He was well past it by the time he came over here IMO

I wouldn't say that. He may be past his best now but he was only 26 when we signed him and he spent his first season here playing centre, which isn't his best position

Jamie Ainscough played State of Origin

Course he was!

I mean what a ridiculous decision it was to Sign an Origin/Aus International when he was way past it at 26 when he signed for us!
Someone who hardly missed a game in his first 2 1/2 years at the club and was one of the most influnetial and instrumental people in turning a shambles of a club mid 2006 into a team challenging for honours the year after through the proffesionalism he brought to the club.

A guy who leads by example on & off the pitch and by all accounts from those who are in the dressing room with the guys a Real Leader!

Yeah, maybe it will be time end of year for him to move on, but no-one should criticise anything this guy has done for us over the last 3 1/2 years on & off the pitch!

And your point is?

He was another Scapegoat that the "Experts" got stuck into early on and didn't let go!

Another player that because he didn't set the world on fire from day one the fans got on his back until he left followed by a string of others and we ended up with David Cackaleaki etc etc and we all know how that ended up!

Thank god the short sighted, short termed mentality of the club seems to be a thing of the past and instead of chopping and changing 1/2 the team every year we seem to be going for the more stable long term view!

But the scapegoat culture of the fans is still alive and kicking.

I would give Bailey 12 more months with a view to coaching. We need to keep experienced players to help develop players like Joel, Mossop and Farrell. Bailey is not a world class player but he is a world class leader. Look at the way he had protect Sam and Tim Smith last year in defense. We could end up loseing Fielden, Coley, Feka, McIllorum from the pack at the end of the year. That is too many to lose all at once, we did it before when the likes of Craig Smith, Mick Cas, O'Connor, etc left and the team fell apart. Bailey loves it at Wigan, he has pride in the shirt and always gives 100%. He is a natural leader and is the kind of guy who would help develop our younger players in the under 18's and under 20's.

I think you missed my point

He has been a good signing for us, and i mostly agree with what you say, but you cant say hes reached the highs that got him into a NSW jersey

Nobody is saying that he has. Bails has never really been a flashy highlight-reel kind of player but he's a solid pro and someone that the younger members of the squad look up to and respect, therefore we should think carefully about what course of action we take with him. His leadership qualities will be sorely missed

Give him a new three year deal on big money, the youngsters can really learn how to tackle by watching Money Bags.

Tomkins and Mossop don't need to develop. They are already better than him. Farrell had a much better game than Bailey today.

He had a poor game today.

Spot on sadly.

Bailey is no longer good enough to displace Hansen or Joel in the starting 13 and I'drather have Mossop, Faz or even Hock on the bench.

Yes he offers us leadership but with an obvious need for a new prop why don't we sign one who is a leader e.g. Luke Bailey?

If Bailey is a good guy 2 have around the club then make him a coach.

You could say that about many players that have been signed from Australia over the years...

But not Phil Bailey.

He had a stinker today but there are other reasons why we lost todays game imo.

Had a feeling Phil would be the scapegoat at the end of the game. Didnt have one of his best games but didnt help with Pryce going off with an injury in the 2nd half. I still thought he took the ball up well, maybe better than he has done so far this season.

I don't think he was past it when he arrived and he is a very good professional in that he knows how to read the game, give the odd penalty away when it might be a good idea to do so and so on but I think he is now past it.

In theory we only had a couple of injuries today as Bailey is considered a 1st team player but if Hansen, Lockers and Mossop were fit I don't think he'd even make the subs bench. I'd have Hansen and Lockers on from the start with Mossop and Farrell on the bench (if we want two back rowers on the bench).

Dave

Absolutely spot on. We really have some stupid fans, like the idiots who cheered when Pryce hurt his back, who had in the first half been giving him until he scored.

Bailey, today cost us the first try with a very poor attempt on Pryce, had Locky been playing, that wouldnt have happened, but the quoted post is 100% correct.

You have never seen him do this? Fletcher was another past master of this. Gave the odd penalty away when he could not prevent a quick PTB when the rest of the team was not set for defending. Bailey does the same but it never did and does not happen often but is a sign of a good pro when it does. He's still past it though.

Dave

We have the three backrowers out, Hansen, Lockers and Mossop so Bailey has to play for his experience. When they return he won't be anywhere near the 17.
Not had a good season overall and will be down the pecking order soon.
If they all come back soon then Hansen & Joel 2nd row, Lockers loose with Mossop, Farrell & Tuson as back up.
When it come to the business end I don't see Bailey, Feka or Phelps being involved.
He could well join the coaching staff, he knows his stuff and is very good off the field.

While I understand the sentiment and I appreciate what he has brought to the club, lets not kid ourselves, he was a panic buy at centre, when he failed there he moved into the pack without doubt his best position.

I do not know how much money he is on but he will have not come to the UK for chips and I feel we could have signed better players on a lesser wage if the rumours are true regarding his wage given he was a State of Origin player.

Chris Anderson liked him as a player and that is the basis of his rep career.

While he gives his all which I appreciate lets not sugar coat it, he has done a job but on the field he in my opinion has been solid but far from spectacular.

Bailey=Wellens does his job nothing more nothing less.

Yeah I have mentioned this before, he is very clever at giving away a penalty at the right time.

Completely agree. Which isn't often with you FT

but with Hansen, Mossop and Lockers back fit and with the younger players doing well I'd be shocked to see Bailey keep his place.

The interesting ones are Feka and Phelps because the absence of Phelps implies Goulding or Pryce in for the play offs ( I would have added Ainscough but he seems out of favour) and Feka not being there implies O'Carroll will take his place.

Dave

For me both Bailey and Fletcher were/are great professionals but very limited naturally as rugby league players.

I wish Madge would stop moving him to centre when we have an injury in the backline. JT is a much better option.

I've never been a fan a Phil Bailey and found his signing disappointing considering his background.

Considering we signed a 26 year NSW & Australian international centre/second rower, what we actually received was no more than a defensive work horse, with no attacking flair or X-factor that you'd expect from an overseas signing with such honours under his belt and let's not kid ourselves that the wages Maurice offered him weren't £100,000+.

He does have plus points ie the experience he has passed down to youngsters and his defence can be solid, but in a side that is looking to top the table and always aspire to be one step better than the rest, he is too one dimensional and often stunts our fluent attacking play. Another big weakness and very noticable flaw is the amount of penalties he gives away in crucial games and at crucial times.

He might be a good bloke, has a good rapour with fans and even has his own blog! I think he is very ordinary and is nothing more than a stop-gap to bring youngsters through & a quick solution to temporarily replace Gareth Hock. All in all he has been ''handy'' and ''solid'' and other words to that nature, but he has never shown us the reasons why he was picked for such high regarded representative honours which are the basis of why we signed him.

Sorry if it doesn't go along with the pro-Bailey brigade!