Wigan prepare to announce Hardaker arrival

[Cherry_Warrior]

Losing a leader. Gaining a better player.

I see it the same way. If we had both we woyld be unstoppable.

The question is why can't we? Sam costs the club £75K on the cap. Peanuts for a player of his ability. The fact the club is apparently unwilling to fork out the additional wonga over and above that ought to be a concern regardless of any issues about Hardaker himself.

If we sign Hardaker and chuck enough money at a top NRL player to get them here in place of Sam as marquee (despite the £150k hit on the cap) I might be more in favour but I can't see that happening.

Still a good chance we could though yet DaveO. We could be losing Gildart so will desperately need a centre, although if that happens i would like us to sign Toupou from Wakey and with Tommy going into the coaching role (which i think is an excellent move) we will still be in the market for a hooker/half back. Hopefully DaveO this is where the big signing will be. I won't say we desperately need it but we do need it and it would make us such a stronger side. Just cross your fingers that the replacement isn't Lloyd White.

[thegimble]

Or signed a poorer player maybe. That would have been ok for some. Or we could have given ST a 4 year marquee money but loose a few players. Might be less on the cap but someone foots the bill.

Does not alter the fact that unless the club are paying him less than £75k signing Hardaker makes it harder to retain players as he takes up more of the cap.

If he is on less than £75k there would be no reason not to retain Sam as well. Yes it would cost whatever it costs to do that but so what? I am sure IL is touched by your concern for his wallet why you are I don't know. A cheapskate chairman is not compatible with being chairman of Wigan RL.

There are only two ways to look at this financially. Either Hardaker is on peanuts so we could have both him and Sam or he's earning enough that his increased cost on the cap compared to Sam is what makes it harder for Wigan to retain other players.

It also makes it harder to retain players if we sign a marquee player to replace Sam from outside the club as it would take £150K rather than £75K out of the cap.

More than happy to have him join us. Class player and would have kept ST out of the last world cup squad.

And Cas might have won a GF. If's and buts....he took drugs instead.

Ever thought this is not a salary cap issue as such but could be that ST wants more than IL is going to pay him.

What if ST wants 300k a season. IL does not want to pay that much as someone has to pay for it. Or put this another way we have 10k season tickets approx. Everyone pays 15 pound more and pay ST the extra through that.

The situation is not as simple as some think I feel. Feeling I have is Catalan has offered him massive money that IL will not bank roll.

[Wes]

I heard Catalans are paying Sam 750k per year not for whole contract.

If and it is an if that is true is he worth that to us? I’d say not.

I’d like to see us sign a classy half from the NRL as marquee for next season to add to hardaker.

[thegimble]

I see it the same way. If we had both we woyld be unstoppable.

The question is why can't we? Sam costs the club £75K on the cap. Peanuts for a player of his ability. The fact the club is apparently unwilling to fork out the additional wonga over and above that ought to be a concern regardless of any issues about Hardaker himself.

If we sign Hardaker and chuck enough money at a top NRL player to get them here in place of Sam as marquee (despite the £150k hit on the cap) I might be more in favour but I can't see that happening.

Still a good chance we could though yet DaveO. We could be losing Gildart so will desperately need a centre, although if that happens i would like us to sign Toupou from Wakey and with Tommy going into the coaching role (which i think is an excellent move) we will still be in the market for a hooker/half back. Hopefully DaveO this is where the big signing will be. I won't say we desperately need it but we do need it and it would make us such a stronger side. Just cross your fingers that the replacement isn't Lloyd White.

Hooker is a worry more than centres. Just hope we have a class partnet for Williams and Powell goes to hooker role again.

[pedro]

Losing a leader. Gaining a better player.

Disagree, Sam is better than Hardaker

[Firestarter]

Ide still prefer sam in the halves

[Mike]

Due to marquee it boils down to what we think Sam is worth - not cap-wise, but cash-wise.

I guess we are not prepared to pay what he can get elsewhere.

Dave's position seems to be that we should pay whatever he is asking because he's a top-end SL player and there aren't that many of them. (or get a NRL player in as a replacement).

There are player unrest implications to that, but I broadly agree. I'd hate to see us lose Sam based on a value for money argument after all we've done in the past to retain him. Just when we're starting to see him come into form and influence the team again.

[pearsy]

Will there be a get out clause if Cats get relacated surely they can't pay that kind of money in the championship and how will that effect Wigan?

[pedro]

Due to marquee it boils down to what we think Sam is worth - not cap-wise, but cash-wise.

I guess we are not prepared to pay what he can get elsewhere.

Dave's position seems to be that we should pay whatever he is asking because he's a top-end SL player and there aren't that many of them. (or get a NRL player in as a replacement).

There are player unrest implications to that, but I broadly agree. I'd hate to see us lose Sam based on a value for money argument after all we've done in the past to retain him. Just when we're starting to see him come into form and influence the team again.

agree, we start saying the worth then we need to pay it as we did for George and he was still a gamble due to age and inexperience, a gamble that at the moment isnt paying off.

[widdenoldboy]

If Cats are offering 4 year deal on great or even good money then its hard to compete with that. Its a sickener, after injuries he is showing his class again.