3 year deal from 2020

Amazing news, superb signing.

Well done to the club.

The best half back combination we’ve had in SL by a distance I’d say, well balanced too, Austin should bring a strong running game, Widdop the distribution and kicking game. Really impressed with this.

Let’s hope we have enough left in the cap to put a great team around them.

Ratchford / Austin / Widdop / Clark is a GREAT spine.

.....and he can kick goals

Boxes ticked.

Looking forward to it

Absolutely fantastic signing. Every club in SL that can afford him would have been after him, so great work to get him here.

Great coup for wire and for SL, look forward to seeing him play.

That's a statement of intent for sure. Great signing, I really hope Austin settles and we get to see that pairing next season. Well done to all involved.

Can we have Brown back now?

Excellent signing. Looking forward to the next few years.

absolute brilliant work from the club to get this over the line...PROPER GOOD!

I guess Patton is now injury cover foe 2019 and insurance for Austin being here in 2020.

Brown to leave end of 2019.

It looks like we are on the cusp of assembling the best HB partnership in SL.

As big a signing as Moz was I think.

Despite this being described as SL's biggest signing, the good old BBC have treated RL with it's usual disdain.

The BBC Sport website (run, I assume, from Media City, Salford) didn't equate this news big enough for their sports headlines (but did include the latest tennis failures and women's RU).
However, BBC Radio Manchester (run from the same place) DID cover themselves in glory, for this morning's 3 sports desks, when they announced that we have signed GEORGE Widdop.
Well done to all concerned.

And Radio Manchester did a feature of Wigan's press day and featured heavily on Zac H drug rehab. No mention of Wire or Widdop

Excellent management of this signing by the club, kept it very quiet until the deal was more-or-less done. Really shows the determination of Messrs Moran and Middleton to invest heavily in the future. Now we need more of Warrington's 200,000 population to respond and start going to matches at the HJ.

This signing alone could see the first game this season sell out. Not worth getting excited about though as other fans have already pointed out that Widdop is a crock/overrated, Austin will be here for 1 season only (if he even sees the season out) and our squad is going to be ridiculously lop-sided with just five quality, highly paid players and the rest made up of match stewards and some of the women's team.

swimming got mentioned too!

Our sport IS treated like £ by the BBC. The Sky Sports News website had a good piece.

Cannot help but think that outside of the rfl world he is not a big name long time since we had scully in the Gillette advert. Even in the nrl you think who would attract general media coverage Sam burgess cronk Smith. An d its certainly got something to do with the hodge podge international fixtures and no GB team. Which seem to be being addressed.

Great post Ratty

Spot on regarding attendances, the interest is there but the town needs to back the team and the investment made by the board by turning up in numbers. We need to buck the trend of smaller turn outs across the sport and send a message that we are a club to be reckoned with

Why do you say Blake will only be here for one season? Everything that I've read and heard from him indicates that he wants to see out his 3 year deal. He isn't like Barba or Sandow who needed to come to SL to get their careers back on track and be noticed, Blake had offers from NRL clubs but he chose us. I think he will still be here when Gareth Widdop arrives in 2020.

That's the view of some oppo fans not 'our' ratticus?

I think it was sarcasm,referencing other fan’s. The Giants board now as him as a 31 year old crock by time he gets here and need to say what’s being said on Redvee

In recent years, our best attendances (I believe) have been a reflection of the entertainment value, as much as, if not more than our potential to be successful. Our attendances, I recall, peaked during 2011 when we were playing our most scintillating rugby, crafted by a team full of creative and exciting players. I also think it was no coincidence that we achieved a sell out v Widnes (helped by a great Viking following) when Sandow, one of the most entertaining players, was plying his trade spectacularly in the first half of that season.

With Austin's arrival and the other quality players we have in our team; I really do hope the fans get out and turn up in numbers to match the effort and backing of our board, not to mention a potentially exciting season ahead!

And virtual terrace

Sorry UR can't see this happening now. Most of the lads I have been going with have stopped going because of the Thursday/Friday fixtures. They have got out of the habit of going and started doing other things now and despite my coaxing wont return, despite having watched the team for years.