According to The Sun you're interested in 31 yr old Matt Orford for next year. What is your clubs obsession with signing over-the-hill Aussies? Your club has an absolutely fantastic Academy set-up which has produced some awesome talent during the SL era - unfortunately most of them are doing the business for other SL clubs. Would Orford's signing block and hinder the progress of young Tomkins? Will you be releasing him a la Luke Robinson? Darrell Goulding is an excellent threequarter prospect who was doing well for you, let you release him and pay £100'000 for another washed-up burnout in Gleeson. Someone needs to have a serious word with your board and coaching staff.

enough said end of topic !

Who are these awesome talents that we have released who are doing the business at another club?



Robinson left for non rugby reasons and in my opinion has not been missed one bit. He is not half as talented as Tomkins and never will be. Tomkins will be in the halves next year with the new signing.




Goulding is still a Wigan player we have released a very poor Mathers to make way for Englands top centre Gleeson, hardly something we can be criticised for in my opinion.

Orford will play alongside Tomkins if he's signed(which is an outside bet).

Robinson was released due to issues away from the field

Goulding is only on loan and looks to be doing pretty well. He may still have a career at Wigan just yet with Carmont/Bailey off contract.


Huddersfield have just signed another foreign player(Fa'aolago) and have brought about 3 players through their youth system in 15 years so go and post something on their board.

Gotta love half term.

Lets not be silly, Huddersfield 1-17 come from the WIGAN academy.

Ok. So I guess you're saying that none of the youngsters that you have released, and that are now still SL regulars, would have done half as well for you as washed-up dross like Phil Bailey and Riddell?

Bar the 3 they produced! Oh hang on a min wasnt one of those hudson? who was sold to Cas? I may be wrong, but a few months ago i had a huddersifield fan having a go for the same thing! And he counted Hudson as a huddersfield product.

Goulding really has been very good for us since he came. He has made a huge difference to our defense on the right and we have barely conceded a try down that side since he came. This was far and away our biggest weakness before he came and he has stopped that and has also been good in attack. He will be a big loss for us tomorrow. I really cant believe the way he was treated at Wigan.

I know that Salford would love to sign him permanently but was told that a few clubs had tried to sign him permanently before he came to us, Leeds, the Hull clubs and Warrington were mentioned, but Wigan wouldnt let him go. That is why his loan move to us was delayed as he wanted to leave permanently and not on loan but Wigan wouldn’t let him. I therefore think we would have little chance of getting him if he did leave although I do know that he is enjoying it here.

How's Batley doing these days?

Theres not many we'd want back.

Briscoe is one but went of his own accord because he knew Radlinski was blocking his path.

Wild and Tickle are probably the only other 2 who'd get in our 17 and even Tickle was signed and didn't come through our own system.

I cant think of a Wigan produced hooker we let go since john clarke. So no on that score.

And as for bailey, he was signed as a centre who replaced Paul Johnson (last wigan centre to be released if memory serves). And to be fair i think PJ needed a change after the death of his brother.

If you mean would i prefer us to have kept wild instead of Bailey, then no is the answer. Wild has the heart of a pea! And is IMO not as good as Hock, Lockers, Hanson and will not do the hard work that Bailey has done.

However can you show me a club who produces as many juniors as wigan and keeps hold of them. I can only think of leeds, who do a fantastic job in junior development.

Mark Smith.

Funny how the OP's examples of released players are one that was released due to non-Rugby related circumstances and one that hasn't been released, just out on loan.

People really need to do their research before getting on their high horse.

I knew there was one, just couldnt think, but he is hardly tearing up superleague, is he? However why let that stop us being called for it hey?

Is he still at Widnes?

Which young home grown world beating hooker have we released to make way for Riddell?

Clarke?
Smith?
Talbot?

Like who exactly. You come on here with your knickers and facts in a twist and still fail to produce any examples to back up your point?

So come on lets be specific who are these awesome players we have let go? Unless you are able to do this i would suggest you will continue to look very very silly.

i'm looking thru this guys posts, can't say i can spot a board that he HASNT been on....

Yep. He's the long-haired, caveman-looking captain of the mighty Widnes - Hardly a huge loss.

Yeah but we should have kept all 3 because they're British! infact we should carry a squad of 197 players but they must all be British......doesn't matter if they're average!

It makes me laugh when opposition fans throw this at Wigan yet when you look at the likes of Wild, Brown and Robinson against Hock, O'Loughlin and Hansen theres only the last 3 that are international players!

So surely we're keeping the right ones



but then like Huddersfield/Wakey/Quins fans etc will say they're only internationals because they play for Wigan............we can't win.

I'd suggest you do your homework a little better next time, Bulldog man. You've been made to look a right plonker.

PLONKER hahahahaha....i love the banter on this site

I suppose the real question that needs to be answered is why have the likes of Brown, Robinson and Wild, not to mention the likes of Paul Johnson or Lee Gilmour, never really reached the heights that many believed they would when they first came onto the scene?

none of the players mentioned in this thread are fat enought to fit in with Noble's transfer criteria. However as Leneghan seems to be the owner and now scout, you'll probably end up with 3 or 4 past it average aussies.

If you want to see what effect this will have just have a look at our team in previous seasons - lots of big ego'd superstars who think they are the team.

genius.