There’s something not right with them.
How come John Bateman isn’t a patch in the John Bateman that was an award winner in the NRL?....just for starters.

From their recent seasons, it seems pretty obvious. They share the same issue as us - Decent squad, mediocre coach.

To be fair a defeat like that was on the cards as they’ve scraped some lucky wins so far against so called lesser opposition and agree Bateman looks a shadow of the old but the body language of all the players when they went 18-0 down was of a team who couldn’t be bothered.

DUMMYS CAME OUT YESTERDAY

Their pack looks very lightweight.

Lightweight and too young

Rather interestingly, some people on the pies board are questioning radlinski and his qualifications to be a CEO.

sounds awfully familiar from somewhere...

They have obeen poor but only lost 1 match so far., so they're winning even when they're not playing too well.

Theres more to.come.from Wigan, definite top 4 side and usually get their act together for the business end of the season.

I don't think it's as simple as that with them. Lam was coach of the year last season and did well to get them to a Grand Final.

I've called them rubbish on here in the last few weeks and they are. Their pack is small and weak and one dimensional. Their young forwards are all clones of each other. Playground bullies who will punch, kick, elbow, 'snap the pole', chicken wing and give facials and wind players up until the cows come home, like all Wigan children are born doing. But put a ball in their hands and they are lost and as soon as someone stands up to them they all suddenly disappear into thin air. Kasiano thought he was playing half back in touch nines yesterday. Even the die hard Wigan fans are asking why they are bidding for Williams when they haven't got a pack capable of giving him a platform to work off.

The one really interesting aspect is Bateman. Brought back a superstar with Sky mentioning him every four words and hyping him up as if he was Jamie Lyon. He can't run, he can't move laterally and he can't tackle. The Catalans halfbacks and fullback were looking for him in the line and Drinkwater laughed as he ran past him. That isn't the Bateman that left these shores and it isn't the one causing a fuss in the NRL either. Could be a variety of reasons, he could be injured, he could be distracted by off the field matters or he might have returned thinking he was a superstar and been found wanting.

It's a fair argument. Neither Radlinski nor Fitzpatrick had a track record of successfully managing another organisation of the size of Wigan / Warrington RLFCs, they got their jobs basically because they were former players. So there were always going to be these doubts from the start.

If their clubs had gone on to an era of success when they'd outperformed where they were before, those doubts would have been erased, but they haven't.

I remember some querying Jon Clarke as strength and conditioning coach as jobs for the boys. He's been doing very well for himself since. Former players getting roles is not a problem for me, none of us know what happens day to day and its easy to point fingers. I think the only people who can really affect the match day performances are the players and the head coach, the support cast have a huge part to play but can't be held accountable for anything.

I don't particularly hold Karl in high regard but we have a decent sponsorship deal and have signed well in the last off season, Inglis is a massive coup and mulhern is a brilliant addition. To be fair the year before we did too, widdop and Mamo have definitely been good signings. The squad is good so surely the powers that be have done a good job there, I suppose the problem comes down to who is accountable for the team reaching their potential? Then when the team doesn't reach its potential who is in charge of making decisions on how many chances are afforded?

I thought we had gone on too long personally but this season is going quite well. We have been here before though where we are looking good but suddenly it all falls to pieces so whilst I'm happy with recent performances I'm not convinced we have what it takes to challenge and win the grand final. We responded to the Huddersfield game well in all honesty but we still endured the Huddersfield game and that leaves a nagging doubt in me.

Inglis would be a massive coup if we get the bigger on the field playing...time we stopped this shirt selling exercise

You don't think just having him around will at least be good for the younger players? He had NRL offers after he signed with us for a year didn't he? He's also scored 2 tries in 3 appearances and for me was great in one of them v Catalans at fullback. I think he still has a big part to play for us this season on and off the field, maybe more off the field in all honesty but for me he is a good signing.

Do people actually think that Fitzpatrick has responsibility for recruitment?

Not sure who does, that's kind of my point. We don't know what the background staffs roles are so aren't in a position to judge what they do really.

Considering it has been reported that he has travelled to Australia to speak to players and agents yes I would think he is somewhat responsible, at least partly.

Who does then??

After the Latu episode, it's hard to make a case for it being the coach's responsibility?

You would think CEO does the negotiating and gets the signature but I’d be amazed if he decided WHO to sign.

But if it is KP do we give him credit for Mulhearn, Widdop, Ashton...?

People are probably sick of me saying this but there is no way that somebody who has coached in the NRL would have gone to the CEO saying we need to sign Burrell.
I can imagine Price saying we need a new centre after Atkins was on the naughty step but never named Burrell.
I think the suggestion of Burrell would have come from the top down based on low risk from a salary cap perspective and decent publicity with the hope of attracting RU interest / sponsorship.
From a purely playing point of view I can't see price buying it.

Who does then? Do we think Price knew who Sammy Kibula was before he signed?

I’m only guessing but isn’t that what scouts do? Spot a player and make recommendations?

I assume both KFP and the head coach are both involved in recruitment ( and probably Board members as well when it comes to big names). But the danger with someone with KFP's rugby background is that they have too much influence in the decision making. There can be conflicts of interest here where the coach is looking solely from the viewpoint of performance, while the CEO is looking at performance but also players that are likely to excite and entertain Joe Public to keep the attendances ticking over. I would imagine the balance will be fine between KFP and our new coach, but I do wonder what has happened with a relatively inexperienced SP.

He may have done, he'd been here 2 years at that point, and would have watched academy games.

We took a flyer on him to play in our reserves, and see if we could develop someone on little cost.

Covid buggered that up

Scouts will analyse and recommend players but the final decision on whether a player is signed is usually by the CEO.

That’s the model used in football and I’d imagine it’s pretty similar in rugby as Price is a coach at the end of the day.