[quote="WWste":1svvbf2o]Hopefully soon it will sink in when Latics gets to the end of a season and it isn’t all panic stations that the club might go under. I’m not a Latics fan but keep an eye on them. I’m not sure what any arguments you can have with the player leaving as he went to Luton didn’t he? A club that was in the prem last year. It does look like some money is being invested into Latics, few players signing. Hopefully you can get to the Championship as imagine this would generate decent money to be invested into both clubs. Although im not an Latics fan, I am interested in seeing what’s going to happen with the both clubs working together.[/quote:1svvbf2o] Yeah it was Luton and for a rumoured £3.5m. They've brought in that fee now and a fee for Charlie Hughes higher than that and have said that they've ridden themselves of the last of the legacy from the Bahraini's and can move forward and have a higher budget next season. To me they've played it pretty much perfectly so far and stabilised the finances and the side, to then try and progress. Some of the empty heads aren't buying it though.

Be interesting what Danson does when the field and french era is over. Could he attract a top NRL player with a huge salary?

[quote="NSW":2tevqggu]Be interesting what Danson does when the field and french era is over. Could he attract a top NRL player with a huge salary?[/quote:2tevqggu] It's a good question - in a way I almost hope that we wouldn't go down that route. If a top NRL player in his prime comes here then sadly it will all be driven by money. I think we'd be better off using the marquee spots to keep the best Wigan produced players here for the bulk of their careers, or to keep any future Australian gems that we've managed to polish at the club for more than a few years.

The level of bitterness between rugby and Latics fans has been on the slide for a decade or more, thankfully. The 2 sets of fans holding grudges and antagonising each other did neither team any favours, so hopefully it will soon be a thing of the past. If you go on the Latics forums you'll get some headbangers who are convinced anyone who supports Wigan RL is evil personified and is out to get them. I'm pretty sure after a few years of sensible stewardship from Danson most of them will accept he's moving them in the right direction and he is an improvement on anything they've had since Whelan

It might well be that a large salary will be required to get an NRL player over here. With the NRL expanding to PNG, NZ and Perth possibly in the next few years then those clubs are going to be looking for top quality players to add to their locally produced squad. If they are looking at squads of 25 players each then that is a lot of players who can further their careers in the NRL without having to leave the comp. The RFL/SL are going to have a look again at the criteria for SL status. Surely each SL club is going to have to prove they can produced their own squad. A move I'd have thought is that within two years of attaining SL status a club must have a scholarship, academy and reserves to complement the first team. That way each club will be capable of producing the required number for their first team squad. That would leave us less vulnerable to the need for overseas players to make up the SL quality squad which is the case now. How Mike Danson would look at quality overseas players and the salaries required remains to be seen. He will know better than us how much Latics soccer players earn for League One and Championship competitions. Compare than to the Wigan RL players who play in front of 15k each game then he might look quite favourably on Rugby League.

Hopefully we're already on the look out for more hidden gems, young players who haven't quite cracked first grade but will be good enough to make a decent career over here as well as putting themselves back in the NRL shop window. The way we've allowed our overseas players extra family time on a trust that they'll do a lot of the pre season hard work over there should be a good bargaining chip in our favour.

[quote="Stu M":3f2savwg]Come on Jason you’ll have to do better than that. How are Liverpool women bossing us around when they pay to play there? They call it the St Helens Stadium because they don’t want to be associated with a vaping company. No issues with that given the name hasn’t changed for rugby league and it is still OUR stadium that we own. They pay a good fee to play there, we earn from food and drink and more importantly they paid over £1m for a state of the art pitch that we play on. It’s superb quality. So if that’s “bossing” us around then that will do me.[/quote:3f2savwg] Out of interest, how much do they pay to play at the stadium?

[quote="Father Ted":1nxdy2wp]It might well be that a large salary will be required to get an NRL player over here. With the NRL expanding to PNG, NZ and Perth possibly in the next few years then those clubs are going to be looking for top quality players to add to their locally produced squad. If they are looking at squads of 25 players each then that is a lot of players who can further their careers in the NRL without having to leave the comp. The RFL/SL are going to have a look again at the criteria for SL status. Surely each SL club is going to have to prove they can produced their own squad. A move I'd have thought is that within two years of attaining SL status a club must have a scholarship, academy and reserves to complement the first team. That way each club will be capable of producing the required number for their first team squad. That would leave us less vulnerable to the need for overseas players to make up the SL quality squad which is the case now. How Mike Danson would look at quality overseas players and the salaries required remains to be seen. He will know better than us how much Latics soccer players earn for League One and Championship competitions. [b:1nxdy2wp]Compare than to the Wigan RL players who play in front of 15k each game then he might look quite favourably on Rugby League.[/b:1nxdy2wp][/quote:1nxdy2wp] He already does, he is a rugby fan first and foremost.

