was it mathers plus 125,000?
think that about rates mathers around 50 - 75 k
max.

looks like merely offloading a salary to me

Daylight robbery springs to mind

Says the oracle of all things Wakefield - I think wmost will join me in thinking that to be a bit pot calling the kettle

Difference is I am usually right

Atkins
Shenton
and Lee Smith are the ones getting all the votes as a replacement on the Wolves site.

In your very humble opinion of course.

Smith is off to Union, with Atkins and Shenton (who Cas would be mad to let go regardless of the offer) mid contract cannot see any of those being realistic.

Much more likely they will consolodate this year in my opinion and go for one of the bigname NRL players who are off contract for 2010, unless they manage to lose a quota player in which case they may get someone in for 09.

Lets be clear about this then, what you are saying is that you now realise what a shrewd operator and a good coach Noble is

It is funny that most on the Wigan board that support Brian Noble have been slamming the Chairman for his recruitment policy and not spending the cash, but when he does Noble takes the credit for pulling the move off.

Sadly my views on Noble will never change i fear.

The best I have ever seen Gleeson play is under Noble in a GB shirt, and the same for Mathers under Smith at Leeds, and so maybe it is a good move for both players. The one thing that would concern me about Atkins is that it would give him a chance to shine under the nose of the national coach, and that could be tempting for him. We saw how Noble preferred his own players when he was GB coach.

Personally doubt he will be the National Coach beyond the period of his current contract which expires at the end of the season.

The RFL made it clear no his appointment a fulltime coach was the way forward, doubt very much they will extend his deal now he has taken the Warrington job.

FAIL!!!

Am I wrong? I was going purely from memory that Anderson took over towards the end of that season, after the betting thing, which was under Millward, and that Gleeson went at the end of that season.

misery guts took over from fishgob about third of way into 05, gleeson left saints halfway through 2004.

Maybe you're right. My memory ain't what it used to be, although I do remember that his departure was connected with Saints treating their own fans with contempt by sending the reserves to the Bulls, and have now saddled the whole of Super League with the hassle of naming their squad so many hours before the game.

Aah, Super Saints!!

If only that were true.

The same could be said of Fielden when you signed him, and there lays Wigans big problem - every signing you make is in the past tense. I'm not suggesting Gleeson will be awful, I'm suggesting that Saints and Warrington saw the best of him some years ago and the only way now is down.

In a couple of months' time you can certainly add Matt Gigley's name to that list and that will be well before the end of the season.

Only time will tell.

Fielden has been shocking a shocking signing, but and it is a pretty big but, he was an integral part of us staying up, along with the creative accounting of Mr Whelan, his form in the latter half of the season he signed was nothing more than outstanding, so you could argue he was worth it simply for that alone, and ensured that we did not lose the likes of Locky, Hock, Ainscough, Tomkins x 2, Hansen, Prescott, Richards who will go on to be the backbone of a potentially pretty good team once Mr Noble is shown the door.

The biggest factor in Wigan staying up that year is often forgotten when, and not to decry their efforts, Fielden and Dobson are taking the plaudits and that was the skewed fixture list.

If my memory serves me correct Wigan played so many away games at the beginning of the season that something like 8 out of 10 games were home fixtures at the end the season. Prior to the signing of Fielden I always believed Wigan were likely to avoid relegation on account of this.

Looks like Reardon on his way out too. timesonline.typepad.com/rugby_le ... wigan.html

Looks like Reardon on his way out too. timesonline.typepad.com/rugby_le ... wigan.html

I wonder if we will be in for Reardon when/if he is released by Wire.

Bloody hope not

Is he not being released from his contract due to the fact that he may be doing a bit of time?

It is interesting to wonder if he was fit and playing well for the last couple of years like for example Leon Pryce, would they be so keen to release him? I very much doubt it.

Still at least they now have Richie Mathers!!



=redPost edited slightly. Please remember this matter is still sub-judice until sentence has been passed. Thanks, RR

Indeed clubs will only stick by players or terminate their contracts based on what is best for the club not for any moral reasons. While I do think that people deserve a second chance I also think that professional rugby players, and on a much larger scale pro footballers, know that they can indulge in some very dubious behaviour go down for a while show little or no remorse and still walk back into a very cushy and profitable way of life.