21 try assists would say he must have done some play making?? Only hastings (36), Coote (22) and Fages (22) had more in the whole of Super league. And throw in 14 trys as well, his stats match up with anyone’s apart from Hastings.

Having a laugh look at his stats he was last season's scapegoat.

Tough to try and do it all on your own and from a play making point of view he’s been on his own at points. There were times these past couple of years where you felt that unless Williams came up with something out of nothing, it was going to be a long day. I don’t think he was at his best these last couple of years to be totally honest but even a 50% effective George Williams is a bigger attacking weapon than 95% of halves in this country.

He needed this move to kick on IMO. His development had stagnated a little and he has to take some blame for that but he won’t be able to have a day off in the NRL like he could here. He’s concentrating, keeping it pretty simple and not over playing from what I’ve seen. That’s helping him spy opportunities to inject himself in to the game and with so many good players around him, they’ll help him nail the big plays and take pressure off him.

Agree with pretty much of that NK
You’ve got got to question our game in the north of England as much as GW as to why he did kick on so to speak in SL. As a code we accept mediocrity too easily and this I think seeps into the entire structure
I genuinely wish the lad well in Australia and will follow his hopefully continued success and shoving it up the arrogant Aussies

Arrogance like the commentators saying what a great ‘find’ he’s been. I think they believe he’s been plucked out from some amateur competition somewhere and is being paid $50 a game plus winning bonus. Our own Willie Isa pointed out that arrogance on Instagram the other day, commenting that he’s been a top player for years, playing in and winning finals in front of 70,000+ fans.

Me and my son both burst out laughing when they said that. I admire the Aussies but have invariably found them to be arrogant and dismissive when talking about British players.
Canberra seem to have found a good balance and it will take a good team to upset them. I just hope that Sutton can get a lot of play time

And Why should the Aussies worry about that when our own fans run down our own players and game as much as we do?
With regards to George in particular - He's been an England international from the age of about 22, He's played in 4 GF's of the last 7 winning 2 of them, Played in 2 x WCC's winning one (Earning praise from Andrew Johns and not sure if also MOM?) and his own fans, not even opposing fans, give him more stick than anyone

It happens over and over again, Young player comes through
Gets Hyped up and then they expect him to perform like a seasoned professional week in week out (Ryan Sutton big example)
Player gets improved contract - Wigan fans (In particular) starts to slag said player off - How dare he want more money, he should count himself lucky to be playing, despite the fact said player would walk into any team in the country AND the fans would be prepared to go and "Sign" another player from SL or NRL and give them as much if not more!
Form dips for a couple of games, gets branded rubbish
Poster/fan/armchair expert defends critic of player by continuing to rubbish player irrespective of what happens because they'd rather be proved right than admit they're wrong
Player leaves, performs well at another club and suddenly it's better coaching etc. etc.
Said it over and over again, if Wigan fans (And British fans in General) spent as much time being positive, look at the positives and promote our strengths as they do Rubbishing the game and it's players we would be in a much healthier position.
Keep telling people that every player is rubbish, every team is Rubbish, our league is rubbish and guess what
Everyone will think that it is rubbish - Surprise surprise

Absolutely agree from our end. I’m not sure the Aussies will ever pay us much credit for these lads unless we managed to turn them over in a series or a World Cup but we certainly do need to start hyping our game more and admiring the players for the unbelievable athletes that they are.

One thing I get really jealous of watching these NRL games is just how hyped and how positive somebody like Vossy is on commentary. Having the tome to watch plenty of old games these past few months has really made you realise just how much focus Eddie and Stevo put on the negatives over the years. They’d constantly call for forward passes, try’s to be checked, bag referees and so on. You watch an Aussie game and the whole production is night and day. They make every player sound like a gladiator or some non human machine.

