Just been talking to my mate who lives in Australia and supports the Parramatta Eels. I have just been explaining how Piggy is doing over here for us and his words where 'He picked up a back injury last season with Parra but once fully fit will become a great player for us' supposedly he was extremely sad to see Piggy leave the club and rates him very highly.

Piggy is a class player.

Was also the first (and possibly only) player to go over to Shaun Ainscough after he missed a tackle in the first half.

Playing with an injury isn't helping him. Once fit, he should be a good signing.

How do you know?

How do I know what? That he is a class player having watched him for a number of years in the NRL, or that he went over to Ainscough right in front of him after he missed a tackle?

Is he playing with an injury?

Or is that some convenient story made up to cover his performances?

I certainly haven't seen any reports regarding his carrying of any sort of injury.

If you can point me to one, then maybe it would help my understanding of why this guy just looks crap to me.

Go ahead.

The club are not going to tell everyone how many were aware of the shoulder problem Fielden had until he went in and had an op on it at the end of the season or the foot problem he had at the end of last season until he had the operation.

He may be doing all the things you say in the post above, but I am certain that is more down to a statistical anomaly than anything else.

He still dropped the ball on 3 (Maybe more) occasions on Saturday, and yet, according to the SL stats he has still only made 1 error this season.

He may be averaging more metres per carry than Higham, if you believe the stats, but he is making less metres per game.

You can make these stats say whatever you like, but I remain to be convinced that this guy is any good.

Sorry mate, I don't do conspiracy theories.

He is either injured or he isn't.

What happens when he puts in a good performance? Will he not be injured?

And then when he puts in a bad performance? He's injured, but we can't tell anyone.

Nonsense.

Most players carry knocks or other problems going into a game. You will find when they are asked any problems a lot of players say no even if they have. Hock played on Saturday with a hip problem the one he picked up the week before.

Also on Riddell I don't remember him dropping the ball on loads of occasions on Saturday Smith did on the play of the ball Fielden did in a tackle Lockers did twice once with the try line beckoning and a few others did will watch it again later to see if i can see all his dropped balls but was down at the Stoop and have watched my recording at home but will have another look see if i can see them.

Ive also heard Riddell is carrying an injury.

The general chat around the club - in training etc - is that he's injured. However, I can't point to a specific news article carrying this information, and don't have access to his medical records, so I can't give you a 100% guarantee that it's true. Neither however, can you guarantee that it isn't. Stalemate, I guess.

If anyone went to Hull they will have seen that Riddell was injured after about 5 minutes of the game when he was taking the ball up.

Noble said in the interview after the match that he really shouldn't have returned but with Carmont, Bailey, Richards and Phelps also injured that he had no choice.

He only had 11 fit men on the field at the end of the game.

Apparently picked up a knock on the hip in 1 game but he's also playing with quite a bad ankle injury, rumour has it.

I'd consider resting him for a couple of games.

It certainly is because it obviously doesn't fit your agenda.




Those stats tell me that he has not been as bad as many have painted him on here, and has certainly performed better than Higham.

The reason many on this board were pleased to see Higham go are exactly the reasons shown up in those stats.

Too many penalties and too many errors.

I can't be bothered pulling up the stats again but I'm sure you're quite capable of doing that yourself, but just have a look at Highams stats for last year.

Same same.

Even IF Riddell is injured, he's still distributing the ball far better than higham did/does. Then when Riddell is off the field, we get the solidarity of McIlorum in defence and the spark of Leuluai's footwork going forwards.

Again, you must be watching a different game to me.

Twice, he passed the ball to no-one in particular, and even the Sky muppets picked up on a couple of his head-high passes.

And you don't have an anti-Higham agenda?

That's very funny mate, well done.

Anyway, the Higham comparisons aside, Riddell is currently having zero positive impact on the side.

I suppose I will just have to wait until he is fully "Fit".

does it really matter?

Higham is a warrington player now, and doing just as well/badly there as he did for us.

like it or not riddell is our 9, nowt will change that, does it really warrant a 7 sorry 11 page discussion on whos best?

Riddel is getting injuries because he is so poorly conditioned. He arrived at the club in woeful condition. Surely as an experienced player he should be setting an example not a bad one. Remember his pre arrival promise about wanting to become involved in the reserves or academy. Exactly.

The argument is whether or not Riddel should be our 9. McILorum and Leulai offers a better combination than Riddel and another hooker.

You damage your own reputation by insisting on using statistics that do not show what you imply.

yes, you are

I agree maybe Rouges does have strong negative opinions about Micky Higham, but i can't say say if it's an agenda , i'm a new poster all though i have read the boards for awhile, and have read your thoughts on MARK Riddell , but what is your opinion on Micky Hihgam and him only . Thanks . I am wigan rugby fan and don't have any other agenda or share I P s. or user names, as it seems new posters are viewd with some suspicion atm.

I fully support ANY player in Wigan shirt. In Highams case he had three seasons at Wigan and never convinced me that he was good enough. How many mom awards did he win? How many times did you come away from the game and say Higham was outstanding today?

I certainly know the Wigan management team didn't think he was good enough from a conversation I was privy to.

There are many who post on here who have the same opinions as I do regarding Higham. I don't have an agenda, I just don't rate him as a player, smashing lad, but IMO Wigan did the right think in letting him go.


In the case of Riddell I have watched him on Setanta and liked what I saw. To dismiss him as a player after four games is ludicrous. Judge him after a season, I think that is only fair.