www.wiganwarriors.com/news/2016-11-03-duo-depart Mossop to Salford, Hampshire to Leigh.

www.wiganwarriors.com/news/2016-11-03-duo-depart Mossop to Salford, Hampshire to Leigh.

I still think the departure of Ryan Hampshire is an error ... both for us and him.

I think it's a shame we've lost him (many don't rate the lad, but I thought he had a lot of potential - just needed honing), but it's more a testament to the conveyor-belt we have running, that replacements have come through in the short time that he was on loan.
Good luck to the lad (and Mossop. Maybe a tad harsh, but I'm not as bothered about that loss).

Happy with this.

We get rid of a biscuit and a young lad who obviously had an issue with the club, or had brought an issue on for the club not to play him.

If he goes well at Leigh can see a bigger club like Saints or Leeds sniffing around in a season or two.
Equally I can see him being a bit of a journey man if things don't go to plan.

Leigh have gained a good one there IMO. I find it difficult to understand why we never gave him opportunities at stand off when players got injured, but the fact Daryl Powell at Cas went on to do the same thing did make me question whether they are seeing a weakness that I'm not. I'm less bothered about Mossop to be honest, a 27 year old should be a certain pick in the 17, but I don't think that would be the case for him in 2017 with Flower, Nu'uasala, Tautai and Clubb in front of him. Then I'd rather give Sutton, Navarette and Bretherton game time when injuries/form dictates as they are similar/better and more likely to improve due to their age. It's a shame because if you asked me in 2009, I'd say that Mossop would turn into a world-beater by now, but injuries have been cruel to him.

No concerns from me. If the Williams rumours have legs, it frees up money to improve a contract or two?

It would be worth it for that, but if Wigan were to lose Williams now, I think we'd see some real expressions of irritation from the fans (and that's putting it mildly).

Have we sold these players to our rivals or given them away?

Can't keep them all I suppose. What you do need to do is keep the right ones and if that means Williams and Sutton are tied to longer deals (which would be my aim) then that's the right call.

I think we all know Mossop is limited and hasn't really developed as we'd like but Hampshire does give you a bit more trepidation. He's got talent but he seemed to want more opportunities in a position the club couldn't give him (stand off).

The irony of Hampshire will always be that had he kept his head down and stayed for 2016 rather then going to Cas on loan he'd have probably got a run of 10+ games at stand off for us early in the year. Instead he was playing wing at Cas whilst they had a prop and a hooker at 6 and 7!

Perhaps, but it's difficult to see where he gets much game time with us next year if he had stayed. I find Lenagan's explanation convincing, and wish the lad well. I think he'll be a good fit for Leigh.

I'm really sad to see Hampshire move on. I well remember an academy game at Saints when he absolutely destroyed them with as good a halfback performance as I have seen since Shaun Edwards played at that level. He was so unlucky to get that shoulder injury a couple of years back when he was just starting to threaten to establish himself at 1st team level. Had that not happened would we have signed Matty Bowen?

Anyway good luck to him, there's a very good player in there just waiting to emerge but it's up to him now to prove to himself and everyone else what he is capable of. I believe last year was a mistake for him, but he couldn't have foreseen the Williams and Sam injuries and to then be pushed out onto the wing with a hooker and prop selected at #6 before him must have kick in the stones. Dig in Ryan and show everyone your true worth.

Lee Mossop injured himself in the 2011 Cup Final and was never the same. I will always be grateful for his contribution to Wigan. Calling someone 'a biscuit' is a disgrace. These players put their bodies on the line for our entertainment. A little more respect and gratitude might be in order for a player who was good enough to play for England in a World Cup and won two GFs and Two CCs with us

As regards Ryan Hampshire. It seems that he isn't keen on staying and fighting for a place. He won't be first choice at Leigh either, nevertheless I wish him well.

I'm a bit saddened that we've let these two and Josh and Dom go. All products of the system.

Good reading your thoughts on Ryan, I only saw him in the flesh once in a pre season game at LSV and he changed that game with great pace and footwork, so I am excited about securing him but again he is not an automatic 1/6/7, the incumbents need shifting and the competition will be good. I hope in a few years we can have a production line half as good as yours.

I only saw the game you mention on Wigan tv but thought he was absolutely tremendous and there and then I thought we had a potential superstar in our midst. His injury aside somewhere along the way he has either been ill advised or maybe there is an underlying attitude issue which hasn't helped his cause. Either way I sincerely hope he turns it around.
He has that one thing you can't learn which is pace. The game now seems to want structure above all else and in the short term players like Hampshire don't fit the profile of defense oriented coaches that currently monopolise RL worldwide.
Personally if I had a choice of a part time TL either off field or playing 7/9 above Hampshire I'd take Hampshire 10 times out of 10 in the halfs.

I don't know who instigated the move to Castleford, but it clearly proved that it wasn't just Shaun Wane keeping young Ryan out of the halfback jersey.

So what happens next? He goes to yet another club where he thinks/hopes he'll get the no. 6 nod without actually having to prove himself first - only this club are SL's new boys and the ones, until they prove otherwise, who must be good candidates for the drop at the end of next season.

And if it doesn't work out there either, where will Ryan go after that?

I do wish he'd been prepared to stay and fight for his shirt. As someone else said earlier, he'd have had half a season in the halves at Wigan if he'd shown just a little more patience.

Doesn't the player have to be in agreement with the loan move? Did he have a choice?

I didn't put that point across very well.

I meant that Hampshire's time at Castleford seems to have proven that Shaun Wane wasn't the only one who didn't think he was ready to play in the halves.

As for who it was who wanted Ryan to go to Cas, I don't know. I presume he does have to be in agreement, and that wouldn't have surprised me given that, from the outset of the Ryan Hampshire saga, he looked to be receiving bad advice from somewhere.

I suspect that Hampshire and Wigan thought that by going to Cas it would help his development in that he would be coached by Powell, Orr and Sheridan who had all played in the halves during their long careers. For whatever reason(s) it didn't work out for them. He's young enough to still make a mark in the game, it's all down to his desire, his ability is unquestionable.

Give over he was a big duffer. Not a clue why we signed him back from the NRL. The fact that he had a clause in his return that we could release him should his shoulder injury reoccur says it all.
Not sure if I saw him break a tackle, time to use that precious cap space cash and use it on players that will actually improve the squad not hinder it.

Did Lewis Tierney just want to be a full back. Sometimes players especially academy ones have to understand until your proven in SL you more than likely will not be playing your preferred position. Rocky was a poor full back so that sent him out of the first team.

If he struggles at Leigh his next destination will be championship.

That is my worry. And I think an impatient talent will be lost to the senior game.

Fair enough



The point remains though.

Harsh. When Madge converted him to Prop from second row in 2011 we were short of props, especially in the WCC when Lima was suspended harshly. Mossop stepped up big style.

My point is, he had the talent but got injured playing for us and has struggled since. He was actually our best prop statistically in the first half of last season. I don't understand why you have such a downer on him. Just thank him for his efforts and wish him well surely?

There are statistics and there is evidence in the front of your eyes. Mossop was poor in the extreme for me. May have the talent but doesn't have the heart and his work rate would embarrass a striking docker.
I don't wish the guy any harm and hope he has good health but he won't be a loss for us on the park.