Morgan Smithies set for NRL move as Wigan Warriors forward heads down under

[nathan_rugby]

Not a player we need to kick up a fuss about. Collect the big transfer fee and move on. Oneil can more than match it he moves to 13. Can’t remember a player that I’ve been less bothered about moving to the nrl tbh.

Clearly don’t watch or understand rugby then if that’s your honest view.

The club are transitioning him into a 13 in the next 2 seasons so I must know something

So O'Neil can match Smithies now or in 2 seasons?

[WIGIAN]

Victor Radley now please Mr Danson .......

[Shaun1967]

Maybe with the club knowing that Smithies would be leaving in the next couple of years they have made a judgement based on how best to replace him?
Assuming Thompson & Farrell have been long time targets for the club now, they may have taken a view that if we hold Morgan to his contract for next year, then what is the chance of signing these players this time next year?
Without knowing who may be available this time next year, maybe we have released Smithies now so that we can get replacements who are available, have less impact on our salary cap, and were already on our shopping list?

[Hattster]

If we are supposedly signing Farrell then nothing will be announced until after the RU World cup I would have thought, or until England get knocked out anyway.
Maybe that's why the club are being so quiet about the Smithies saga.

[eaststandspy]

I'm underwhelmed at the thought of 60 year old Farrell signing, but if he does, and he wears our shirt, he gets my support. The powers that be know better than us.

O'Neill to play 13 for me, he had a spell there at the back end of the Leigh game (I think) and he looked great. Powell to stay as 9 and Leaming to come of the bench to liven things up after the early bash.

[Dreamteam]

Clearly don’t watch or understand rugby then if that’s your honest view.

The club are transitioning him into a 13 in the next 2 seasons so I must know something

So O'Neil can match Smithies now or in 2 seasons?

100%, Brad’s just done a full season of playing 9 basically on his own and has been outstanding. He’s much better with ball in hand and carries it better as well. Defensively he’s up there with smithies and he’s also younger. Pretty sure he won’t ditch us for the nrl while under contract as well.

[Mike]

The club are transitioning him into a 13 in the next 2 seasons so I must know something

So O'Neil can match Smithies now or in 2 seasons?

100%, Brad’s just done a full season of playing 9 basically on his own and has been outstanding. He’s much better with ball in hand and carries it better as well. Defensively he’s up there with smithies and he’s also younger. Pretty sure he won’t ditch us for the nrl while under contract as well.

Really. He's had a few stinkers. I was glad we have the steadying influence of Powell back at the business end of the season. O'Neill could be a good hooker, we'll see over the next few years.

[Wiganer Ted]

Someone on this board said Owen Farrell was a done deal.
Obviously nothing will happen until the Union WC is over for England or they are finalists.
If it is at all true then we'll have to have come to a deal with Saracens.

Should he arrive then I reckon he'll play in the 13 shirt like his dad did.
As for the game he'll play then perhaps he will be an addition to Harry for field kicking. During this past ten games Harry has killed opposition teams with his kicking into the opposition's ten meter area often the corners too. I've no doubt he'll be up to the physical part of playing in the middle and part of the spine.
I think Owen F will be good, very good!

On the other hand, if Owen F doesn't arrive then we are certainly not short of options. O'Neil, Thompson and Ellis are the three most obvious ones.
With the signings we've made and with our current stock of forwards we will have one heck of a pack next season.

[nathan_rugby]

Someone on this board said Owen Farrell was a done deal.
Obviously nothing will happen until the Union WC is over for England or they are finalists.
If it is at all true then we'll have to have come to a deal with Saracens.

Should he arrive then I reckon he'll play in the 13 shirt like his dad did.
As for the game he'll play then perhaps he will be an addition to Harry for field kicking. During this past ten games Harry has killed opposition teams with his kicking into the opposition's ten meter area often the corners too. I've no doubt he'll be up to the physical part of playing in the middle and part of the spine.
I think Owen F will be good, very good!

On the other hand, if Owen F doesn't arrive then we are certainly not short of options. O'Neil, Thompson and Ellis are the three most obvious ones.
With the signings we've made and with our current stock of forwards we will have one heck of a pack next season.

Based on what?

[Dreamteam]

So O'Neil can match Smithies now or in 2 seasons?

100%, Brad’s just done a full season of playing 9 basically on his own and has been outstanding. He’s much better with ball in hand and carries it better as well. Defensively he’s up there with smithies and he’s also younger. Pretty sure he won’t ditch us for the nrl while under contract as well.

Really. He's had a few stinkers. I was glad we have the steadying influence of Powell back at the business end of the season. O'Neill could be a good hooker, we'll see over the next few years.

I’m struggling to remember one stinker he had. Definitely not in any of the big games. I can do a never ending list of powells bad games in the last few years tho