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DaveO wrote: ↑Thu Sep 14, 2023 5:51 pm Poor decision. He's past it and will be 35 next season. When is the club going to realise players of that age can't cut it anymore? Even the great Lockers struggled at that age and Isa is no Lockers.

People saying he was great in the past seem to have forgotten he was also younger.

Sometimes the club has to do the right thing giving him another deal is that right thing he was going well after at the time of his injury and he can add experience to the squad it may be there was noone else available which also explains why they've played it safe.

What Wigan do need to stop doing is signing players who are injured that is bloody daft but in this case I've no issue with it

I've not been Isa's biggest fan over the years but giving him a contract extension is something I said would probably be a wise move given the lack of depth we have in the back row. At the very least there's a high degree of uncertainty about some of the players we have to cover.

Farrell is the first name of the team sheet but then it would be either Walters (only played a handful of games at second row in the last couple of years) and Nsemba (only played the full 80 on one occasion for the first team if I'm not mistaken). This year as cover at second row we've used Smithies (pretty much anonymous playing further wide) and Shorrocks (great defence but far too weak going forward).

If we signed a first team quality back row it would probably limit the involvement of Nsemba, If we didn't sign a back row at all we run the risk of being short on quality and experience should something happen to Farrell. The best option would be a back row who wouldn't take too much cap space and has plenty of experience at this level. Isa pretty much fits the bill. You know what to expect and he provides valuable experience to the pack.

It wouldn't surprise me if it's on slightly reduced terms considering the signings we've made and the length of time it's taken to sort out.

I'm happy to admit I've come full circle on Isa. I think it's a sensible decision to keep him on board for another year.

It’s hard to comment when you don’t know the financials but wigan do have a history recently of playing players a year too long at least

That said if he’s on a very slim contract I can see value but anything like a first team wage and it’s poor

It's easy to criticise this move but is there anyone of real quality available at the moment not sure there in this country at least and if you down under you only get the dog botherers or untried players so as a holding pattern it makes sense

I can understand it. It's a shame we couldn't have hung onto Nicholson. Nsemba has plenty of improvement in him, and is going well.

We have lost McDonnell and Nicholson as back rowers, the most likely players that would have been competing this season for a starting place.
IF there isn’t much out there and Isa is on a cheap contract, ok then.

With a player like Isa there is far more value from him than what he delivers on the pitch.

He's always spoken of of someone who sets the examples, standards, helps support young players - the sort of qualities that help build and mesh a team together. Something that for example Warrington, most recently Leeds and possibly teams like Hull are probably missing. That's embedded in the way Wigan are operating now, they know there is more to a squad than just getting the most skillful players and putting them on the pitch. Players like Bevan know how the club will support them even in tough times - that means a great deal when the going gets tough.

We have a young forward pack, and a young team in general. Keeping a player like Isa, on most likely a low salary as part of the squad will be seen in the value off and on the pitch.

Yes it's not as exciting as getting the 'next big thing' from Aus (or even a reject from Aus who has a bad attitude....) but probably better for the team as a whole. And as always - we don't know is/was available for next season.

Barney841 wrote: ↑Fri Sep 15, 2023 6:07 am We have lost McDonnell and Nicholson as back rowers, the most likely players that would have been competing this season for a starting place.
IF there isn’t much out there and Isa is on a cheap contract, ok then.

We have replaced those with Walker and Nsemba and Chan can play there as can Shorrocks. So with Faz as well, when is Isa even going to get into the 17? He also takes up a quota spot.

As to Isa looking after young players as others have said, since when has it been the norm to give players of his age a contract to do that? Seems like an excuse to justify a poor signing to me.

Barney841 wrote: ↑Fri Sep 15, 2023 6:07 am We have lost McDonnell and Nicholson as back rowers, the most likely players that would have been competing this season for a starting place.
IF there isn’t much out there and Isa is on a cheap contract, ok then.

I think timing is everything which is why proper strategic planning is key, although will never be perfect.

I may be wrong, so somebody please correct, but looking back:

• McDonnell and Nicholson would have had: Farrell, Bateman, Isa, KPP, Shorrocks & maybe Smithies at the time all ahead of them.

• KPP openly said he wanted to be starting first team but he saw no pathway because Farrell and Bateman were ahead.

• When looking at Nsemba, who could the next player to cement his place in the starting 13, the pathway looks a lot clearer as he only has to compete with Isa, Walters, Chan, Shorrocks etc rather than KPP and Bateman.

Without knowing the ins and outs of salary cap, when players confirmed they wanted to leave etc we will never really know if the club dropped the ball or had no option to keep hold of Nicholson for example.

Isa is an asset. He’s steady, puts in a good shift with the occasional poor play which all players do. Reading between the lines adds to team spirit.