Could well be. Interesting to see how it plays out. It’s a great signing for whoever gets him given his age and the fact you’ll probably have him for the rest of his career, which could be 8 years+. The fact he’s only cost us 75k on the cap makes it a no brainer for me but if we don’t have the money to push up to Wires offer, we don’t have the money. I hear a lot of our fans talking about the space we have and the 75k thing but without the money to spend it doesn’t matter.

Hardly a week ago we were wetting ourselves in the hope that Ben Truman would turn up in boot of Daryl Powell's car.

We could transfer out austin who is on marquee money I believe. And bring in Williams now.
It's not often a opportunity like this comes around. And I would go above steve price and do the deal and transfer now. Irrespective of what price thinks. If powell wants Williams next year. But he will only come of we can get him now. I'd make it happen. I would do whatever it takes to make it happen. So I would Ship austin off to leeds who needs a half back. And bring Williams in. Basically ship austin out someway to get William's in. Even if we de-register austin. Sit him out for the remaining 6 months of his contract if it means we get Williams in.

Could we not bring trueman in as the 3rd half back. And he can study under widdop for a year before we ship widdop off at the end of 2022.

Or even better. Could we lose austin and widdop at the end of the season and build up a trueman/Williams combo for the next decade.

If that comes off. We have a half back pairing superleague will fear for years.

Maybe we will have finally replaced Briers?

Two bids turned down for Trueman and we've been told not to bother again apparently, However, if the player refuses to sign a new deal, surely they would rather cash in now than lose him for nothing at the end of 2022?

Williams was on £450k a year at Canberra according to reports over there would Wigan pay even half of that? What is Hastings rumoured to be earning?

Its upto cas. Trueman wants to follow powell. Cas would be stupid not to take the money and run.

Yeah if Trueman says to them (doubt he would though) that he wants to come to us in 2023 if the club know he's off then they could cash him in so we get him next year.
All this is IF he actually wants to leave Castleford, we've no idea what Trueman wants himself.

Thing is. We are the only ones who will pay him that.
Leeds have a wage structure that they keep too. So they have a ceiling. Even if uncle gary is worth a billion quid.
No other team has that kind of money to throw around other than warrington.

That's what I mean. He'd be taking one hell of a paycut if he went to Wigan. Fair play to him.

1. If we sit out Austin, he still counts on the cap, meaning you can't bring in Williams.

2. Leeds wouldn't be matching Austin's wages here at Wire, so why would he leave for Leeds now on less money, when he's on a healthy wad here at Wire?

Maybe a NRL club would take Austin off us now?

Canberra can`t be very happy that their 2 Wigan signings have left them early.

Having watched Austin for the last 12 months, would you be in a rush to sign him?

Quote ="Dita's Slot Meter"Having watched Austin for the last 12 months, would you be in a rush to sign him?'" Gold Coast Titans are allegedly interested in signing him. https://www.totalrl.com/blake-austin-co ... e-a-titan/

Quote ="Dita's Slot Meter"Having watched Austin for the last 12 months, would you be in a rush to sign him?'" Gold Coast Titans are allegedly interested in signing him. https://www.totalrl.com/blake-austin-co ... e-a-titan/

Don’t know on both counts. I do sense the press in Oz love to bull up the deals the players are on sometimes though and I read another report that had Williams around the £300-350k mark and that seems more realistic.

There’s a lot of unknowns on the finances at Wigan. We keep hearing Rads and Lenagan pleading poverty, yet they sold 25% of the club to a bloke worth 1.2 billion quid. It seems like he has no involvement in decisions or the running of the club but covering some costs to him would be pocket change.

I’m fairly calm on the Williams deal. If we get it done then great but without an investment in a couple of powerful forwards, we could have Wally Lewis and Andy Gregory in their pomps in the halves and it won’t make a difference.

Would you not sacrifice signing a forward to get Williams though? As you say he’s still young, one of your own, he’d be the best halfback in the comp and you’d have him probably for the rest of his career.

Having said all that, would it hamper Harry Smith’s development bringing in Williams?

Smith has a starting spot next year you’d imagine anyway. We’ve got Jai Field to come in yet who we’ve not seen anything of but he could play at fullback if French goes back and I think the club are invested in Smith being our seven for the next 5+ years (after this season). We’d love Williams don’t get me wrong and I’ll be gutted if he signs for Wire but we’ve too many kids in the middle of the field at the minute and they’re being let down by the more experienced props/middles. That area needs urgent attention and if Williams signing is at the detriment of that, we may not get the best out of him anyway if he’s constantly playing from his own half.

A good balance for us would probably be to get Williams, get a more established forward from somewhere and then try and pluck a forward on the cheap, who works out beyond expectations. There is talk George Burgess may be back next season after his big op. That’s a gamble that could go hugely either way for us.

https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/ ... mick-hogan This could work if as it was reported we had been close to signing him for 2022,then again why would he sign for them if his preference is to be closer to home.

https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/ ... mick-hogan This could work if as it was reported we had been close to signing him for 2022,then again why would he sign for them if his preference is to be closer to home.

Wigan links

George’s dad was our scholarship coach up until a couple of years ago.

The Newcastle option is just a publicity stunt on their behalf for me. I could see him at Leigh or even Wakey or Leeds for 6 months but he won’t need to drop down to the Championship.

Good publicity stunt if it then, 9% voted he would go there

Is that the golf course near the pier?

Is that a deodorant?

Wakefields interest made me curious....our salary cap allies, if Wakefield offer him a temporary home then he's definitely coming to us.