Bit surprised at some of the comments on Danny Walker. In my eyes, his distribution is far better than Clark’s who can be slow and ponderous in his passing. Am sure he will go well at Saints but we have had the best of him expect Walker to push on especially after his England debut.

The apparently keeps the suggestion within the rumour topic.



I heard this rumour right at the start of Sandow’s arrival he wanted an assurance that he would play in any final as to complete his signature.

When he first arrived he was obviously unfit or injured, and wasn’t sidelined for recovery.



Didn’t he play in both finals injured and or hastily returned from injury? That had me wondering if that absurd ‘assurance’ was actually true!?

Although that isn’t proof of an ‘assurance’ that he always plays, it certainly doesn’t write it off.

I can't remember him being injured in the run up to the Cup final? He was still in form at that point (having played a big part in the semi and influential in the first half of the CC final). He was obviously not fit for the Grand Final that year, but I assume Smith would have played him anyway as he's an x-factor player, and we needed something / anything to break the deadlock in a typical Old Trafford slogathon. An 'early 2016 Sandow' might have made a difference, who knows? Ultimately, that was the game that began the rot and the downfall. Smith should have stepped aside, and we should have had a mass clear out with a plan to build from the ground up again. Hindsight is easy though.

It was that simple. Clark's first choice was to stay here but Saints offered him a better deal and Wire wouldn't match it - same thing happened with Hill.

Just so I’m clear you think the club only had to choose between Clark and Dwyer. Salary Cap, length of contract, needing money for other signings, needs of the team didn’t/shouldn’t play any part in the decision making process?

Mike Rush said they never even considered Clark and it was his agent that approached Saints back in May.

Rushy said they couldn’t match Warrington’s deal, Clark just wanted to play with 9 on his back and not filling in off the bench and backrow.

So Clark is apparently on less money at Saints, however on Saints form over the last 9 seasons he’s been at Wire, he’s likely to earn more on final appearances and win money at Saints than just a regular season contract salary he’s virtually had at Wire!!

Ill wait on Abe for the truth

Well he's turned down a testimonial at Wire so he must have lost out financially. I know he's very keen to win titles but I have a feeling he's unlucky with his timing here. Not sure he'll be missing out on titles at Wire but don't think he'll be picking any up where he's going.

I’d like to see that quote RD because it has the whiff of bull dung about it. It would mean he was on less money and missed a testimonial (which used to be tax free, not sure currently). Did he say how long a contract we were offering?

It would also suggest he was almost guaranteed a starting place which judging by a lot of earlier posts many on here would not have been happy with (for any player).

Yes Saints maybe on the downward cycle but he is now playing for one of the only 3 sides that win Grand Finals. I suspect his chances of winning a GF in the next 3 years are better with Saints than Warrington.

Wigan easily have the best squad currently and must be favourites to win the title again in 2024.



If they can manage to retain Field, French and Smith they will be dominant for the next few seasons.

Yeah but they lost King.

I think if they lose Smith it will be a big blow to them, keep him and yes I can see them dominating for a season or two.

They made a big mistake signing Thompson on a long deal & on a salary that means he will have to be a Marquee Player.



Either Field or French need to leave to allow Smith to be retained on a Marquee basis.



I mentioned Jack Farrimond an emerging halfback on a previous post. He should develop into very good player.

Wigan could have all 4 on marquee money but only claim the most financially advantageous 3 against the cap.



Plenty of people seem to know the ins and outs of what French, Field and Thompson are on and what Smith will be demanding it seems which is interesting.



I wasn’t aware it was all public knowledge.

Now you’re ‘cashed up’ get used to it, we’ve been getting it from Wigan / Saints / any fans for years.

Yeah we're usually questioned by fans of clubs that have been proven to have breached the salary cap - some of them on 3 separate occasions.

4 year deal signed……..

off to Aus in 2 then.

No you are getting confused. Fans of other clubs were questioning how Warrington could spend so much money yet be so terrible.

I cannot answer for the dental condition of Mike Rush’s mouth, perhaps a breeze fortunately took any odour the other way, that evening at MCFC watching Coldplay at the time it was said.



And ‘yes’, we all know he absolutely turned down a testimonial, which I reckon would have been the most lucrative in Wire history.

That to me sends waves of proof it wasn’t about money.

Saints offering him a salary that would beat the combined total of the testimonial and a Wire contract, I think you are on another planet with that idea.

So no official quote then?

My query however was it as suggested a 3 year deal by Saints v 2 from Wire? Even then I can’t see us having offered him silly money.

The signing of Clark by Saints was announced before the departure of Powell, presumably Clark's decision to leave was made well before Powell's departure was set in stone. I can only imagine what the mood in camp was back then, maybe the player had just 'had enough'?

I’m on a rumour thread, and back then, there’ was no official announcement Clark was leaving.

The posts and paper talk long after were all about trying to keep Clark yet it was done before Rushy told us.

Rushy said on my life, and that still isn’t official, that Saints cannot match Warrington’s contract offer, now that doesn’t mean between Coldplay and September, they hadn’t improved the deal?



Soon after that chat Saints flashed a tease up on the official website about signing Clark and pulled it after a few mins, just to lift the spirits of agitated Saints fans following a string of defeats.