As for our own fans bagging our own Wigan players, you’re right at happens far too much. I do think people should be allowed to give constructive criticism and I like to think I’ll do that but there has to be a balance. Ryan Sutton is a great example. I’ve always said on here that I rated him and to play as many games as he did, in such a tough position, at such a young age and to be as consistent, was a really testament to him. On the flip side of that was what I’d consider a constructive feedback point that I’ve made before and that was that he could’ve got himself in a bit better shape and pushed himself a little harder in that respect whilst at Wigan. He was a good player as it was but his move to Oz came about and suddenly he shedded the puppy fat and toned himself up and he’s reaping the rewards. He was a really good player for us but do I think he could’ve gotten an extra couple of percent out of himself for us? Absolutely. It takes time though and in his case a different challenge to do that though sometimes.

In principle Jukes its hard to argue with a lot of that.
Where I get disappointed with players is were they don’t kick on and step up to the next level.

I’d put Charnley and Burgess when they first came on the scene to be 2 of the best wingers I’ve ever seen at Wigan.
For me both have regressed as they have got older. There are lots of other examples throughout the game

I don’t know why this is the case. Maybe inadequate coaching/mentoring or maybe being too accepting of their levels of attainment.

I personally don’t mind players going to Australia to gain the experience and no doubt an improved contract I just wish that the game in the uk couldsupply this

Looking forward to seeing him play this weekend.
Here's hoping he has another blinder.

In the Daily Star today there is an article with Shaun Wane discussing the cancelled Ashes series and the idea of the Exiles game,at the end of the interview he goes on about George and how he wouldn't have been 100% happy with last weekend's display had they both still been at Wigan.I think George had to leave Wigan as he had gone stale and needed a new challenge,i really hope that he can really make it in Australia as English halves don't tend to do well down under

This is the sort of constructive point I referred to when I said people should be allowed an opinion that isn’t always singing players praises. We’ve produced so many good players over this past decade but you’re right that some just seem to hit a brick wall in terms of development. It’s not just at Wigan though, you only need to look at Saints and how guys like Makinson and Lomax found an extra gear under a good coach like Holbrook. They were good players before he come, no more and no less and they didn’t look like lads who had much development left in them but once Holbrook came in they went up a couple of levels. They both reached a level of performance and consistency I’d not seen before. Maybe that proves that good coaching can bring that out of players.

I look at two lads in the same positions in Joe Burgess and Williams and I saw at the end of 2019 two lads in a similar position to what Lomax and Makinson were in just prior to Holbrook coming over. Two good players, one playing well but not at his absolute best and one not in great form but still a good player. I thought and still think in the case of Burgess that they have so much more to give. The move for Williams looks to be dragging it out of him but what will spark Burgess up? He’s far too good to be playing back up at any superleague club but how can he find that old spark? The coach plays a part but he’s got to show a desire to want to get it back and to kick on to become what his talent warrants. He’s got everything to be one of the very best in the world IMO but does he want it as desperately as somebody like Tommy Makinson? He’s more talented than Makinson IMO but does he have that desire? I’m not too sure.

Its not so often you are wrong but you are right again. Absolutely nailed it.

If we keep producing players good enough to be signed up by nrl clubs then we will continue to be successful along the way. I am not sure why people see it as such a negative, we should be proud to watch these lads plying there trade at the very top.

We need to continue developing your Smiths, Hanleys, Havards, Kilners, McDonnells ect.... its what we do better than any other club and it must continue.

I'm yet to find an occasion on which he hasn't been wrong

If our players are so inferior to Aussie players as some supporters seem to think, why are the Aussie clubs so keen and eager on signing them?

As for our players who do go, its not because of wanting a new challenge, being stale or whatever, its simply all about the higher money in the NRL.

Just like when top Union players came to our game for the money, which ended in 1996 when Union went professional.

Having said the above, we can only be thankful that they are staying in Rugby League where they will be eligible for our International teams and not going to Rugby Union.

You Sir are Jukesays' dad and I claim my £5

bet George isnt on the same money in the NRL as he was here

Other way round if anything - I mean I did Have to show him how an Erection worked!

It wont be much more if any. Obviously if he keeps playing like he did last week that will change.

And how to best use my dangler

Noticed that Camberra Raiders have got him wearing the number seven shirt and playing in his proper position of Scrum Half.

Might explain why he is playing well for them because as far as I am concerned, he is never or was a Stand Off.

Its DEFINITELY that
There is no chance that the armchair experts used him as a scapegoat and dont know what they're talking about.