Don’t know on both counts. I do sense the press in Oz love to bull up the deals the players are on sometimes though and I read another report that had Williams around the £300-350k mark and that seems more realistic.



There’s a lot of unknowns on the finances at Wigan. We keep hearing Rads and Lenagan pleading poverty, yet they sold 25% of the club to a bloke worth 1.2 billion quid. It seems like he has no involvement in decisions or the running of the club but covering some costs to him would be pocket change.



I’m fairly calm on the Williams deal. If we get it done then great but without an investment in a couple of powerful forwards, we could have Wally Lewis and Andy Gregory in their pomps in the halves and it won’t make a difference.

Would you not sacrifice signing a forward to get Williams though? As you say he’s still young, one of your own, he’d be the best halfback in the comp and you’d have him probably for the rest of his career.



Having said all that, would it hamper Harry Smith’s development bringing in Williams?

Smith has a starting spot next year you’d imagine anyway. We’ve got Jai Field to come in yet who we’ve not seen anything of but he could play at fullback if French goes back and I think the club are invested in Smith being our seven for the next 5+ years (after this season). We’d love Williams don’t get me wrong and I’ll be gutted if he signs for Wire but we’ve too many kids in the middle of the field at the minute and they’re being let down by the more experienced props/middles. That area needs urgent attention and if Williams signing is at the detriment of that, we may not get the best out of him anyway if he’s constantly playing from his own half.



A good balance for us would probably be to get Williams, get a more established forward from somewhere and then try and pluck a forward on the cheap, who works out beyond expectations. There is talk George Burgess may be back next season after his big op. That’s a gamble that could go hugely either way for us.

https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/ ... mick-hogan This could work if as it was reported we had been close to signing him for 2022,then again why would he sign for them if his preference is to be closer to home.

https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/ ... mick-hogan This could work if as it was reported we had been close to signing him for 2022,then again why would he sign for them if his preference is to be closer to home.

Wigan links

George’s dad was our scholarship coach up until a couple of years ago.

The Newcastle option is just a publicity stunt on their behalf for me. I could see him at Leigh or even Wakey or Leeds for 6 months but he won’t need to drop down to the Championship.

Good publicity stunt if it then, 9% voted he would go there

Is that the golf course near the pier?

Is that a deodorant?

Wakefields interest made me curious....our salary cap allies, if Wakefield offer him a temporary home then he's definitely coming to us.

We have put forward a great offer.