Fans Forum - Status quo, No change

[cpwigan]

Anything and everything the RFL do is fine. They are all great people. The cap is fantastic blah blah.

Everything is our own fault. Tough titty.

[ancientnloyal]

Sam T is too young to be in the first team

Sam Tomkins is too young?? So was Sam Burgess too young? Is Kyle Eastmond too young to be playing for Saints? Is Tom Briscoe too young to be playing in a CC semi final for Hull?
Was Andy Farrell too young when he made his Wigan debut? Was Kris Radlinksi also too young?
Sounds like they're talking a load of rubbish to me! If they're good enough they're old enough. Just look at the young Aussie players. The NRL is a much tougher competition yet they play 18 year olds without any fuss.

the comeback to that is... the likes of Inglis and Falou (sp?) play alongside quality players in the NRL and can cope with being young...

Wigan dont have quality players to help breed youngsters through...

re stanton... he's not 'right' yet but will be in 2 years :doz:

[cpwigan]

Cp, how would you describe the body language of the panelists did thye set out with an obvious intention of deflecting difficult questions

First forum out well in advance, mingling, chatting. This forum, came out with 10-15 mins before start, stood on the periphery, together, IL arrived later.

IL manages the show. The rest sit their like dummies. Lydon answered a few questions. Hogan bullshitted the audience with fake flattery calling them very knowledgeable. Trust me some of the questions are cringey and do not show RL fans in a good light.

IL controls who answers the questions. The audience is meek and mild. It's like the type that attend party political conferences so although he pretends to be worried etc etc He plays the cathartic lines, we know there are problems, we know what the end result should look like - THE BIT IN THE MIDDLE (THE HARD PART) THEY DO NOT KNOW but hey wait and wait, keep supporting us because you are so loyal and Wigan RLFC is a great brand and somehow things might turn out right. IL is a politician and politician do not really answers questions other than to their own agenda. HE is arrogant in his on belief that he knows best and is everybody's friend. He will never stand against anybody such as the RFL, all other chairmen are great. HE's a very old fashioned chairman but guess what folks these meeting show we listen. The fall back is hey atleast I'm not Whelan and Lindsay.

[highland convert]

Sam T is too young to be in the first team

So was Sam Burgess too young?

Out for the season, out of world cup. Serous shoulder injury at his age. Answer to your question, Yes

HC

[ancientnloyal]

The problem is... wigan shouldnt be so sh*** behind the scenes anyway - castleford manage

[cpwigan]

Sam T is too young to be in the first team

Sam Tomkins is too young?? So was Sam Burgess too young? Is Kyle Eastmond too young to be playing for Saints? Is Tom Briscoe too young to be playing in a CC semi final for Hull?
Was Andy Farrell too young when he made his Wigan debut? Was Kris Radlinksi also too young?
Sounds like they're talking a load of rubbish to me! If they're good enough they're old enough. Just look at the young Aussie players. The NRL is a much tougher competition yet they play 18 year olds without any fuss.

the comeback to that is... the likes of Inglis and Falou (sp?) play alongside quality players in the NRL and can cope with being young...

Wigan dont have quality players to help breed youngsters through...

re stanton... he's not 'right' yet but will be in 2 years :doz:

They were priceless. I am fairly sure Inglis did not play in that tour. So neither the questioner or Joe know what they are talking about. However, Falau was looked after by great teamates. The older head in the Melbourne team is tough as teak Mick Crocker. Melbourne had to release Crocker. He has gone to Hull. IL - There are no enforcers / no leaders" Question "Mick Crocker?" IL "We were not interested.

The Melbourne team is younger than the Wigan team. The way the cap works over there if you are successful you pay bonuses. So you then have to release players. Melbourne had to bring kids through every year. They are just super coached. Matt King went he was replaced by a youngster. Their enforcer prop went to Newcastle Knights.

Other youngsters in that Aus Schoolboy Team.

Chris Lawrence. He plays in a team (West Tigers) that had major injuries. Key players lost. Great coach Tim Sheens he is now considered an established player.

Chris Sandow. Very short, nuggety scrum half. Now leads South Sydney directing them around the field, barking at older pros. He came into a losing team. His first game, they win and win their next 5.

Mitchell Pearce. Similar build to Sam Tomkins. Now leads his team around and has played Origin.

