We also benefitted from Carvell changing his mind with Hull if memory serves me.

Interesting question - have we signed more unsettled/homesick NRL players than other clubs in recent years?

Yes, interesting question back, how do Wire avoid another occurrence?

Third interesting question, have any of these players who have quit their contracts early, done anything else in their careers after that to make us regret them leaving?

The last one I can think of was David Kidwell, but that was 18 years ago, and around the time Kidwell went home we signed Westwood who was basically a better version of the type of player Kidwell went on to be in the NRL.

31 years ago, Greg Mackey going to Hull, but he redeemed himself by returning to us and giving us a number of good years' service.

Steve Jackson turned into a GF hero in Oz, but some while ago. However, some have finished their careers with us and served us well. Hicks, Monaghan (X2), King and Hodgson for example.

The Monaghans, King, Hodgson, Hicks were all very good examples of imports with great attitudes.

King and Michael Monaghan didn't have easy first years, but they didn't try to find exits to their contracts, even when the fans were getting on their case.

Hodgson was an example of a good safe Aussie signing as he had already been playing in SL and won Man of Steel, so we knew he was settled and his game suited SL.

Actually back then we used to sign Aussies with great attitudes. Nat Wood, Sid Domic, Darren Burns, all great. Appo, Michael Sullivan....less so, although they made sure they saw out their contracts and got their money rather than look for an exit. Brent Grose seemed unhappy here for his last couple of years, but he saw out his contract before going home and didn't cause a fuss.

Which brings us to this four:
Asotasi - Went awol with his country competing in the last World Cup, before he arrived at the HJS. He had lost interest in RL, and never wanted to be here.
Sandow - Maverick who got on the wrong side of coaching staff in Oz. Great for a season, he then expected another NRL contract which didn't transpire then his head ended up in the proverbial shed.
Roberts - Never wanted to be here.
Widdop - Family came over and went home not long after, very likely influenced by Covid 19.

Asotasi and Roberts should never have come here, and were a total waste of time and money for our club. I'm amazed that our representatives didn't pick up on any lack of enthusiasm when they were in talks. Sandow was a gamble that worked for only 12 months, and then there's a passable excuse in Widdop's case.

Yes, which also ties in with my point on one of the other threads about the decline in the quality of our recruitment, after Andy Gatcliffe left.
It was also around this time where we started signing English players like Wheeler, Westerman, Bailey.

Westerman was a good signing. He was good for us, proper 13 he just didn't seem to settle and we were in a transitional period. I thought he was out best player in an awfully performing team for a spell, I think he gave up on us at that point. If he was as professional as he could be he'd have been one ofthe best 13s superleague has seen IMO. I think the biggest problem with the Westerman signing was timing. If he'd have come to us early TS years, say when Louis left things could have been very different for him and maybe us.

Under Higham I meant. All got forgotten post PH.

In reply to SC's post. It's not just Warrington where recruitment has not matched the quality of previous squads. However, we ought to have done better, and must try harder.

Westerman would have struggled to get first team opportunities in the early TS years, he wasn't as good as Westwood, Harrison or Grix.

He's the classic example of a player with enough talent to be tolerated in a team of nearly men, but who would not have lasted long at the top teams. Can you imagine him fitting in to a Brian McDermott or Shaun Wane team ethos?

He definitely had the talent though. I'm sure Tony Smith and the playing group we had (Morley in particular) would have got the best from him. You're right though we didn't need him at the time. Grix was as good a player I've seen at 13 in a wire shirt.

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No takers yet

Westerman was ANOTHER Tony Smith vanity project.

YPotY at Cas. Hull sign him, career plateaus.
We spend a big wadge of cash on him, and Wire fans convince themselves he's the [ireal deal[/i, by posting on here, straight after the match "great game from Westerman, today", when all he did, was Jason Clark's job, a few years early. Nothing special.

Our only saving grace, was [ipulling Toronto's pants down[/i over a transfer fee, a couple of years later. Best bit of business the club did in years

Not good for us OR Widdop, his family are in Aus and he wants to be with them. So if he can't get a deal he's stuck here not wanting to be so hus head won't be in it, so we'll be stuck with him and he'll be stuck with us. Not great at all ☹

This could potentially be bad news for us left with a player not wanting to be here and missing his family.

Sorry Or Thane .... somehow missed your post.

Looks like you had a similar view on Westerman to me. I always thought there was a bit of Emperors New Clothes about him. Sometimes with these players who have talent, but seem to be prone to being distracted off the field, a narrative can develop that overrates their talent...."if only he applied himself he could be the next Sculthorpe..." If Westerman had the perfect attitude how good would he have been? I'd be surprised if he was better than Ben Harrison.

Then confirmation bias kicks in as people look for reasons to justify their prior opinion. If a player has a half decent game, it is seen as vindication. Look at how RD fawns over Patton if he has an average game. It has happened with Ben Currie now for some fans who are desperate to convince themselves that he is back to being the player he was. Like you say, our fans used to do that with Westerman.

He had some good games, but he was never like a Zak Hardaker or Chris Sandow where you would see the glimpses of genius to support the tragic "if only he had his head screwed on" narrative. I think Westerman benefited from having good seasons early on when he first emerged, which meant he established hype around himself which probably secured him some big moves later on when clubs held out hope they were getting more than he could deliver.

One of the things I enjoy about Roy Keane's punditry in football is he sees straight through these false narratives about players who people claim are flawed genuises (Theo Walcott, Jack Wilshere). Keane likes rugby league so I wonder what he'd have to say about Westerman...

Genuine question, if Widdop is struggling to find a team and doesn't get one for next season, can we honestly see him just plodding on here until something comes up?
If his mind is elsewhere and wants to leave would that just be a complete waste?

Correct. Don't know what happened but the Westerman who so impressed in early days at Cas was clearly NOT the same Westerman who played for Hull, or for Wire.

No I don’t think that’s a reflection of his character. ie. whilst contracted to Wire, he wouldn’t be drawn on any chat but his focus on St GI when still their player and skipper.

Josh Reynolds Is headed to Hull FC which frees up 500k on our Salary cap at the Tigers, we need a new half at the and may very well make a play for Widdop.
If so that would free up a Quota spot and a wedge of money for us here, i think Karl said they have a back up plan if Widdop leaves but unless we can grab Sezer i genuinely can't figure out who we would make a play for in the halves?

I’d be amazed if Giants allow Sezer to go with Watson as their new coach. Could see us reverting to an Austin Ratchford combo.
I’m desperate for some feel good factor. When Inglis announcement was made I was genuinely excited, all the positivity seems to have drained away (although fair play to Smiffy who is trying his level best!)

Wouldn't you play Inglis at 6 and Austin at 7?