DaveO wrote:
If Wigan are waiting to announce he is off after they have finalised a signing to lessen what they perceive to be a blow for the fans they really do not need to bother. It's so transparent when they do that I can't believe they think it is a good idea. If anything it takes the gloss off the new signing.
If they announced it without a replacement, doubtless you'd moan about that too!
Given I have consistently said the club's attempts to spin things by trying to offset bad news with good are so transparently obvious I can guarantee you I would not.
But hey, it might just as easily be about something else altogether, maybe at the Catalans end.
End of the day, Dave, the simple question is, do you think ST is worth a 4 year deal on big money or not? If the answer is no, then the club are right to let him move on.
As it's the Cats owner who said what he did to the press it's blindingly obvious there is no issue with them. My opinion on whether he is worth a deal of any kind at Wigan has got nothing to do with my view on the saga dragging on. Which is what my post youb replied to was about.
On the subject of should Wigan attempt to keep him I have already made it clear previously that I think there are few genuine quality players in SL and Sam T is one so Wigan would be mad to let him go. It doesn't follow they would necessarily have to give him a four year deal either to keep him. The figure I saw mentioned in the press was £750k over four years at Cats. That's £187k a year. Which on an annual basis is going to a pay cut if he's on the fortune everyone thinks he's on. So as Marquee player that means the club would have to find a mere £87k to match the deal given Sky TV money pays the rest. Seems cheap to me.
If Wigan aren't prepared to pay that level of wage I doubt they will be attracting genuine marquee players to the club to replace him. If you don't want him for four years how about three on £250k a year? Or even just for two? He'd still have at least a couple of years left in him to make up the difference given he'd just have turned 31.
Unless he has a burning desire to live in France it ought to be easy to match the wages on offer without breaking the bank because it's not like he's off to the NRL for a new challenge or NRL level of pay.
I see no reason why Wigan could not take up the option for another year on his current deal then offer him two years on top at £250k which ought to match or even beat the £750k on offer.
If Dave's figures are anywhere near being right, I'd expect the club to be able to retain Sam, or at least go into some serious negotiations which are likely to take some time.
I for that reason I can understand why they can't comment right now as they would definitely affect those negotiations.
moto748 wrote:
If they announced it without a replacement, doubtless you'd moan about that too!
Given I have consistently said the club's attempts to spin things by trying to offset bad news with good are so transparently obvious I can guarantee you I would not.
But hey, it might just as easily be about something else altogether, maybe at the Catalans end.
End of the day, Dave, the simple question is, do you think ST is worth a 4 year deal on big money or not? If the answer is no, then the club are right to let him move on.
As it's the Cats owner who said what he did to the press it's blindingly obvious there is no issue with them. My opinion on whether he is worth a deal of any kind at Wigan has got nothing to do with my view on the saga dragging on. Which is what my post youb replied to was about.
On the subject of should Wigan attempt to keep him I have already made it clear previously that I think there are few genuine quality players in SL and Sam T is one so Wigan would be mad to let him go. It doesn't follow they would necessarily have to give him a four year deal either to keep him. The figure I saw mentioned in the press was £750k over four years at Cats. That's £187k a year. Which on an annual basis is going to a pay cut if he's on the fortune everyone thinks he's on. So as Marquee player that means the club would have to find a mere £87k to match the deal given Sky TV money pays the rest. Seems cheap to me.
If Wigan aren't prepared to pay that level of wage I doubt they will be attracting genuine marquee players to the club to replace him. If you don't want him for four years how about three on £250k a year? Or even just for two? He'd still have at least a couple of years left in him to make up the difference given he'd just have turned 31.
Unless he has a burning desire to live in France it ought to be easy to match the wages on offer without breaking the bank because it's not like he's off to the NRL for a new challenge or NRL level of pay.
I see no reason why Wigan could not take up the option for another year on his current deal then offer him two years on top at £250k which ought to match or even beat the £750k on offer.
If Dave's figures are anywhere near being right, I'd expect the club to be able to retain Sam, or at least go into some serious negotiations which are likely to take some time.
I for that reason I can understand why they can't comment right now as they would definitely affect those negotiations.
I thought it was £750k plus a house plus benefits? If this is the case, then the benefits would also count against the cap. I am sure the package will be north of £750k
Winning is down to 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration - Shaun Edwards
I was told it was 750k over 4 years and the use of a house. I don't think they are giving it to him.
I think its a crazy move by both parties and I think they are playing one off the other. Sam wants a 4 year deal but Wigan wont give him one. So he says I'm of to Catalans.
He is going to move his young family to the south of France for 4 years, away from family and friends, just for the promise of another couple of years. If he does well at Wigan I'm sure they will sign him up again.
I wouldn't like to move my family to Perpignan. I was surprised at the recent game, just how French it was. I thought being so close to Spain it would have a holiday feel, but it didn't. And they aren't exactly a good team at the moment, getting beat every week. Then there's the fact that every other week he's back over here, away from the family, which I was told was one thing he hated about the NZ Warriors.
He must be mad. And Wigan must be mad not signing the biggest English name in the sport up again.
I imagine he'd be a marquee player, so the cap isn't going to be a factor. But if he owns his own home outright he won't be paying rent or mortgage over here, so to move to france and have to rent again would be a disincentive unless it was offset by the club. It would be net neutral.
