Wigan Signings!!!

[NeeNawWarrior22]

Over on rlfans someone has just posted Brent Tate and Johnathan Thurston are rumoured to be joining Matt Bowen at Wigan next year.

Thurston is not out of contract.

He has signed a multi million deal this year to stay where he is.

We can put that one to bed then. I doubt Wigan are looking to recruit in the halves anyway, so for me personally I pay no attention to rumours of that sort. We should be looking for a QUALITY full back, a QUALITY replacement for Pat and maybe a centre. Some people may say there are not quality enough players in those positions available, but what's to stop us been in for the likes of Briscoe, or top quality full backs? We have the space on the cap for wages easily, and money for transfer fees. Not IL style though I suppose. I do still think Briscoe will be a Wigan player next year. I hope anyway.

[Owd Codger]

We actually do not need any forwards BUT we do need players like Carney who can create a try where most players would simply be covered and tackled.

The ideal left edge would have been Chase Hock AN.OTHER and Carney.

That's one way of creating trouble within the club.[/quote]

W.W there is more trouble in club now than there has been for ten years.Why do you think everyone is jumping ship and can't attract top players only old has beens looking for a pay day.. Bet your disapointed Can't blame that on Hock.

Now we are getting silly!

[butt monkey]

Well Saints have paid £50k for Kyle Amor so that's another player to be "rubbed" from the rumours

[ddtftf]

I am now getting really worried for the team next year, if we do nor get any quality experience the season ticket sales will be well down. So come on Ian Lenagan shape your self and lift the moral of all the faithfull spactators you have, we will only wait for so long. Latics worked on your principle of sell quality players and buy cheap and look what the consequences are. As a business man you should know that once you loose a customer its bloody hard to get them back.

[Wes]

Hmm IL is looking to be a tight arse of late, my hopes are in the youth.

[DaveO]

Well Saints have paid £50k for Kyle Amor so that's another player to be "rubbed" from the rumours

And they made another loss financially last year and are still not profitable.

I am not saying we should have bought this player but other clubs Saints included go about strengthening their squads.

The best we can hope for is IL is keeping his powder dry in a misguided attempt to placate the fans over Sam's exit.

The trouble is the longer it drags on the list of likely recruits gets smaller.

There is only one solution. IL to deliver a quota full of current Aussie Internationals! :eh:

[Kittwazzer]

Hmm IL is looking to be a tight arse of late, my hopes are in the youth.

Don't get too excited Wes. They all have a price tag on their collars!

[Wes]

Hmm IL is looking to be a tight arse of late, my hopes are in the youth.

Don't get too excited Wes. They all have a price tag on their collars!

Too true stuey, my opinion on IL has changed somewhat recently.

[shaunedwardsfanclub]

Hmm IL is looking to be a tight arse of late, my hopes are in the youth.

Don't get too excited Wes. They all have a price tag on their collars!

Too true stuey, my opinion on IL has changed somewhat recently.

Youth is fine but it needs to be complemented by recruiting good pros from elsewhere. As things stand at the moment (pending the announcement of three signings) our squad will not be as good in 2014 as it is now and for me that is very worrying. Other teams, such as Saints are trying to address their shortcomings and if we are not careful we will be slipping further down the pecking order. We need to invest in quality players and compliment them with imerging talent, if we can do so then our squad should develop into a dominant outfit. If we continue to allow other clubs to asset strip then this famous club will not reach the heights to which it aspires. We should be aware that all our juniors will not make the grade even thoughs enjoying first team experience at present. Some junior players have not continued their development this year, although this could be a blip. We should not assume that the likes of Hampshire, Burgess, Williams etc. will cut it at the top.

The loss of Tomkins, Richards, Hock, Mossop, Tuson and Prescott is a massive drain on the quality and experience of the team and this is something that IFL needs to rectify over the coming weeks/months. Signing the likes of Pettybourne and Hopkins (although I am sure that they are decent players) doesn't fill me full of optimism. We have, or will be, if the rumours are to be believed, receiving large transfer fees for three of those players and we need to invest some of it in the best talent available either in the UK or downunder. The salary cap shouldn't be an issue either given that we have not spent up to the budget this year and the savings generated by the players leaving. If we assume that Pettybourne and Hopkins are direct replacements for Mossop and Tuson then, given my rough calculation, that would still leave us circa £800k available under the salary cap - with that we should be in a position to attract some top players.

I am sure that we all agree that fullback and wing are a priority but I am of the opinion that our forwards look light in terms of size (H, Faz and Tuson must be the smallest backrow in the competition and it is having a major impact on how we are performing) (did IFL talk about an enforcer in the past)and we need more competition and class in the centres. In previous seasons, as an example, we have been outbid by Warrington (Rachford, Hill, Morley), what a difference they would have made to us! It is imperative that IFL splashes the cash if the sporting public of Wigan are to be encouraged to spend their hard earned income on supporting the team. In my view, he should make a statement by signing Kirmond from Wakefield (named in the dream team) and an antipodean centre.

[ddtftf]

No chance IL will be looking at Barrow or Sheffiels Eagles for a cheapy