Bevan French - STAYING or GOING (merged)

[nathan_rugby]

Kind of annoying that it feels like Wigan are second best unless something in the NRL comes along.

If he stays and puts in performances like he is doing then brilliant. I just hope if he goes that we have enough time to find an adequate replacement.

[Wigan Watcher]

Is there to much love at Wigan. We are a business and maybe this should have been played out differently.
We could have put a time scale on him signing and explained why, that we need to find a replacement.
I did feel we were very soft on him when he was in Oz and the time scale involved.
It does look like he has not respected how easy we have been with him, he did come back unfit.
He surely knows that we need to move on if he decides to go and he should have by now out of respect back to us given us an answer to the contract given.

[morley pie eater]

Come on lads keep it respectful, You may not agree with what's being said but that's no excuse to get nasty, If you don't like what you see you can always use the ignore option.

Your loving this meds arnt you?

So am I

[morley pie eater]

Is there to much love at Wigan. We are a business and maybe this should have been played out differently.
We could have put a time scale on him signing and explained why, that we need to find a replacement.
I did feel we were very soft on him when he was in Oz and the time scale involved.
It does look like he has not respected how easy we have been with him, he did come back unfit.
He surely knows that we need to move on if he decides to go and he should have by now out of respect back to us given us an answer to the contract given.

For the sake of argument, suppose the conversation went something like this:

IL/KR: "Look, Bevan, we desperately want you to stay, so we've upped our offer. But, with all the constraints, we have to say that this is definitely as far as we can go. We understand that you can get more in the NRL, but we think you'd be happier here, get selected more, and win trophies.
"It's up to you now."

BF: "I'm truly appreciative if everything you've done for me, and this is one of the hardest decisions I've had to make. I must consider family, and my future after playing.
"My agent says that there are at least 3 NRL clubs interested, and I have a concrete offer on the table. If you need a decision right now, I'm afraid it would be to go home, but it's a very, very close call. If you can possibly give me time to weigh up all the offers from Aus, and think things through, it's close to 50/50 that I'll change my mind."

What would your response be in IL's position?

[ddtftf]

If Harris is his manager its goodbye 3 weeks ago lets hope its not true

[Brennox7]

Just heard:

Wardle to Wigan done
French to Newcastle done
Leutele to Leigh done
Bibby to hudds nearly there

[josie andrews]

Is there to much love at Wigan. We are a business and maybe this should have been played out differently.
We could have put a time scale on him signing and explained why, that we need to find a replacement.
I did feel we were very soft on him when he was in Oz and the time scale involved.
It does look like he has not respected how easy we have been with him, he did come back unfit.
He surely knows that we need to move on if he decides to go and he should have by now out of respect back to us given us an answer to the contract given.

For the sake of argument, suppose the conversation went something like this:

IL/KR: "Look, Bevan, we desperately want you to stay, so we've upped our offer. But, with all the constraints, we have to say that this is definitely as far as we can go. We understand that you can get more in the NRL, but we think you'd be happier here, get selected more, and win trophies.
"It's up to you now."

BF: "I'm truly appreciative if everything you've done for me, and this is one of the hardest decisions I've had to make. I must consider family, and my future after playing.
"My agent says that there are at least 3 NRL clubs interested, and I have a concrete offer on the table. If you need a decision right now, I'm afraid it would be to go home, but it's a very, very close call. If you can possibly give me time to weigh up all the offers from Aus, and think things through, it's close to 50/50 that I'll change my mind."

What would your response be in IL's position?

We have offered him the equivalent of what he would get in the NRL, the money has nothing to do with. They could off him a million & it would still be the same. He has a younger brother who he supports! Home & family is far more important than money.

As for the agent & 3 clubs, there hasn’t been any offers from the NRL as of Wednesday!

As has been said, he is once in a generation player & he is so very highly thought at the club & not just by the fans.

[morley pie eater]

I'm sure you know much more than me (as always), Josie!

My point was theoretical, and aimed at balancing those who put the blame on Bevan for the fact he's not signed up yet.

[josie andrews]

I'm sure you know much more than me (as always), Josie!

My point was theoretical, and aimed at balancing those who put the blame on Bevan for the fact he's not signed up yet.

I know what you meant

[Mike]

I'm sure you know much more than me (as always), Josie!

My point was theoretical, and aimed at balancing those who put the blame on Bevan for the fact he's not signed up yet.

At some point though an organization can't continue with an unresolved discussion that affects other decisions with fixed timescales. Its totally reasonable to put a deadline on something like this. If Bevan gets to the point where he doesn't have firm interest from the NRL, but he's up to the latest point the club can afford to wait before signing a replacement, then he has the option of crafting a contract that he could sign with an appropriate release clause that both him and the club agree and signing that, or walking away as a free agent.

However, I think we're probably happy enough to sit and wait because I imagine there wouldn't be a direct replacement incoming if he left, so it may not affect our recruitment plans either way. After all, how could you possibly replace him. He's not even that expensive for the club (at the moment)!