Oh aye, Faz lost a load of puppy fat around that age but I suppose the difference is that he did it at Wigan, knowing he was staying at Wigan and not a few months before a move to a new club/league. As people have said though maybe Wigan demands and Canberra’s were different. I just always felt he carried that puppy fat a little longer than he should’ve have but it’s simply a hunch and based on nothing other than personal opinion. To add a flip side to that argument, Harvie Hill looked to shed his puppy fat before last season and I actually thought that was too early. It’s not that he didn’t do really well but I just thought it limited his impact with the ball a touch. I expect he’ll start to put on some muscle going forward though now.



All a side show to the fact Sutton was a good player for Wigan. If we needed him, I’d have him back but we’re well stocked at prop (or with props who can play loose forward). I actually hope he stays in the NRL and it works out because ideally I think that’s what he wants.

That’s certainly not where I stand, I understand the NRL is the pinnacle of the sport and Oz is a very attractive place to live, and I would in their shoes take the plunge. I also have no beef with bringing them back as I was all for Tomkins, Bateman, Burgess, Williams coming back.

I do however stand by my statement that I don’t think it was a great look for him that he left the club and got himself in much better shape and upped his game, this is 100% fact and not a BS/lie. Also I have never and don’t think anyone involved in this discussion has knocked his performances with us (I for one wanted him to stay) and saying he was better than Clarke, Bullock and Clubb is just stating the obvious. The only reason I wouldn’t take him back is that we are currently stacked at prop and I would say we are already over manned at prop, his contract still has a year to run on it though and he could be seen as a good replacement for Cooper although with the numbers we have at prop this year and another year of experience for Esah, Hill and Chan there still might not be room for him in our squad and the money might be better spent on a second rower.

I wouldn't bother. You've already made your point perfectly clearly and fairly.



There's no point engaging with people who decide they know what you really mean and run with that instead of what you actually said.

Post on RU site that Saracens will be using their one marquee slot on the cap for Owen Farrell.

EXCLUSIVE: England rugby star Maro Itoje is offered a 50% PAY-CUT on his £800,000-a-year Saracens contract as they are forced to choose between him and Owen Farrell for 'marquee' deals - and now he could move abroad

That sort of money makes you realise how much we’d need to pay Farrell and the risks that come with that. Giving a guy who might not be able to contribute as much as many other players an absolute fortune might not be the best thing for squad harmony.

Sounds to me like OF's agent is playing a canny game.



It might be for the best if we just steer clear. For that kind of money, we could get an RL international who's younger and has a proven pedigree..

Who do you think we could realistically look to bring in for next season? (if we do recruit)



Do you think we will start the season with what we have and look for something mid season again?

We always tend to have room to bring in a mid-season signing

It’s always a good option as you never know what can happen with injuries in certain areas etc. Being really greedy I’d like us to get a ball playing 13 in, but if we go with what we’ve got for now with the Owen Farrell ‘rumours’ looking further far-fetched, I still think we will be fine.

We have room on the cap at the moment and if Joe Shorrocks leaves we, in theory, could sign another marquee player.

Quote stpatricks="stpatricks"Post on RU site that Saracens will be using their one marquee slot on the cap for Owen Farrell.'" This? https://www.planetrugby.com/news/400k-p ... ell-report

Quote stpatricks="stpatricks"Post on RU site that Saracens will be using their one marquee slot on the cap for Owen Farrell.'" This? https://www.planetrugby.com/news/400k-p ... ell-report

Never quite understood where the Farrell talk came from,ok Wigan have a rich owner now but they tend to stay rich by being canny with their money the sheer amount that would be needed is clearly silly money (why would he come for a huge pay cut) and the risks that him not playing the game for many,many years is and are huge to me it makes zero sense.

You sure? Surely we have 3 designated marquee players now? If we brought in someone as marquee it would relegate one of those to a position where their wage would fully count on the cap, and looking at our squad for next season I find it pretty hard to believe we have much wiggle room for bringing in another player. If we do have room for this and we were willing to spend silly money on Farrell then I would like us to send a transfer fee to Leeds or Hull KR and try to get Smith or Minchella.

Due to the amount of people posting about OF and some with good track records and reputations on this site I can only presume there was some truth behind it and a meeting was had with Wigan and OF, looking at the article posted maybe OF and his agent thought he would be the one who would get pushed out of the marquee spot and offered £400k to which Wigan could compete with? Maybe a deal was close to being agreed which made Saracens counter with a marquee offer which Wigan couldn’t compete with?

I’m sure Thompson will be our English marquee player with Field and French the overseas ones.



Farrell wouldn’t need to be marquee in year one as he would count as 0 against the cap.



In regards playing transfer frees for Minchella or Smith, it would be a big no from me. Don’t see where they improve us other than with squad depth but would command inflated salaries, I’d rather keep Shorrocks.



There may be significant risks on the field with any move for Farrell but from a profile and commercial point of view despite the salary out lay it would not be a massive win for the club.

We will have three marquee players but we will nominate those players that give us the greatest financial benefit against the SC. We didn’t need to let Powell go to balance the books and if we allow Shorrocks to leave we will have more than £150k to spend which would, in theory, allow us to sign a marquee player. As Jon says, OF wouldn’t count against the cap and Field, dependant on his salary (he wasn’t marquee last season) could also be accommodated as well.

Wasn’t he already on 800k at saracens though that’d have to be some climb down wage wise to even come close to what he’s currently earning and yes I understand he will be on less as the next contract won’t be anywhere near the one he’s on it’ll still be a fair slice of pie far more than league can realistically offer.



I’d say this union as a sport is coming to a big reckoning sooner rather than later you can’t keep shelling wages out like this without huge deals in place to cover it.

I don’t believe under our current ownership that the wage is more than our new owner could realistically offer. It’s probably not sustainable but it would be as a 1 off statement signing.



Another Union club is reported to have struggled to make payments to its players last week so after losing 2 clubs in the last few years I’d say you are bang on with your second paragraph.

I certainly respect what you say in regards to a statement signing but I'd counter Danson has made a statement signing in Thompson he will be on few Bob for sure,I agree the Farrell story refuses to go away but to me the all it ever was just rumours and nothing more,I'll say it again Billionaires tend to stay that not by chucking money about,who knows is this agent talk using Wigan as leverage to secure his marquee deal who knows but for me and I make no claim to any knowledge at all I think it's just that rumours.

I think there was a point where contact has been made but I’m not sure it’s gone beyond that.



With Itoje confirming he is due to leave I’d say it’s virtually impossible that Farrell will leave as well in the same season given their leadership roles at Saracens.

We might have £150k but that may include 3 players budgeted as marquee, either way the market for marquee or even players at £150k a year that are non quota must be slim to none this late in the off season?

If he didn’t want to lose/chuck money away being involved in a sports team and taking one over as the main shareholder is the last thing you would do so maybe this is a late in life venture to spend some of the money he has made in his life?

i don't disagree with you, I am just pointing out that we do have the money to do some business if we want.

Probably best to be left in the kitty for a potential mid-season signing, might be able to bring someone non-quota in a few months earlier or you never know there might be a case (due to injuries or just not playing) that maybe Miski, Isa or Mago get released early so we can sign someone from the NRL.