I’m not writing him off. I’m sticking to facts...
-French isn’t a playmaker. Never has been. So to play him as a first receiver pivot wasn’t fair on him.
-Asking French to play as a second receiver 6 off Hastings in a system the team hasn’t play in for decades is a big ask. Surely anyone can see that.
-honest to god. Another poster claiming Lam inherited a dud hand when in reality he inherited a team of current and past internationals with a wealth of experience in big games. Many of which have already won major silverware in SL.

Jeeees! So Hardaker's passed it, Our new signings are underwhelming, French doesn't have a position and Lam should be sacked.



Do you at least like the new kit?

I actually do



I hope I'm wrong, but sometimes, even on here, you have to be honest.

I wish some people would see last season for what it was. We had a new (interim) coach coming in after years under the same regime. We had more off field issues than most club have in a decade. We had an unbelievably bad run of injuries.
Despite all that, we were able to unearth a few gems from the reserves, finish 2nd in the league and were 80 minutes away from a grand final. We’ve signed the current man of steel and a very experienced NRL / International prop who adds a huge amount of size to our pack. We’ve also signed in positions where we needed to strengthen.
Our season wasn’t great, but I’m prepared to accept that there were mitigating factors and I can’t wait for next season to start. I also quite like the new kit but I’m just a happy clapper!

Lam may be saying he’s not sure where players will play but there’s no doubt he’ll have a fair idea. I doubt he’ll just throw 17 names up in the air come Wire and run with the order he picks them up in. The guy isn’t going to want to publicly state his teams nailed down and put a pin in 15 other lads hopes of a place in the Wire game. He’s said already he is aware of the vast majority of his team but has said a couple of places are open. That is surely good management? Dangle that carrot to them all to go and rip it up in pre season. There’s guys like Jack Wells, Navarette, Harry Smith etc who currently you’d think may sit outside Lams team for that first game but if they smash it in the friendlies then things can change.

I don't think anyone, and not me, are saying it's '17 names up in the air' that's a massive extreme, but he did state he doesn't know where to play a new signing.
Again, no ones saying about having a time nailed down, but knowing your starting halves/fb again is different.
And not knowing where key signings/positions play isn't good management.

Agree with all of that.
If we don't know where to play him why sign him? Conversations surely took place at the club when we targeted his signature unless we took the word of agent on how good he was.
French could be a sensational signing let's hope we don't make a mess of it by not giving the guy a significant role at the club and be an 80 minute player rather than a cameo role to cover tiredness and a final play of the dice when plan A hasn't worked.

Exactly. Why sign a player if you don’t know what to do with him? We don’t have that luxury; we’re salary capped. Especially when we’re crying out for a play maker.

Was he signed as a FB? Probably not. We have Hardaker and other players who can cover. Not including youngsters coming through.
Was he signed as a winger? Doubt it. At the time of his signing we had an abundance; Davies, Marshall, Burgess, Manfredi plus others who can cover.

So, especially considering he’s squad number, he’s been signed as a half.
So...this either means he’s now expected to be a playmaker (which didn’t look like a good option from the back end of last season) or that Lam is literally going to change the way the entire team plays to compensate French as a strike 6 playing as a second pivot off Hastings.

Again I have to agree with you,I don’t think anyone doubts he has pace to burn but as a signing it didn’t make sense back in the summer nor now unless it is to play in the halves,which really he didn’t look that comfortable in that position,but it’s unfair to judge him to harshly.

Given the cover the club had in the wings surely if a player was to be brought in it perhaps should have been a prop given that the side was a little light there rather than a player that doesn’t seem to fit anywhere.

As I say an odd signing but as ever I hope he settles into whatever role Lam has planned for him

With French being given the 6 shirt then that does suggest he'll p[lay there. I'm not bothered about what happened last season when he went to 6 as that was after a team injury when players were swapped around.
French has a full pre season although Hastings won't return until the new year or so.
With our spine of the team being - Hardaker, French, Hastings, O'Loughlin & Powell then I do think there's a very good balance between ball players, strike players and high workrate players.
Lam has to get this right. He will leave himself options but a winning team is essential for Lam given the quality and cost of this squad.