[cpwigan]

Sam T is too young to be in the first team

So was Sam Burgess too young?

Out for the season, out of world cup. Serous shoulder injury at his age. Answer to your question, Yes

HC

He has a shoulder injury because he got big headed and started shoulder charging ball carriers. Shoulder charges look great but put huge strain on the body. His coach is the England assistant coach and Nobles former assistant. A good coach would have nailed it on the head.

[cpwigan]

Gareth Carvell

Sometimes with IL it is what he will not say that tells you more. They have made a bid but would not confirm is successful or failed. So either still in with a shout or just stringing us along.

Saints fans reckon he is theirs.

Oh Il is after Turf. He's read his rumour about Tim Smith drinking in Wigan boozers

[ancientnloyal]

wasnt he IL, on about how much garbage and sh*** RLFans.com is?

even though i do contribute occasionally myself...

[Red Hot Mama]

Main points:

IL backs Noble.
We need additional coaching & fitness staff (Steve Hampson is being talked to at the moment).
Wants people to stop posting cr@p about players drinking on here - says if you have hard evidence contact him.
Said we need props and a leader. Declined to comment on Carvell rumours.
The players accept full responsibilty for what has gone on and totally accept what the fans said about them.
New sponsor for next year - JJB Gone - Main prospective new guy for sponsorship was sat with him on Friday.
Wants to open club shop / offices / musuem somewhere in town - Won't be Kudos as rent is huge (he is right, it is for all units on there) - Are negotiating for Fitness first at moment but at moment is expensive.
Joe will be implementing several new stratigies over the coming months.
Set up of club regarding player development - praised all the work Noble has done so far and says if you think it's a state now, its nothing to how bad it was when Noble arrived.
Been trying to buy a prop all year.
Reads on here everyday so knows what people think.
Faz wont be back anytime soon - family settled in London.
Feka is putting in 2 hours extra training a day to get fit, shed some weight and improve game time, He started the new training regieme the day he got his court verdict.
Salary Cap is still with auditors.
No rumours have got to him and he normally hears them.
Saw the report we submitted for last season and says it looked fine to him.
We don't have enough coaches or structures in place to support and develop the players.
Noble & Forshaw are working 70hrs+ a week across 3 sides and are too thinly stretched.
No on field leader and no pack enforcers - he is trying to buy them but is struggling within the limits of the cap and as such it is more difficult.
Players have been chucked in at the deep end through no other choice ala Goulding & Prescott. Won't let the same happen to Tomkins.
The players have themselves voted in a new strict code of conduct.
He was very positive about the players. He said its taken 6 months but on Sat morning they finally admitted they were completly to blame, not the fans, Noble, the club. Nobody but themselves.
Said the you're not fit to wear the shirt chants may have helped.
says the players accept they aren't doing what they are told / what they need to do but they accept that now.
He is looking to help them with signings where possible buHe used the word "enforcers" meaning second row / prop. But the conversation moved more towards props.
Didn't say who we had failed to get, wouldn't comment on Carvell, mentioned he knew Fozzard & Wiki were available but was reluctant to sign players at the end of their careers.t it's proving difficult.
He said the team is quiet - Joe said its the quietest dressing room he has seen in his career.
Is looking to sign leaders who can help us
IL said Wigan fans dont boo a losing team, they boo a team that put in no effort and he mentioned Barrett saying after the game on Friday "These fans stuck by the team week in week out when they were losing 2 years ago". They know Friday wasn't acceptable.
The reason for Higham leaving is simply "football reasons", that's basically all he would say. Wouldn't comment on Mathers future whatsoever
Regarding Noble & BBC TV over weekend
IL was aked at meeting and commented.
Doesnt have a problem with Brian fullfilling a contract with BBC.
Joe also commented. After leaving the JJB on friday, Brian was at Orrell till the early hours, was back in at 6.30am, left for Hudds at 11.30, then after game, back to Orrell to do more work.
Pretty much said Pat had taken a pay cut ("a more sensible contract than before") for his new contract because he loves the club & town.


This is a pretty accurate account of what went on tonight. Not my words (have pinched them as my memory is not what it was!!!)

I was quite pleased with the outcome tonight. What we have to remember that Lenegan only took over in December and he can't change things overnight. At least he is prepared to talk to the fans - its more than we've had in the past.