Some are just getting carried away here with what is nothing but a publicity stunt.

And for some to say Carmont "is getting on" but approve a much older guy is a nonsense argument.

We used to search out the very best at Wigan and Thomas is far from that.

So if he is not being signed for his play, or any potential coaching skills, what is there left ?

Maybe the RFL has been hit with a touch of political correctness ?

The pro-Thomas lobby are getting far too carried away with cliches and emotive language here.

The irony of this last sentence is off the Richter Scale.

I don't think you're going to be happy with our new kit next season............

OK... So lets get a few things straight...

Am i right in thinking that we will have salery cap space and quota spots availiable for next season..... YES

Does IL believe in our youth and want to give them support to get better.... YES

Do i think that IL has other signings up his sleeve.... YES

Has IL officially announced who is coach for next season yet, could it be that he likes to do things his way...... YES

Is IL a very shrewd man and plays his cards close to his chest..... YES

Has this matter got people talking about Wigan, irrespective of whether you think its negative...... YES

You will see another thread close by that is about our business, because thats what we fans are a part of, a business. And whatever you think of this signing IL will have reasons for doing this....

2006 fighting against relegation.... We are now Challenge Cup Holders, Hub cap holders and Grand final winners. Whatever you negative nay sayers may think about this one little signing, this club is back where it belongs. So put this signing in perspective, its a part of a whole, not the whole. Go read TotalRL website and see what the spread of opinion is there. Not as negative as here, because some people can see the bigger picture.....

Was it HARD trying to find this piccy?

nah.....it is one of many from his recent holiday with the boys....

I think it's a good signing. He's about to get loads of press - so we will as well.

He'll help attract youngsters from Wales, as he's a Welsh union legend.

He's a good player and good cover.

He's also very articulate from what I've heard of him and a decent bloke to boot. The sort of person League needs to boost publicity, so to have him at the most famous Rugby League club in the world also makes sense.

Personally I can see both sides of this argument. Anything that makes the average Daily Mail reader look at us instead of Yawnion, even for a minute is a win as far as I'm concerned.

We get to a lot of Crusaders games, and have seen him play on a good few occasions. In attack he plays well, and can burst through tackles and make yards quite effectively. Defence on the other hand is somewhere he's struggled IMO. I've seen him get sucked in to dummy runners and gaps on many occasions, even when everybody else can see what is about to happen, he also shows his age when defending one on one against younger players who can wrong foot him with ease. That said, he plays 100% at every opportunity, and commits to all aspects of the game.

I think that League is more like chess compared to Yawnion. You have to be able to think 2 or 3 plays ahead, and see what is likely to happen. I think players brought up in League have a better ability to do this than Union players who come in to the game, and have spent 20 odd years doing the same stuff up and down the field.

I trust IL, he's got us this far, and I feel he wouldn't have done this if he thought it would damage the Wigan brand.

Nathan said when are you going to call him back?

I've been away from this site for a few days so I've only just read people's opinions on the Gareth Thomas signing. But all I can say is, calm down people!

Anyone who thinks this signing is mainly for playing reasons then you are very wide of the mark. It's a very shrewd move by Ian Lenegan and can only benefit the club, believe me. And to be honest, the soon to-be biggest name in rugby joining the best known name in rugby league may even benefit British rugby league as a whole. As far as rugby league is concerned at the moment, any publicity is good publicity to a certain extent.

Awesome signing guys, puts our recruitment into perspective anyways. Cheers!

You'll be signing Bill Beaumont before you know it!!

But then you remembered that we're current SL and CC champions and you stopped feeling so smug all of a sudden

Are we still on this...



Someone just make a poll! - Gareth Thomas: Happy ~ Unhappy

Phil Bailey with the beard ?

Are those the Warrington casuals ?

Are those the Warrington casuals ?'"

really?

the merchandising for the andrew johns deal made more money than you could ever possibly imagine, it covered his wages twice over for the period he was at warrington plus he got game time, he was a welcome addition to the squad and helped us out considerably on the pitch. i believe your post was either missguided or just backlash for the sake of it!

We dont need signings.......

Enough said.

really?

what if Cruncher imagined Wembley Stadium filled from floor to roof with stacks of 500 euro notes? Would the merchandising for the Andrew Johns deal have made more money than that?

Tee hee. I see what you did.

what you fail to understand mr pedant is that cruncher along with most wiganers only views money in the context of how many pies he can purchase or how far over the cap your club can go before you are found out by the RFL! so to answer your question his imagination would not have the capacity to even come close to the money involved in the andrew johns deal. hth

It was just the first thing that popped into my head.....

Oh dear. Sense of humour failure. Bit tense are we? Worried Wire will lose on Sunday and then implode in the play-offs... again... are we?

Of course the signing is for playing reasons. He is a good winger who will bolster the squad at a key point in the season.

Wigan don't need to sign someone for recognition or publicity. The way some people are talking, he's the world's most famous rugby union player whose presence will put the name of an otherwise unknown small club on the map