five minutes at Doncaster were laughable. We had two chances down on their line and he blew the pair of them with a pass to ground which Tomkins couldn't pick up and then one which went behind 4 players on his outside.

As pointed out he seems a really good bloke but good blokes don't win you games. It would be in his best interests to give him a breather for a couple of weeks and see if he can mentally recover in time for the middle/back end of the super 8's.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Aug 03, 2016 12:32 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

The last five minutes at Doncaster were laughable. We had two chances down on their line and he blew the pair of them with a pass to ground which Tomkins couldn't pick up and then one which went behind 4 players on his outside.

As pointed out he seems a really good bloke but good blokes don't win you games. It would be in his best interests to give him a breather for a couple of weeks and see if he can mentally recover in time for the middle/back end of the super 8's.

It would also be nice if we could somehow get our hands on a Barret-esque flare player. It's plain to see the effect Sandow has had on Warrington.

Sometimes you have to bite the bullet and accept that you can't make silk purses out of pigs' ears, you have to buy the purses.

Not easy in this day and age, I know. But if Wire can do it, surely we can ...

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Aug 03, 2016 1:39 pm  

According to Radlinski, our recruitment for 2017 is done. Worrying signs if we've got the same players, coach and tactics in place for next season, imo.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Aug 03, 2016 3:03 pm  

Just seen James Green of Hull KR looks to be on the move after turning down a new deal. Seem to remember us being linked with him a while ago. Would certainly improve the size issue we have.

Tony Santini of Manly also rumoured to be heading to SL 6'4" 100kg centre/wing would provide ideal cover for our backline.