Just seen Michael Buffer will be doing an announcement at the Leigh game plus they are setting a chapel up outside the ground for couples to renew their vows. This must be the most wackiest thing I’ve seen us do. If this doesn’t create some noise I don’t no what will

Welsby is top class. He's a character you love to hate and he probably had his least effective season to date last year but he'll bounce back at some point. I do wonder if he had the decision to make again, he would've gone to the NRL instead of signing that last deal. I think he needs the challenge to continue progressing but you should probably do that when you're in top form and full of confidence and that would've been the case had he gone at the end of 2023. I don't ever see him at Wigan tbh but I suppose stranger things have happened.

[quote="WWste":2apuk3e8]Just seen Michael Buffer will be doing an announcement at the Leigh game plus they are setting a chapel up outside the ground for couples to renew their vows. This must be the most wackiest thing I’ve seen us do. If this doesn’t create some noise I don’t no what will[/quote:2apuk3e8] I really rate that. It's just the sort of big game/event feel the opener of Superleague needs. Michael Buffer is only rolled out for the very biggest boxing events nowadays, so to get him over here for Wigan vs Leigh is great to see.

[quote="Azul":2qdo4wze]Over-rated I’m not sure. Over-the-hill absolutely.[/quote:2qdo4wze] He’s 23!! If that’s over the hill then what are most of us that post on here?!

[quote="jonh":2wqj0jks]He’s 23!! If that’s over the hill then what are most of us that post on here?![/quote:2wqj0jks] I'm one of those past my prime and no my name is not Lomax.

[quote="jonh":r85hfwfk]He’s 23!! If that’s over the hill then what are most of us that post on here?![/quote:r85hfwfk] Im assuming he meant over Billinge hill......

With Havard sadly out for a while, Isa gone and Chan/Eseh seemingly not progressing as much as the club had hoped, it feels like bringing in a forward is more important now for squad depth. Sam Walters likely won't make the 17 next week if Wardle comes back in so him and Harvey Makin would probably be next in line if we pick up another injury or suspension in the forwards. But another body would help.

[quote="MadDogg":2260imbv]With Havard sadly out for a while, Isa gone and Chan/Eseh seemingly not progressing as much as the club had hoped, it feels like bringing in a forward is more important now for squad depth. Sam Walters likely won't make the 17 next week if Wardle comes back in so him and Harvey Makin would probably be next in line if we pick up another injury or suspension in the forwards. But another body would help.[/quote:2260imbv] Use Walters through the middle if needed I reckon.

[quote="NSW":uvqt6p6o]Use Walters through the middle if needed I reckon.[/quote:uvqt6p6o] He's our one experienced back up player in the forwards - after that we're into names with very little SL experience.

Matty Peet's selection for Thursday will be interesting. He won't have liked Tyler getting sin binned for pulling a player's hair. Personally I'd have liked him to field his Grand Final 17 bar injuries and suspensions. Havard out but Hill in the 17 is pretty much a given. Walters is the curious one. Had a very good game v Sheffield which must have impressed MP where Tyler probably didn't.

[quote="Azul":2nqv1w0g]Over-rated I’m not sure. Over-the-hill absolutely.[/quote:2nqv1w0g] I actually meant Lomax. But I wouldn’t want Welsby either. We’ve got 2 better fullbacks than him.

[quote="Father Ted":3nkl8c9x]Matty Peet's selection for Thursday will be interesting. He won't have liked Tyler getting sin binned for pulling a player's hair. Personally I'd have liked him to field his Grand Final 17 bar injuries and suspensions. Havard out but Hill in the 17 is pretty much a given. Walters is the curious one. Had a very good game v Sheffield which must have impressed MP where Tyler probably didn't.[/quote:3nkl8c9x] Have you seen the Dupree thing? TBF to him it was just a grab attempting a tackle, wasn't like he lost his cool and did something stupid like he has done in the past. I really hope we see more of Walters this year. At least give him a chance.

Seen on one of the fb pages Willie Isa's new job is with Chelsea FC as player support and development officer, fair play to him, well done Willie.

With Willie Isa leaving the Warriors to link up with Chelsea FC as player welfare and development officer, Wigan are down one pack man for the 2025 Super League season. That being said, Peet does not foresee bringing anyone else in for the remainder of the season. “We won’t be looking to add anyone,” Peet continued. “We don’t have room to do it. “Obviously we don’t have Willie anymore but more of our attention is on retention now.”

Hasn't gone down well with Chelsea fans. https://x.com/ChelsTransfer/status/1888 ... 2kNTA&s=19

Hasn't gone down well with Chelsea fans. https://x.com/ChelsTransfer/status/1888 ... 2kNTA&s=19

Not sure if it's been posted elsewhere but Peet confirmed Ethan needs an operation so he'll be out for a good few months. Real shame for him, I think it's his 3rd bad hamstring injury now ?

[quote="Big Steve":1qsjf9ja]Not sure if it's been posted elsewhere but Peet confirmed Ethan needs an operation so he'll be out for a good few months. Real shame for him, I think it's his 3rd bad hamstring injury now ?[/quote:1qsjf9ja] At least 2nd but not the same leg that caused his issues before the 2023 GF.

[quote="Big Steve":1hdqalre]Not sure if it's been posted elsewhere but Peet confirmed Ethan needs an operation so he'll be out for a good few months. Real shame for him, I think it's his 3rd bad hamstring injury now ?[/quote:1hdqalre] He looks such an athlete Havard that you half wonder if he'd be less at risk if he let himself go a bit! If this is on the other hamstring from the injury at the end of 2023, hopefully it might sort it all once and for all.

[quote="NickyKiss":10acrk3p]He looks such an athlete Havard that you half wonder if he'd be less at risk if he let himself go a bit! If this is on the other hamstring from the injury at the end of 2023, hopefully it might sort it all once and for all.[/quote:10acrk3p] Can anyone remember how long he was out with the last hamstring injury?

[quote="Fujiman":ir61b5im]Can anyone remember how long he was out with the last hamstring injury?[/quote:ir61b5im] Grand Final through to mid April I think.

[quote="Fujiman":1bcgotg0]Can anyone remember how long he was out with the last hamstring injury?[/quote:1bcgotg0] Hw got the injury in October 2023 Grand Final v Catalan and returned in late April 2024, so that's about six months.

[quote="Fujiman":3nd8rjxb]Can anyone remember how long he was out with the last hamstring injury?[/quote:3nd8rjxb] His return was at HKR on 26th April from what I can see, so he missed about 6 months and 2 weeks. Fingers crossed it's not as severe as that one but the indications seem to suggest it may be.

Not sure on time scale as the one he got in GF was on top of an operation he had been returning to early from with hindsight. If it’s the same one as Bevan and Jai suffered it will be some time though. I seem to think Jai was injured first game and was back playing towards the later end of Summer from memory.

[quote="That Mon":1vacidnr]Not sure on time scale as the one he got in GF was on top of an operation he had been returning to early from with hindsight. If it’s the same one as Bevan and Jai suffered it will be some time though. I seem to think Jai was injured first game and was back playing towards the later end of Summer from memory.[/quote:1vacidnr] Barely. I think he played about a game and a half and looked completely shot. He needed another pre season to get back to full fitness.

From a glass half full point of view, if you were looking at the squad and had to pick a position where we had to pick up a knock then it would be prop. It’s obviously not ideal, but another positive spin is we get a player back who will be very fresh for the second half of the season. It’s got to be gutting for the lad though and obviously a blow for the start of the season.