That’s why I labelled him as a “problem signing”, nothing to do with his ability but more where does he play. It’s still creating issues now and I don’t expect those issues to be resolved next season either. It’s an issue that if Lam doesn’t get right, could well cost him his job

You're right to do so. If we didn't have a FB he'd be a great signing, or even if we were short on wingers; as it happens we're not.

I bet Lam plays him at 6 and doesn't split the halves. Even worse for French; Hastings likes to move in from the left; that's where French filled in for Williams last season.

We’ll find out the answer come pre season friendlies (of which there’s only one so far). As much as I’m excited for the new season, I’m also concerned.

That pretty much sums up how I feel. Interested to see what Lam does with our squad.

I think he knows exactly where he’s playing him to start 2020 but he’s not saying as of yet and why would he.

It was made clear when he signed that he’d have a totally different role in 2020 to 2019. He was viewed as a utility last year but I’m pretty sure Lam knows and has known for a while where he’ll be turning out come that Wire game.

Bigredwarrior likes this.

If I knew how to add a smilie thingy I’d add one here!!

I knew you'd see the funny side of it mate

Hastings doesn’t return to training till 2nd of January, he’ll have 2/3 weeks to try form a partnership with French and French isn’t a stand off, French should start at fullback and Hardaker at centre, I don’t particularly want Tommy at 7 but it’s the most logical move imo to start the season anyway

I wonder if the Lachlan Lam rumour will resurface? It seems Sammut is on his way; Woods and Mullen also off the cap; there could be room to bring in another signing before the season begins. We massively need to move Escare on. He’s a player who’s eating up cap space who’s not now considered a first team player. His salary plus others mentioned could be enough to bring in someone who can give our team other options.


I want to see the Hastings/French combo given a go. To see if can offer something new and exciting.
But the more I think about it I see a current FB who’s lost a crucial yard of pace and doesn’t link out wide and we have a lightening fast 6 who’s best used as a strike weapon out the back linking the play from FB.

Only issue is who plays in the halves with Hastings? Perhaps Smith can be given game time, but we’re missed a good half.

I wouldn’t want Tommy there all season but I’d have no problem with him starting in the halves early season. Starting ‘summer’ rugby in January can be tough, with freezing conditions and heavy pitches and you know Tommy won’t let you down when games are tight and attritional. I’d hope we’d have enough strike and creativity with French at fullback and Hastings in the halves to allow Tommy to just keep it simple. I’d spell him with Harry Smith (or spell Powell) to allow Smith the minutes to try and stake a claim for a starting spot later in the year.

I think Lam will play French and Hastings together though.

I think we’re still missing a half. Never particularly rated Tommy as a 7. Lacks creativity and literally has the worst kicking game I’ve ever seen in a professional half.
Solid in defence, and plays tough; but who in gods name sizes a 7 cos he can hit hard.

I’m gutted we could have worked something out with Sam Tomkins. When Tomkins lost his pace he should have been moved into the halves. He has a fantastic rugby brain; would have/still could make a great half.

Spot on. Sam was a good FB in his day but he was always a class HB. We’re feeling the effects of letting him go for sure

In tekation to Tomkins there were not many bigger fans than me, but it’s time to look forward not back.

Saying we are suffering the effects of letting him go is a little frustrating as every player we “let go” will have an effect somewhere or other.

The main effect of allowing Tomkins to go this year in particular would be thstvwe wouldn’t have been able to sign one of Hastings or Burgess.

I also don’t like to use the term “let go” in relation to Tomkins. He wanted to go. I think his time at Wigan had come to a natural conclusion and with a few off the field issues along the way it was in both his and Wigan’s interests to move on.

Don't think anyone used the term 'let go'. There's 'let it go' but that's from the film Frozen. I've not seen Frozen 2 yet; so no spoilers please.