Wigan Warriors give extended injury update on four key men following serious injuries

Discuss all things Wigan Warriors. Comments and opinions on all aspects of the club's performance are welcome.
Exiled Wiganer
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Re: Wigan Warriors give extended injury update on four key men following serious injuries

Post by Exiled Wiganer »

I do wonder what the purpose of this is. I thought the PR around the new coaching team was very good - I now understand much better the thinking behind it and learnt some reassuring things about Briers and Peet. Despite being frustrated going into it, I came out thinking they had a coherent plan, even if it may fail.

This one, though, I simply don’t understand the thinking:

- the issue with Leuluai is not whether he can take to the field again - none of us ever thought he wouldn’t recover. The issue is why have we are asking him to play at all: the only reassuring thing I could read about that is that we will sign a half back and play Leuluai at hooker because he is better than the plodder who is our current number 9. So they’re answering a question no one was asking, and not answering the question everyone is asking;

- as far as Smith is concerned, they are just telling us he will be fit for the start of the year. The offseason isn’t the time to tell us we were so desperate he had to play injured. That would have been useful to know while we were sitting through the most ineffective attacking dross since the 70s, but is no comfort at all at this point;

- it is hard to know where to start with Field. The best thing they could do is not mention him at all (or announce he was leaving, to free up space for a quality half back). We are saddled with someone with pretty much zero top level experience (he has played an average of what, 3 top flight games a year into his 20s), who has been constantly crocked. There is nothing on his CV to suggest he can improve us, he has shown nothing on the pitch to show he can improve us, and he has been almost constantly crocked, with the sort of injuries that are pretty much designed to destroy the career of a player whose one skill seems to be he can run fast. Honestly, they would be better pretending he didn’t exist and giving us articles every week on Havard and Shorrocks; and

- the icing on the cake is their desperate summary of French’s position. Essentially, we have no control over what he has done, or not done, and whether or when he comes back. We are now so desperate for anyone to play for us that we are giving him carte blanche to get fit/not bother/turn up/not bother. And he wasn’t even a first grade NRL player when we signed him.

I have just read an article about George Burgess where his doctor from his last year at Souths stated that all he could do was swim and go on an indoor bike, get jabbed and play at the week end. And we signed him and sold him to the fans buying tickets as a marquee player.

I am not saying this is the worst press release of all time, but it reveals far more things to worry about than it reassures.
Caboosegg
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Re: Wigan Warriors give extended injury update on four key men following serious injuries

Post by Caboosegg »

the icing on the cake is their desperate summary of French’s position. Essentially, we have no control over what he has done, or not done, and whether or when he comes back. We are now so desperate for anyone to play for us that we are giving him carte blanche to get fit/not bother/turn up/not bother. And he wasn’t even a first grade NRL player when we signed him.

Do you not remember we had similar postings about Hastings but he came back. I am not saying it won't happen but his not returning is nothing but a rumour and to make assumptions about the club on rumours and hearsay(like people have with Richardson) doesn't make sense.

Other than Catalan I Imagine most NRL players idea about which sl club to come to is 100% who offers them the most. Why else would Fafita have been at Wakefield or Ben Murdoch-Masila gone to Salford, why didn't hasting stay at Salford they had a better season than wigan that year etc
These are two reasons not to trust people.
1. We don't know them.
2. We do know them.
Exiled Wiganer
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Re: Wigan Warriors give extended injury update on four key men following serious injuries

Post by Exiled Wiganer »

I agree, it might be fine, but why put something in a press release which makes it crystal clear?
It goes to my point about what were they thinking when sending this out, unless it was to depress us?
widdenoldboy
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Re: Wigan Warriors give extended injury update on four key men following serious injuries

Post by widdenoldboy »

Southern Softy wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 9:39 am It's not a question of slating the club, it's just that you should never issue a statement that raises more questions than it answers. That's a fairly basic rule.
We need warts and all updates - we got it - we can't have just good news (as if!).
Caboosegg
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Re: Wigan Warriors give extended injury update on four key men following serious injuries

Post by Caboosegg »

What's unclear about the update on French

Bevan French

Fullback Bevan French is currently continuing his rehab at home in Australia. His season was cut-short in May after suffering a torn hamstring in the Round 7 away win at Salford Red Devils. Due to local lockdowns and gym closures because of the rise of Covid-19 infections back home, French has had numerous difficulties with his rehab, but he is due to return for pre-season training


So he's at home they are in lockdown and as he's not with an NRL club he doesn't have any of their loverly training exemptions and he's due back for pre season.