I think there still value to be had finding you get players who aren't getting a start due to the likes of Ponga, Clearly, etc. For example I think David Armstrong for Leigh will be the signing of the year, tempted to have a MoS bet on him at 33-1 As others have mentioned, wigans track record of treating overseas players well and giving opportunity to develop their careers will act in our favour when we do need to sign new talent. I think up and coming players rather than big names is the way forward..

[quote="Big Steve":3sqpyhdg]I think there still value to be had finding you get players who aren't getting a start due to the likes of Ponga, Clearly, etc. For example I think David Armstrong for Leigh will be the signing of the year, tempted to have a MoS bet on him at 33-1 As others have mentioned, wigans track record of treating overseas players well and giving opportunity to develop their careers will act in our favour when we do need to sign new talent. I think up and coming players rather than big names is the way forward..[/quote:3sqpyhdg] Leigh probably have the master of picking up these gems in Adrian Lam. He's played a big part in getting Field, French, Ipappe, O'Donnell, Amone etc over to superleague and all have been exceptional. You wouldn't be at all surprised to see Armstrong being the next success story.

[quote="Zig":c0ldtz90]Out of interest, how much do they pay to play at the stadium?[/quote:c0ldtz90] £500k per year Then we obviously earn whatever sales come from food and drink. The pitch was £1.3m so it’s a good relationship on both sides.

[quote="Stu M":gae1uo7h]£500k per year Then we obviously earn whatever sales come from food and drink. The pitch was £1.3m so it’s a good relationship on both sides.[/quote:gae1uo7h] Sounds like a great deal for Saints.

[quote="Stu M":3lhgplui]£500k per year Then we obviously earn whatever sales come from food and drink. The pitch was £1.3m so it’s a good relationship on both sides.[/quote:3lhgplui] A good income stream which is important given the last couple of years financially.

Read a rumour on Redvee that we wanted Vaughan and it looks like it's well on the cards along with Sambou. Brave lads! https://www.alloutrugbyleague.co.uk/new ... ommunities

Read a rumour on Redvee that we wanted Vaughan and it looks like it's well on the cards along with Sambou. Brave lads! https://www.alloutrugbyleague.co.uk/new ... ommunities

[quote="NickyKiss":1we2qsu7]Read a rumour on Redvee that we wanted Vaughan and it looks like it's well on the cards along with Sambou. Brave lads! https://www.alloutrugbyleague.co.uk/new ... ommunities[/quote:1we2qsu7] Don’t know much about either lad but even if it isn’t true the response on RedVee is pretty decent view on a cold Monday evening. Maybe it’s cover for Eckersley on the assumption that Keighran will be departing at the end of 2025 re Vaughan? Not sure where that puts Nathan Lowe for us unless we see Vaughan as a second rower? Interesting times.

[quote="NickyKiss":1we2qsu7]Read a rumour on Redvee that we wanted Vaughan and it looks like it's well on the cards along with Sambou. Brave lads! https://www.alloutrugbyleague.co.uk/new ... ommunities[/quote:1we2qsu7] Don’t know much about either lad but even if it isn’t true the response on RedVee is pretty decent view on a cold Monday evening. Maybe it’s cover for Eckersley on the assumption that Keighran will be departing at the end of 2025 re Vaughan? Not sure where that puts Nathan Lowe for us unless we see Vaughan as a second rower? Interesting times.

[quote="Itchy Arsenal":1cjbw1ho]Don’t know much about either lad but even if it isn’t true the response on RedVee is pretty decent view on a cold Monday evening. Maybe it’s cover for Eckersley on the assumption that Keighran will be departing at the end of 2025 re Vaughan? Not sure where that puts Nathan Lowe for us unless we see Vaughan as a second rower? Interesting times.[/quote:1cjbw1ho] Pretty sure we'll be seeing Vaughan primarily as a second rower and taking a long term view that he can help replace Faz, Isa etc. His profile reminds me a bit of Bateman when we signed him (although I don't think Bateman was on for a law degree like this lad) in that he can play back row, centre and is captain of the England academy.

