Say no more

OMG!

I'm sorry but in my personal opinion this has to be one of the worst signings Wigan have made in a long time and almost certainly means that Sarginson/Gelling is going or both I'm bitterly disappointed that Wigan would even bother signing him I've never rated him at Widnes so why Wane wants him is beyond me I hope to be proven wrong on him and he turns out to be another Clubb type signing but this is very much a "Project" signing by Wane.

Bizarre signing but let's judge him next year not now.

So because Wigan have signed an average utility player - probably for peanuts, most likely to use as a backup - you reckon that means both our 1st choice centres must be leaving?

Not quite what you said about him on the rumours thread.....

I know he used to play at centre for Widnes, but has he not been used mostly as a backrower recently? His try scoring record is woeful, 9 in 87 in SL. I'll be happy to judge him based on his Wigan appearances, but on the face of it this is a very strange and underwhelming signing (I said the same about Tony Clubb and was happy to eat my words with that one and will be again!)

I said I'd rather us play C.Farrell which is true but we've signed Isa so I'm not about to start writing him off before he's pulled a shirt on. There's a lot of competition in the second row so it'll be interesting to see where he fits in. Unless we plan on permanently moving Bateman to centre or an announcement is coming from Lockers...

Yeah absolutely considering Sarginson has long been rumoured to be swapping codes and I think it's fairly clear to see that Wane just doesn't favour Gelling he'd rather drop him in favour of playing a Winger at Centre rather than dropping the player who deservedly should have been dropped who actually single handedly cost us the Saints game by not having the brains or stones to physically do his job and catch a high ball but no doubt I'll get hung drawn and quartered for having an opinion on that matter also as that's all that happens on these "forums" to begin with I think anyone with eyes and even a tiny brain can see that signing a bang average Wing/Centre who's only scored 4 tries in 87 appearances for Widnes (hopefully not counting this season) that this is a ridiculous signing.

People - myself included - could do well to remember the outrage when we signed Tony Clubb. What a signing he's turned out to be. Wigan will bring the best out of Isa.

I would find it EXTREMELY unlikely that he has signed as a centre. I have been to 5 Widnes games this year (I have friends from Widnes and like going as a neutral sometimes), and he doesn't play centre anymore really. He has played as a backrower, and to be honest he runs pretty hard and tackles quite hard too.

He won't play centre for us, he didn't really play centre for Widnes unless they had injuries.

What tripe.

We've signed a wing / centre cover as we've lost Thornley & Burgess. That's whio Isa is replacing and not our two starters.

We've been in a real mess at points this season as we've not had sufficient centre cover. Every time we've had to call on Joel or Bateman it's had a negative impact across the whole of the team. This signing means that's no longer an issue.

I'm trying to think of another team in SL who have a two back up centres as good as Isa and Gildart. Yes there are undoubtedly better starters out thete but this is real strength in depth.

Well done to the club for sorting out what's been a real problem for us.

Well

I do admit that i ache fro the day that we make BIG signings, purely because i love a bit of razzmatazz.

However, i do think the coaching staff have earned the right to make more of these project type signings. Some turn into good un, some dont.

Hes probably on nothing and might be ok

Fair enough i suppose. I "get it". Perhaps signing these players and making them prove themselves helps form a better attitude within the squad? If we signed superstars the would naturally feel more deserving and perhaps (just perhaps) feel like they are more important than the squad or the squads ethos?

Ive no idea

But i still miss when we signed quality from the off. Really made the next season something to look forward to

https://twitter.com/isa_willie/status/6 ... 8604913665 Was he pushed out at Widnes?

https://twitter.com/isa_willie/status/6 ... 8604913665 Was he pushed out at Widnes?

I too long for the days of the Razzamatazz signings - Remember the thread; If you could choose anyone in the world you would have at Wigan?

I think the consensus of opinion was someone like Sam Tomkins.



Willie Isa is a squad signing on low wages. The way Tony Clubb has worked out must lead you to trust Shaun Wane on this. Or at least wait until he plays before judging!!!

Just having an opinion doesn't spare you mockery if your opinion is deemed to be daft. There's no point voicing your opinion and then complaining if it's the opinion of others that you are wrong.

To start with, I very much doubt Isa will figure much in the first team unless he earns it. Secondly, we've already lost Thornley and it's now widely suspected that Sarginson will be the next RL player to let his agent persuade him that he can be the next Jason Robinson (and the complete joke England RU no-show last Saturday will only reinforce that) ... so Wigan are now in the situation were they are having to use wingers and second-rowers to back up in the centres. It may be that we make another, better threequarter signing before next season. There's plenty of time yet, and no need at all to get so upset.

I have not judged.

Anyone with anything above "a tiny brain" should be able to make use of punctuation.

Good for you.

Isa has been excellent for us since he switched to second row, he runs hard and hits like a train.

He is at his best when he comes off the bench and rips into teams defensively, he always gave us a lift when he came on and, in my opinion, we tailed off in intensity at the latter end off the season when he was out injured.

Off the pitch he's a top bloke, still doing community work last week even though he is injured and knew he was going, and was always one of the first to arrive and last to leave at training.

A gentleman off the pitch but a monster when he gets on, good luck to him and thanks for the memories at Widnes.

It is typical of recruitment so I'm not sure why people are surprised. It may work out, it may not. It is a fairly underwhelming signing but who knows he may go well.

My main issue with these project type signings (although could he be classed as a project given he is 26 been at 2 of the best clubs in the World at developing players and still ended up at Cas and Widnes) is they are always the same type of player.

Why not look for a project centre, or a project Prop. Why do we constantly seem to go for the project utility player.

Isa wont play in the backs. My guess is he is a direct replacement for Patrick. I actually think Wane has shown his hand with Bateman and I think he may well be asked to concentrate on developing as a centre.

I understand then need for a strong squad but often utility players are utility players as they lack anything specifically that would make them stand out in one position.

On the plus side he has been compared to Israel Folau all be it in 2009 so lets just hope the last 6 years have been the gestation period for that to happen.

Its the same quotes from the usual people at the club about each average signing we make.

“I’ve been monitoring Willie for some time and didn’t think twice about completing this deal when we had the chance"

"He is highly thought of here at Wigan, our senior players who we consulted all commented that he is a fierce competitor who is tough to play against"

“He is an established Super League player and we’ve beaten off stiff competition for his signature. Willie was actually offered more money elsewhere but he desperately wanted to come here and we are delighted about that"

They cant keep saying we aren't going to make signings because we have the quality to promote from within and then sign a average player like this.

Doesn't make sense!

No he didn't.

He played on the wing and we signed him as a winger from Cas. Denis put him in the back row off the bench and he's been excellent, he got the Widnes players player of the year in 2014 (which was Brown's Dream Team year too) and plays at LF a lot. He plays very tough and will suit your style of play. Gives away a few penalties but I think reading these comments quite a few of you will be pleasantly surprised with him when the season starts.

True, they should have said: "We only signed him as a back-up in case we run out of numbers. Plus he was cheap."

That woud have gone down well.

They maybe not but thats the truth. Its the they come out with like they been scouting him for ages.

Not a bad idea to sign a back rower, presumably he’ll mainly play off the bench with Bateman at loose when Lockers is rested/injured, which may be fairly regular given his age/injury record. Perhaps an indicator that C.Farrell will go out on loan and Burke not seen as ready for a regular spot? Must admit I’d have preferred a prop though. Hard to comment on whether he’ll be a good signing until we see him in a Wigan shirt, hopefully he’s more of a Clubb than a Dudson.