I actually thought Madge was on a 3 yr and we let him go after 2 cos he wanted to return.
It's clear that Wigan based or UK based players are more likely to stay around and play out their best years at our club.

Carmont still has a couple of years left in him IMO. All this stuff about hes getting on and injuries catching up with because of a long career are rubbish. Didnt he only start playing in the NRL at 26?

And as previously mentioned, if he carries on playing like he did against both St George and St Helens, then he shouldnt be retiring.

I'd like him to say, but lets fact it, he only came over here cos he'd been sent packing by the Knights. For me, only bring in imports when there's no other option. Our contracts are becoming a joke.

A lot of Knights fans did want him to stay but I suppose that doesnt say much, he could of just been a fans favourite like Feka.

Also regarding the contracts I dont think they are too bad. In some cases the option year will work against us e.g. with Madge we have lost him a year early. Same could be said with Hoffman, but at the rate Farrell is developing and Tuson always impresses me when he plays, I'd rather lose Hoffman a year early if it meant keeping our younger players.

The younger players have been tied up to longer contracts and if it wasnt for Pat's injury at the end of last season he would also now have a new contract. Once he has a run of games again and there is no re-occurance or niggles, he will be resigned. So for the one or two contracts where we have got it wrong, Lenegan is also getting a lot right.

I think he;s getting it better yet not right. It's difficult to get a good player over who's in his prime. Most Aussies won't consider SL if they are high profile in the NRL until they are coming to the back end of their career. However we can get a UK player to give us 8 yerars of their best years to our club. Now players at the age of 29+ come over and take the pi$$ out of contracts etc.

Are you a member of the EDL?

You talk like we are Arsenal FC! We have less than a quarter of our team that are foreign and that includes guys trained here like Tommy and H. You seem to have a large amount of xenophobia going on. The foreign players are important. We may have the best youth players coming through but we could never hope to have a team full of Wiganers in the near future (especially considering the Tomkins are from Chorley and Mossop from Cumbria) I admit I would prefer it if the team were almost all British but foreign players are essential in our sport to keep it progressing.

We couldn't have expansion without aussies and kiwis because without them Crusaders and Catalans would still be on just about a team of 13 each.

If you seriously believe that we have been stung more by foreign players than we have UK players than may I refer you to the next 2 in line for testimonials. O'Loughlin and then Hansen. Is hansen foreign? Yes. Has hansen been here longer than all but 1 of our players? You bet'cha. Richards has been here for years AND extended a contract once. Maguire has NOT broken any contract. Hoffman, if he goes, had the option to start with.

So as far as I can see you base all this "contracts getting ridiculous" on one player: Barrett. Because Richards was under that age when he came (and renewed once already) as is Hoffman and Lima and Finch is 29. (Which btw is still in most player's prime).

How ridiculous. Where was Hansen raised? What youth system did he come through? And your Lockers comment backs up my entire point.

How many Wigan lads have, by their own accord left the club early?

PS selective readers who are just looking for an argument; did I ever say I didn't think we should ever look aboard? No. I said that we should firstly look and invest inward, the Wigan and UK based players offer more-overall to our club in terms of longevity to the club. Naturally there has been exceptions, but overall the statement remains.

It was a good point as you claimed that they leave early yet hes heading for a testimonial.

According to the Official Club Web Site Maguire signed a three year contract, not a two with an option. www.wiganwarriors.com/WContent.aspx?id=102

According to the Official Club Web Site Maguire signed a three year contract, not a two with an option. www.wiganwarriors.com/WContent.aspx?id=102

Where is Hansen actually from despite being born in NZ? Swinton, Salford. Who's scholarship system did he come through? Ours!!

Is he or is he not foreign?

Was he or was he not trained in the UK and raised in the UK?
Thank you for backing up my point.

I can't believe your whole 'pro Aussie imports' boils down to a player who was raised in the UK came up via are youth system and has never played a game of NRL in his life.
All this because I said Id sooner see investment of the cap in Wigan lads and lads brought up through our system.
As you have pointed out these sort of players have longevity with our club, two of them are coming up to their testimonials (Lockers and Hansen)

Owned.

You missed the point I was pointing out that we have a wigan lad and a foreigner coming up to their testimonials. There is also the fact that he is foreign and has never chosen to go home despite playing internationally for New Zealand and Samoa.

Anyway that was only a small part I decided to leave another part wondering whether you had done your research or not and waiting for you to slip up, alas you did not. Do you know who, in our current team, is the third longest serving player with 5 years at Wigan?

If you dont then I will give you some clues:
He is an Irish international born in NSW
He played in an NRL Grand Final winning team the year before we signed him playing an integral part in their victory
He is the reigning points and goal scorer and MOS in SL at the moment.

