I was stunned to see some of the hype around him on here, another player that sums up exactly what is wrong with the game in this country. Average in every department did very little yet some on here seemed to think he was the next Solomona. If he had a British accent he would not have been anywhere near a first team shirt.

Much better investing cash in your youth.

I think that’s the problem, some absolutely bulled up this guy before he had even arrived. He was going to destroy all in front of him and be a star. Turns out he is quite average, not to say he's done anything wrong, but he’s hardly been inspiring and perhaps would not be missed if he were out of the side. Not his fault, he was brought over as a punt, it’s just some people got quite excited because he’s Samoan so he must have a good offload.

It’s as PB and jonh puts it, the money would be better spent on the youth.

I feel we`re being a bit harsh on the lad, he`s only 22 with just a handful of 1st Team games behind him, we`ve not seen a lot of him, certainly not enough for me to judge whether he`s worth another contract or not. If JK & Beans think he can make it he may be worth another year (with an option for 2), he can`t be on a fortune either. How many forwards are the finished article in their early 20s? A full pre-season and who knows, we might be pleasantly surprised. I`ll trust the powers that be to make the right decision, they`ve not done too badly so far after all.

What hype was that ffs, none of us had ever heard of him. As ever you read what you want to read to make one of your not very subtle points. The only reason people on here got excited about Frank was because we were running out of players in March and we needed bodies or had you conveniently forgotten that. The worry was that by the time Frank arrived the crisis would have been over and that was just what happened.

So there was no hype, just a hope that this young Aussie trialist might have helped plug the gap, not an unrealistic hope.

As for whether he was worth the wait I don't think he was in this case. However I hope the club keep plugging away at this market, as for every Frank there is a JD, Obst and Korky (all total unknowns on arrival) who have given far more to our game than many British player I have seen.

I'm all for British talent as far as it goes but not at the exclusion of overseas players if they are better and want to play for us. Loyalty is a two way street as Pitts has just shown, if young British players show little or no loyalty to the clubs who created them why should the clubs be all that fussed where a player comes from so long as they want to play.

I am sure if anyone else had have posted the post i did you would not have contributed but as usual you pipe us again.

Vasty if you were oblivious to the excitement generated by bringing him over by a good portion of the fans, not always no here then you must be blind and deaf (which if true would explain a few things).

There were comparissons with Solomona prior to him even arriving, when he took the field for his debut the fans were chanting like he was the second coming.

A few threads after his first few games in some cases made out he had put in top performances but in truth he did very little the only thing you could realistically say was he did nothing wrong, eventually the hype died down and people came to realise he was/is an average player who could not get a game in the NRL for a reason.

There are far superior players running around in NL1 who could have plugged the gap and not generated half the anticipation, that fact that they do not have an Aussie or Kiwi accent though does not grab the fans imagination.

you have hit the nail on the head I have supported Wakefield Trinity since 1975/76 season in that time we have signed some real tripe i would struggle to name 20 who are any better than the Brits they keep out
we must have had 200+ since 1982 most have added nothing

i'd agree with every bit of that mate. if they want to go ,let them go. makes room for the lads that want to play for us. as you say, loyalty is a 2 way street

I think after the dreadful events of the off-season, people just wanted something/someone to lift their spirits a bit. The prospect of a "monster" called Frankenstein playing for the team did just that. So it hasn't worked out - big deal. It was fun while it lasted.

Wasn't there some YouTubery around as well? Never judge a player off a 20 second clip.

no to be fair the lad has a nrl profile and at 23 is very young for a forward in that league where they dont expect instant success.....i think we on her took his name and jumped on the bandwagon quite righlty because we needed a bloody lift..yes his name was funny etc etc

and alsd to be fair what has he done wrong when spelled as a big young forward in the first team?...nothing!

darren fritz in embryo??? to be honest my own thoughts are hes worth a small investment, maybe one year?

Agreed, with a full pre season and for not alot of cash he could be well worth a punt for 12 months but i cant see it happening.

exactly. he must have had about 80 minutes max on the field and is getting pelters for not being a success! unbelievable.
it remains to be seen whether it was a pointless exercise bringing him 12000 miles but he at least deserves to be given some game time before he is written off as a failure, feck me

The fact that he's had limited game time should say it all, really. He's been over here long enough to show whether he's the real deal or not. If he can't push for a regular place in the 17 from the reserves, then he's an overseas luxury we can't afford in the squad, the way the ruling stands at the moment. It doesn't matter how much or how little he's on - that money would go a long way to offering some of the Academy lads a semi-pro contract, and that's where we should be taking our gambles, IMO.

