Jake Wardle joins Wigan

[pedro]

Well, I kind of understand it although I may not like it. Coaches like Powell and Watson want to impose their own playing style and Watson, in particular, wants to mould young players into his preferred playing style. This means that players suddenly become available like Cooper at Warrington and you'd be mad not to snap him up, even though it may be relatively short-term. I can see why Wardle is available and he is a seriously good acquisition and equally why Watson would see the chance to take Halsall and Bibby so that he can integrate them as being a worthwhile opportunity.
That's all well and good but it does mean that Wigan don't see their youth policy as providing the kind of players in the backs that are good enough and to a degree, in the forwards. Our 'young' forwards have been around a while now and I'm not sure who will be the next to be moved into the squad and get some real game time. That's the more concerning thing about the moves here. I think Halsall looked good enough (and a bit better) to be persevered with and I'm not wholly convinced by the recruitment of King. It means that the message being given out to young backs is that Wigan are a buying club, not a promoting young players into the first team club.
I rather fear that if O'Neill turns out to be the next one out, then more of the Academy players will move on of their own volition or join academies of other clubs where they may be able to build a better career. O'Keefe is the one I'd most like to see get a chance.

Why is that?

Bit like Cooper - senior man who doesn't sit well with the coach's philosophy because he (Wardle) has a learned and instinctive style of play and the coach wants something different. Huddersfield play a very disciplined and planned style of play under Watson. Personally, I thought it was why we won the cup because they persistently used the same attacking tactic which Wigan snuffed out (coming back inside when the line was open on the wing) and Wigan could improvise - the winning try being a perfect example.

hes 23...

[Southern Softy]

You can be a senior player at 23 and a non-senior one at 33. It's how you are perceived within the club. Watson obviously, judging by his recruitment policy, wants either young players he can mould or players he has coached before who buy into his system. I'm assuming that Wardle has a style of play that doesn't fit with what Watson wants. Wardle seems to be a hard-working and talented pro who most clubs would want to hang on to.

[Mike]

Good signing with any luck, but i do think we're a little vunerable to injuries in the centres. Assuming Thornley gets injured within 2 appearances, we'll be back to second rowers in the centre.