Except poaching youth Rugby Union players played no part in what Noble was suggesting, if I understood him right.

His idea was for each of the 14 SL clubs to be allowed to bring in one top profile RU player on say £50K within the salary cap and an unlimited top up salary paid for by sponsorship or a wealthy benefactor. The names he mentioned were Brian O'Driscoll (yes please) and Jonny Wilkinson (flawed example or what.)

Unfortunately the potential rise in media profile for the game would come at the expense of the integrity of the 'level' salary cap.

I would [ilove[/i Wigan to sign Dame Biscuit Knees!

Hilarity would most definitely ensue.....

After all, of all the clubs in SL, we should be in the box seat with a Union club on our doorstep (so to speak) to judge the Union potential talent out there.

Wigan tried the same sort of layout and ended up making a mess of a half-decent Union club at Orrell.

Since the lodgers came along, they've had the far better deal of the two clubs and as a first time, we've only had Simon Worrell and Jappie *s* Mulder out of it, whereas they've had the likes of Toothill and a few others ?

We had Dowes from them, who's been a success in the game, and Hefin O'Hare who seemed to be doing OK at Huddersfield before dissapearing from the game.
AFAIK, Mulder was only on a "pay if you play" deal - a wise bit of contingency insurance in place for the Rhinos considering the injury problems the year before.

Hefin O'Hare - what a name.

O'Hare is still playing RU for one of the Scottish clubs.
We also lost (?) David Doherty to the dark side, now playing for Sale I think.

Despite being a Welsh International (at RL), always the sort of player's name that should be said in a loud psudo-Irish accent ....

that made me chuckle!

Nobby back at Northern by 2010

make that Eight Fifteen, my watch is running slow.

Mate, your banter is absolutely terrible.

Won`t last the week.........

Noble out....

Hanley to skate in????

end

I can see heads rolling monday morning!

With the full benefit of Dr Plaxton's Jump Drive, I've been forward in time a couple of weeks and caught part of the following news broadcast ....

[i"After the removal of Brian Noble as head coach by mutual consent last week, Wigan Warriors today announced their new coach for the remainder of the season .... Sir Allen Stanford"[/i

You are close, it will be Mal Meninga

3 more weeks at the most if wigan continue as they are.

Paul "The Thinker" Cullen is free. That's my bet.

You're on thin ice with that prediction.

Public vote says he's in the bottom 2.

Would Wigan have to adopt full lycra and velour kit?

If they did go for Hanley, would he have to be partnered with a proper coach?

He'd never be able to "lift" them up the table.