kear in for DV

[shawcross da warrior]

they can have em boh they really are terrible them two

[Cruncher]

Despite my oft expressed hope that Richards won't leave Wigan, I was in town last night and spoke to someone who can occasionally be trusted to have good info, who assured me the club are genuinely trying to unload both Richards and DV.

He didn't know whether this was so that another majory signing could be accommodated, but he suspected that it was.

[dawbz]

It'sthe leading story on teletext at the moment, Kear wants them both.

[Nine]

Liam Colbon has been retained in the first team squad and is quite capable of coping well on the wing for us. Fans keep talking about wanting the club to keep hold of its locally produced youngsters and give them a chance - then when the rumour is about a senior player going, the youngsters are not mentioned or dismissed as realistic possibilities.

Colbon is now 22, has another year's development behind him, is tall and strong, has a great attitude and if he's finished his college course can concentrate full-time on his rugby. Let's give him a chance if Richards goes.

[Cruncher]

Nine posted:
Liam Colbon has been retained in the first team squad and is quite capable of coping well on the wing for us. Fans keep talking about wanting the club to keep hold of its locally produced youngsters and give them a chance - then when the rumour is about a senior player going, the youngsters are not mentioned or dismissed as realistic possibilities.

Colbon is now 22, has another year's development behind him, is tall and strong, has a great attitude and if he's finished his college course can concentrate full-time on his rugby. Let's give him a chance if Richards goes.

If Richards goes he'll get his chance. I can't see even the sale of DV and Pat Richards together freeing up enough cap space for us to bring in more than one qaulity player, and from what I hear, the priority is a prop not a winger.

Having said that, I'd be disappointed if we didn't get something out of Wakey for Richards: i.e. an at least half-decent player just to bolster numbers. DV they can have, but I feel Richards still has much to offer, not least the fact he was being lined up as our main goal-kicker.

[Matthew]

http://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague ... field.html

It's on Sporting life now too.

At the moment it seems to be kear talking rather than anything else. There's no comment from the Wigan camp. So it may well be baldy trying to talk the media into doing his leg work for him.

If we did offload DV then I would expect us to have to pay the difference between his wages here and at the wildcats - so it might not save us that much. Richards would be easier to sell - as he is probably on less money and has performed (a little) better for Wigan.

As long as we sign another prop and a player that can kick goals then I wouldn't have a problem with either of them leaving.

If we do keep Richards then surely that will make it more likely that Colbon will be forced to join the Wigan retirement home known as the Vikings - and we will have another overseas player in the squad at the expense of a home grown lad.

Richards hasn't been that good and is probably three or four times more expensive than Colbon is - is he three or four times as good?

[Cruncher]

Matthew posted:
http://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague ... field.html

It's on Sporting life now too.

At the moment it seems to be kear talking rather than anything else. There's no comment from the Wigan camp. So it may well be baldy trying to talk the media into doing his leg work for him.

If we did offload DV then I would expect us to have to pay the difference between his wages here and at the wildcats - so it might not save us that much. Richards would be easier to sell - as he is probably on less money and has performed (a little) better for Wigan.

As long as we sign another prop and a player that can kick goals then I wouldn't have a problem with either of them leaving.

If we do keep Richards then surely that will make it more likely that Colbon will be forced to join the Wigan retirement home known as the Vikings - and we will have another overseas player in the squad at the expense of a home grown lad.

Richards hasn't been that good and is probably three or four times more expensive than Colbon is - is he three or four times as good?

If this happens, Wigan need their heads seeing to. I can see no advantage at all in releasing a player whose wage demands are causing us problems, only to pay him more or less the same wages just to play for someone else.

We should only unload DV if it means we're unloading his wage-bill as well. Perhaps we must face the reality that we'll have to pay a percentage of it, but if this means we still can't buy the extra prop we need, then it makes no sense.

As for Richards, he should only be allowed to leave in a straightforward transfer deal: i.e. we get either a player or cash in exchange (or, the removal of his wage-bill allows us even more room to manoeuvre on the new signings front).

Just out of interest, here's a question someone may know the answer to. If we let DV go to Wakey and agree to pay a chunk of his wages, does that count on our salary cap bill? Because theoretically it shouldn't, as he won't be part of our playing-staff any more. Maybe I'm being naive here, but it's a genuine question.

[Matthew]

Cruncher posted:
Just out of interest, here's a question someone may know the answer to. If we let DV go to Wakey and agree to pay a chunk of his wages, does that count on our salary cap bill? Because theoretically it shouldn't, as he won't be part of our playing-staff any more. Maybe I'm being naive here, but it's a genuine question.

Unfortunately Yes - as the salary cap includes payments to players after they have left the club. This is stop us paying Trent Barrett minimum wage whilst he is here and then paying him half a million the day after he leaves the club.

As DV is not part of next seasons plans (if he was, then why have we signed so many players that can play centre?) it would make sense to get rid of him - even if we have to pay half his salary - as that is still likely to more than enough to pay for another better player!

[100% Warrior]

With this story and the squad numbers not being released yet it does make you wonder if there's still a bit of movement to be made with the squad before next season.

I feel a bit sorry for Vaealiki as it would appear that he was signed due to the panic of missing out on Gasnier (who I never thought would ever sign for us) and he arrived still recovering after a very serious injury. I don't think there's many worse injuries for someone with pace than the achilles tendon.

He just doesn't seem to have got over it since he arrived, whether he's fit but afraid of re-injuring only he knows but I don't think Wigan have had a chance to see the best of him.

However, if we are to release a player I do think it will be him as Richards was played out of position for part of last season and that could have been a reason for his form not being as good as when he played for Wests in the NRL.

If one does leave can anyone think of any good goal kicking prop forwards ? :eusa16:

Just thought we could sort out both problem areas with one player. :lol1:

[Cruncher]

100% Warrior posted:
With this story and the squad numbers not being released yet it does make you wonder if there's still a bit of movement to made with the squad before next season.

I feel a bit sorry for Vaealiki as it would appear that he was signed due to the panic of missing out on Gasnier (who I never thought would ever sign for us) and he arrived still recovering after a very serious injury. I don't think there's many worse injuries for someone with pace than the achilles tendon.

He just doesn't seem to have got over it since he arrived, whether he's fit but afraid of re-injuring only he knows but I don't think Wigan have had a chance to see the best of him.

However, if we are to release a player I do think it will be him as Richards was played out of position for part of last season and that could have been a reason for his form not being as good as when he played for Wests in the NRL.

If one does leave can anyone think of any good goal kicking prop forwards ? :eusa16:

Just thought we could sort out both problem areas with one player. :lol1:

Talking to fellow Wigan fanatics, there are various prop forwards' names being bandied about. The main ones are: FFMM (or however it's spelt), Bailey, Coley and even Peacock.

None, as far as I'm aware, are goal-kickers, but in order of preference (and purely fantasising here, because I wouldn't believe it until it happened), I'd opt for: Peacock, Coley, FFMM, Bailey.

Of course it may be none of those. It may be no-one at all, just more salary cap panic, which would surely be the final condemnation of our current controllers, especially if it DID involve the loss of both Richards and DV.

For what it's worth, if we ended up signing either Coley or Bailey, I'd still be irritated if it cost us both PR and DV. Surely the loss of DV's wages alone would be enough to bring in either one of those two? (EL Magic anyone? He can kick as well as score tries, he isn't quota and - and for once this might be a plus - he's 30-odd, so he wouldn't cost a great deal).