Yep thats right Pat Richards the guy this thread was SUPPOSED to be about before your, frankly, rather racist/xenophobic rant.

Pat is like Farrell he is a Wigan legend now that, if he did decide to go, should be completely supported as he has given us the best time of his RL career and helped us achieve the championship we desperately needed/wanted.

Just fyi the next in line after pat is Tommy followed by Stu, Wigan lads Joel and Prescott and then another of them foreigners you moaned about Carmont.

What does this prove? It proves that Wigan know what theyre doing and you should stop moaning about it. Barrett may not have stayed for as long as he should have but he still did alot for us at the end of the day and he left when we had players to come through anyway.

I have more problem with what Ashton did than what any of the foreigners you moaned about did.

Back just to talking about Pat - We look so much better with him in the team.

Sign him up, quick.

No thanks

Firstly be careful of your wording calling someone a racist, such strong terms simply proves you're a figure pointer and a name caller. You know nothing about me as a person so be VERY careful of such strong labels.

Hansen is simply NZ by birth, nothing else. He's as good as English with his up-bringing etc, he didn't come over to Wigan from NZ, he was raised over here.
Do you even remember the my initial point, NO and why would you? You're having too much fun throwing around offensive terms to other posters as you sit proudly behind your keyboard.

You are arguing a different point to my original post, it's clear you have to as you have proven you have no argument against my post.

To refresh, my comment was: I'd sooner see the cap spent on developing young Wigan players firstly before we spend the cap aboard. I stand by this point.
Several people including yourself seemed to think this point was terrible, almost implying you'd sooner see the cap spent on imports perhaps? That happened once and we soon found ourselves at the foot of the table after loosing several quality up and coming players in favour of high earning Aussies.

You are proud of the fact that several imports are long servers at our club, but lets be honest, that's a reflection of a team which over the past 5 years seen a redevelopment with lots of players come and go.

Lets look at the pros and cons of my point v yours. Remember I'm pro investing in UK/Wigan talent first. Whereas you seem keen on importing first.

Can you sign over top Aussie internationals at their peek or before their peek? No. You'll never get the likes of Billy Slater, Hayne, Inglis, Jennings etc over here until they're on their last contract looking for a big payday. However can you sign up top English internationals at their peek and keep them at the club? Yes. Who?
Edwards, Hanley, Greg, Offiah, Andy Faz, Gary Connolly, Radz, Newton, Lockers, Hock, Sam Tomkins, Joel Tomkins, and of course the future players I want to see invested in: Liam Faz, Charnley, Mossop etc, all of which have the potential to be at our club for the next 10 years approx.

I'd sooner see money be spent on:
Tomkins x3
Faz
Mossop
Charnley
Tuson
Lockers
Hock
King
Prescott
Mellor
Russell
Hughes etc

Than any of them suffer in any way in favour of bring over an import.

If we then can't fill in with someone from our system, then look aboard as a second option.
I don't see what's so terrible, I guess someone just love to argue from behind their keyboard.

I agree but for me it's not because he has earned the right because he has done X years here but because he will have honoured his contracts to the full.

I have no problem with players or coaches who decide to move on after fulfilling their contracts no matter how much I would rather that they stay. Leaving before your contract is up? No time for people like that and of course in Richards case he would not be doing that.

If you read my original post, the first one you kicked off about, then youd actually see that i prefer wiganers but unlike you i can see and understand the importance of also having aussies etc and all ive done is disprove your point that they all go early and make a mockery of contracts etc as you said.

Touch wood seems to have overcome a serious injury and is quickly getting back to his best, as someone else said we are better balanced with him there.

Thats because he is Superman.

I honestly don't see why you're being hammered for your statements - I agree entirely. Overseas players should be signed when no-one in our own youth system is good enough/ready and there are no other British alternative (who is of the right quality obviously). It's at this point that we're faced with little choice but to go abroad which is fine. However, that overseas signing has to be not only one of the best players in the squad, but one of the best in their chosen position in Super League to justify bringing them half way around the world, otherwise what's the point? This has always been my view on recruitment.

To steer it back on topic, I think Pat Richards will stay and George Carmont will retire.

If we can keep Paddy and George for another season, it will be all good and give guys like Marsh and Charnley another year.

Exactly!! Thank you!!

I guess it's because on here people love to argue or simply don't understand. Your post clearly reflects my whole point. Hardly grounds to be labelled a racist over. That's shocking IMO

+1

Just been looking at some of bilkos stats on the site. Pat Richards has played 4 games for us this season, he is already joint top points scorer with Josh Charnley (tied on 42) This shows how much we need to get pat signed up! He is a mighty points machine and is a massive part of how we play!