Stop being so disingenuous. You know very well the comments about lack of news from the club regarding signings is not just related to the here and now. If we have re-signed Finch now would be a great time to announce it to offset the disappointment of losing Lima but the clubs PR department have not got the brains to think of that.



Are you seriously implying Lima's loss is no big deal because that is how the above reads?

I don't see what being aware of his intention has to do with it. There is no guarantee we will be able to sign a comparable player in any position and the recent past tends to back that up. We have seen contracts expire and players leave but more often than not recently that has not led to the signing of an International class player. I also don't see how on earth this is about an individual as opposed to the team given as a team we will be weaker with him gone.

Lima should have been at the Riversiders meeting on May1st, he didnt come because his wife had just had an operation, and sent Finch in his place. It must have been something to happen suddenly or he wouldnt have agreed to come. Maybe this has some bearing on things, as all this has happened in the last week or so.

Not too surprised or disapointed by this to be fair as it was totally expected, when we signed Finch, Hoff & Lima I said to a mate of mine that I couldn't really see any of them staying longer than a year so anymore would be a bonus. I do think we need a truly world class prop with abit of menace to replace him though even with the depth we have in the pack at the moment.

Don't talk sense. You mean to say we're doing things on the quiet like this year, last year and the year before? You mean we aren't washing our laundry in public and are keeping everybody focussed on the task at hand? Not good enough. I want announcements and I want them now.

I want to know who eats the most weetabix. Who has the lowest body fat % and our squad for the 2014 raid on Super League as well as full details of our licence application. Let the fans know what is going on. IFL OUT!!!!

I can't remember the wailing and gnashing of teeth from the usual suspects when we got Lima, Finch and Hoffman before their contracts ran out. We were able to take advantage of a particular situation and therefore it's a bit hypocritical to play the victim now.

You guys must have a big wedge of salary cap to spend next year, and it cant all go on contract upgrades for existing players. I excpect to see some good signings from you soon

And quota spaces too...

Let's just wait and see what the plan is. Then if we don't like it, have a moan. But for now we only probably know the half of it.

As said wait and see. However it's annoying that a former manager released early from his contract at his request has then come back to tempt players to seek a release on their contract. It does stink in its own right, regardless of who we may or may not sign.

Now you're talking sense. This is going to have to stop or it will start to catch on.

IMO this will not have as big effect as people are thinking. We have some quality props coming through the system as well as a number of them stepping up to the mark this term.

I don't mind Lima leaving, he's a big loss - but with the lads coming through am I still as confident going into next season with the likes of Dudson, Crosby & Spencer showing they can handle it this year.

With Lauaki, Flower, Mossop & Prescott we are sorted next term, with Dudson, Crosby & Spencer in reserve.

All I ask if that Jeff gives his all for the rest of the season to help us once again lift our title & the challenge cup. If he does this, he's a winner in my book.

Good Luck Lima!!

Just pie in the sky!

You 'HOPE' that things will be better.

Props are a rare breed.

They don't get into their peak till their late 20s, and often their early 30's in age.

Our youngsters MAY fit the bill in the future.

But there is nothing there at the moment. Mossop may fill a prop spot.

I really rate Prescott. But the modern game needs a number of front rowers.

Hell, there is lots of debate as to whether Fielden will ever play for us again.



Our best ever was discarded by Oldham. He however was a freak, because he was a 'ball player', and a relatively late developer to the pack - Brian McTigue.

Via Twitter after the Fev match Stu said Thanks for all the tips. A good tough game. 1/4 finals here we come . Cone on lads get back to wembley ! I replied will you be back for Wembley if Wigan get there? He said Si (i presume he meant yes)

As for Lima going not too fussed great player but having mentioned a million and eight times this year front and second row is our strongest position. In the pack I think that if we lost Hock, HH or SOL that would be worse. With Lima going it offers us a quota spot more money this can go to towards a replacement for Tommy, offering more dollar to Finch or offering more money to players such as Mossop, Prescott, MM.

although we have a wealth of talent in the front row without lima we dont have a wealth of experience. especially if fielden leaves. mossop and prescott will never play a full season. take them two out the equation and would you be happy going into a wire/saints/leeds/cats/hudds etc game with a front row of luaki, dudson, spencer and a n other? would hardly say luaki has ripped any trees up and whilst dudson is a good prospect he is just that, a prospect.

if lima and fielden leave, we then have to sign an experienced, calmer head. wouldnt even say a player like moimoi is the answer.

I would have liked him to stay, but so be it, and as the say, "as one door closes another opens" one good player won't spoil the show. There's alot to do before he goes, and time to sort a replacement, no need to panic. We have played well and won without a one time great, Stu Fielden for going on for two seasons without feeling a great loss, so, as long as Jeff Lima gives us a 100% till he goes, good luck to him!. As they say "The King is dead, Long live the King!!" and here's to the next King. Whoever he may be... There are others that would be a much greater loss, Tomkins, Finch, Hock, O'Loughlin.....and as for a loss to the team, Tommy Leuluai is a bigger one.





Rock 'n' Roll..

Nonsense!

Surely the only thing you should be worried about is trying to win the 2 competitions this year? The best way to do that is to use Lima the same way as we do now? What happens with Lima next year is no longer our concern.

Sadly there are many on this thread who disagree...

RUN FOR THE HILLS! THE MARTIANS ARE COMING! ICEBERG DEAD AHEAD! KLINGONS ON THE STARBOARD BOW! THAT'S NO MOON...! ABANDON SHIP! WE'RE DOOMED! WE'RE DOOMED!

Ahh good luck to him. Hopefully by the time he leaves he will have won everything possible over here anyway

remember when he first started and loads of idiots were saying he isn't as good as Feka

I'm not overly worried by losing Lima.
Hes done a job for 2 years and we have good strength in depth. Prop is the easiest position to pick up a decent replacement. It also frees up even more cap and quota for the important positions.
To be honest, most of the genuine 'superstars' from down under only come for a couple of years anyway. Why do we expect that to change now ?
So long as our planning takes that into account, I'm not worried.

This is the realistic view. Mossop and Prescott look the part but tend to be a little injury prone. Lauaki is averageness personified and the young props are prospects and some way from the finished article. Also Lima is a better prop than any of them.

I think anyone who thinks we can cover his loss next season from within is living in cloud cuckoo land including Wane if that is his plan.

We need to replace Lima with a prop of similar quality and that is not going to be easy. As Dean Bell said the financial incentives to come here from down under have all but gone.

Very true Dave - Maguire did not bring Lima all the way to Wigan for nothing and he's not taking him back all the way to Sydney for nothing either - replacing Lima is not going to be easy.

I actually think that you have to go back to the days of Smith and Pongia to see a Wigan pack that genuinley intimidated the opposition like the current one does and a huge part of that is because of Jeff Lima - the guy looks like he could burst through a wall and is not injury prone.

Just hope we have plans in place!

For those 2 seasons that Fielden has been out we brought in a ready made replacement in Lima. We have a couple of great young props in Mossop & Prescott but with his loss the pack is really going to miss the experience he brings, it would be great to see Fielden take that role once again playing somewhere near what we know he is capable of but failing that i think we need to sign a proven world class prop from somewhere.