Wigan versus Warrington

[Wandering Warrior]

Is this three home games instead of two if we were 5th to 8th?

[doc]

Out of all the mess we are in at the moment, the main thing that puzzles me is how the hell are we at the max cap with this squad??

Some extremely average players are being paid way over the odds or Wigan are not being truthful about where and how much they spend on the salary cap. Either way, still does not sit well with me that this once mighty club is reduced to playing so many youngsters at this level at the same time with excuses being the only offering from the owner and coach for the current predicament

This bothers me as well.

With Sam T as marquee player (so most of his wage is off-cap) and Lockers as long serving player (so a fair chunk of his wage is also off-cap) where is the money going?

We have a large squad of over 30 players but the salary cap is calculated ocn your top nominated 25.

Who when you take Sam T and Lockerd out warrants a mega bucks salary out of who is left?

Maybe the club is trying to be fair and pay younger players a higher wage but whatever it is we seem prevented from signing players like Gidley, the sort we are crying out for.

DaveO

Now not exactly rocket science and I am willing to be corrected on this matter. One thing intrigues me about our current predicament.

So far this season, Wigan have used 27 different players in our first team. Leeds have used 26.

Now we are told, that we can neither bring back Ryan Hampshire, nor sign any recruits due to the fact we are "over the cap" somehow. Leeds have re-signed Luke Briscoe.

Now I am not exactly sure how much Leeds pay their players (or more importantly exactly how much we pay ours) BUT it seems odd they are not at the Salary Cap limit, yet the excuse that Wigan are, is bandied around as the main reason for either not bringing one of our players back or recruiting anyone to strengthen

The point I am attempting to make is, is the club unwilling or reticent regards player recruitment, even when it is blindingly obvious that we need to sign players?

This problem has been covered before. RFL allow a full squad of 65 players (first and academy teams). We go for a full squad to give some depth in the case of injuries, others don't due to lack of money or by attempting to improve quality at the expense of squad depth. I suspect Leeds come under the latter as at a fans forum (on Wigan TV) Rads/IL stated that Leeds were trying to get the RFL to agree to a reduced squad size of 55 which we opposed.

Looking at league positions I would suggest that our approach is working better than Leeds even if we have lost some matches that we would have won with a full strength team being available for selection.

[DaveO]

Looking at league positions I would suggest that our approach is working better than Leeds even if we have lost some matches that we would have won with a full strength team being available for selection.

I would suggest you look at the past few seasons not just this one where it has obviously worked a lot better than our approach.

[DaveO]

I think you will find that with the introduction of the second phase of the league fixtures in the form of the top eight, you will see clubs using more players than before.

From what I am seeing, the idea is to get a position in the top four by rotating the players, especially the forwards and getting all the best seventeen fit for the play off competition.

Wigan are in the top four despite 'injuries' mainly to forwards, a virus and some poor results.

The secret it would appear is to have a large squad made up mostly of players of the same strength and backed up by a good academy.

In other words, the stronger and larger the squad with a good Academy, the more chance of getting into the top four and the extra home game in the play off.

Why does any of that follow? I can't see any logic in any of if.

If that is the "secret" how come Leeds won the treble last year and we didn't?

[DaveO]

So far this season, Wigan have used 27 different players in our first team. Leeds have used 26.

Now we are told, that we can neither bring back Ryan Hampshire, nor sign any recruits due to the fact we are "over the cap" somehow. Leeds have re-signed Luke Briscoe.

I didn't realise that. The club made it out as if we had used about 10 extra players!

The salary cap excuse rings rather hollow now.

Now I am not exactly sure how much Leeds pay their players (or more importantly exactly how much we pay ours) BUT it seems odd they are not at the Salary Cap limit, yet the excuse that Wigan are, is bandied around as the main reason for either not bringing one of our players back or recruiting anyone to strengthen

The point I am attempting to make is, is the club unwilling or reticent regards player recruitment, even when it is blindingly obvious that we need to sign players?

If we assume both clubs pay to the cap level for their 25 man squads then both clubs have to seek approval to "break" the cap by playing reserve grade players not in the 25 when an injury crisis occurs.

Given the number of players we have used we must have had plenty of dispensation to do so. Micky Mac's wage should also be removed from the cap for the season.

So I still don't understand why the club hasn't recruited a hooker and/or brought Hampshire back other than because it has chosen not to.

[Wiganer Ted]

Our first team 1-17 is a very good squad.
So far this season we seem to have had around 6-8 out injured each game.
That has to have an effect on the teams performance both in quality of play and results.
How much salary cap did Waney have sat in the stand at Warrington due to injuries?
Given all these problems and our often poor play the current League position is quite good.

However when these players do return then expectations will rise massively. Those expectations had better be met or there will have to be a complete reappraisal of what the club is doing

[Panchitta Marra]

Our first team 1-17 is a very good squad.
So far this season we seem to have had around 6-8 out injured each game.
That has to have an effect on the teams performance both in quality of play and results.
How much salary cap did Waney have sat in the stand at Warrington due to injuries?
Given all these problems and our often poor play the current League position is quite good.

However when these players do return then expectations will rise massively. Those expectations had better be met or there will have to be a complete reappraisal of what the club is doing

With all those players returning to fitness I still think we will continue to struggle in the final quarter of the field.
Our try line attack has been lacking ideas and been so predictable for a season or so now.
Unless this is sorted I see no silverware heading our way.