If Sims form from last year is anything to go by then people stay hit once he connects.

True. Remember when Matt Rodwell came over, he was brilliant at the media work in the off season. Intelligent and articulate, accessible to the media and the fans (remember him posting on Wolfweb), all the feedback was that everybody at the club thought he was a great bloke and popular with everyone. Looked good for being one of our most popular signings. Then the season started, he wasn't fit, wasn't the player he used to be, and the team was rubbish. Suddenly Rodwell became the target for all the fans' anger, because he was Mr accessible nice guy.

Ashton, if you're reading this forum here are some tips:

1. When the season starts, stop reading this forum. Unless you are in Man of Steel form next year, in which case it's ok to read it.

2. Make sure you say the right things to the press. Warrington fans will be very sensitive to anything that suggests either you want to go back to the NRL, or you are in any way not taking the English league seriously. Never under any circumstances criticise the fans even if they warrant it - once you say something like "our away fans are great but the home fans getting on our back don't help" then you are finished. For extra points if you refer to the club as 'the Wire' rather than Wolves it will mean a lot to the fans and this will suggest you are interested in the club's history.

3. Super League is likely to be easier than the NRL but a lot of Aussie players haven't handled the switch. The expectations will be high and the fans are ruthless judges. On the whole they are going to be fair, but harsh. If you are good they will acknowledge this and treat you with great reverence, if you are rubbish they will barrack you relentlessly and say they will pay your own air fare home.

4. If you are a forward enforcer, especially one with a bit of charisma that gets the crowd going, you will be a cult hero (if you are good). This will be fun, and you will end up as a legend in the memory for many years, like Boyd, Tamati, Jackson and co were from the 1980s. This means you will be able to come back and visit Warrington as a 50 odd year old and immediately be treated as a town legend.

5. Being good is more important than playing up to the crowd. They will soon see through it if you can't back it up. Chris Hill isn't a big personality and doesn't egg on the crowd but is a crowd favourite, because he's just good. In fact I don't know how big Hill's profile is in Aus but you are about to find he's one of the best forwards in the world and will set the benchmark at Warrington.

6. If you start slowly and are out of form don't panic, but at least show that you are committed and trying. The fans will give you some leeway if you look like you are engaged and trying and making mistakes. If you start ambling about looking like you don't want to be there, then you will rapidly become a hate figure.

My advice to Sims would be the same as my advice to anyone starting a new job, whether they are a plumber or a prop forward,

1). Be honest. If you make a mistake, own up to it and people will respect you for it.
2). Make an effort to get know your surroundings, colleagues, and associates, Take an interest in them.
3). Always give 100%, and expect your colleagues to give the same in return

Warrington fans aren't the SL equivalent of Millwall speccies. They are a passionate, loyal and vocal bunch who will defend any player they see is giving their best to the hilt, and will respect any player who says "I'm not playing well, I'm sorry, I'm working on it".

The idea that the clubs fans, or the majority of them, are constantly seeking a new scapegoat every week is nonsense. Asotasi got a lot of flak but he asked for trouble with some of his early press, then compounded it with several months of abject displays.

....and then in his last 6 weeks he got it.
Run hard and tackle hard.

Come out like Adrian Morley in his first game for Warrington and give someone the biggest hit of their lives and you'll never do any wrong with the fans.

Be sure to cover your face though, unlike Morley!

Seen Ashton Sims on Friday night in Stockton Heath with Myler, Atkins and the Evans brothers. He was pretty steamed, looked like he was settling in nicely!

And so it begins... pointless comments

It wasn't pointless at all, Ashton will not only be bonding with his new mates he will be planning his escape to Hull KR with Richie at the same time.

Rugby player in off season having fun shocker.

Lay off them, i bet you drink at the weekend too, do i email your boss and tell him, guess what so and so was doing on Saturday...yep, drinking.

He's probably 3 months off a competetive game i'm sure a drink won't hurt.

Aye fair enough if he is not in training.

I do wonder why our RL "athletes" need to binge though.

I'm intrigued as to why such a big thing has been made of Ashton Sims. I'm looking forwrd to seeing him, no doubt, but compare the hype to the lack of the same when we signed Trent Waterhouse.

Waterhouse at the time had played for Australia, New South Wales in State of Origin and even in the City v Country matches down there. I recall Sally Cinnamon at the time was of the opinion that he would be 'the best back-row forward at the club'.

Ashton Sims has achieved little by comparison, club footy and Fiji ( no disrespect, but we know that Australia don't let talent go to the islands lightly ) is where he has played his footy. The club itself, and the Warrington Guardian, has been all over the Sims story ( far more so even than for Daryl Clark ).

Do not read this wrong. I think Sims is a great signing, but I'm nonetheless puzzled by all the headlines.

Ashton Sims is an average NRL journeymen who has had one good season. It just happened to be last season, he may work out at wire, I still recon you would have got more bang for you buck if you signed Kirke or Lovegrove.

Kirke or Lovegrove hmm a difficult choice but I'll go with the clubs judgement on this one.

He's made a great positive start. Why are we so miserable on this site? There's no matches to report on so let's get as much space as we can with such stories. We want to sell season tickets. Perhaps we missed a trick with Waterhouse or perhaps our memories are being selective.

May I be the first ? I'll pay Sims plane fare home myself.

I am excited by his arrival as he looks a physical handful and has a bit of mongrel about him. Our pack lacks this.

Completely agree but yet not completed....

Unlike other signings past since Morley, Sims had made all the right noises and that sits well with me.
That is the difference that makes his signing special.

We've heard little shat from Clark and/or Wheeler who we would generally expect to be key men.

4/10

Can't wait to come back and quote this in a few months time.

I quite like the way Sims plays. He's never quite been the best but you'd say he gives his best most of the time.

His presence will boost us more than his performances imo. He'll be great on the pitch no doubt and he'll give 100%, but we won't get bullied as much next season with him in the pack & may even do a little ourselves!

I've never really thought that many games are lost due to being bullied. It's rarely a problem in the modern game. Lack of creativity with the ball was our main problem especially at the start of the season. Later on, I remember watching Wakefield give us the run around at home. It was nothing to do with being bullied but lots to do with the way they kept opening up our defence.

Read in to it what you will, but this wasn't intended as a negative post. It was good to see him out mingling with the lads and clearly enjoying himself so soon after arriving. Had it been during the season I might've been bothered by him being sloshed on a Friday night, but in November, nah.

The guy is a monster and I for one can't wait to see him go!

I remember seeing two of three lads we signed, out in town on a Saturday evening in a week following their arrival from OZ.

One of them was small and Pist, the other was unknown to us but much taller, he could obvious handle more British beer going head to head in pints.
He had a real beer belly on him and my mate and I commented upon it about what have we signed here?
Another to add to the Lee Briers St H beer buddies brigade...?!

The season started, his beer belly gone and he turned out to be the best signing of the three....

Chris Hicks!!
The other was Monas.

And of Briers...?

A season later, Briers and the 3 exiles turned out to be 4 of the best in the team.

Great story from "rubber duckie". There's hope for all of us with a fat belly.