Hock Joins Widnes Vikings on Season Loan

[LORENZO]

Well, until proven otherwise I must support what the chairman says and from what I read in his statement here is a very bitter man that has supported Hock throught his difficult times only to have this thrown back him twice over. Ok, so Hock did not like his immediate boss (SW), well in my 45 year working life I have not always liked my immediate boss. But I enjoyed my job,the Chairman of the company was always more than fair and I felt that I owed him something in return.
Sadly this does not seem to be the case in this instance. Sorry you are going Hock, but I am also sad that it appears you are unable to appreciate all that the club has done to help you.

[Southern Softy]

Here's the bit that I don't understand (outside of the fact that in general, I'd rather have someone inside the tent pissing out than outside pissing in)

If Hock is such a pain then why don't Wigan sell him to Australia - get a shedload of money - free up his salary inside the salary cap thus giving them scope to recruit and not having him likely to play against Wigan in the future.

Wigan may get a fee from the season's loan from Widnes but as Hock's contract diminshes, so his transfer value decreases.

It's lousy business and I though the owner was a shrewd businessman.

[Mike]

Here's the bit that I don't understand (outside of the fact that in general, I'd rather have someone inside the tent pissing out than outside pissing in)

If Hock is such a pain then why don't Wigan sell him to Australia - get a shedload of money - free up his salary inside the salary cap thus giving them scope to recruit and not having him likely to play against Wigan in the future.

Wigan may get a fee from the season's loan from Widnes but as Hock's contract diminshes, so his transfer value decreases.

It's lousy business and I though the owner was a shrewd businessman.

I believe the answers to your questions are in the statement from the club. The original deal fell through and hock now does not wish to go to Australia. Try getting an aussie club to give you a transfer fee for a player that won't go!

loan gives us the option to cash in whenever we can. or maybe the situation changes and we take him back with no expense until then.

sounds like the best piece of business we could do right now.

[i'm spartacus]

I don't understand all these vague hints at not saying anything because of the threat of libel; and this is for two reasons.

First, it is a rich man's game to get into and if you want to pursue someone for it, you have to provide absolute proof that whatever has been said has damaged you in some way, shape or form.
Secondly, if you publish something that is true or already in the public domain, it wouldn't amount to libel and pursuing it would be a waste of time and a considerable amount of money.

If there is a tale to tell that is true, what is there to fear?

[Kiwiseddon]

I've been trying to make my mind up about this one i.e. is it the club or Gaz who has been in the wrong and I've come to the conclusion that I don't care either way.
There is a big part of me that says that Hock owes Wigan BIG time but if CP's musings are to be accepted then may be there is more to it.

What I'm sure about is that Gaz Hock is not going to be playing at Wigan this season and I remember stating on here that "not everything's a conspiracy theory" when it came to the rumours about his injury and move.

I now feel like a complete fool and will never just accept a story from Wigan RL again. I get the impression that nothing is clear with the club any more and that every official comment is the product of spin and cover up. I simply don't trust the club to the best thing by the fans any more and I'm starting to wonder whether IL's ego along with SW's are actually a detrimental influence.

I just can't believe that the club and Hock couldn't work out a way of keeping him in cherry and white purely for the good of the club. With him leaving along with the others leaves us with an average squad at best and I don't believe SW will bring anything new to the team this year. We'll hear the usual bit about it all being about desire etc etc but when you lose the caliber of players we have cut alongside our apparent inability to win a big game then I think this season is already screwed.

I hope to stand corrected, of course I do but I've a distinct feeling that there will be a "SW has to go" thread before the summer. We need some quality players, a new approach and more importantly than anything else, the ability to hold onto key quality players in the way that all our competitors seem to.

I am one hacked off fan at present and regardless of the rights and wrongs, this situation is unacceptable.

[butt monkey]

Does anybody think Gareth Hock ever wanted to go to Australia. He becomes travel sick when he leaves Wigan. Odd how NRL clubs suddenly started to show an interest as it he had been offered to them. Somebody wanted him out the way. Gareth Hock would like to play for Wigan but he cannot under the current coach.

Strange when Iam Lenaghan is quoted as saying

The England back-rower requested a pay-rise in mid-season and, after a move to the NRL fell through in November, requested talks with another Super League club in December.

According to the Warriors, Hock then refused to return to pre-season training at the club, informed them he wouldn't be continuing his career at the club, expecting the club to sack him and insisted upon a move elsewhere.

Chairman Ian Lenagan said: "Gareth Hock has made it clear in face-to-face discussions with me and via his agent that he has no intention of playing for the Wigan club

Which IS in direct contrast to what you are saying

As an aside to all the rights and wrongs of it this saga proves one thing.

Contracts ARE worth the paper they are written on.

Hock even tried to get sacked to get out of his and failed.

Yes and no. Wigan tried to get what they considered his value and failed. Hence the loan.

Not true whatsoever. Hock DID try and get sacked by the club - hence why I asked you in the Rumour Mill about him being fined. He was getting fined £500 a week and this had been ongoing for some time. Strange how you didn't (or your "sources") know that


You have painted Hock as totally and utterly blameless in all of this. Why hasn't he (or his agent taken Wigan to a tribunal then rather than allowed to be farmed out to a struggling rival team? If it so clear cut he would win without question would he not and join whomever he wished could he not?

Hock continued to make mistakes after his return and one that sticks in my mind was the thuggery of gouging in the game against Wire. He was brainless then, he is brainless now and he will be brainless in the future. Wether at Wigan or another club is to be seen

[Kittwazzer]

I hope to stand corrected, of course I do but I've a distinct feeling that there will be a "SW has to go" thread before the summer.

There's one already!

[Wes]

1 thing is for certain, this topic has made the forum busy.

Don't think I've seen less than 20 on at any time today.

[Owd Codger]

If what the club statement is true, well done owner Ian Lenagan and coach Sean Wane on the way you have handled the matter and good riddance to Hock as I only want to see players in a Wigan shirt who are loyal to the club and especially to a club who have had to put up with his behaviour over above average period of time.

[butt monkey]

I would like to add that the simple reason Wigan have retained Hocks registration is to prevent a repeat of the Sean Long/Lee Hansen fiasco and see Widnes make a huge profit from selling the player to a major rival after just 12 months