Gaz Hock to Penrith

[Kittwazzer]

Surely we have already been over all this ad nauseam!!!

[ste lord]

Isn't it the reason Hoffman is only on a short term contract ?

There should be no need to get rid of Tuscon or Farrell as the Aussie guy should make room

Personally I cant wait to see Hock back and see what he can do under the current coaching set up, that alone is a mouthwatering thought !

Who is Tuscon :tong1:

[DaveO]

Dave there you go again getting all arsey was i answering your question

NO !

No what? You obviously missed the smiley.

The fact Hoffman is on a one year deal (with the option of a 2nd) does not make the problem of how to accommodate Hock in the squad go away.

It seems to me for some such as yourself this is a very black and white issue. Hock was a great player so it's a no brainer he gets his place back seems to be yours and others position.

My point of view is that it is not that simple. Some would say he should never play for Wigan again and that is all there is to it but ignoring that I think there are other issues that make this not such a simple decision one of which is would any of the current players have to make way which would appear to be rewarding Hock at others expense who have not done drugs.

It's also very clear Madge values team spirit, work ethic, professionalism and so on very highly and these things are a huge reason why we won the GF. Now there are plenty of players out there who are very good players who Madge would not touch with a barge pole because they would not fit into the team ethos he has built and it would risk upsetting the apple cart. My question is therefore given his past behaviour how big a risk is it to take Hock back on in this regard? He can be training the house down at the moment but taking Hock back on is not risk free.

In my opinion the club does not need to take that risk. We won the league and a GF without him and will already be stronger in the pack next year with Hoffman arriving. The club does not owe him anything and if he gets a chance to resurrect his career elsewhere then good luck to him but I would not risk having him back.

Dave

[DaveO]

Dave you are trying to put words in my mouth by saying i am black and white.

The difference between my opinion and yours is very simple.

I am putting my faith in the club and Madge to make the right decision based on the facts they will have no doubt been presented with internally

I am doing exactly the same thing. If they have him back then they will think it worth the risk but I am sure they will take everything into consideration, not just that he was once a good player at Wigan.

All I am doing is voicing the opinion it's not that simple a decision and voicing my own opinion (which is what this place is for) that I would not take the risk.

As you say we have just won the GF and I am pretty sure the club know what they are doing rather than listen to you.

I dare say they don't listen to you either but I am sure you have your opinions about what it does and that you don't always agree with everything.

My point stands re hock coming back I am quite excited about the prospect of him returning and he will return a far wiser player and under no illusion what will be expected of him to ensure the "boat is not rocked"

Fine but the best you can do is hope he returns a far wiser player as will I if he gets a contract.

Dave

[cpwigan]

Can I just add a few things;

1) Gaz Hock or anybody will not be added to the squad at the expense of another player. Just like Finch, Lima and Hoffman they add to a squad. They make it a better squad and so it is a win / win for EVERY player in that squad. If those existing players think they are good enough and prove to be better than the 4 new players then they will play. Madge has shown time and time again that he is more concerned with what players do a training and in games NOT reputations. I personally think Gaz may have to adapt his game and imdeed his game may get better under Madge.

2) Players, GREAT ones have had disagreements, time out and returned to help Wigan RLFC win. Ellery, Gregory, Edwards etc. Less well known Nicky Kiss walked away for 12 months but nobody ever criticised his return.

Great players are like most fans they want to win things and although cruel if that means a good friend being dropped then their attitude will always be, so be it.

[Kittwazzer]

I have been a supporter of Hock throughout but as time moves on, I am coming to terms with a few truisms.

Having been absent from the game for 2 years, the same Gaz Hock will not be coming back.
His ban could not have come at a worse time when we desperately needed him to climb the league ladder. We are now champions so that is no longer the case.
Madge is IMO the best coach we have ever had and without doubt by far the best in SL at present.
As CPW stated, his return to the team will depend upon many issues: attitude, ability to gel back in, the considered need for his services.
End of the day, every single factor will be fully considered by Madge and Waney who will decide whether he is needed/wanted or not.

I am perfectly happy with that!

[cpwigan]

Is Gaz hock going to penrith ?

Yes or no ?

No

[DaveO]

I have been a supporter of Hock throughout but as time moves on, I am coming to terms with a few truisms.

Having been absent from the game for 2 years, the same Gaz Hock will not be coming back.
His ban could not have come at a worse time when we desperately needed him to climb the league ladder. We are now champions so that is no longer the case.
Madge is IMO the best coach we have ever had and without doubt by far the best in SL at present.
As CPW stated, his return to the team will depend upon many issues: attitude, ability to gel back in, the considered need for his services.
End of the day, every single factor will be fully considered by Madge and Waney who will decide whether he is needed/wanted or not.

I am perfectly happy with that!

Well I am glad someone else can see a similar picture as I do. Things are different now and it is not crucial Wigan re-sign him.

The thing in Hocks favour is he will most likely be cheap at least when/if he first gets back and so from that point of view the risk is low. If he is not the same player as he was then not a lot of money wasted.

I am sure if he does come back and is as good as ever it would infuriate the opposition fans because we would have a top player on the cheap and thus the salary cap would have been got round in a way.

One thing is for sure if he does come back he will be under a lot of scrutiny and pressure to deliver. That in itself will provide Madge and Co with a task to deal with all that.

Dave

[Fujiman]

I have been a supporter of Hock throughout but as time moves on, I am coming to terms with a few truisms.

Having been absent from the game for 2 years, the same Gaz Hock will not be coming back.
His ban could not have come at a worse time when we desperately needed him to climb the league ladder. We are now champions so that is no longer the case.
Madge is IMO the best coach we have ever had and without doubt by far the best in SL at present.
As CPW stated, his return to the team will depend upon many issues: attitude, ability to gel back in, the considered need for his services.
End of the day, every single factor will be fully considered by Madge and Waney who will decide whether he is needed/wanted or not.

I am perfectly happy with that!

Well I am glad someone else can see a similar picture as I do. Things are different now and it is not crucial Wigan re-sign him.

The thing in Hocks favour is he will most likely be cheap at least when/if he first gets back and so from that point of view the risk is low. If he is not the same player as he was then not a lot of money wasted.

I am sure if he does come back and is as good as ever it would infuriate the opposition fans because we would have a top player on the cheap and thus the salary cap would have been got round in a way.

One thing is for sure if he does come back he will be under a lot of scrutiny and pressure to deliver. That in itself will provide Madge and Co with a task to deal with all that.

Dave

Agreed and it makes the 5 year deal rumour sound even more silly

[Panchitta Marra]

If Gaz Hock proves himself good enough to be selected by Michael Mcguire then that is good enough for me, simple as.
This is irrespective of the two years he has served out of the game of Rugby League.