I'd love the beast if he wasn't so injury prone. His try scoring record is phenominal.

Not just that but possibly Carmont as well. But that's what top sides have to deal with.

Ideally I'd like to see Pat do another contract then we can see in 2-3 years time where the likes of Ryan King and Matty Russell from the academy are standing.

I still think Carmont is massively underrated by a lot of our fans. For me he is extremely consistent, professional and plays to a very high standard. You can see him and Hoffman are forming a good partnership on that side now, and with Pat outside them we will see some real quality down the left wing this season imo. For me Carmont will be a bigger loss than Gleeson, and I think he is missed more than people realise.

Carmont looks fit enough for another season imo. We could do a lot worse than offer him a 1 year deal so we can sort out other areas.

Could be wrong but I think Lenegan has basically said he expects Carmont to retire at the end of this season, don't think the decision would be there for the club to make. It's definitely worth trying though!

I think Richards will be a massive massive loss for you lot.

He's not just a good goal kicker but a very very good player.
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I've heard from the horses mouth himself that Carmont will definately not be here next season. He said he wants to go back home and enjoy his retirement before his body is completely knackered, admittedly he was drinking at the time so may have been enjoying the life so to speak.

Shame, we are going to need to find a real class centre I think, having a youngster on one side is fine, but to not have real quality in the centres would leave a very big gap in the team.

Pat being offered 4x his salary at Sale is massive.
Wigan can't afford that but can Sale?

They are getting 7-8k crowds and 2k of those are freebies. They are losing around £1.5m a year.
The stadium is awful, needs £8m to renovate which Kennedy says he hasn't got. He's put in upwards of £15m of his own money already and recently was reported as saying he feared for the future of professional Rugby Union in the North West. Sale, of course, being the only professional Union club in the NW.

Their ground at Stockport could end up like Knowsley Rd in that some time soon it becomes no longer viable to have Union and Soccer at the place.
Pat might be offered a 3 year deal, will Sale Union be around in three years or less though! If Kennedy walks then it's all over for Sale.

Richards will be one of the two Wigan players joining Maguire at Souths.

Pat will be here next year. Reason a new 3 year contract hasnt been signed off yet, is because were waiting to sort out what is happening with the remaining money from Gleeson's wage.

News will be announced soon, no need to worry.

Bar Lima and Leuluai, all our overseas players may be gone next year.

Richards may go, Hoffman may also. The article re Finch confirmed what I had heard previously - he wants to go home and his heart wasn't in it in the first place. Doesn't mean he'll leave but not a good sign. Carmont will retire whilst you can't see Amos Roberts staying in the reserves for another season. Doesn't benefit him or the club to have an overseas player and decent wage earner playing in the 20's.

Whether or not they all end up leaving, it will definitely be all or some of the players mentioned. In all likelihood we'll need to recruit significantly in the backs, be it from the UK or overseas. Whilst we could probably cope in the forwards, we may need to look at bringing someone in there as well considering Coley's retirement also.

I raised a point of investing firstly into Wigan then UK based players to avoid this very situation.
Granted Pat has stayed with us for lengthy stay but the others are questionable.
I believe investment into UK players who won't up and leave.
It's costing our team too much in stability to be losing new signings after 1 or 2 years. I'm sick of players and coaches no fulfilling their contract, its not acceptable.

Turns out Maguire did. He had an option of a third year NOT a 3 year contract.

Likewise if Hoffman goes then it was his choice to take up the extra year anyway so we cant complain there.

Pat would be as big a loss as most in the team if Sam wasnt so much younger he'd be of a similar loss to him.

And as for Carmont. The way he played on Friday he has to play on. When you're playing that well you cant retire he's a brilliant player and Proof that Noble, in some ways, really knew what he was talking about.

I actually thought Madge was on a 3 yr and we let him go after 2 cos he wanted to return.
It's clear that Wigan based or UK based players are more likely to stay around and play out their best years at our club.

Carmont still has a couple of years left in him IMO. All this stuff about hes getting on and injuries catching up with because of a long career are rubbish. Didnt he only start playing in the NRL at 26?

And as previously mentioned, if he carries on playing like he did against both St George and St Helens, then he shouldnt be retiring.

I'd like him to say, but lets fact it, he only came over here cos he'd been sent packing by the Knights. For me, only bring in imports when there's no other option. Our contracts are becoming a joke.

A lot of Knights fans did want him to stay but I suppose that doesnt say much, he could of just been a fans favourite like Feka.

Also regarding the contracts I dont think they are too bad. In some cases the option year will work against us e.g. with Madge we have lost him a year early. Same could be said with Hoffman, but at the rate Farrell is developing and Tuson always impresses me when he plays, I'd rather lose Hoffman a year early if it meant keeping our younger players.

The younger players have been tied up to longer contracts and if it wasnt for Pat's injury at the end of last season he would also now have a new contract. Once he has a run of games again and there is no re-occurance or niggles, he will be resigned. So for the one or two contracts where we have got it wrong, Lenegan is also getting a lot right.

I think he;s getting it better yet not right. It's difficult to get a good player over who's in his prime. Most Aussies won't consider SL if they are high profile in the NRL until they are coming to the back end of their career. However we can get a UK player to give us 8 yerars of their best years to our club. Now players at the age of 29+ come over and take the pi$$ out of contracts etc.

Are you a member of the EDL?

You talk like we are Arsenal FC! We have less than a quarter of our team that are foreign and that includes guys trained here like Tommy and H. You seem to have a large amount of xenophobia going on. The foreign players are important. We may have the best youth players coming through but we could never hope to have a team full of Wiganers in the near future (especially considering the Tomkins are from Chorley and Mossop from Cumbria) I admit I would prefer it if the team were almost all British but foreign players are essential in our sport to keep it progressing.

We couldn't have expansion without aussies and kiwis because without them Crusaders and Catalans would still be on just about a team of 13 each.

If you seriously believe that we have been stung more by foreign players than we have UK players than may I refer you to the next 2 in line for testimonials. O'Loughlin and then Hansen. Is hansen foreign? Yes. Has hansen been here longer than all but 1 of our players? You bet'cha. Richards has been here for years AND extended a contract once. Maguire has NOT broken any contract. Hoffman, if he goes, had the option to start with.

So as far as I can see you base all this "contracts getting ridiculous" on one player: Barrett. Because Richards was under that age when he came (and renewed once already) as is Hoffman and Lima and Finch is 29. (Which btw is still in most player's prime).

How ridiculous. Where was Hansen raised? What youth system did he come through? And your Lockers comment backs up my entire point.

How many Wigan lads have, by their own accord left the club early?

PS selective readers who are just looking for an argument; did I ever say I didn't think we should ever look aboard? No. I said that we should firstly look and invest inward, the Wigan and UK based players offer more-overall to our club in terms of longevity to the club. Naturally there has been exceptions, but overall the statement remains.

It was a good point as you claimed that they leave early yet hes heading for a testimonial.

According to the Official Club Web Site Maguire signed a three year contract, not a two with an option. www.wiganwarriors.com/WContent.aspx?id=102

According to the Official Club Web Site Maguire signed a three year contract, not a two with an option. www.wiganwarriors.com/WContent.aspx?id=102

Where is Hansen actually from despite being born in NZ? Swinton, Salford. Who's scholarship system did he come through? Ours!!