From what I can see we've signed 3 players to be in our 17 most weeks. I think Tautai and Patrick will be impact players from the bench. Wane liked having Bateman on the bench since JT came back. I think one of Powell, Hampshire or Williams will be the other bench spot. That leaves the starting props coming from Mossop, Clubb, Crosby and Flower (when his ban ends). I think Eddy might get some games while Flower is suspended, but really can't see him playing much. Assuming he's on a decent wedge, does anyone else think we might be looking to get rid? Wane does like giving youngsters a go. Greenwood and Sutton have experience of SL, Lever is highly rated, do we need Eddy?

I don't think he offered much this season... he wasn't bad, but he didn't do anything that the other forwards didn't, but he had a few injuries and it takes time for imports to adjust to the english game. Whenever I see an NRL signing that doesn't impress in their first season, I just remind myself of Pat Richards, we all wanted shot of him after his first season (I know he was out of position) and look how that turned out.

I'm willing to hold my judgement on Eddy and see what he can produce after a years SL experience and a good pre-season.

When he played in the NRL I always preferred to see him play as a Secondrow when he was at Souths. He seemed to create much more trouble for the opposition running the wider chanel.

Something for me isn't quite right with him or maybe he is just not the player he once was after his time at Wests where he was very average at best . Perhaps the injuries have caught up with him, but for all the effort and enthusiasm he looks to have when taking a drive in he simply lacks impact on collision and rarely wins that contest.

The consequences of this are a slow play the ball and loss of momentum. Hopefully a good long rest and good offseason will see him gain some power back that he seems to have lost in the last few years.

As above tough to judge him due to injuries but needs needs to improve this year if he is to challenge for a place in our pack.

I saw a player in the World Cup who was getting through lots of solid work, taking up plenty of carries and making plenty of tackles.

Then he came here and that style of play changed. I presume it may be down to being part of a four man rotation were he doesn't get as many minutes but he started to play like an impact forward trying to smash people and take his carries up at 100mph.

He needs to settle down back in to that World Cup mode. He'll be far more use to us being solid and dependable then he has been trying to cause havoc (usually it's caused us more problems then the opposition).

Wests fans really didn't seem to rate him and I've not seen anything great in him either to be honest. He seems to be more interested in fan interaction than playing rugby. Having said that overseas signings do seem to fare better in the second year. I'd use him as a reserve second rower when Lockers is injured/rested or Farrell/Tomkins/Bateman is missing. See if he can be more effective running a bit wider at smaller players, despite his size he is far from a wrecking ball in the middle

I think Pettybourne defending outwide would be a disaster tbh. He's nowhere near mobile enough. His first season was pretty badly disrupted by injuries and I'm willing to give him another chance to prove himself. He's going to have opportunities early on with Flower's suspension and Mossop unlikely to be fully fit, if he can get a full pre season under his belt then hit the ground running we may see the best of him. At the minute though, if Mossop, Flower, Patrick, Tautai, Crosby and Clubb are available, I can't see a place in the 17 for Eddy.

has done nothing so far.....

You're right. He's played the most of his career as a strong aggressive running SR forward. The WC was the first I've seen of him the front row. I'd like to see Eddie running a little wider at smaller men, I think that's where he'll find more success.

Jerry Seu Seu mk2

he carries himself too straight to act as an effective bowling-ball. That & a tendency to reverse into tackles (being charitable, I presume with a view to an offload - which I've yet to see work).
Agree with others here that he was up there with the best of a USA team in the WC, but I'm prepared to give him another 10 games for us then we need to get rid if he's not improved.

From what I've seen he's been your (slightly better) version of Asotasi. Im not even a Wigan fan though but with the way you play I can tell he wouldnt really fit in as a backrower - nor would he get game time there. Move him on now and you should spend the cap space on a quality stand off.

Waney says we are adopting a different style of play next year. Until we see that in action and how players fit into this new style we won't know how Eddy will go on.
He had his injuries last year which limited his games played. If he can have a relatively injury free season then we could see a much improved player which would be great for him, us and the club.

Injuries played a huge part IMO. Every time he was trying to make an impression he'd get injured and then the next time he'd come back he'd look on a mission to make an impression again but he seemed to forget the basics before getting injured again.

At least the bloke was giving 100%. I can't criticise the lad for trying too hard which I think he was.

I saw him v the Aussies at Wrexham and I was quite looking forward to his arrival.



We have on occasion recently signed players who look good playing one way or in a particular position and then get them playing differently or in a different position when they arrive and then wonder why they don't look as good. Both Lauaki and Eddie made their names in the back row and not at prop.

Everyone seems to think Tautai will be great and Patrick as well but unless Wane plays them to their strengths there is always a chance they won't adapt to how he wants things done.

I don't think Eddy has let us down at all. He certainly gives 100% to the cause. I won't have a problem if and when Wane plays him next year. The OP was more about how he appears to be seventh choice prop to me.
What it does show is that we have a formidable pack this coming season. Saints fans will rate theirs better, but our pack was superb for the last 6 games of last season and we have strengthened that group significantly this off season. Mind you some saints fans were saying that Percival had Sarginson in his pocket during the Grand Final, honestly they did, some even said Sarginson's place in the England squad should have gone to Percival.

There were others raving about their 2 young forwards, saying how they owned our forwards. We had only 5 forwards on the pitch for 78 minutes FFS! (our own fault I know, but LH should have been sent off as well)

That's why I can't get my head round why some Saints fans have gone from criticising their side heavily to saying they've got the best squad in the league! I've said on there board I think they're a good second rower away from having a pretty well rounded and complete looking superleague team. I wouldn't say they've got the best squad or that their props are in a different league to ours though as I've read these past few days. I think its a pretty even match up between Wigan, Saints, Wire and Leeds when they all get their best 17's out on the field. Some have more depth to their squads then others though.

As for the Percival/Sarginson thing I replied to that at the time with a stat from the night Sarginson got put in someone's pocket- Percival 29metres/Sarginson 191 metres......let's hope next time they meet Sarginson manages to free himself of the shackles of Percival! He'll make 500 metres!! Since GF night I think Sarge has proved what a top player he can become (I do actually like Percival as well tbh).

Eddy isn't for me he is too much of crowd pleaser, I describe him as a present Harvey Howard "Harvey Harvey Harvey", as Mark Riddell said when he signed "I thought Wigan weren't signing over rated overseas players"

he needs to trim down and be the impact 2nd row that he used to be at Souths, started to notice a belly on him and he looked like he was running through a swamp sometimes.

The Wigan version is "he looks like he's dragging a three piece suite behind him"

oooh, aren't you posh: "three piece suite" eh? it's a "sofa" or at best "settee" in my house
Do you have a jus on yer pies too?

its a couch round our way

OMG, this is in danger of slipping into the "Four Yorkshiremen" sketch!

When I were a lad....

(we need something to do between announcements)