We’ve got young Brad O’Neill & an even younger Tom Forber in the wings
Just hope Smithies is rewarded with the 13 shirt he deserves it & is a loose forward. Thought he would have got it when Lockers retired, but it was wasted on a second rower who didn’t deserve it IMO
Brad could turn out to be a good loose forward.
Why play someone out of position when they should be playing their original position in the first place
Our current hooker started off as a half back and look how thats turned out - oh yeh - I now see what you mean
josie andrews wrote: ↑Mon Dec 26, 2022 11:32 am
I said all along he wasn’t worth marquee money & was questioned "why do you not like Bateman"?
It wasn’t based on like or dislike, he just didn’t do it for me. He never made me jump up out of my seat to see what he could do, unlike French Field or Marshall!
They are more deserving of marquee than some second rower like Bateman, maybe in his first stint.
I’d sooner have given it to Farrell, as a second row player, who excites, as the backs above do, when they get the ball.
Plus, he was never deserving of the 13 shirt after all the excellent players who have worn that shirt before for Wigan Warriors
I thought you didnt like him because he doesn’t give you “cuddles and kisses”
Never wanted him to
Anyone can support a team when it is winning, that takes no courage.
But to stand behind a team, to defend a team when it is down and really needs you,
that takes a lot of courage. #18thMan
Why play someone out of position when they should be playing their original position in the first place
Our current hooker started off as a half back and look how thats turned out - oh yeh - I now see what you mean
Too small for loose forward for me.
Anyone can support a team when it is winning, that takes no courage.
But to stand behind a team, to defend a team when it is down and really needs you,
that takes a lot of courage. #18thMan
josie andrews wrote: ↑Mon Dec 26, 2022 6:23 am
I think as soon as him & his partner had the baby boy together it was on the cards he would go back. She has been back for quite a while.
Bateman, IMO, hasn’t been as interested in being at Wigan or for England since he came back & didn’t display his potential from when he was here before or in the NRL.
Plus, throwing in marquee money for 4 years, how much is marquee in Oz?
Saw on red button text or elsewhere that the salary cap in Oz from the beginning of the next season is £6million+ or 3x Superleague salary cap which explains why they can attract the best players from around the world.
Have you not looked at the thread on the General Forum??
Anyone can support a team when it is winning, that takes no courage.
But to stand behind a team, to defend a team when it is down and really needs you,
that takes a lot of courage. #18thMan
Nobody will see the money the club have got for Bateman...with the club's losses and the state of Lenagans various business finances, it's just something to take the edge off the various debts.
Not sad to see him go...more than lost a step and his defense was average at best last season.
MrAlex wrote: ↑Tue Dec 27, 2022 12:22 am
Nobody will see the money the club have got for Bateman...with the club's losses and the state of Lenagans various business finances, it's just something to take the edge off the various debts.
MrAlex wrote: ↑Tue Dec 27, 2022 12:22 am
Nobody will see the money the club have got for Bateman...with the club's losses and the state of Lenagans various business finances, it's just something to take the edge off the various debts.
Not sad to see him go...more than lost a step and his defense was average at best last season.
I'd still be happy to have less debt and more to spend without JB's marquee salary.
Why play someone out of position when they should be playing their original position in the first place
Our current hooker started off as a half back and look how thats turned out - oh yeh - I now see what you mean
Too small for loose forward for me.
I don't think size is an issue. Brad's about the same size, if not bigger, than Victor Radley. He's probably one of the biggest 9's in Super League and bigger than Shorrocks who is one of our other loose forward options.
For me the fact that O'Neill can play at 13 is a bonus and one that makes him a better option than many other hookers. It means you can always get game time from him, even if you don't want to make a change at hooker. If you get an injury to a forward there's less disruption than if you had two hookers built more like halfbacks.
So many teams still play with an interchange hooker on the bench and many have both hookers on the field at the same time. In many cases they are compromising something but with O'Neill in our side it's less of a compromise.
He's a hooker first and foremost, but I think the ability to play 13 will be useful to him.
Our current hooker started off as a half back and look how thats turned out - oh yeh - I now see what you mean
Too small for loose forward for me.
I don't think size is an issue. Brad's about the same size, if not bigger, than Victor Radley. He's probably one of the biggest 9's in Super League and bigger than Shorrocks who is one of our other loose forward options.
For me the fact that O'Neill can play at 13 is a bonus and one that makes him a better option than many other hookers. It means you can always get game time from him, even if you don't want to make a change at hooker. If you get an injury to a forward there's less disruption than if you had two hookers built more like halfbacks.
So many teams still play with an interchange hooker on the bench and many have both hookers on the field at the same time. In many cases they are compromising something but with O'Neill in our side it's less of a compromise.
He's a hooker first and foremost, but I think the ability to play 13 will be useful to him.
Let’s be honest he’s probably got more chance of playing 13 than 9 anyhow.
It’s absolute criminal that he’s never had a far shot at the hooker role. I don’t care who this upsets, we’ve looked that bit more dynamic through the middle when he plays there. If O’Neil has anything about him he would ask for a move to another club
I don't think size is an issue. Brad's about the same size, if not bigger, than Victor Radley. He's probably one of the biggest 9's in Super League and bigger than Shorrocks who is one of our other loose forward options.
For me the fact that O'Neill can play at 13 is a bonus and one that makes him a better option than many other hookers. It means you can always get game time from him, even if you don't want to make a change at hooker. If you get an injury to a forward there's less disruption than if you had two hookers built more like halfbacks.
So many teams still play with an interchange hooker on the bench and many have both hookers on the field at the same time. In many cases they are compromising something but with O'Neill in our side it's less of a compromise.
He's a hooker first and foremost, but I think the ability to play 13 will be useful to him.
Let’s be honest he’s probably got more chance of playing 13 than 9 anyhow.
It’s absolute criminal that he’s never had a far shot at the hooker role. I don’t care who this upsets, we’ve looked that bit more dynamic through the middle when he plays there. If O’Neil has anything about him he would ask for a move to another club
Apologies. When abit off topic for a minute then.
It’s just frustrating
