Good move by the club.
When he left us he was a young prop that had a lot to learn and showed flashes of potential.
He wasn't great, he wasn't a first choice starting prop. He didn't make great yards, but showed some neat footwork and had reasonable hands..
But clearly he would appear to have come on significantly in the last 3 years and is regarded as a top prop over the water, so I am pleased based on that recommendation, and more than pleased that he's a Wire lad coming 'home'.
Just hope he has a bigger impact than another prodigal son who came home to the goons but has only played a few games so far and arguably with not so much distinction !!
It's also good that

Haha go on humour me as to why the club should consider this? inlight of benny's performance this year he has earnt the new deal.

haha, i didn't say to do so, just with someone mentioning it, i wondered it as a possiblity.

I heard a rumour going around Leigh a couple of weeks ago that Cooper was on his way home to Warrington and Hill was on his way to NRL.....seems it may be true.

Looks like a solid pack for next year,

Hill, Clark, Sims, Currie, Hughes, Westerman still first choice.

Cooper, Dwyer, Dodds, Laithwiate, Julien, Westwood a strong back up.

Bailey, Cox, Philbin, Wilde, B Evans, Harrison all in the mix fighting for places in the squad next year. Can't see all of them staying, but strong starting point.

It will be interesting to see what happens with Jordan Cox.
On a 1 year deal...... looks effective when he is on but doesn't play many minutes.

Personally I'd like to see him get a new deal....... any player that takes the ball in without any concern for his own safety has my backing.

Dodds is omly on a 1 year deal although i hope he wants another year.

Presuming we can keep them all out of the NRL...

Hill 28
Clark 23
Cooper 27
Currie 21
Hughes 24
Westerman 26

All British, all either internationals or potential future internationals. This pack potentially could be together for a long time.

Absolutely made up that cooper is coming back, I am sure that will mean that there will be a few being released to accommodate him though. Wheeler (surely), Ben Evans? Harrison? Dodds? I'd like to see Bailey and Cox retained and Dodds too if possible.

I can't see us making many more signings for next year after this news.

Seems perfectly possible, I'm sure he could walk into any top NRL club. However he tweeted this earlier regarding Coops

Massive signing for @wolvesrl who will bring the experience from nrl back with him, also have a good mate back home @MikeCooper_18

Seems a strange comment if he knows they won't be playing together next year.

Think Hill is fairly settled with a young family and doesn't fancy uprooting that. And thank God for that - all we need is for Ben Currie to have a few kids and get married.

I'd be surprised if Dodds will be here now, I'd struggle to see how we can keep him under the cap.

I think we will keep three from BEvans, Harrison, Cox & Bailey. A big part of who we keep will be dependant on what others are prepared to offer.

I think Harrison will stay and I hope Cox does, more so because he has age on his side. That leaves Bailey and BEvans - both playing for contract for me.

I think four props of Hill, Cooper, Sims & Harrison is better than anything else in SL by far. Add to that Cox and A.N.O plus Clark & Dwyer, we have a fantastic front row.

Very good tribute from St George`s Assistant Coach:- www.sportinglife.com/rugby-leagu ... n-millward

Very good tribute from St George`s Assistant Coach:- www.sportinglife.com/rugby-leagu ... n-millward

I think in these times of austerity that clubs will have think long & hard about which players they can afford to carry in terms of injuries especially if it means depleting the available playing squad & being a drain on the wage bill. Professionalism & sentimentality don't go hand in hand.

I would suspect that if there is a battle between keeping B Evans and B Harrison then BH would win purely on the fact of his known quantity whereas BE is a prospect. BE then drops into the battle with Cox and Bailey.

Cox excites the crowd with his runs, but they are so hard he always seems to rattle his head, which leads him to be less effective.

Bailey is an unknown quantity in the mind as he can be really good, but can loose the plot.

Evans a good young prospect, but sadly gets injured easily.

That leaves us with three very plausible candidates each with there own risks.

Good summary of the players attributes etc.

However, Harrison & Evans have contracts at Wire for 2017, & UP TO NOW Cox & Bailey contracts expire at the end of 2016 season

Bailey looks to be very focused and full of self control at Warrington. Looks a good acquisition on the evidence so far.

Bailey has more genuine 'Big Game' experience than anyone else in the Wire squad, and possibly more than any other prop in SL. If his contribution on the pitch is up to standard then that experience, if he is able help other squad members when the huge games come around, is invaluable and can't be ignored.

He was capped 8 times under tony smith, and looks to be regaining some form under him
At only 31 he looks like he could end up being a smart signing, which is a bit embarrassing for those calling for TS to be sacked following the announcement


BTW if you win the GF this year he will go joint second for all time SL titles, only JP a head of him

Anyone calling time on TS wasn't calling it for signing Bailey IIRC other opinions of should he stay or go were afoot so no embarrassment on here unlike on your own board which was in sack the coach meltdown prior to him winning the treble and in fact previous to that when your trophy cabinet was hardly bare?

The Bailey question was simply can he do it will he disrupt things/be more trouble than he's worth

I was against the Bailey signing because I thought he would be far more trouble than he was worth - this is from someone who has never met or spoken to the guy but seen some of his dumb-ass thuggish tactics on the pitch - usually involving smaller players (Like Riley in the CC final).
His last couple of years have hardly been at the required level.
Clearly TS knows him far better and along with putting him on a 'claused' contract, got his achilles sorted, and now we're seeing the benefits.
Ok - only 2 matches so far but he's put in a decent stint in both.
One alleged off the field brain fart which I'm sure TS had a word about, so keep up these performances and we'll reap the benefit. (Big ask to go from 1 sub appearance to a starting prop appearance putting in decent minutes (my guess - not fact)

I suspect a decision has not been made yet. It may depend on whether Dodds recovers and shows some form and whether Ben Harrison recovers.

Fantastic signing!!

It's a tough call who will leave next year I thing Evans and another will be gone.


Baily has played well and looking committed and giving effort

Cox I like him runs real hard and gives 100% when on pitch.

Dodds not seen enough to make real judgment, what I did see is people stop dead in their tracks when running into him!!

In.an ideal world we could keep them all!!

For me the big thing is whether Ben Harrison can get fit again and whether James Laithwaite can get back to full fitness after a horrendous injury. If not, then the only person I expect to leave is Dodds.

I'd agree with that, unlucky for both of them but we're covered in their positions. I'd rather have Cox and Bailey, if Dodds can get through to the end of the season after this return then him too.