Confirmation expected that they have left later this week. www.dailystar.co.uk/rugby-league ... ndy-Powell

Confirmation expected that they have left later this week. www.dailystar.co.uk/rugby-league ... ndy-Powell

anybody can tell me what it says? its blocked in the uae.

It says that Powell was a flop and that Wigan's patience has run out, in part due to his poor off-field attitude. According to the article it'll be announced later in the week that he's left, along with Lauaki, who is leaving due to personal reasons. After that there's a bit about Wane wanting to do the double again and singing Bowen's praises.

ok cheers

From the above URL:

[iThe former Wales and Lions rugby union star signed a three-year deal at Wigan last April.

But the 6ft 4in prop struggled to get to grips with league, playing just five games.

He was so bad in his last match, against Huddersfield in September, that he was hauled off after nine minutes.

Powell exclusively told StarSport afterwards that he had considered quitting because it was so hard.

And, despite claiming he felt some tackles were like being hit by a tram, he vowed to be a cross-code success.

But Wigan’s patience has run out, amidst rumours that they are also unhappy with his off-field attitude.

The club refused to comment at their pre-season media day yesterday, but will issue a statement later in the week.

They will also announce that Tongan forward Epalahame Lauaki has formally left the club.

He joined from Hull on a three-year deal for the start of the 2012 season but hasn’t played since last May.

It’s understood he has been in New Zealand since then, citing personal problems.

Meanwhile, Wigan coach Shaun Wane says he is confident the Warriors can do the double again.

The Challenge Cup and Grand Final winning boss said: “I would never let my players be satisfied with what we have done.

"I was never going to be happy with just winning the double, I want to win it again and again. The players have the same attitude.”

Wane has backed new signing Matty Bowen to fill the boots of England superstar Sam Tomkins, who has left for New Zealand Warriors.

He added: “I have signed a great player in Matty Bowen. He does things that Sam can’t do. I am very happy.”
[/i

cheers daveO,

so with them only confirming it at the end of the week are they waiting for something else to happen? would it not have been a good time to just announce it at the media opening?

This is a shame. I like the look of Powell. He obviously didn't have a clue what he was doing but he ran with plenty of enthusiasm and was big enough to knock a few opposition forwards on their backsides. Thought he would go well this year after a full off season

It always seemed a strange signing but I'm always prepared to give anyone a chance. It would be a risk with any Union player coming over at 31/32 years old but this was a guy with a history of off field issues and that doesn't fit in with the new way Wigan run things.

As the club always does this will be seen as an opportunity for other players to step up and the likes of Rob Lever and Ben Austin as well as more experienced lads like Greg Burke and Sam Hopkins could really take advantage.

Perhaps they didn't want a negative story taking over the media day. Better to have soundbites regarding pre-season, the WCC and the season ahead than regarding how many players we've lost and whether we lack experience in the forwards

I don't know i don't see it as negative just follow it up by the juniors who will be replacing them in the first team. its not like people have a leg to stand on to question or even judge shaun wane at the moment.

Wane didn't sign Powell, though he did get IL sign Lauaki I believe.

Wane deservers credit for not picking Lauaki just because he signed him. Ditto dropping Powell when it might have been not what others perhaps wanted him to do.

My reservations about both signings are well documented on here and I think have been proved correct. That doesn't mean I know more than IL or Wane but it does mean when I and others question the signing of a 32 year old ex-union prop we might have a point and the fact the team is successful isn't really a valid counter argument (especially when neither Powell nor Lauaki made any kind of meaningful contribution that success).

not quite sure the point your making?

But what do people have against lauaki he was hardly a failure ok he wasn't fantastic but he was decent and did a job. Powell obviously has off field problems that seem to have got worse, also how do you know who signed him? I'm more disappointed in powell than actually signing him because he showed promise when i watched him.

[url=http://www.wiganwarriors.com/WContent.aspx?id=8982&type=newsEric gone - official[/url

Probably a lot to do with that - plus the "feel-good" stuff about the new signings on the club site from SW.
I thought Powell was a good signing & was prepared to let him get to grips with stuff, but it seems he's just another symptom of the "League is easy" mentality aka Dwain Drugs-Cheat Chambers..Pity.

Right decision IMO. There was no doubting his effort but he just wasn't an effective prop forward, getting rid of the reserves league probably didn't help him either. I hope he gets all the help and support he needs from his friends and family back home

I saw powell and though Sam, then remembered the other one i forgot about says it all really

I guess for every Rowland Phillips, you also get a Richard Webster or a Stuart Evans.

I'll echo that..

Let's be honest, the Powell signing was always going to be a bad one but it was clever on wigans part to get a union player as a % of his salary doesn't count on the cap so I believe. If had worked out, you would have had a player with only a fraction of his salary on the cap which IMO was worth a punt but not with a 31yr old union prop.

Powell showed enough to suggest he'd make a decent impact prop, doing 10-15 minute spells off the bench. That needed him to have the right attitude and put a full pre-season in. That hasn't happened, it was worth a punt, we won't miss him, move on.

Neither had any yards in them.
For such big buggers they were soft as sh*te.

Totally agree. Some seem to be using the fact it hasn't worked out as a reason to try and justify the fact he was a poor signing. Hull and Leeds I thought he showed real promise as a player and was looking forward to seeing him this year after a pre season.

The talent is/was there it seems it is his attitude that has let him down.

My thoughts exactly.

As for Lauaki, I feel really sorry for him and don't know if we (Wigan) could have done anything differently to help him.

looks like they was waiting for a new signing.

Regarding Powell
I commented upon his signing that he wouldn't get many appearances or minutes in the Wigan 1st team and was subsequently shot down in flames ?

SL's clubs that play Wigan next season will find it more difficult breaking the line, cos his defense was more static than an 8 berth caravan at Primrose Valley