NEW CENTRE

[stanthemanc]

Give the lad a some time to settle in lets see what he’s like which nrl team did George carmont come from I’m sure it was one of the lower league teams and he was working as well as a tradesman look how he turned out so let’s give the club the benefit of the doubt super League is full of one season wonders from the nrl that come over here to improve their profile then bugger off back home as I said at the start let give the lad a chance he might surprise the lot of us .

[adiddy]

Give the lad a some time to settle in lets see what he’s like which nrl team did George carmont come from I’m sure it was one of the lower league teams and he was working as well as a tradesman look how he turned out so let’s give the club the benefit of the doubt super League is full of one season wonders from the nrl that come over here to improve their profile then bugger off back home as I said at the start let give the lad a chance he might surprise the lot of us .

Carmont was a full time professional at Newcastle Knights and was so well liked by the fans that they did a petition to get Newcastle to re-sign George. Whilst I agree we need to give Hankinson (why do I keep thinking Mr Hanky) some time to prove himself, this is in every way different from us signing an NRL player and I also can't help but feel a little underwhelmed.

Good luck Chris please prove me wrong.


Matt

[fozzieskem]

Welcome to the lad and I hope he does well, surely though to let it get this bad, where the props are seemingly stepping up their centre skills is poor showing by the club, it should have been identified as problem area and acted on weeks if not months ago.

But I genuinely hope the lad does well.

[lucky 13]

I dont get why people are reacting to this in a bad way. We started the season losing Gelling for what seemed justifiable reasons. Although not everyone's choice we brought Sarge back. Gildart was always taking one spot. We had Forsyth, Higson as back ups and another international centre just back from the world cup final with Batty. At a push Burgess could fill in. Dependent on Sarge and Batty all six options could be out injured. That coupled with the loss of Faz Lockers, J Tomkins and even Sutton puts pressure on our back row and a need to get Batty in the middle leaves us a little short out wide.
Both centre's at Swinton have looked decent to me,in beaten teams. I have watched highlights to see how our kids was going. We have been interested in him a while, hes got a pass in him as well as decent size and pace, hes also got a decent kicking game and he organises pretty well from the middle when he's played six, hes also in good shape Im sure he does personal training for a living. It seems hes pushed on to a better level over the last couple of seasons.
Is this a star signing to get excited about? No ... but it was never meant to be. I dont imagine Wire or Saints jumped through hoops when Hill and Walmsley signed up. I hope he goes well his attitude seems good and given time and support under full time conditions he may turn out worth the probable small amount its cost.

[widdenoldboy]

I dont get why people are reacting to this in a bad way. We started the season losing Gelling for what seemed justifiable reasons. Although not everyone's choice we brought Sarge back. Gildart was always taking one spot. We had Forsyth, Higson as back ups and another international centre just back from the world cup final with Batty. At a push Burgess could fill in. Dependent on Sarge and Batty all six options could be out injured. That coupled with the loss of Faz Lockers, J Tomkins and even Sutton puts pressure on our back row and a need to get Batty in the middle leaves us a little short out wide.
Both centre's at Swinton have looked decent to me,in beaten teams. I have watched highlights to see how our kids was going. We have been interested in him a while, hes got a pass in him as well as decent size and pace, hes also got a decent kicking game and he organises pretty well from the middle when he's played six, hes also in good shape Im sure he does personal training for a living. It seems hes pushed on to a better level over the last couple of seasons.
Is this a star signing to get excited about? No ... but it was never meant to be. I dont imagine Wire or Saints jumped through hoops when Hill and Walmsley signed up. I hope he goes well his attitude seems good and given time and support under full time conditions he may turn out worth the probable small amount its cost.

Good post, well reasoned, hope he turns out good but we don't have many other options.

[wall_of_voodoo]

I dont get why people are reacting to this in a bad way. We started the season losing Gelling for what seemed justifiable reasons. Although not everyone's choice we brought Sarge back. Gildart was always taking one spot. We had Forsyth, Higson as back ups and another international centre just back from the world cup final with Batty. At a push Burgess could fill in. Dependent on Sarge and Batty all six options could be out injured.

Look at this logically.

We had one experienced and decent centre in Gildart as you point out and most all ready accepted

After Gelling went, as DaveO pointed out elsewhere and most others already thought, resigning Sarginson was nothing more than a panic, ill thought out bad recruit we were lucky to get shot of in the first place.

