Have we signed Knowles as you have mentioned every player we have signed or plays for us in a position that Owen may need,hope we havnt signed knowles as a replacement for Smithies as surely that is bringing in a lesser player maybe he could be the next project player we take on

OF isnt signing for Wigan

Owen Farrel is 10x the player Thompson ever was, or ever will be again.

I'm sick to my back teeth of this RL is great, RU players are bad BS.

You’re comparing apples and oranges though.

Farrell is 10x the player at what sport? Because it certainly isn’t Rugby League as he is 100% untried, untested and unproven in that sport.

At no point have I said anything along the lines of “RL is great, RU players are bad.” I’ve come absolutely nowhere even close to suggesting that.

What I have said is that I don’t see how Owen Farrell fits into Wigan’s line up for 2024, as either you have better options in some positions or he doesn’t have the skill set for others.

Do you disagree with any of that?

You're just bitter

Sorry, couldn't resist..

Personally I tend to agree with this. Farrell is a great rugby player and, maybe 2 years ago with time to transition from what is essentially a different sport, I would have said a definite "yes". But I don't see the need for him now at Wigan. As you say we are well covered in all the possible positions he might play. I'd add Eckersley into the mix at centre too as he definitely needs to be getting game time this year.

That said, if he did come, I wouldn't put it past him to be a roaring success. Very much a case of Que Sera, Sera for mine.

With Shorrocks and Powell both likely to depart we will have the salary cap to strengthen further.

To be fair, I know that Welsby has had discussions with teams in the NRL. Why wouldn’t he if they are likely to quadruple his salary.

I was really looking forward to OF joining but him being back at Saracens rules it out IMO.

Agreed.

With with dad looking likely to be named Lions coach for the 2025 tour as well I’d say he will want to be involved in that too.

I’ve always wondered with Farrell what the overlapping seasons of League and Union would mean. I don’t have a clue if there has ever been any sort of chance of it happening but even if it was going to happen, would that be immediately or would it be when the Union season was through? Looking at Google, it seems like that has just started and finishes in June. We’d have about half a season left then. Could it be that he comes on a contract that starts part way through our season, with him spending that first half a season bedding in, getting minutes in a couple of positions and then looking to push for a regular position at the start of 2025?

As I say, not a clue if there’s any truth in it but I would still say him not coming in immediately doesn’t kill it stone dead. That will come as and when he signs a new deal in Union (which won’t be too far down the track if he is staying).

On reflection, it might have been difficult for OF to adjust back to League in any effective way. It would have been a fun signing to make, especially given the various salary cap discounts we could have called on, not to mention the wave of publicity ... but would that have been enough for us in the long-term?

Being hardnosed about it, it's unlikely he'd have made a satisfactory replacement for both Smithies and KPP. Once the fuss had died down, we might still have found ourselves wanting in the back row.

Taking a strictly common sense approach to this, if Mike Danson is really ready to stump up big cash, there are probably better options out there.

I have always thought OF was a none starter for many reasons but I wouldn’t say him going back to train with Saracens means the deal is 100% off, it may still be in a negotiation stage? Or it may have been agreed to let him play for another couple of months before coming Wigan (although personally I think we would want him here as early as possible learning the ropes).

OF was captain of the age above at rugby league and absolutely dominated as a teen at amateur level and service area (now called scholarship). You see kids develop early and play an age up but I've never seen one always be the best player on the pitch whilst playing an age up. I know there's a big difference between that and Super League but it's not right to say he's untested at rugby league. He was already looking destined for big things prior to converting to RU.

I think the pros would massively outweigh the cons when you consider how good he could potentially be, the marketing benefits (both for the club and the sport) and the fact he wouldn't count on the cap. Having said all that, I don't think he's coming, yet anyway.

When he was 13 years old... that was 18 years ago

Logan Tomkins and Iain Thornley also played the age above at St Pats, means a lot at the time but nothing once you get to the older ages.

Plenty of players dominate in the 13-16 year old bracket and then never make it at the higher level. Similar to the fact that there are many players who don't get picked up early on but make it at a later age (Makinson, Powell, Crosby).

If OF does sign... I can't see it being revealed while Lenagan is still Chairman.

MD takes charge on 1st December and what better way to start his stewardship of the club than announcing a blockbuster signing and the handshake opportunity. A signing of that magnitude isn't going to be announced on Twitter at 6pm on a Tuesday.

Would make sense for OF to train and stay match fit for another month, if that is the scenario.

I don't think it'll happen, but not 100% sure either.

Someone in our Rugby group posted this

Just listening to Eddie Jones on the Simon jordan podcast and he said Marcus smith will have to step up for England now Farrell is ‘going to the other side’

I watch that podcast but point blank refused to watch that episode as Eddie Jones makes me angry just looking at him but I might flick through it now.

**Edit** just found the part and he says Marcus Smith will have to step up over the next couple of years as Owen Farrell is “getting on the other side now”. It seems like he means he’s in the latter stages of his career tbh, rather than him saying he’s moving on.

Hang fire
Just been told.by someone that it isn't actually what he said

He said "Owens, getting to the other side"

I would say that's a reference to his age

A couple of weeks ago I replied to someone who said something like there's nothing in it
I tried to find my reply but can't as I kind of cryptically replied that I think there is
When they asked why I had a long reply explaining some things I've been told, and seen.

Probably shouldn't have said it like that but was lucky that something happened on the site and it kept crashing and wouldn't let me post

A couple of people off here have seen what I have and what's behind it, and I've had 2 different sets of sources who I trust explaining what's been going on in the discussions

So I can honestly say i think there is something in all of this, is it signed sealed and delivered, not sure.

Personally as a player I'm a bit 50/50, but given that it won't affect us that much cap wise I can see the enormous positives commercially, publicity etc wise it would bring

Yeah, I found the bit and it does seem to be a reference to age. Doesn’t add weight or take any away from the rumours either way.

Given I’m not sure I even know what Danson looks like I doubt he will be one for the media..maybe wrong on that of course

I'm assuming from your post you didn't see him play. No one in living memory was as good at that age as OF. Playing an age up happens a fair bit. Good but not that noteworthy. Being comfortably the best player in the UK at the age above I've never seen happen with anyone else. It wasn't just physically developing early either (though clearly he had great genetics) his passing and kicking were both outstanding for a player of any age. I agree that may not translate Into Super League but we shouldn't just think of him as an RU convert either. He's spent time running rings around many of our current stars.

I went to high school with Owen and I ain't going to lie he was by far the most naturally gifted loose forward I have seen at that age!
I know he's been in union for years but union is the sport he had to learn from scratch he was pretty average at it .
Rugby league comes naturally to him he would be amazing for us id go as far as saying he would be the best ball playing loose forward in the comp I really believe it wouldn't be a gamble atall

None of us knew what Ian Lenagan looked like (or who he was) until he took over at Wigan.

I agree though, I get the impression Danson will have less of a hands-on and visible approach than IL has had. We'll see.