Past prop forward recruitment

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nathan_rugby
Posts: 4166
Joined: Sun Apr 23, 2006 9:12 pm

Past prop forward recruitment

Post by nathan_rugby »

Is Prop forward our worst recruited position and who has been involved in the scouting and signings?

George Burgess
Mitch Clark
Frank Paul
Gabe Hamlin
Romain Navarette
Taulima Tautai
Tony Clubb
Eddy Pettybourne
Andy Powell
Epalahame Lauaki

Doesn't make for good reading does it
Bomhead - "Lockers to prop."
Charriots Offiah
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Joined: Fri Sep 18, 2020 1:14 pm

Re: Past prop forward recruitment

Post by Charriots Offiah »

nathan_rugby wrote: Tue Nov 10, 2020 1:14 pm Is Prop forward our worst recruited position and who has been involved in the scouting and signings?

George Burgess
Mitch Clark
Frank Paul
Gabe Hamlin
Romain Navarette
Taulima Tautai
Tony Clubb
Eddy Pettybourne
Andy Powell
Epalahame Lauaki

Doesn't make for good reading does it
We've won trophies with that lot :D
medlocke
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Joined: Wed Apr 12, 2006 11:57 am
Location: Millom
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Re: Past prop forward recruitment

Post by medlocke »

Get Kurt Sorenson in, He'll sort us some good props out :D
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Wigan_forever1985
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Joined: Fri Mar 10, 2006 9:50 pm

Re: Past prop forward recruitment

Post by Wigan_forever1985 »

nathan_rugby wrote: Tue Nov 10, 2020 1:14 pm Is Prop forward our worst recruited position and who has been involved in the scouting and signings?

George Burgess
Mitch Clark
Frank Paul
Gabe Hamlin
Romain Navarette
Taulima Tautai
Tony Clubb
Eddy Pettybourne
Andy Powell
Epalahame Lauaki

Doesn't make for good reading does it
Burgess was clearly signed without a medical or at least a good one
Clark was utter tosh and no idea why he was signed
Frank Paul was a good player he went backwards at wigan
Gabe Hamlin looked decent he self destructed dont think wigan can be blamed for that one
Navarette was a poor signing
Tautai was a good player at Wakey went backwards at wigan
Clubb should have gone a while back
Petttybourne was a poor signing
Andy Powell was a publicity stunt gone wrong
Lauaki was a very good 2nd rower we tried to make him into a prop
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure
CheshireWarrior
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Joined: Tue Oct 01, 2019 7:58 pm

Re: Past prop forward recruitment

Post by CheshireWarrior »

Gabe Hamlin could have been a first rate forward for us! Shame he went off the rails. Andy Powell was the least intelligent bit of business conducted from that list.
George Burgess will be a machine in 2021 (if you believe that you'll believe anything lol).
From the list, I think FPN proved to be a bit of let down, I thought he literally be a 'wreaking ball' week in week out. He wasn't poor at Wigan, certainly didn't demonstrate his NRL ability IMO.
nathan_rugby
Posts: 4166
Joined: Sun Apr 23, 2006 9:12 pm

Re: Past prop forward recruitment

Post by nathan_rugby »

Wonder why we keep getting it wrong in this position on so many occasions?
Bomhead - "Lockers to prop."
Southern Softy
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Joined: Tue Jun 26, 2012 5:15 pm

Re: Past prop forward recruitment

Post by Southern Softy »

Lord knows I'm no expert on props but our two biggest successes seem to have been brought from lower-league clubs. Ben Flower has given excellent service and Joe Bullock is now looking the real thing. Brad SIngleton seems to be a great addition, as do a lot of players snapped up from the debris of Toronto but our success record in bringing young props on past those initial promising signs is a worry.

Is it our in-house-coaching that is the problem or the international scouting or both? It shouldn't have been under Wane but he just seemed to think that biggest was always best. What Lam thinks is a mystery. Before Bullock and Singleton, Scott Taylor was the last prop with the 'wow' factor.
That list at the top does make grim reading.
DaveO
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Joined: Mon Sep 30, 2002 5:32 pm

Re: Past prop forward recruitment

Post by DaveO »

FPN, Tautai, Pettybourne and Lauaki were all signed with either a good reputation (FPN) or after having a very good game v us (the rest of them) but for the latter category were asked to play in completely different way for Wigan by than what brought them to the clubs attention in the first place or in a different position (prop not 2nd row).

If Hamlin hadn't self destructed he'd probably be on that list as well because of you remember he made a great debut where he ran the ball in strongly numerous times and kept driving and Wane made some very patronising comments about that after the game about him having to learn to play differently. FPN was also never allowed to be a "wrecking ball" because Wane's tactic was basically drop to the floor on contact for the same reason.

I don't think any of these players were bad they were just the wrong type of player for the way Wane wanted the game played.
doc
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Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2006 10:08 pm

Re: Past prop forward recruitment

Post by doc »

Back in the 80's the only decent props to come through were Wane and Lucas. Case, Platt, Roberts, Cowie, O'Connor,Skerret, McDermott all bought in, Cowie and O'connor after playing well against us. More recently Coley, Smith, Seu Seu, Taylor, Clubb and Flower all bought in. All did a decent job all though some should have been eased out before they spoiled good reputation. In the recent years the only decent prop we have brought through has been Sutton.
Lazy J
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Joined: Wed Jan 29, 2003 4:08 pm

Re: Past prop forward recruitment

Post by Lazy J »

Bit harsh that, Paul Prescott was a good front rower before his back injury, Lee Mossop was good in his breakthrough seasons
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