The only way you can add any ambugirty to that is to take a rumour mill post as 100% fact. It might end up being true but wigans statement is clear.

Without any malice at all and no who's a bigger fan as many of you will have been supporting the team longer than I have been alive. If you are feeling this down about support Wigan why do you? (Open question)
These are two reasons not to trust people.
1. We don't know them.
2. We do know them.
nathan_rugby
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Re: Wigan Warriors give extended injury update on four key men following serious injuries

Post by nathan_rugby »

Caboosegg wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 11:36 pm What's unclear about the update on French

Bevan French

Fullback Bevan French is currently continuing his rehab at home in Australia. His season was cut-short in May after suffering a torn hamstring in the Round 7 away win at Salford Red Devils. Due to local lockdowns and gym closures because of the rise of Covid-19 infections back home, French has had numerous difficulties with his rehab, but he is due to return for pre-season training


So he's at home they are in lockdown and as he's not with an NRL club he doesn't have any of their loverly training exemptions and he's due back for pre season.

The only way you can add any ambugirty to that is to take a rumour mill post as 100% fact. It might end up being true but wigans statement is clear.

Without any malice at all and no who's a bigger fan as many of you will have been supporting the team longer than I have been alive. If you are feeling this down about support Wigan why do you? (Open question)
Nothing is unclear from the post, it’s just not very good news.

If French recovery is off track because of Covid in Australia then why is he not on his way back now so he can get ready for pre season ?
Bomhead - "Lockers to prop."
Exiled Wiganer
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Re: Wigan Warriors give extended injury update on four key men following serious injuries

Post by Exiled Wiganer »

Caboosegg wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 11:36 pm What's unclear about the update on French

Bevan French

Fullback Bevan French is currently continuing his rehab at home in Australia. His season was cut-short in May after suffering a torn hamstring in the Round 7 away win at Salford Red Devils. Due to local lockdowns and gym closures because of the rise of Covid-19 infections back home, French has had numerous difficulties with his rehab, but he is due to return for pre-season training


So he's at home they are in lockdown and as he's not with an NRL club he doesn't have any of their loverly training exemptions and he's due back for pre season.

The only way you can add any ambugirty to that is to take a rumour mill post as 100% fact. It might end up being true but wigans statement is clear.

Without any malice at all and no who's a bigger fan as many of you will have been supporting the team longer than I have been alive. If you are feeling this down about support Wigan why do you? (Open question)
I don’t know if that is aimed at me, but in case it is, my point is that I don’t need to know pretty much any of this now -

2 of the updates are statements of the obvious, when by far the more important questions are not touched upon. I can work out that Field is going to be fit until the next time he isn’t, as they already told us that; of course Leuluai will recover from a minor injury. The question about Leuluai is why do they think that, after being a pro for 20 years he is going to become a creative half back when he has shown no sign of having any talent for that role so far. And with Field, why are we relying on someone whom no one has thought has much talent, when his one attribute - his pace - is likely to be compromised by the sorts of injuries he is suffering. So they are answering a question I already knew the answer to, and not addressing the clear elephant in the room.

Smith’s shoulder is new news, but it would have made far more sense had they mentioned during the season, so we could make allowances for him as we went hour after hour without scoring. As to French’s position, genuinely, it’s pathetic that we have no control or influence over a key player. We are paying him a lot of money and can’t get him to come to the UK so we can get him fit.