All I can say is Wigan must really see something in these two to make this move. We have a great academy and the club takes a lot of pride in developing Wigan born players to a high standard. To bring in two lads from the Saints academy must mean they think there's a good chance they'll be international players. If it had been any of Robertson, Whitby or Stephens it would have been absolute meltdown at St Helens but even with these two it must sting. The balance of power is well and truly with Wigan at the moment.

Has anyone heard anything on Sam Walters potentially joining Hull this season? Don't actually think anything will be in it, but the guy who told me said we were releasing Abdull, then a few days later the story broke.

[quote="mwindass":9tqid4tn]Has anyone heard anything on Sam Walters potentially joining Hull this season? Don't actually think anything will be in it, but the guy who told me said we were releasing Abdull, then a few days later the story broke.[/quote:9tqid4tn] Don't see how that could possibly be true - he's our only back up second rower as it stands.

[quote="MadDogg":3blcwhzf]Don't see how that could possibly be true - he's our only back up second rower as it stands.[/quote:3blcwhzf] If he didn't tell me about Abdull I would've brushed it off as BS. Didn't he move back the the NW for family reasons too?

[quote="mwindass":bmjpxfjt]Has anyone heard anything on Sam Walters potentially joining Hull this season? Don't actually think anything will be in it, but the guy who told me said we were releasing Abdull, then a few days later the story broke.[/quote:bmjpxfjt] I would be staggered if that was the case. Not unless we have 2 2nd rowers coming in but its a bit late in pre-season for that kind of thing

[quote="[Gareth]":1omfoqu3]I would be staggered if that was the case. Not unless we have 2 2nd rowers coming in but its a bit late in pre-season for that kind of thing[/quote:1omfoqu3] Vaughan coming in early wouldn't surprise me. I would have the Saints fan base as one of the least understanding of players career decisions and when that decision is to go to Wigan, I struggle to see him turning out for Saints in 2025 and being given an easy ride. Once Wigan found out Nicholson was going to sign for Wire for the following season, they just said he could go with immediate effect and a move from Wigan to Wire is nowhere near as controversial.

JV is a cracking prospect maybe not the most physically gifted but a genuine competitor and very intelligent runner. Adds competition and depth alongside Lucas Mason. I think his attitude and competitive nature is what will have drawn our attention. Not sure about Sambou he’s obviously an athlete with pace and maybe he kicks on in our environment to develop his game. As the old saying goes you can’t coach pace. Vaughn particularly is a big kick in the stones for Saints I think this move is indicative of the rot that has set in there from the top down and I’d say losing him adds more pressure to Wellens and them starting well in 2025. Would be great to get them both in early as there is no way they will be getting first team opportunities this year now at Saints.

Staggered by this to be honest, I really am, for a number of reasons. Wigan have acted like a huge club again, forward thinking and from what I am hearing, Peet and Radlinski have outlined a plan and shown some real faith in Vaughan in particular. I have heard the other side of the story but I'm not putting that on here. What is clear is that we have sleep walked yet again and our biggest rivals have beaten us to the punch. Its just another sign of the general malaise at the club that after feeling positive with the signings, the new assistant coaches and the feel good nature of pre-season and the players comments, that the Salford defeat, Knowles leaving and now this has just added to the negativity. What I don't get though is the plan that Wigan will have. Vaughan is a competitor who didn't really do loads last season but there was also mitigation for that. He has been Lancashire and England Academy captain and is a terrific leader. A die hard Saints fan who has now signed for the enemy. However Wigan don't need to poach Academy lads when they have the best Academy in the comp. What now happens to their young lads? Walters, Nsemba and Farrell will be the back rows and that's without the Wigan Academy lads Where does Sambou get a look in with Eckersley and Wardle. What then happens with Nathan Lowe who is extremely highly rated at Wigan, unless they are looking at a wing spot but then of course there is Jacob Douglas. Sambou isn't the one that I am that worried about, he's coming off the back of a bad injury and Dagnall and Robertson are ahead of him. He may or may not turn out to be a good player. I've argued with Saints fans about my worry of Wigan being the Man City of Rugby league and effectively turning the comp into a procession each year. Whilst that's great for Wigan fans it's not great for the game. They can't buy everyone but their financial strength means that no one can get near them. I agree with NK that I can see both players being bought out and coming a year early. They simply can't stay at Saints and why should Saints invest in any sort of development for them when they are going to Wigan. We should let them rot and not play them nor send them out on dual reg but if they went earlier, we save a bit of SC and get them away from the environment. What I will say though is that after Peet's comments about Matty Nicholson, it's quite ironic and I wonder what he would say now? Also there were lots on here saying that Vaughan isn't really all that when they were mocking the "golden generation" Saints talk about. Funny how the narrative changes From Saints point of view we simply have to wake up and start to act like a big club again. We have gone from the most dominant team in RL to a laughing stock in 2 years. I get that Wigan fans will laugh at this and love it. Of course they will but Wigan need a strong Saints so be careful what you wish for. The sport needs a strong Saints and Wigan and at the minute and seemingly for the foreseeable future, there is only one powerhouse.