Exactly, you expect some signs of life from a player, or signs of quality, for me there has been nothing shown from Winterstien, he simply has done nothing wrong, ie made no major errors.

He looks slow lethargic in thought and lacking a solid work ethic. He offers your team nothing, apart from an overseas quota spot taken.

If he did not come from the Southern Hemisphere he would be nowhere near a first team Sl shirt, cut the lad loose and invest in youth.

.......and then flog it and bring in overseas holiday makers.

Ironic statement given you have just lost Pitts and Wigan are promoting there best young players to the first team, you are 2 years off the pace, but actually way off the pace as i still challenge anyone who slates Wigans ability to produce/retain the best youngsters will probably buy into the same myth that concluded with Winterstien being a half decent player.

I will start you off Sean Long........continue.

What a load of rubbish please find the threads where someone actually states he is as good as Solomona. What you say is rich coming from a supporter of a club that let's dozens of "promising" young British players go and replaces them with Aussies hacks most of whom are here to get a pension. Does your hypocrisy have no limits. I'd rather take a punt on a dozen Winterstiens than pay over the odds for some of the dross Wigan have signed.

As others have posted Winterstien has not actually been a failure. Signed on a half year contract as basically a trialist I can't see how he has robbed any British player of a chance. When he has had a chance he has done what was asked of him. He hasn't done enough IMHO but that is what sometimes happens, in this case it cost peanuts.

Finally lecture from you about NL1 players has me splitting my sides with it's hypocrisy it really does.

Grix
Wilkes
Blaymire
Brough
Bibey
Moore


all rescued from NL1

whilst Gleeson and Atkins were both saved from Academy obscurity.


We have done our bit in that respect and IMO are more than entitled to shop in Oz.

Now let's see your list

sounds like common sense!!
What are you doing on here? Get off, get off!!!!!!!!!!!!

Im not sure how i am being a hypocrit, as in no way have i supported Wigan's transfer policy of the last few years although id does seem to be improving.

You can believe the myth all you want regards Wigan releasing players, but if you actually look at it without a major chip on your shoulder and take into account the circumstances at the time you will see it is just that a myth.

As ever Vasty you go off on one of your rants but totally miss the point which is this, Winterstien (like it or not) was hyped up prior to him even playing a game, and after a few average at best performances was still getting hyped up, it took a while for the penny to drop that he was just this, average. There are lads better in NL1.

Again Vasty this is not a criticism of your club, as it is clear that they have aided and saved some careers, it is just a criticism in this case.

What list are you going on about by the way, a list of players brought through from the Academy/saved from obscurity? I am not going there i dont have time, although to be fair we only have 1 on the saved from obscurity the current squad is filled with top class junior and senior players who have come through from the Academy.

Why are so many responding to a bloke who is basing his argument/point over a possible comment on here claiming Winterstein was the new Solo! You couldn't make it up. It's like the people on here who used to criticise Blaymire/Ferres because somebody once on here might have mentioned that they could be international class.

because we are idiots?

in response to your point RR could it not be that case that the pack has been playing so well that kear has shown faith in those players? hence limiting his opportunities to give frank a decent crack at it? he has after all not come half way round the world to a completely different environment and style of rugby. lets see how he does if we have some injuries/players out of form and he gets some games under his belt for writing him off totally

I'd agree with you to a point, but unfortunately (for Frankie), that's not enough these days. With the squeeze on overseas places and the drive to bring more young British players through to the top level, he has to show that he is better than what we already have, not just as good. Kear stated at the beginning of the season that he would pick the team on merit, not on reputation. He hasn't really managed to force his way in, and now it looks like his injury will pretty much scupper any remaining chance he may have had. Would you keep him at the expense of another potential overseas signing who was first team nailed on? It's a tough call, and potentially a big gamble this time round.

Indeed.

Overseas players who count on the quote should be nailed on firstteamers, not squad fillers. If there is a place available to take a gamble on a player with potential, fair enough, but that should be the last resort. Wintertsein is a squad filler and unfortunately he now has broken his jaw so will not get the chance to show he is anything more then average.

[urlhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_league/super_league/wakefield/8154502.stm[/url
good old BBc john kinnear

Clueless BBC.