Allow me to clarify seems as people insist on putting a magnifying glass over the comings and goings at Wigan.

This season only Mark Riddell, Amos Roberts and Cameron Phelps count on the quota. Thomas Leuluai and Harrison Hansen have never counted on any quota because they were here from an early age (Hansen was here from 18, Leuluai at Harlequins whilst 20).

George Carmont, Pat Richards, Feka Paleaasina and Phil Bailey would have counted on the Non-Federation trained limit, but a number of Clubs in the last few months of 2008 used the we do not have enough overseas slots available reason for not renewing certain players contracts and at least one legal case was threatened based upon constraint of a player's ability to earn a living.

To avoid the delays of an expensive potential legal challenge and to be scrupulously fair to players, it was decided by the ESL/RFL -with the unanimous votes of the 12 Super League clubs - to extend Federation Trained status to any players who had committed their future to Super League before the new Regulations were implemented. Since 50% of such current players are 30+ and unlikely to play many further years in Super League, the majority of these exemptions will work their way out quickly.

George Carmont, Pat Richards and Feka Paleaasina therefore become Federation Trained immediately and Phil Bailey at the end of 2009. Unlike most other clubs, Wigan has 3 out of 4 re-categorised Non-Federation players of a young age.

Most of the above has come from Ian Lenagan. So don't doubt the source. I also quote something he posted on our forum a couple of years ago:



Speaks volumes, doesn't it?

To make way for these three signings, Wigan are releasing/released/believed to be letting go of Feka Paleaasina (Castleford + 1 other Yorkshire club), Phil Bailey (retire), Mark Riddell (gone home family reasons) and Cameron Phelps. George Carmont is believed to want to stay for another year and from then we look to see how Darrell Goulding, Josh Charnley, Stefan Marsh and possibly Karl Pryce get on to fill that vacant centre spot.

Wigan prior to these three signings only had 1 player that counted on the overseas quota - Amos Roberts. Now with Ryan Hoffman, 26 (current Australian international with 4 caps to his name, 5 SOO games and 3 City Origin reps to his name), Jeff Lima, 28 (New Zealand international with 6 caps to his name) and Brett Finch, 27 (3 SOO reps to his name) now make up our four quota players for 2011. You are allowed five players on the quota and so Wigan could in theory bring in another overseas player. However, Mike MaGuire has said, in an interview on our official website, that we are looking at what we have here in the vast amount of homegrown talent before looking to overseas. Reaffirming our policy of bringing on our own homegrown talent such as Sam Tomkins (five-year deal last year) and Lee Mossop (five-year deal this year).



Wigan aren't relocating Sam Tomkins. Brett Finch is being brought over to partner Sam Tomkins in the halves with Amos Roberts to slot in at fullback. Thomas Leuluai will move into his International position at hooker in replacement of the departing Mark Riddell.

Wigan have long needed an organising scrum half with a good kicking game. Hence the signing of Paul Deacon as a short-term fill with a coaching job at the end of the year. We have now fulfilled that requirement of an organising scrum half with a formidable kicking game in Brett Finch. Finch is also being brought over to accelerate the development of Joe Mellor, an up and coming scrum half who was MOTM in Wigan's victory of Saints' U20's final last season (who I bet you have never heard of). I dare say that Finch will also pass on a few tips to Sam Tomkins. After all the bloke has played over 250 NRL games with a career spanning 12 years.



I have been at school with Iain Thornley since I was 12. The lad is a fantastic athlete (set records on sports day etc) and is a very talented player. He showed so much potential when he signed for Wigan in the U18's and U20's and did look like becoming the next great Wigan players and the next great England centre. However, his development has stalled greatly, partly due to the fact he decided to go to St.John Rigby College and finish his A-levels, whilst also partly due to the fact he didn't develop the footwork and skills required to beat bigger opponents. Earlier in his playing days - the article mentions he is six-foot four - he could just steam roll over his opponents. Now that he is being matched with players who are at a similar size his development has stalled. Now Sale have been interested in Thornley since he signed for Wigan. They have wined and dined his family etc etc. Wigan did offer him a contract (and a good one too!) but he turned it down. The offer from Sale is staggering for a player who has never played professionally. I believe part of the deal is that his University fees are being paid. As an 18-year-old, who has been to the same school/College as he has, the amount he is being offered is enough to turn me to Union and I detest the sport.

That article is very misleading and is typical of some of the dross and bile the media spout about Wigan RL. Ian Lenagan in his quotes to the press has tried to mention that we are committed to bringing through our homegrown talent and pointed out the long-term deals for Sam Tomkins, Joel Tomkins and Lee Mossop, as well as 11 out of our 17 being either Wigan born or Wigan trained when we played Warrington. All of this has duly been ignored. I think the main worry is that Wigan are becoming that team to be feared again and people can't quite swallow it. I look forward to see our boys thump some of these sides next season, whilst opposition fans can only spew out the same tosh about imports and the salary cap.

Are there any good young players at Sale? Have you watched Orrell recently? Deary me they have sld down to an awful level of rugby.

I wasn't having a go, I was just merely pointing out that Wigan fans are using the "Four in, three out" statement when realistically they could have 'four in, four out'.

At the end of the day, the loopholes are being used but it's high time that a few of the team in SL stop exploiting these loopholes and start getting towards bringing through an entire English squad bar one or two Aussies.

2 stand off's together sounds good and a scrum half at hooker even better...

Tomkins can play 7, as can Finch.

