I think phelps is someone showing some enthusiasm and passion in playing for the team and trying very hard to improve in the fb position, esp now learning from radlinski - this has got to be a good thing. He should get some praise for this because we want people to be enthusiastic about playing for wigan and have some pride in the shirt.

He is not a quota player but he is a none federation player and next season we can only have six of the latter.

Richards is none federation because (I think) his current contract with the club was in force when the federation trained rules where changed. That means for the duration of his current contract he counts as a none federation trained player.

When his current contract expires he can then apply for federation trained status, not before.

Bailey can do this in 2010 for the same reason but because Bailey isn't "Irish" or whatever he would become a none federation player but would still be a quota player.

Dave

yes he's got a most aussie sounding irish acent i've ever heard, but he did que up with us in the EU passport control when coming back from perpignan this year rather than get in the non eu passports que (which the aussie players did) and considering i was about 2 people away from him, he had a very green passport, with harp printed on.
So i think he does consider himself irish......well as far as living rights and passport control is concerned.

Or he "could" be trying to preserve the Irish eligibility for any tests (as he has 2 hopes of getting in the Aus team and one's Bob).

On a related note, would he be eligible for GB? Carney played after all.

First half of the season I must admit I was calling for Phelps to be axed come the end of the campaign but ever since his display at fullback against Saints at the JJB on Good Friday he has been pretty decent he has good link up play and can also put in a good kick if needs be and I believe another season with us will only benefit him and the club. I would also make the fullback posistion permanant when next seasons squad list is confirmed as I believe thats where he is best at.

Pat's parents are both Irish IIRC, so he's pretty irish.



If Phelps & Roberts were both OOC at the end of the season, it'd be a much easier choice, but Roberts will be here for 3 more years.