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Sport Rugby League Wigan Warriors' Oliver Gildart a target of NRL club

Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2021 8:54 pm
by josie andrews
Oliver Gildart has once again pinged on the radar of an NRL club.

Wests Tigers, who have shown interest in him in the past, are showing interest in signing the Wigan centre for 2022, reports the Sydney Morning Herald.

Gildart is out of contract at the end of this year and has made no secret of his desire to test himself in the NRL at some stage, even appointing an Australia-based agent.

His good friends Ryan Sutton and George Williams are at Canberra while Joe Burgess also left their hometown club for a stint Down Under with Sydney Roosters and Souths, before returning.

Gildart - who has previously been linked with Canterbury Bulldogs - has yet to play this year due to injury but is highly-regarded, having broken into the England side in 2018.

Wests, coached by ex-Warriors boss Michael Maguire, have already recruited Gildart's team-mate Jackson Hastings for 2022.

Adrian Lam, meanwhile, admits it's difficult to put a timeframe on when Gildart may play again.

He has yet to feature this season because of a groin injury.

Lam says the nature of the problem makes it hard to circle a date when the exciting 24-year-old may come into the reckoning.

"It's week to week with him, it seems like he's going to come into contention and then it's not quite where it needs to be and then it seems it might be two weeks from then because of it," said the coach.

"It's an injury which is hard to get on top of, it's frustrating for us and more so for him because when he plays he takes us to another level."

https://www.wigantoday.net/sport/rugby- ... ub-3216706

Re: Sport Rugby League Wigan Warriors' Oliver Gildart a target of NRL club

Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2021 9:01 pm
by CheshireWarrior
Would be big shoes to fill IMO! Has consistently developed season on season. Can't fault him for wanting to try his hand down under. Personally, I think he'd do a job and I'd wish him all the best! Hope he stays though!

Re: Sport Rugby League Wigan Warriors' Oliver Gildart a target of NRL club

Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2021 9:40 pm
by nathan_rugby
CheshireWarrior wrote: Wed Apr 28, 2021 9:01 pm Would be big shoes to fill IMO! Has consistently developed season on season. Can't fault him for wanting to try his hand down under. Personally, I think he'd do a job and I'd wish him all the best! Hope he stays though!
What’s his best tries and assist return in a season?

Asking out of curiosity, not to prove a point.

Re: Sport Rugby League Wigan Warriors' Oliver Gildart a target of NRL club

Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2021 9:57 pm
by pearsy
Looks like another rebuild season next year

Re: Sport Rugby League Wigan Warriors' Oliver Gildart a target of NRL club

Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2021 10:41 pm
by Caboosegg
CheshireWarrior wrote: Wed Apr 28, 2021 9:01 pm Would be big shoes to fill IMO! Has consistently developed season on season. Can't fault him for wanting to try his hand down under. Personally, I think he'd do a job and I'd wish him all the best! Hope he stays though!
I don't feel he has, he seems to have hit a level and stayed their in superleague, however this could be a case of a NRL move will make him fulfil his potential.

Re: Sport Rugby League Wigan Warriors' Oliver Gildart a target of NRL club

Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2021 11:25 pm
by Wintergreen
Caboosegg wrote: Wed Apr 28, 2021 10:41 pm
CheshireWarrior wrote: Wed Apr 28, 2021 9:01 pm Would be big shoes to fill IMO! Has consistently developed season on season. Can't fault him for wanting to try his hand down under. Personally, I think he'd do a job and I'd wish him all the best! Hope he stays though!
I don't feel he has, he seems to have hit a level and stayed their in superleague, however this could be a case of a NRL move will make him fulfil his potential.
Have to agree. I think he has bags of talent that is, as yet, untapped.

Maybe the NRL will bring that out.

Re: Sport Rugby League Wigan Warriors' Oliver Gildart a target of NRL club

Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2021 7:52 am
by Barney841
Caboosegg wrote: Wed Apr 28, 2021 10:41 pm
CheshireWarrior wrote: Wed Apr 28, 2021 9:01 pm Would be big shoes to fill IMO! Has consistently developed season on season. Can't fault him for wanting to try his hand down under. Personally, I think he'd do a job and I'd wish him all the best! Hope he stays though!
I don't feel he has, he seems to have hit a level and stayed their in superleague, however this could be a case of a NRL move will make him fulfil his potential.
Yeah I agree. I’ve always been abit dubious about his defence, he’s abit of the lightweight side as well. He’s top centre in SL but it’s another level in the Nrl. He might go up another level himself, look at Sutton he’s improved over there.
If he does go I hope he does well, br good for the international team

Re: Sport Rugby League Wigan Warriors' Oliver Gildart a target of NRL club

Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2021 11:44 am
by southportcdm
I'll be sad to see Gilly go, he's been a very good player for us, but it's been on the cards for some time. I hope he's a success over there but I don't think he's big enough to cope with the physical demands of centre play in the NRL without being exceptional in some other department (e.g. speed). Hope I'm wrong and I hope that his recent run of injuries is not a sign of things to come. Wests don't seem a great choice of club at the moment. If Madge is moved on Gilly may end up playing for a coach who wouldn't have signed him given the choice.

Re: Sport Rugby League Wigan Warriors' Oliver Gildart a target of NRL club

Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2021 11:58 am
by ddtftf
I love Gilly but as he is injury prone over the last 2 seasons i feel he may get battered with the 17 stone centres in the NRL and will be targeted with the big forwards but who knows till you try something new .

Re: Sport Rugby League Wigan Warriors' Oliver Gildart a target of NRL club

Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2021 12:03 pm
by AndyNick
If he's going, (and lets face it he more than likely is) can we just sort it now, like we've done with Hastings. Get it signed, get it announced and save us all the pratting about with denials, the "Wigan is my home and i'm going nowhere" the "There has been no approach" rubbish statements. Cut the rubbish and just get on with it then concentrate on giving the best he's got for us this season