Kevin Brown? Have you all managed to completely erase 2006 from your memories? Let's get Dennis Moran in while we're at it. Come to think of it we could get Vae-sodding-liki back to fill a centre spot.

Still have nightmares about Cardiff 2004, and that pass to nobody in particular!

You must be thinking of two different players to the ones we're talking about.

Agreed although with Fielden and probably Feka on reduced contracts and 4 players to leave, we can afford to sign more than 1 player

a Marquee Prop and a good utility player who can cover 2-3 positions in case of injury would be ideal for me

Perhaps some do think we should have kept him but if they do it doesn't follow that he should be re-signed.

Some of the suggestions in this thread to accommodate his signing are way out on left field IMO. He would not be content to be Phepls replacement i.e. a utility player, centre is not his best position, he's not a good enough full back and not an organising 7. He's a 6 and the idea we should move Sam T to full back to get Brown is nuts. I don't think anyone has said Sam 7 and Brown 6 but that is nuts as well IMO as Sam is also a classic 6 not a 7.

People can regret him going if they want but I hope they don't compound what they may see as an error by bringing him back. If we need another half back because Deacon is retiring sign a 7 with a kicking game.

There is also the salary cap to consider and neither TL or Sam are off contract so I think if we have a third half back they have to be reasonably cheap which is why we got Deacon. I don't think we could afford Brown, TL and Sam who are all established first 17 players now.

Dave

Unless the powers that be are listening to peoples calls for Tommy to play at 9 and they think that Brown can play 7.

That's the one option I missed! That would also be nuts IMO. Brown isn't a 7 and certainly not the organising type with good kicking game that seems the top of most peoples list for such a player. And despite his world cup exploits many are not convinced TL is a 9 anyway.

If the plan is to put TL at 9 when Riddell leaves we need to be looking elsewhere for a 7 and not at Brown for that role IMO.

Dave

Brown is a quality centre. He could be international class in that position.

I would sooner have brown than shenton personally.

I must admit, it's getting to be a quite a long time since I watched Shenton and thought "wow, we could really do with that lad in our team". Several times recently, however, I've thought that about Brown. I didn't think he was particularly bad against Warrington last weekend. The real ones who let Huddersfield down last Saturday were their 'enforcer' forwards.

I agree with you on this one Rogues.




Now, about this McGoldrick fella.....

So basically what Brown is and everyone is complaining about?

He was that bad against Wire, and he was equally bad against yourselves at Murrayfield. What's all this about him having a good kicking game. You got rid of him because he wasn't Wigan 'class,' and he still isn't.
As for McGoldrick, do you want a penalty machine?

You' re entitled to your opinion re Brown (even if it is wrong)



The McGoldrick thing was a gentle dig at Rogues actually.

If I'd mentioned McGoldrick or said anything about how good a kicking game Brown has (or for that matter, ANYONE had said ANYTHING about how good a kicking game he has), I'd give you more than the 10 seconds your post is worth.

Well the argument seems to be ed around if he really is any good

Personally i think he comes up with some excellent plays but goes missing in too many games, a bit like leon pryce, id much rather have a honest workhorse

well thats fair enough then. tbh i dont want him myself anyway Id rather that dedicated 7 everyone else wants, a prop and probably a centre too unless does anyone know if carmont is renewed yet?

For me, the centre issue is a big one.

To start with, I don't see any halfback anywhere in GB - apart from Eastmond (who will not stay in RL, never mind come to Wigan) - who I would cheerfully see Tommy L dropped for. Even Ratchford, who is very promising, would find it difficult getting a first team shirt (though I'd hope we are sniffing around him if he's truly available).

We have to face the fact that, if we are genuinely looking for a new play-making halfback rather than just another support man like Deacs, this would involve dropping Tommy to the role of bench player, which I doubt he'd accept easily, if at all. There would be some fall-out in the team and among the fans.

However, no-one would deny that Carmont's shirt will soon be up for grabs. And again, barring a big (and very unlikely Aussie signing), I can't see anyone over here who is a likely candidate to fill it, apart possibly from Shenton - though, in a naff Castleford team he's starting to look overrated, plus he's not IL's type (i.e. he has no Wigan connections), and he's probably going to Saints anyway. Kevin Brown, however, could fill the no. 4 shirt very adequately, and at the same time provide cover for the halves without pushing any of the current halves' noses out.

That said, of course, we have two very exciting young centres in the reserves, so maybe this is a load of kerfuffle over nothing.

The upshot is that Brown might be the sort of versatile signing we could make good use of, but whether versatility is something IL and MM are currently looking for is another matter.

I know I'm repeating a point I made earlier but its an important one - Brown would not take a centre shirt at Wigan or anywhere else. And that's not just based on my personal opinion, its based on a conversation I had with Brown a year or so ago when he said and I quote - "I'm a halfback, I love playing halfback and its stupid to play me anywhere else".

It'll all depend on what is happening to Riddell. If he goes (and I hope he doesn't, as I've been one of his biggest backers) then it's a possibility that Tommy will go to hooker with Sam at 7 and brown at 6.

As you all know I am not a fan of scooter hookers, which is the role that Tommy plays when at 9.

I have always been a big Kevin Brown fan, and would like to see him back at Wigan, but I'm not sure how he would fit into the jigsaw. One thing is for sure, if he was to come back then Maguire must have a plan and a position for him.

Can you think of others who have come back and been a success?

If he was being totally honest with you - to the point where he would refuse a Wigan deal if he can't get a guarantee he'll be playing regularly in the halves, then I guess he won't be coming to Wigan.

I don't think any player at Wigan is these days in a position to dictate where and when he will play.

Very few come back and are a success. Betts was a disappointment on his return and he was probably on twice as much money as his first stint. Connolly was good in his second stint but not as good as his first.

I can't think of any player who's returned to us whilst still in their prime. Brown would be the first in my memory.

does Joel Tomkins count after his brief spell at widnes?

Keith Holden

Bill Ashurst, but not to the same extent.

No, nor should anybody have that right.

But if Brown was still of the opinion today that he should play halfback and nowhere else you can sort of see where he's coming from. After several years of struggle, he's finally started to realise a bit of his potential at halfback in the Huddersfield side and people are starting to take notice. Possibly Steve Mcnamara may be one of those.

I don't think it would benefit Kevin Brown at all to come back to Wigan with as you say no guarantee of a halfback slot and a possibility of going back to playing the role of the versatility player and getting shifted around the team. Won't do him any good and it won't do Wigan any good because in my opinion he's a confidence player. He loses that and he could turn into the 05/06 Brown again.

Im sure MM has players in mind in every position who he likes but I think he will reserve judgement until he has seen a full season from what he has got. Look at KP for example, a few weeks back he was ready for the knackers yard but now he starting and playing ok.

FWIW i cant see how anybody would get Brown in to replace Tommy so he would have to play elsewhere if he did sign. MM doesnt seem like the kind of guy who will take any crap so if he does sign Brown he will have to play where MM tells him to.