I think you've understood what I was trying to say. Wellens has had a decent/good start to his 1st season. He's certainly no flop.

Its come to something that Saints fans are commenting on a coach who doesnt coach us or a player who doesnt play for us,we must be doing something right.

You don’t understand it FTV because you are not a Wigan fan and Saints don’t have anyone similar who they could sign and is one of their own.

IF Farrell did convert to RL he would be the biggest name to come to RL in the history of the game exceeding even the signatures of Jim Sullivan and Billy Boston.
A player known nationally to the very majority of sports fans in the UK.
A name that would generate more interest than any other ex RU player or even the current greatest NRL players.
A player that would attract national sponsors.
A player that would fill the ground on his RL debut.
A player that would take the atmosphere of a Wigan v Saints derby to a different stratosphere.
A player that would become part of the Wigan folklore if he was successful. A story that today’s kids will tell their grandkids about if he was successful.
A player that all RL fans outside of Wigan would want him to fail and pay money to see it.
A player that would attract national headlines.
A player that would be coming home.
A player that the NRL press would detest but would love him to actually play in Australia on a Lions tour.
A player that the English RU press detest but can’t stop writing about him even if he played RL.
A player that if he failed would become part of Saints folklore.
A player that might trigger a surge in kids taking up RL all across the country.
A player that would create history if he could follow his dad’s success.
A player if he did succeed might encourage more RU players to convert to RL across all levels of rugby.
A player that could takes us on the trip of a lifetime or to the depths of despair.
A player who could be an actual game changer.
You never know he might actually be a decent RL player too.

Brilliant post especially the last paragraph.

Building a winning team and winning culture isn’t always about picking the 17 best players together.


Also some people should watch Wire away from early this year for an example of what Isa brings to this club.

Hopefully it happens so we can all see just how much nonsense there is in this post



As for taking saints Wigan atmosphere to a different stratosphere, I think you are seriously overstating how much saints fans would care about this. Most saints fans would be delighted if Wigan were to pursue this particular distraction, I know I would be.

The Out Of Your League Podcast with Martin Gleeson from a few weeks back touches on Edwards and he has a story which shows why Edwards is as successful a coach as he is. He is continually trying to better himself from both Union and League techniques.

I think he will be a success whatever he does because he is a winner and will not accept anything less

Of course some of it is nonsense it was a post to wind you you up. Tell you what if he does sign the PR guys will make my post sound like a CofE
Right so Farrell the most expensive player in British RL history playing for Wigan and Saints fans can’t be d??
Yeah ok.
Saints fans hated Tomkins. They would detest Farrell with unparalleled passion. By the way you took the time on here to bring him up and he hasn’t even signed. Imagine how you’d feel if we’d wasted all that money on a soft union lad who was passed it? It wouldn’t be a distraction you’d pray for the day when you could bring him down to earth with a thud. Saints fans would love him fail spectacularly. We would want him to to score the winning points in the final minute.You stop at home and sup your cocoa while the rest of us enjoy a bit of history if he does sign for us.
Tell you what I bet you £100 that if he does sign on his debut It will be a sell out. Obviously to charity and mine would be Prostrate Cancer. Name yours FTV.

Farrell wont be signing for Wigan

We wouldn't. We "hated" (your overly strong word) Tomkins because he was a generational talent who loved a bit of winding up too. Do you genuinely think Farrell is going to come in and have that sort of impact for people to care as much? I reckon he'd probably be a bit like a Tommy L with a better kicking game. Hardly terrifying. I'd struggle to dislike him let alone detest him with unparalleled passion.



I didn't bring him up.



Exactly, I've already said I hope you're daft enough to thrown money at him rather than signing a top half from the NRL for example.



It probably would be, as you Wigan fans seem hooked on the idea. But his impact would be far more noise than match winner IMO. I'd sign Bevan French 20 times before I signed Owen Farrell - it's all just fluff and bluster, which is why I can't see it happening and can't see why Wigan fans would want it to just as you're getting your act together through sensible decision making.

Anyway back to the original point of the thread - Willie Isa is rubbish

If Farrell came to Rugby League it would be as a ball playing 13 rather than a half IMO

Isa for me is our LMS. A great guy, loves the club but has limited abilities. LMS plays the pantomime villain better though.

By the way I totally agree IF we did sign Farrell it could well be fluff and bluster plus he could be a monumental failure. He could actually deliver, albeit a long shot, but if he did what a story it would be. Our game is woefully short of any national presence and we now have an owner who maybe prepared to take a punt.
Interesting that you’d take French. I suspect it’s got a lot to do with the excitement he generates. For me he isn’t our most important player, that’s Smith. If I was looking from the outside looking in I’d take French all day long as he’s got the X factor. If Farrell did succeed he would have the XXX factor.

You're still talking as though every Wigan fan is saying they want to sign Owen Farrell. It's a real mixed bag and even the ones hoping for it to happen are basing it as much on the profile boost it would bring, rather than the on field stuff.

Sign him, don't sign him, does it really matter to our chances of success? (we can't go and sign a big name NRL player with any money we'd spend on Farrell as he'll cost nothing on the cap unlike NRL players). We'll have a very good squad going in to 2024 and beyond. We have a team chocked full of players at a great age, who have yet to hit their peak and who are constantly improving. We have very few players we're reliant on, who are in the latter years of their careers and will need replacing within the next 2-3 years. It's all building very nicely (I think you realise that to be fair and it's part of the reason you're trying to find some faults) and we look to have far less headaches on the horizon than some other clubs.

Wigan are doing a lot right and look like they might move into a dominant period - I agree. I'm not looking for fault, I just find some of the Farrell/Edwards stuff fascinating.

But you've not given any indication as to why they wouldn't work, despite (especially on the part of Edwards) suggestions as to why they could/would work.

It's quite simple - I think they are gambles/risks because neither has been involved in RL in any meaningful way for about 20 years.

Farrell in particualr I struggle to see the point other than a Wire/Inglis style publicity stunt. Edwards - I'm not saying he wouldn't make a top coach, I just think there is a long queue of RL coaches that I'd go for first for the type of money you'd be throwing at him. Also, he shafted you!

That Edwards stuff has been fascinating you for a good while then! It was nearly 5 years ago



I doubt you'll have to worry about Farrell either but if a Billionaire wants to bring in a high profile player, out of his pocket, that'll cost the club nothing on the cap and at worst just help bring the club and sport some much needed publicity, that's his business.

Funnily enough, I was thinking the exact same with the LMS comparison. At no point have I ever really rated him, but trying to be more fair minded I've eventually come to the realisation that he's played a valuable supporting role in a pack filled with more talented players. Exactly the same with Isa in his time here.

And LMS might be a better pantomime villain, but I think Isa's the one you want when it comes to actual acts on villainy on the pitch!

Isa should've been released years ago. Wouldn't get a game at Pats. I'm sure he's a great bloke. So's my Grandad. But he's sh-ite at playing rugby and never got near pulling on a Wigan shirt

I'm sure he (Isa) is absolutely devastated to find out what some no mark who hasnt got a clue thinks of him

His GF (multiple) and World club challenge medals and the respect of the hundreds and hundreds of players and coaches he's worked with over a 15plus 1st team career counts for nothing

I Think you're drunk.

I wouldn't have Farrell or Edwards for a gold pig, ever.

Oooooh you are a proper little cheeky monkey aren’t you?