Of course we will buy our season tickets - one of our group will be going to watch their 90th season - but this is a mood killer of a press release. We are faced with the real prospect of a spine of Hanley at 1, Field at 6, Leuluai at 7. Powell at 9 and Partington at 13. That would not just be the least creative spine in SL, but one of the weakest in the championship. That lot could go months without creating a try.
Southern Softy
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Re: Wigan Warriors give extended injury update on four key men following serious injuries

Post by Southern Softy »

widdenoldboy wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 8:28 pm
Southern Softy wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 9:39 am It's not a question of slating the club, it's just that you should never issue a statement that raises more questions than it answers. That's a fairly basic rule.
We need warts and all updates - we got it - we can't have just good news (as if!).
Well, you can see from the thread that it's not the fact that supporters don't appreciate the statement, it's more that it brings out a series of issues that need clarification.
No one was asking if Tommy was going to be fit - they were asking what the plan was for him to play and in what position.
If Harry had a chronic shoulder issue that needed reconstructive surgery, will he really be fit for the season? Think about others who have had that problem.
The apparent French rehab problem has just started hares running and the comment about Field having a minor groin problem left me and others wondering why a minor problem following a presumably more serious problem meant that we have hardly ever seen him on the field.
Lots of clubs produce injury updates. Wigan tend not to, so, when they do produce one, it needs to be definitive and not cause supporters to wonder if there are more problems behind it.
No one likes bad news but you can put up with it if it answers an important question in supporters' minds.
fozzieskem
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Re: Wigan Warriors give extended injury update on four key men following serious injuries

Post by fozzieskem »

While being very far from scientific French s absent from the season ticket promos on the main site,surely you'd want your showmen to be on any sort of ticket promotion,like I say probably nothing in it but I do find that odd
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Fujiman
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Re: Wigan Warriors give extended injury update on four key men following serious injuries

Post by Fujiman »

Exiled Wiganer wrote: Fri Oct 22, 2021 9:13 am
Caboosegg wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 11:36 pm What's unclear about the update on French

Bevan French

Fullback Bevan French is currently continuing his rehab at home in Australia. His season was cut-short in May after suffering a torn hamstring in the Round 7 away win at Salford Red Devils. Due to local lockdowns and gym closures because of the rise of Covid-19 infections back home, French has had numerous difficulties with his rehab, but he is due to return for pre-season training


So he's at home they are in lockdown and as he's not with an NRL club he doesn't have any of their loverly training exemptions and he's due back for pre season.

The only way you can add any ambugirty to that is to take a rumour mill post as 100% fact. It might end up being true but wigans statement is clear.

Without any malice at all and no who's a bigger fan as many of you will have been supporting the team longer than I have been alive. If you are feeling this down about support Wigan why do you? (Open question)
I don’t know if that is aimed at me, but in case it is, my point is that I don’t need to know pretty much any of this now -

2 of the updates are statements of the obvious, when by far the more important questions are not touched upon. I can work out that Field is going to be fit until the next time he isn’t, as they already told us that; of course Leuluai will recover from a minor injury. The question about Leuluai is why do they think that, after being a pro for 20 years he is going to become a creative half back when he has shown no sign of having any talent for that role so far. And with Field, why are we relying on someone whom no one has thought has much talent, when his one attribute - his pace - is likely to be compromised by the sorts of injuries he is suffering. So they are answering a question I already knew the answer to, and not addressing the clear elephant in the room.

Smith’s shoulder is new news, but it would have made far more sense had they mentioned during the season, so we could make allowances for him as we went hour after hour without scoring. As to French’s position, genuinely, it’s pathetic that we have no control or influence over a key player. We are paying him a lot of money and can’t get him to come to the UK so we can get him fit.

Of course we will buy our season tickets - one of our group will be going to watch their 90th season - but this is a mood killer of a press release. We are faced with the real prospect of a spine of Hanley at 1, Field at 6, Leuluai at 7. Powell at 9 and Partington at 13. That would not just be the least creative spine in SL, but one of the weakest in the championship. That lot could go months without creating a try.
very impressive 👍
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