Forsyth??? I've seen one legged deceased slugs faster than this guy and he has no skills with ball in hand. Basically Iain Thornley mkII

Higson?? Do you make these up? What experience or ability had or has he shown that suggest he would ever be a more than better than Forsyth? in Wigan's first team? (I a do not give one jams butty what he did in the academy)

Burgess as centre??? Tried that and looked awful. Why not continue and say Marshall or Davies or any number of players you want to play out of position to justify them being in the team.

Finally Bateman. Fair to say that alongside Gildart, is our best centre partnership. Not because Bateman in himself is utterly brilliant at centre but because the alternatives are sooooooo poor

This is/hasn't happened overnight or even over the last season or two. Think further back and you can start to look at something Wigan have failed to address for a while

Not saying Hankinson will be good or bad but at least we have looked at pulling players in that possibly could become great players with a bit of decent coaching and training

[Levrier]

When is Forsyth off contract? Hankinson, to me, is a replacement for him.

I seem to recall that neither Forsyth or Higginson were on the retained list for next season. I may be wrong.

[lucky 13]

Look at this logically.

We had one experienced and decent centre in Gildart as you point out and most all ready accepted

After Gelling went, as DaveO pointed out elsewhere and most others already thought, resigning Sarginson was nothing more than a panic, ill thought out bad recruit we were lucky to get shot of in the first place.

Forsyth??? I've seen one legged deceased slugs faster than this guy and he has no skills with ball in hand. Basically Iain Thornley mkII

Higson?? Do you make these up? What experience or ability had or has he shown that suggest he would ever be a more than better than Forsyth? in Wigan's first team? (I a do not give one jams butty what he did in the academy)

Burgess as centre??? Tried that and looked awful. Why not continue and say Marshall or Davies or any number of players you want to play out of position to justify them being in the team.

Finally Bateman. Fair to say that alongside Gildart, is our best centre partnership. Not because Bateman in himself is utterly brilliant at centre but because the alternatives are sooooooo poor

This is/hasn't happened overnight or even over the last season or two. Think further back and you can start to look at something Wigan have failed to address for a while

Not saying Hankinson will be good or bad but at least we have looked at pulling players in that possibly could become great players with a bit of decent coaching and training

I am looking at it logically. We didn't even have one expierenced centre, I still don't think Gildart fits that billing.
We are in the age of a cap system that lags sadley in its value behind the NRL and RU.
The days of our back ups in all positions being first class are gone even though we are reported to spend the most.
I would have loved a top centre when Gelling left but the timing of his departure probabley did leave us with a last minute search or depending on your outlook desperate.
I dont think we was glad to get rid of Sarge, infact in the playoffs and GF in his last season at full back he was one of if not the best players on performances. I think Sarge is that extra utility back that a squad needs much like Isa is in the forwards. They find themselves in the team most weeks. Although I agree he would not be first choice if we had a Watkins or the like.
Forsyth was signed as a back up, he was still young, coming into a team in the position we was in was not ideal and did him no favours. Higson looked a good prospect but injuries have spoiled his chances, how do any young players make it in the game without being given a chance??? You have to look at what they do in the accademy look at the players we would have list if we didn't give two hoots????? What makes it hard is when that team is missing more than half a team through injuries which we was.
Burgess if he was fit now would be playing centre on Thursday simple. That does not make him a first choice but the type of back up that you need in this era... saints use Makinson?? Hall played there for Leeds Hadley and so on. I can't think of any team with any more cover than we have?
Finally Bateman, for me a backrow or as seems the in thing a "middle". He is probabley our best centre afterall he was a starting centre for Bennett in WC and Gildart didn't make the squad. Hes a stop gap for me out wide and shows a lack of quality in that position in SL.
The squad was/is vulnerable to any injuries but so is everyones, look at last year's champions?
I still feel this is an era we could have put a few more trophies on the shelf in but that's a different topic.

[Wes]

For once I’m quite happy to have a look and see what he can do. Hill and Walmsley haven’t done bad heck hardaker came from fev!!

At least for once we have signed a centre to play errrrrrrr centre!



Usually we sign:-
Back rowers to play prop - people moan.
Back rowers to play centre - people moan.
Full backs to play half back - people moan.
Half backs to play hooker - people moan.
Hookers to play half back - people moan.
Sarginson to play - people moan.

Now let me get this straight, we sign a centre to play centre!!!! Yet people moan.

I’ll predict the future when we sign a coach to replace SW - people will moan.

04, 17, 22, 27, 40, 49

[w.thomas]

Like people have said, at least he's a center signed for center. According to afew lads who play in that league that I've spoken to he's abit soft (their words) and there's far better center's in the championship apparently.Hes defiantly a cheap option but fingers crossed he can prove the doubters wrong and turn out to be a decent player.