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cherrywarrior wrote:I guess we will all just have to wait and see who turns up at warrington then...

In the interview even Riddell says he doesn't know if he'll be playing yet depends on Nobby he says :doz:

not a chance

josie andrews wrote:

cherrywarrior wrote:I guess we will all just have to wait and see who turns up at warrington then...

In the interview even Riddell says he doesn't know if he'll be playing yet depends on Nobby he says :doz:

That just him doing the coy player act. "Will I be selected...". Of course he will and if he can walk he is probably guaranteed a start in every game this coming season.

Whether Smith comes back or not I don't think it's a good thing that some players are turning up in the new year.

Pre-season training is already under way and unless involved in the world cup I don't think any player should be absent. Especially one on a key position of a half back.

Dave

DaveO wrote:

josie andrews wrote:

cherrywarrior wrote:I guess we will all just have to wait and see who turns up at warrington then...

In the interview even Riddell says he doesn't know if he'll be playing yet depends on Nobby he says :doz:

That just him doing the coy player act. "Will I be selected...". Of course he will and if he can walk he is probably guaranteed a start in every game this coming season.

Whether Smith comes back or not I don't think it's a good thing that some players are turning up in the new year.

Pre-season training is already under way and unless involved in the world cup I don't think any player should be absent. Especially one on a key position of a half back.
Dave

Even if that absence is helping with the health of that player? If Tim Smith had damaged a cruciate ligament, broken a bone or similar, would you expext him to be in training? His mental health problems are well documented, Wigan took him on knowing the health problems he has had. If an extra week or three in Aus helps him sort himself out, then great. Good on the club for helping an (allgedly) unsettled player sort himself out and get in the proper frame of mind to return to training ready to go.

To be fair, wouldnt another few weeks on the Gold Coast in summer cheer everyone on this board up a bit! I know I would rather be back there than here at the minute!

Came back home to Wigan today and was told Smith had been released from his contract at Wigan and was signing for a club in Australia, Wigan looking to sign a stand off from Australia in time for the start of the season.

Any news on this?

exile in Tiger country wrote:

DaveO wrote:

josie andrews wrote:
In the interview even Riddell says he doesn't know if he'll be playing yet depends on Nobby he says :doz:

That just him doing the coy player act. "Will I be selected...". Of course he will and if he can walk he is probably guaranteed a start in every game this coming season.

Whether Smith comes back or not I don't think it's a good thing that some players are turning up in the new year.

Pre-season training is already under way and unless involved in the world cup I don't think any player should be absent. Especially one on a key position of a half back.
Dave

Even if that absence is helping with the health of that player? If Tim Smith had damaged a cruciate ligament, broken a bone or similar, would you expext him to be in training?

Well no offence but isn't that a rather silly question? Injured players obviously can't train so did this qualification need to be made?

It's also irrelevant to Smith as Smith hasn't any such injury as far as I know.

His mental health problems are well documented, Wigan took him on knowing the health problems he has had. If an extra week or three in Aus helps him sort himself out, then great. Good on the club for helping an (allgedly) unsettled player sort himself out and get in the proper frame of mind to return to training ready to go.

If he isn't mentally well enough to attend pre-season training I seriously doubt he is in a fit mental state to come over at all.

In any case I was making a general point about the pre-season training. If it's an important part of the build up to the season then the players need to be in attendance IMO and I don't think Smith is/was the only late arrival.

There seems little value in friendlies and the training if key players are not present.

Dave

MrDave wrote:Came back home to Wigan today and was told Smith had been released from his contract at Wigan and was signing for a club in Australia, Wigan looking to sign a stand off from Australia in time for the start of the season.

Any news on this?

Only that it seems to be a rumour that will not go away. The name in the frame is Bird I believe.

Dave

DaveO wrote:

exile in Tiger country wrote:

DaveO wrote: That just him doing the coy player act. "Will I be selected...". Of course he will and if he can walk he is probably guaranteed a start in every game this coming season.

Whether Smith comes back or not I don't think it's a good thing that some players are turning up in the new year.

Pre-season training is already under way and unless involved in the world cup I don't think any player should be absent. Especially one on a key position of a half back.
Dave

Even if that absence is helping with the health of that player? If Tim Smith had damaged a cruciate ligament, broken a bone or similar, would you expext him to be in training?

Well no offence but isn't that a rather silly question? Injured players obviously can't train so did this qualification need to be made?

It's also irrelevant to Smith as Smith hasn't any such injury as far as I know.

His mental health problems are well documented, Wigan took him on knowing the health problems he has had. If an extra week or three in Aus helps him sort himself out, then great. Good on the club for helping an (allgedly) unsettled player sort himself out and get in the proper frame of mind to return to training ready to go.

If he isn't mentally well enough to attend pre-season training I seriously doubt he is in a fit mental state to come over at all.

In any case I was making a general point about the pre-season training. If it's an important part of the build up to the season then the players need to be in attendance IMO and I don't think Smith is/was the only late arrival.

There seems little value in friendlies and the training if key players are not present.

Dave

A mental health problem is just as much a problem as a broken leg torn muscle etc.
A mental health problem can be far more physically debilitating than a musculo/skeletal problem. Just because it can't be seen, doesn't make it less of a problem. [/b]

Smith was never really interested in playing for Wigan he only moved so that he could play some rugby away from the media attention he was getting in Australia.

He played a few games at the end of last season so he got what he wanted from Wigan and has decided to go do what he wanted to do in the first place which was play in the NRL.

I don't think Wigan should be taking risks on players like Smith. Its something teams like Wakefield might do (no disrespect to Wakefield) but if it pays off they might move up the league but if it doesn't they have nothing to lose.

Wigan are now in a bad situation not matter what happens, if Smith returns he will probably miss a lot of pre-season training. If Wigan sign another player then it will be yet another new half back partnership. Wigan won't progress until they find two good half backs who will be at club for more than 2 years at a time.