[quote="Stu M":3pmxkirk]Staggered by this to be honest, I really am, for a number of reasons. Wigan have acted like a huge club again, forward thinking and from what I am hearing, Peet and Radlinski have outlined a plan and shown some real faith in Vaughan in particular. I have heard the other side of the story but I'm not putting that on here. What is clear is that we have sleep walked yet again and our biggest rivals have beaten us to the punch. Its just another sign of the general malaise at the club that after feeling positive with the signings, the new assistant coaches and the feel good nature of pre-season and the players comments, that the Salford defeat, Knowles leaving and now this has just added to the negativity. What I don't get though is the plan that Wigan will have. Vaughan is a competitor who didn't really do loads last season but there was also mitigation for that. He has been Lancashire and England Academy captain and is a terrific leader. A die hard Saints fan who has now signed for the enemy. However Wigan don't need to poach Academy lads when they have the best Academy in the comp. What now happens to their young lads? Walters, Nsemba and Farrell will be the back rows and that's without the Wigan Academy lads Where does Sambou get a look in with Eckersley and Wardle. What then happens with Nathan Lowe who is extremely highly rated at Wigan, unless they are looking at a wing spot but then of course there is Jacob Douglas. Sambou isn't the one that I am that worried about, he's coming off the back of a bad injury and Dagnall and Robertson are ahead of him. He may or may not turn out to be a good player. I've argued with Saints fans about my worry of Wigan being the Man City of Rugby league and effectively turning the comp into a procession each year. Whilst that's great for Wigan fans it's not great for the game. They can't buy everyone but their financial strength means that no one can get near them. I agree with NK that I can see both players being bought out and coming a year early. They simply can't stay at Saints and why should Saints invest in any sort of development for them when they are going to Wigan. We should let them rot and not play them nor send them out on dual reg but if they went earlier, we save a bit of SC and get them away from the environment. [b:3pmxkirk]What I will say though is that after Peet's comments about Matty Nicholson, it's quite ironic and I wonder what he would say now? Also there were lots on here saying that Vaughan isn't really all that when they were mocking the "golden generation" Saints talk about. Funny how the narrative changes [/b:3pmxkirk] From Saints point of view we simply have to wake up and start to act like a big club again. We have gone from the most dominant team in RL to a laughing stock in 2 years. I get that Wigan fans will laugh at this and love it. Of course they will but Wigan need a strong Saints so be careful what you wish for. The sport needs a strong Saints and Wigan and at the minute and seemingly for the foreseeable future, there is only one powerhouse.[/quote:3pmxkirk] It's a fair point that. I suspect that Peet probably regrets being as forthright as he was - in public at least - when that was announced. A big difference though is that Wigan (alongside Saints) have easily the best record in bringing through their own academy players compared to everyone else in the league. So you can hardly make the 'demoralised' comment about anyone in the Wigan set up, whereas maybe you could for Wire. Hopefully we're starting to see that change under Burgess. And on the Man City point, I think the only way that happens is with serious changes to the salary cap. As good as it feels to be a Wigan fan just now, sport is cyclical and no amount of clever salary cap management and positive culture is going to keep us on top. It's only a couple of years since Saints seemed almost untouchable.