Gives some more fuel to the Tom Briscoe rumours coming out of Hull.

Whoever plays left wing next season, there'll be a huge hole both on and off the pitch at the club with Pat going. Of all the players to have left since 2010, this feels the worse for some reason.

Only 1 we could have issues replacing.

Though be honest were you one of the people who were unhappy when Smith and Green were announced as our new 6 and 7 for this season. Pat is virtually irreplaceable. There are better wingers out there there are better kickers not many but. There is no better Winger goal kicker in Super League.

I'd love us to sign Briscoe! Make it so IL!

Didn't he sign for Cronulla a few months ago?

Thanks Pat, your legend status is secure however this last season pans out. It has been good to take an Aussie's best years and see him head home as a fading player looking for one last pay day. Also, good to see contracts being honoured, though I am sure some on here would rather have seen IL sell him last season just to get the transfer fee.

I'm not crying... I just have something in my eyes



Good luck Paddy, great clubman and top professional!

Sad to see Pat go after 8 seasons of giving 100% with never a complaint even when he took a bit of stick during that first season when Wigan tried to turn him into a centre.
Since that first season he has been a model of consistency.

His last match for Wests in 2005 was when he went half the length of the field in the last minute of the Grand Final to score the winning try in the corner. This try was well worth seeing, if someone could put it up it would be worth it.

It would be more than fitting if he can sign off for Wigan the same way (in a grand final)

Edit. I have just found it on utube, it was more like 30 yards that 50 but I am not changing it, Pat deserved it.
Looking at it again though Benjy had a bit to do with it.

Ah Van for Wigan as a straight replacement. Big powerful goal kicking winger.

Very sad news.

Along with Joel Monaghan he is the best I have seen at leaping high for the ball to score a try in the corner.

His kicking game will be missed and I hope we do bring in another goal kicker of that calibre.

For me Pat Richards is the player who perhaps benefited the most from the sacking of Ian Millward. When Brian Noble came in he handed him the goal kicking duties which seemed to give him a purpose in the team and he looked a much more confident player after this - he also looked much more comfortable on the wing rather than at centre.

Great servant to Wigan.

Done more than enough to cement his place in the Wigan Hall of Fame.
Good luck Pat.

By far my favourite player during my time of watching Wigan, he had it all as a winger and was unstoppable in his season that he won the MOS.

A true legend in my eyes!

Wow! Did not see that one coming. Wish him all the best for the future and can fully understand his reasons for wanting to return home for a final swansong in the NRL.

Good luck Paddy!

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Took the other news on board this week ok but this really is bad news, having said that I can't blame him and he owes us not a single thing so can only wish him well and thank him for being such a fantastic player for us. You will be badly missed Pat but a huge sincere thank you for being such a great player for us and a great bloke into the bargain. All the best

Jimmy Hornby and Denis Ramsdale have been seen at the DW, COINCIDENCE ?

How many really easy games do you blokes play each year??

25%

Half??

How will he go in a side thats rebuilding in a comp where every week anyone can beat anyone, NO easy games.

He stands out more in tight games for me. Hardly ever bombs a chance and his goalkicking is razor sharp, a real high percentage player.

what a kick in the gut this is, just looked on skysports news and seen this on the front page and actually shouted out F***ing hell. Certain that we wont sign anybody nowhere near as good as him. We might be the first team in superleague to actually have no aussies in 3 years.

Blake green was saying that there is only him and pat in the camp (not sure why he doesnt include eric in that)

If this is a round-about way of asking how we think he'll do in the NRL, I'd reply that we probably got the best of him. Pat is one of the best blokes you could meet and has been a great servant to Wigan on the pitch, but age is inevitably starting to kick in.

Eric isnt Australian.........

nearly crashed the car when 5Live started to make the announcement this morning (something along the lines of "WW losing more players to the NRL"icon_wink.gif before naming Pat. Had a dummy spit for a second or 2 then realised he was OOC.

will be missed, bludy good bloke - let's make the best of the next 5 or 6 months

Why have you missed out Ronnie Braithwaite ?.

I'm made up for him. We got him in his prime and he has given Wigan his all for eight years. Time is right for him to now set up the rest of his family's life in Australia. Good Luck Pat. I will be giving you a standing ovation at Hull tonight.

I won't mind joining in with that. Great player and a great servant. Guaranteed to score at least 2 tonight, but its been a pleasure watching him play. Only wish he'd signed for Hull all those years ago (although he'd have left well before now if he had

)

What a legend. And a great man. He will be hard to replace, but it can be done. He is a great kicker but it's worth remembering that he only developed that through practice and dedication after joining us. I would have though that, with his football pedigree, Smith could become a fine kicker as well.

sorry i meant overseas