Wigan vs Hull thoughts?

[OJ]

Joe's knee injury was thought to be potentially career ending at one point and I'd have loved to see him stay along with many others but suppose it all comes down to what's happening at one particular moment in time and the powers that be have to make decisions one way or another, sometimes they get it right and sometimes they get it wrong but that doesn't seem to happen too often. At one time Wigan were known for being ruthless in letting players go if there was the slightest doubt about them not being able to give less than 100% the following season. It took me years to get over Maurice letting Frano Botica and Sam Panapa go

[markill]

Gone off thread, apologies to Josie.

What's people's thoughts about Joe Mellor, was he released prematurely by Wigan?

Definitely released too soon , he has been one of Widnes best players for the last 3 seasons.

I really like him and don't think he ever really got a chance at Wigan. But he was 22 when he left wasn't he? At Wigan, he was behind players like Deacon, Leuluai, Finch, Green and Smith in getting a chance - they weren't exactly doing a bad job and we then were starting to see the next group emerge. You can't keep them all forever and they don't all want to stay forever.

[Panchitta Marra]

Gone off thread, apologies to Josie.

What's people's thoughts about Joe Mellor, was he released prematurely by Wigan?

Definitely released too soon , he has been one of Widnes best players for the last 3 seasons.

He looked a fast class player from the clips I saw of him against KR, almost as though he would slot in well to the current Wigan set up. I liked the look of him, and appears to have got over that injury that CP commented on.

[cpwigan]

I may be wrong but IIRC Joe decided to go after waiting so long for an opportunity.

[TrueBlueWarrior]

It may seem like an odd thing to say, but for me Mellor's knee injury helped to make him a better player.

When he was playing in the academy his running game was very impressive. At that level he could skip round players for fun and he had great pace.

The knee injury was so serious that it affected his game and he had to alter his style of play. It became obvious that if he was going to make it he had to work on his playmaking ability and his kicking game and that's exactly what he did.

He left Wigan because it seemed unlikely that he'd get a chance given the players ahead of him and the competition from Sam Powell who was very highly rated.

Mellor was unlucky to get such a bad injury at a time when he could have forced his way into the first team. If I'm not mistaken Sam Powell also suffered a serious injury at that stage of his career. Now it seems Shorrocks has also followed suit. Some of our young halves have had terrible luck.

The work that Mellor did to improve his game following his injury seems to have paid off big time. More importantly he seems to be more confident than ever with his running game. He's got some of his pace back, although he'll never be as quick as he was as a teenager.

I've often considered Mellor to be one of the most underrated players in Super League and actually think he could be in with a shout of making the England side this year. It will be interesting to see Wayne Bennett's take on who the best English halves are.

Lets hope this applies to Sam T!!

[cpwigan]

Sean Long is another good example.

[Owd Codger]

Sean Long is another good example.

Long was let go by Wigan and transferred to Widnes for a reason which had nothing to do with getting into the first team.

If anything, the club should have been applauded for what they did at the time in regard to the reason!

[bill.inger]

Sean Long is another good example.

Long was let go by Wigan and transferred to Widnes for a reason which had nothing to do with getting into the first team.

If anything, the club should have been applauded for what they did at the time in regard to the reason!

Other players at that time were moved on because of indiscretions off the field. Remember Martin Aspinwall and John Clarke? Both of these lads could have been at Wigan for eight or ten years but the fun, or folly of a punch-up on King Street cost them big time. Saints, on the other hand, persevered with Long and also Leon Price who, let's face it, would have been just what we needed then.

[markill]

Sean Long is another good example.

Long was let go by Wigan and transferred to Widnes for a reason which had nothing to do with getting into the first team.

If anything, the club should have been applauded for what they did at the time in regard to the reason!

Other players at that time were moved on because of indiscretions off the field. Remember Martin Aspinwall and John Clarke? Both of these lads could have been at Wigan for eight or ten years but the fun, or folly of a punch-up on King Street cost them big time. Saints, on the other hand, persevered with Long and also Leon Price who, let's face it, would have been just what we needed then.

Do we not think opinions of Sean Long are based more on the fact that he was part of a very successful Saints side when we were not so successful - more so than the actions that forced him out of the club? There are plenty of pro sportsmen that carry out lamentable actions and we fans still cheer from the terraces for if they're in the colours we're wearing too.

Anyway, I think CP's point was about adapting/changing the way ball players play after a serious injury rather than being persevered with at the club. I might be wrong, but that's how I read it.

[cpwigan]

No idea off field BUT Long was widely seen as the next great half back and had a very bad knee injury that when he returned still did not look right and he hobbled around heavily bandaged.Nobody wanted him but Widnes then in the division below took a punt. Long started to look very good again and Saints snapped him up.