what do people think / Ryan Hoffman and Jeff Lima

[KOOCH]

Interesting to read the views and thoughts of others on who we should and should not sign.I for one would be happy to see Finch and Lima as good additions to the squad.But what perturbs me more is how the bloody hell do the wire (bunch of cheating gits) continue to get linked to big name players? Are they immune from salary cap restrictions? or what? Ok ask a silly question get a silly answer.Or call me an old cynical git :doz:

[100% Warrior]

Looks like we may be getting Finch or another half back as one of today's rugby papers quotes Maguire as saying we won't be signing a specialist hooker to replace Piggy.

That would suggest we'll be running with Tommy & McIlorum at 9 next season.

[platt-warrior]

Correct i read the same artacle

[DaveO]

Props - Fielden, (Coley), Lima, Mossop, Prescott, O'Carroll, Davies
Back Row - Lockers, J Tomkins, Hoffman, Hansen, Farrell, Tuson.

That certainly isn't a bad set of forwards.

No it's not but that is seven props and six back row forwards and you missed Hock off the list who is due back half way through 2011, on a five year deal apparently. That's 14 forwards.

We won't be able to keep them all happy and Hock, Hoffman, Lima and Mossop will be on new contracts or in the middle of a long contract (Mossop). I can't see us wanting to lose Lockers or J Tomkins so who out of all the rest will be leaving?

Dave

[ian b]

Big thread on this on rlfans. Mostly positive comments with Hoffman being touted as a direct and much better replacement for Bailey with Lima as Feka with stamina!

Hoffman is world class but given we have JT, Hansen, Mossop and Farrell with also the rumoured return of Hock it could mean no place for one of them. Hock and Mossop to prop might happen I suppose but that would still leave us with four 2nd row forwards for three places (two in the 13 one on the bench) so one of them will miss out regularly.

I had expected Bailey leaving to open the door for a younger player to regularly get games e.g. Hansen and JT starting with Farrell on the bench. This would also allow players yet to break through to step into the shoes of Farrell i.e. act as cover. Signing Hoffman kind of derails that happy little progression through the ranks.

It's a tough one. Sign a world class player or stick to home grown talent that so far has taken us to the top of the league.

Dave

i agree totally as good as Hoffman is i wouldnt sign him.I dont want to go back to the days of quick fixes.We have a great young side in the making and Hock coming back would make the team stronger.Signing Aussies just pushes the young talent out of the side again and they end up going elsewhere.Players like Goulding,Farrell,etc... are making Wigan's future bright,we dont need and influx of more Aussies.

[The Eclipse]

I think Ryan Hoffman is a top class player and is an asset to any team but Jeff Lima's best days are behind him.

A lot of average players look great in that Melbourne Storm structure and playing with three players who are all time greats helps them go to another level.

[butt monkey]

Looks like we may be getting Finch or another half back as one of today's rugby papers quotes Maguire as saying we won't be signing a specialist hooker to replace Piggy.

That would suggest we'll be running with Tommy & McIlorum at 9 next season.

Hasn't Finch been playing hooker for Melbourne lately?

[butt monkey]

I think Ryan Hoffman is a top class player and is an asset to any team but Jeff Lima's best days are behind him.

A lot of average players look great in that Melbourne Storm structure and playing with three players who are all time greats helps them go to another level.

Whilst a fair comment, this is nothing new. Back in the "Golden Era" for the club, Wigan also used to do similar. The likes of Billy McGinty/Neil Cowie/Martin Hall/Sam Panapa etc slotted into the side when required. Many times looking better players than the ones at their previous clubs.

Maybe that is the current feeling by the Coach, and that despite our current league position, this side has been more fortunate to be where it is? After all, it is still the side inherited by the incumbent! Maybe Maguire wants things like the Challenge Cup hiccup to become more of a rarity and as such feels that the areas that are "weak" need improving/strengthening.

On a side note, I wouldn't be surprised to see some sort of Melbourne/Wigan "player swap" arrangement in order to help the Storm through their current financial predicament, and also get some of Wigan's younger players some NRL experience. Meaning Wigan do not lose any of the up-and-coming talent, and neither do the Storm in the long run, yet both teams players gain experience of the others competition.

[cherrywarrior]

I just dont understand why we need to shell out more money on old Aussies coming across for a last big pay cheque, in a position where we already have too many players as it is, when we should just be letting our youngsters replace the older players naturally leaving...Its a bit ridiculous when quite a few of our young ones now have made their debuts in Super League for other clubs.

[j658]

I just dont understand why we need to shell out more money on old Aussies coming across for a last big pay cheque

The Storm players we are reported to be interested in are Ryan Hoffman 26, Jeff Lima 28, Brett Finch 28, Anthony Quinn 27. None of them are past it, in fact all could be said to be peak age for their positions. All have rep honours at SOO or full international level. They are exactly the type of players we should be targeting to complement the excellent youngsters we are bringing through, especially if 1 or 2 of those young players gets to go to Oz for a year to train and play in the NRL as is rumoured.