How did Greg Burke play?

[Tuigamala]

Greg has been selected by KR week in week out. I know one thing if you asked Greg or Connor F who was the better player out of the two both if they were honest would say GREG BURKE.

His selection which is as expected has only been three games so far and why compared him with Connor Farrell who is more new to our squad than him.

As I have asked, do you think that his loan at Hull KR is is more to do with getting more experience and game time in order to return as a first team player like Charnley before him at Hull KR or like Tuson at Castleford being put in a shop window to sell.

I await your valued opinion.

What's your beef with Burke Whelley? U seem to have a chip on your shoulder would you care to divulge as to why?

[No straw damn us]

In a fully fit Wigan team, Greg Burke would have O'Louglin, Bateman, Farrell, Tomkins in front of him. He is 22 years old so the only option was to send him out on load or dual reg. Personally I have never seen enough in him to make me think he is ever going to be more than a squad player. I don't think he has the pace to play in the back row or the physical dominance to play prop.

[Tuigamala]

In a fully fit Wigan team, Greg Burke would have O'Louglin, Bateman, Farrell, Tomkins in front of him. He is 22 years old so the only option was to send him out on load or dual reg. Personally I have never seen enough in him to make me think he is ever going to be more than a squad player. I don't think he has the pace to play in the back row or the physical dominance to play prop.

All those things come with age and maturity and more importantly game time which he is now getting at HKR. Sign up to Wigan TV watch the full HKR game in particular watch his passing its very sharp for 3 games in what will it be like at the end of the season?

[DaveO]

So according to your judgement, performing exactly like Charnley did with the Robin's

And you are totally missing the point.

And you are assuming that on the strength of Burke having a good game against his own club which is only natural, especially against a pack that was poor, will be the standard that he will play all season.

Remember, Dave O, One Swallow does not make a Summer.

Now, instead of just having your usual petty swipe at me, perhaps you will enlighten everyone with a answer to my question in regard to his future from next season.

I have no idea what his future will be next season and neither do you. What I do know is he has clearly improved as a player since he left Wigan in a very short space of time to the extent, according to Tuigamala, he got the better of the Wigan pack.

The point I reckon you missed is that it isn't just because he is getting extra game time but as soon as he is away from Wigan he improves as a player. Coincidence?

He looked very good when he first broke into the team in Lockers absence and then didn't get a much of a look in afterwards following an injury.

Now he is a regular first team selection for HKR and playing well.

I think his potential is as equal to that of Bateman and whether he plays prop or 13 he has the handling skills few of our current forwards possess.

If we lose this player it will be a mistake IMO.

[cpwigan]

Why mention Greg OR Connor? They went to the same school albeit Greg was a year older. IMO, at this present time and certainly in the past, Greg was head and shoulders above Connor. Greg Burke was probably the best forward for his age group in the country. In terms of skills and RL brain/know how he is up there with the very best in Britain and in Aus/NZ. If he had more short distance speed he would kill it! The RFL identified prop as his optimum position hence he played there for England Academy. Wigan I belie see him as a back rower.

Other than the ludicrous age restriction re Academy. Greg Burke is a better RL player than several supposedly ahead of him now. I do not believe the oh once they turn 21 o above they have to move. If a 22 or 25 year old makes Wigan a better team okay them.

We happily write players off. Jack Hughes, Greg Burke and what about Sam Hopkins? (we never got an opportunity to see him do well or fail.

[Tuigamala]

And you are totally missing the point.

And you are assuming that on the strength of Burke having a good game against his own club which is only natural, especially against a pack that was poor, will be the standard that he will play all season.

Remember, Dave O, One Swallow does not make a Summer.

Now, instead of just having your usual petty swipe at me, perhaps you will enlighten everyone with a answer to my question in regard to his future from next season.

I have no idea what his future will be next season and neither do you. What I do know is he has clearly improved as a player since he left Wigan in a very short space of time to the extent, according to Tuigamala, he got the better of the Wigan pack.

