Bennett has demonstrated time and again that he's the best coach and rugby thinker around, he's truely a legend in the same way as Jack Gibson. What I like the most about the guy is how thoughtful and insightful he is, he's not a ranter or a raver, nor a spineless wuss either - he commands respect from any player he's involved with.

I truely would have loved him as Wigan coach, as I'm sure ANY super league team would have wanted him to coach them, but alas it's not to be. It's great to see however coaches that have followed in the Bennett school like Belemy continuing the success, and a new generation of coaches like Kearney and McGuire taking the schooling of the great mentor onwards.

And yes as you can tell, I'm a huge fan of WB.

Get him signed to continue waking the sleeping Giant after MaGuire has started the process.



I knew MaGuire was the man for the job when Bennet said he is a great coach.

Where Bennett talks about having a squad who will have played together for a decade or so, this is what IL started when he bought the club.
We have a number of younger players in the first team, Prescott, Hansen etc and younger ones like McIlorum, Tomkins & Mossop.

There is also a reserve squad that have shown themselves more than capable of beating any opposition anytime. IL has put many of these lads on full time contracts.
Wigan are as capable as any club, more so than most, of developing players through our academy and reserve system to first team level.
The intention of the club is there for all to see and Wayne Bennett's thoughts appear to be being implemented at Wigan.

As for his 2006 having 12 Brisbane youth players in the 13. The Broncos have had almost the whole of Queensland to chose from. That's a very large population, with hoards of lads playing RL. No wonder their best are that good!

Crikey the rumours and signings thread went 24 hours without a post, what's going on? get a grip lads!

Was going to post that, then realised I would ruin it.


Thanks.





For making it not me.
[size=34{Adam Blair to Wigan please}[/size

I've heard a very strong rumour that we are in line to sign a former St Helens great who has had some time from the spot light...



Apparently Ray French isn't happy he's been binned off by the BBC for Dave Woods and he still reckons he can do a job for us off the bench.

In all seriousness does anyone know if the lack of work he's getting is down to anything in particular?

Not really looking forward to Saturday as it is, at least if Ray and Jonathan Davies (both far superior to Stevo and Eddie) are bickering with one another we'd have some entertainment, whilst we're getting our backsides handed to us by the Aussies.

Still no news on Phil Bailey's contract?

I have not heard anything. I have a feeling he might be going home to give MaGuire a chance to sign a player.

O thought he had signed for another year, am sure it was mentioned on here a couple of months back, not long after the Hock incident

I thought he had signed a new deal. although it has not been officially announced.

He was at the players meeting with IL when Mike Maguires appointment was announced to them prior to the press conference.

It does seem like it would have been announced by now if he was definitely staying.

Perhaps it does depend if MM is able to bring over someone else to take his place.

I know that Shaun Wane "announced" it on GMR, but whether that was official or not, I have no idea.

Ray French has turned down a playing contract with us as he wanted a deal beyond 2010.
The BBC came up with a better offer so he's sticking with them.

The first trip under his new contract, after being disappointed by not being able to come to Wigan, is that he's off to the South of France this weekend commentating for the BBC on the France v Kiwis game.
Ray speaks fluent French and does like their wines. He knows quite a few good restaurants in that neck of the woods too.
I know he'll be making the best of a bad job having to go to the South of France for the weekend. All expenses paid of course!

But do those free flights and free meals count on the celery cap?

Don't be so mean Rouges,
Ray has turned us down and stuck with the beeb, so why should
they count under the flat cap!
I wonder if they count as BIK for tax purposes?
He might be breeching the spirit of income tax!

I do actually remember that now, but it has still not been officially announced. I doubt he would of said it though if it was not for definate.

I would love for MaGuire to be able to sign 2 players.

Perhaps Bailey was offered a new contract without the consent of McGuire and now that McGuire's aware of the offer he's instructed Lenegan to withdraw it.

I would look forward to the anti IL meltdown that would occur if that indeed was the case

Maybe he doesn't look like recovering well from that injury?

Could we go a season with Harrison Hansen, Joel Tomkins, Lee Mossop and Liam Farrell?

If we brought someone in then yes.

Good point I'd forgotten about his injury, I suppose it could be the case I'm guessing any contract would be dependent upon recovering from injury.

Personally I think we could go next year with what we have, it'll mean more game time and experience for those young lads who get to play no doubt benefiting us in the long term

We also have Tuson, already had first team experience although it might be brief. Maybe if MM comes in he might want to put Coley or Presscott in the 2nd row, and bring in a another prop. Or just replace Bailey with another 2nd rower??

I would not play either of them in the SR but I would play Fielden there. Coley and Prescott have been the main go forward at times. I would bring in someone who can play SR and prop and even 13 if he is needed, shame we missed out on burgess

Interestingly:

He makes as many metres as Coley, busts a lot more tackles, puts in more defensively, but makes less offloads.

Compared to Prescott, he makes a lot more metres, busts a lot more tackles, puts in more than 1.6 times the tackles, and offloads just a little less

Compared to Feka, he makes similar metres, busts less tackles (though still a lot more than coley or prescott), makes a lot less offloads, and puts in about 1.7 times the number of tackles

It's funny how people's perception is though isn't it?



I think the biggest areas of improvement for Stu are in trying to offload a bit more, and cutting down on the penalties due to sloppy play etc. I think he gets such a hard time on his go forward because it's felt it's a lot worse than he should be deliver (but is still very favourable with our other props)

Without wanting to sound like a cynic, i take the published Stats with a pinch of salt.