Great thinking, how about signing Nathan Clery aswell as back up in case you get a couple of injuries?

Isn’t that known as “the Wigan approach”, from the good old days when you used to sign players and stick them in the reserves to pee off the opposition?

The Nigel Wright manoeuvre. The cap was brought in to prevent that very tactic.

It was until the money ran out and then they were shopping at Tesco.

https://www.wigantoday.net/sport/rugby- ... ms-3271818

https://www.wigantoday.net/sport/rugby- ... ms-3271818

So if Williams comes in now and replaces Widdop who is rumoured to be going back to Australia to Canberra, would you be happy with that? It's a good move long term, Widdop would presumably only have played for one or two more seasons at most, presuming he stayed over her and Williams should be good for 6-7 years. But it's also probably a step down, an out of form player who hasn't played recently replacing your form player this year?

Widdop is contracted for next year as well so it will be him and Williams in the halves next year unless an Aussie club pays a fee. If they did I’d expect us to sign Trueman as Widdop’s replacement from what I’ve heard. I’d be more than happy with that.

If that was the case. Not a problem. Not ideal, but this season is another screw up on a slightly lesser scale of 2020. Get him now, take a hit and regroup for 2022.

Williams partnered with Widdop for 2021-2022 with Trueman in for 2023 season would be my ideal, but we have to recognise its highly likely Widdop wont be here in 2022. If this is the only way of getting Williams to us, it has to be done. Williams / Austin for 2021 then hopefully Williams / Trueman for 2022 onwards.

I'd happily accept that.

Widdop is in exceptional form but most of us have written off this year and he has been seemingly itching for a move back to his family.

Makes a change from your usual barbs discrediting our academy set up, I suppose.

Should Williams arrive at the HJS, it's more likely to be Austin, not Widdop, who makes way for him.

Could this be the biggest coup since Bradford gazumped Leeds from getting Iestyn Harris back?

My barbs discrediting your academy setup are very few and far between. They also aren't exactly controversial statements given the output of said setup over the last 25 years either. The only differences between Warrington and Saints/Leeds/Wigan in that period has been the academies. One club is sat on 0 titles, the others have 21 between them. My only criticism this year have been their lack of interest in Warrington based players, again not exactly novel. I also said they're doing a better job these days.

As for Williams, if he's coming now I think you'd find it much more difficult to find a club to take Austin off your hands than Widdop. Going off the rumours Widdop is in talks with Canberra and NZW. It is interesting that Sky said there would be an announcement today and there doesn't seem to have been. Perhaps it's moving from a next season signing to an immediate one.

Suggestions it might be Greg Inglis making way for Williams. That would be a win for Warrington.

Not allowed though under the cap rules. Unless someone takes Inglis and pays him a salary. Or Williams plays for free. Or maybe his pregnant missus become CEO of the Warrington Wolves Baby Clothing Range on a six figure salary.

If we get it just right we could have a new “new era” where we also work our way down to the 3rd tier of RL. We can sell the HJ to the RFL to become the sport’s new national stadium, and ground-share at Cantilever Park. Might help keep Nigel Wood active in retirement too.

I wonder if a retirement forced through medical grounds might alter things? I know they have something in the NRL covering that I think?

The ideal for me would be Austin to be the one that goes, Williams is a natural replacement and isn't playing at the same level as Widdop, maybe Leigh or Leeds as suitors, but they probably would be reluctant to take on his marquee salary and I'm not sure how Warrington 'contributions' to his salary at other clubs would count on the cap.

Inglis going would be a shame, he wasn't great before his injury, but he adds a bit of interest factor, I'd rather he stayed ahead of Austin to be honest.

Widdop going has to be last choice, even if it probably is the most likely, I'd like to keep hold of him for as long as we can and he is willing, but not at the expense of losing out on Williams, who could be our halfback for the next 8 Years.

I can see your Mods rating tumbling from A+++ if you keep that up.

I haven't studied the rules but I think this might be allowed.

If a player retires then his registration is ended. If a player has a season ending injury, as did Kev Brown, then you are not ending his registration, you are suspending it. In this case it requires special dispensation from the RFL and this happened in Brown's case as he hadn't played a competitive game.

I would think that because the RFL want to see Williams playing in SL this year ahead of the World Cup that they would view any proposal, by any SL club, favourably.

Williams would still have to fit within the salary cap and we already have two marquee signings. That means that the whole salary of whoever is lowest out of Williams, Widdop or Austin has to count in full.

Provocative posting. You have now slipped to b minus.

I think one of the more interesting things about all this, and unless I have missed it, one that hasn't been mentioned, is the fact he is not going to Wigan. And that would tie in with a rumour I heard that he didn't wan't to go. You would have thought that an academy product from Wigan St Pats. would certainly head back home, but it doesn't seem that way.

"Mum, mum, I've just got my highest ever grade!"

You could use the same trick you pulled when Chris Hicks retired only months after signing a new contract to fit Monaghan in.

https://www.nrl.com/news/2021/06/15/dra ... -warriors/ Seems like it might be back to Widdop in the George Williams walk the plank challenge.

https://www.nrl.com/news/2021/06/15/dra ... -warriors/ Seems like it might be back to Widdop in the George Williams walk the plank challenge.

Chris Hicks 'retired' before the season though.

From what I remember Hicks said he wanted to go home, something related to his wife's career I think, then u turned and signed a deal. We signed Monaghan and Hicks had an opportunity to continue his career with the Eels. Not sure Hicks was paid off as such, just a move back to the NRL worked out for him, us and his mrs.