The point I reckon you missed is that it isn't just because he is getting extra game time but as soon as he is away from Wigan he improves as a player. Coincidence?

He looked very good when he first broke into the team in Lockers absence and then didn't get a much of a look in afterwards following an injury.

Now he is a regular first team selection for HKR and playing well.

I think his potential is as equal to that of Bateman and whether he plays prop or 13 he has the handling skills few of our current forwards possess.

If we lose this player it will be a mistake IMO.

Correct Dave O couldn't have put it better myself, it seems as though Whelly doesn't like to answer direct questions, lets leave the recruitment side of the club up to Ian Lenagan he's done well so far and he's not a successful business man for nothing and lets save the uneducated tripe for the saints board!

[Dobby]

Correct Dave O couldn't have put it better myself, it seems as though Whelly doesn't like to answer direct questions, lets leave the recruitment side of the club up to Ian Lenagan he's done well so far and he's not a successful business man for nothing and lets save the uneducated tripe for the saints board!

How's Lenegan done well with recruitment? We have got consistently worse as a team year on year since winning the Grand Final under McGuire with quality players replaced by inferior ones. Our recruitment seems to revolve around if a player is cheap.

The turnover of players has created a poor culture IMO where no one seems to particularly care about staying at the club and there is no real loyalty there. Youngsters get a pittance and then we wonder why they leave. Simply being from Wigan isn't enough to stay at the club any more, money talks and rightly so.

Also the policy that everyone is replaceable is just stupid. Our retention of players is very poor with the clubs value of a player lower than the going rate meaning players leave.

[Tuigamala]

Correct Dave O couldn't have put it better myself, it seems as though Whelly doesn't like to answer direct questions, lets leave the recruitment side of the club up to Ian Lenagan he's done well so far and he's not a successful business man for nothing and lets save the uneducated tripe for the saints board!

How's Lenegan done well with recruitment? We have got consistently worse as a team year on year since winning the Grand Final under McGuire with quality players replaced by inferior ones. Our recruitment seems to revolve around if a player is cheap.

The turnover of players has created a poor culture IMO where no one seems to particularly care about staying at the club and there is no real loyalty there. Youngsters get a pittance and then we wonder why they leave. Simply being from Wigan isn't enough to stay at the club any more, money talks and rightly so.

Also the policy that everyone is replaceable is just stupid. Our retention of players is very poor with the clubs value of a player lower than the going rate meaning players leave.

I dunno weve won 4 major trophies since he came to the club and 2 world club challenge final appearances. We are the most consistent club in the league for bringing through our youngsters to the required standard which was effectively a strategy thrust on super league clubs by the RFL in order for the England team to compete with Aus/NZL. Id say he's done a cracking job personally everybody has an opinion the trouble is a lot of Wigan fans are happy when we are winning but love moaning when things don't go our way. Remember we have a salary cap in place we need fans to turn up to balance the books hes a shrewd businessman at the end of the day we would have won the GF last year if we would have kept 13 men on the field. Ive no doubt we will win something this year it's three games in and the same broken record gets played year in year out.

[butt monkey]

I suppose the key question would be - how long will Lockers continue playing? Once that has been decided then players vying for his position can decide their own future

[TSB]

Hi everyone Greg Burkes Dad here.

The reason Greg has gone to Hull KR on a loan period is simple,
he was asked by Rads and Shaun would he consider going to Hull KR
as Chris Chester had asked about him regarding a loan spell.
Greg was not going to get much game time at Wigan in the early rounds
Fair play to Shaun and Chris they did not put any pressure on him but we decided it would be a great chance for him to learn his trade in Superleague rather than the Championship. its just like learning an apprenticeship and having to go into big world with another company.

At the moment Greg has settled in and is loving his time at Hull KR they are a real family orientated club the fans are great.

But you cut our Greg in Half and he will read Wigan Warriors all the way through him. He Loves Wigan.
Shaun and Rads say he will be back next year.

Hope this is o/k