And Leuluai was New Zealands hooker when they won the World Cup.

Here's an idea Wigan, don't spend 400k+ on the three new signings and you could have kept one of the best young centre prospects in the game. No doubt come Oct/Nov we will be moaning about the lack of decent talent in the England back line and wondering why we are years behind NZ and Oz!

They've paid good money for Mick Hogan because they think that he might be the man to get their finances on the move again. Their move to Edgeley Park has not been a good one. The place is falling apart and their gates getting lower. If you look at the players they've got rid of in the past 2 years and what they have replaced them with it's similar to the way Bradford have been going.

SHOCK: Another ignorant, clueless, irritating buffoon.

Thornley has been offered megga bucks at Sale, we had no chance.

We have improved in every area other than hooker as well as having the second most amount of academy players in our team.

What don't the fans of other teams get?

can play isn't the same as IS

and Tommy was playing in a better team than Wigan's...

The above still doesn't affect our squad intentions for next year.

However, I hope it works...We're so scared of Hull KR that we had to sign Finch on a big money contract just so they don't get him and not for his playing abilities!

You really have let yourself down with that one JB.

Just pure scum are Wigan. Such a scummy hive of scum.

If Thornley is such a talent and such a strapping lad and is 18, why the feck hasn't he already got a 4 year deal? Why hasn't he played in the first team? If he's genuinely so good why not cut one of the useless NRL players and sign him up?

You are not telling me that Thornley is going to Sale for anything other than money. Hands in pockets FFS, cut the overseas players and the numerous exemptions and act responsibly FFS.

You can't have 7 overseas stars from the NRL on bumper deals and they blame it all on the salary cap either.

Blimey

Why has Kyle Eastmond not signed a 4 year deal?

And why should we fork out silly money for an as yet unproven young lad?

Our academy is brimming with very promising youngsters, do you suggest we offer them all a wad of cash just to keep rah rah from the front door?

Has no-one bothered to read my post? Or are you that arrogant and dense you just choose to ignore it and still spit out this bitter drivel?

Iain Thornley was offered a contract by Wigan. He was offered the chance to turn professional, but he rejected the offer because he wanted to finish off his A-levels. The agreement was he would join the first-team squad once his studies had finished. Sale RU have been chasing Thornley since he was a teenager. They have offered him X amount of money that no right-minded club would offer to an untested 18 year old. Especially since his form and progress has stagnated this season.

Well as you have quite clearly misunderstood Saddened, as Cadoo clearly pointed out Wigan did offer Thornley a contact which he turned down. Lenegan will have offered a very reasonable contract for Thornley to stay and Lenegan isn't the type of person to go and chase somebody after they have rejected our deal. Sort of a type if you don't want to sign the contact you do not deserve the right to be considered for wigan.

He's not played in the first team because he was still in FULL TIME education. so he couldn't play for the first team due to him only being able to train part time, which hampered his development and made the likes of marsh and charnley overtake him in the pecking order.

And I wouldnt call Hoffman, Finch and Lima "useless Aussies" all are in the prime of their careers and all are a step up from the imports what we currently have.



Why should we make exemptions for one player? We offered him a very very good contract but the matter of fact is union teams will offer more money due to them having a larger salary cap. I actually think you need to look at our figures and actually how many wigan academy products have played for us this year.

Goulding, Marsh, Ainscough, Sam Tomkins, Prescott, O'Carroll, McIllorum, Joel Tomkins, Hansen, O'Loughlin, Mossop, Tuson, Ben Davies, Liam Farrell, Jonny Walker. And at other clubs you have Josh Charnley who is excelling.

I think many clubs would love to have that many academy products graduating and making their mark in the first team so how is the loss of one player not acting responsibly?



Again you will realise that the loss of one player will not affect us, we have actually got marsh and charnley who are two centres who are ahead of thornley in regards to development and we all know 3 into 2 positions doesn't work.

I love how people are privvy to what sale have offered him financially.

In fact, the most of Sam Tomkins young career was played at Scrum half.

Just take a look at 2008 u21's reports on cherry and white. He moved the 6 to accomodate Leuluai

I love how people are privvy to what wigan offered him to extend

Irrelevant to an extent.

[iFact[/i is, Wigan offered him a contract, Thornley declined and opted to join Sale.

There is [inothing[/i more Wigan could have done.

What's the big deal about all this?

18 year old chooses money and education shocker! Quite simply, Sale have offered the kid a better future.

The point is that presently we are top of SL and just gone and strengthen the halves and pack considerably. Issue is not that Wigan have missed out on a potential talent but the potential if the 3 players settle and Wigan start well next season then they will take some stopping. Wigan have more developed talent in the side than virtually and in SL yet its become an issue to bang the club on the head with.

Lets see if such a fuss happened if Warrington, Huddersfield, Wakey, Castelford, Salford, Crusaders, Quins did the same. Its an issue as its Wigan. And the best bit is we can bring 1 more in the club have benefited greatly from the problems at the Storm.

Unless your club has as many own developed talent in your side presently as Wigan so then you really dont have the right to complain about Wigan.
If Its your club your happy to get the 3 players Wigan have just signed but almost all cant generate youngsters like Wigan do and thats your clubs fault. So email them to complain rather than bash Wigan over it.

Sometime you have to let players throught your net. You can't screw up your whole wage structure for a kid who's never played first team.

It happened at Saints when Bracek left when wire offered more - we've survived, so will wigan. Besides, don't they have Charnley + 1 other good young centre?