Well, I'll take your word for that, bearing in mind I don't live in the 'heartlands' (far from it!), but my simple point was that I'll bet the NRL has many more English viewers now than it had 20-30 years ago. As I'm a Sky hatah, I've seen more NRL than ESL in recent years, and I daresay I'm not the only one.

But on Burgess, yes, I was a bit surprised at the idea that he'd walk into the Roosters first team. So in place of Daniel Tupou? Whether this is tied in with the idea for RT-S replacing Mini at full-back? But of course they've bought Blake Ferguson as well...

Good luck to Joe Burgess.

Who can blame him for going for the Sydney lifestyle and to play in the best RL competition in the world.

And I believe that the Roosters see him as a full back and not as a winger, along the lines of the fast, big striding, large and strong number ones that play in the NRL.

You read it here first!

They seemed keen to trial RT-S there last season. And NRL full-backs are hardly all massive; Minichiello, Barba, Sam Tomkins, even.

Be interesting to see, anyway. If nothing else, it adds interest to the NRL for English fans, seeing our players perform down there.

Fair point.

RT-S is imo a much better winger than JB.

I see JB more as a full back in the GI mould.

I would like to wish Burgess all the best of luck with his move to the NRL next year and for moving out there so soon
IMO he would have had a great career at Wigan judging by his early promise shown thus far, but he has decided to move out of his comfort zone and move to the other side of the world to put his name into the hat for a starting spot at the Roosters which is not a certainty

As an outsider looking in i would question why so many Wigan players are quite happy to jump ship at any given opportunity and try their luck in either the NRL or Rugby Union

RT-S is a better winger than just about anyone, to be fair.





Maybe players from other clubs are less wanted by the NRL and RU?

That is surely a question that has to be asked at Wigan - other big clubs have lost one or two, at Wigan it seems to be everyone jumping at the first opportunity.

One thing I don't understand (and I'm not sure if it's been brought up)... why wasn't Burgess offered a long deal in the middle of last year when we already knew Richards was leaving? If we'd offered him £30k on a 3 year contract we could've been receiving a large transfer fee right now. The fact that he only had about 6 months left on his contract when he scored 4 tries against NZ Warriors is crazy.

What?? Richards left 2013 and Joe had 2 years left on his contract when we played NZ Warriors, 2014 and 2015.

Perhaps offering a take-it of leave-it £30k per year contract to one of the best young talents in the league is the reason that he has signed for somebody else.

If the salary cap is £1.9m for 25 players then why the hell would one of your first choice 13 be expected to accept a salary at less than half (assuming my quick calculation is correct) of the average wage of the 25 man squad?

I bet Williams' and Powell's new contracts are there or there-abouts what Burgess was asking for to stay at Wigan.

You make valid points. I still think it's 2014 for some reason.



My point still remains though. If Sutton is worth a 4 year deal now then Joe was worth the same 18 months ago.

Yeah I meant offer him £30k in 2013 when he'd only like 4 or 5 games and was up against Manfredi/Gelling for Richards' wing spot.

No one to blame but Wigan RL Management.

They could as other clubs did see the potential in the young lad, but failed to offer a decent contract.

Penny pinching is OK if it doesn't involve losing your best youngsters way too soon.

For you to quote Shaun Ainscough as being on a par with Joe Burgess at the same age is verging on the ludicrous , Burgess is by far the better player.
He is faster than Ainscough and when it came to defence and especially positioning and taking the high ball there is simply no comparison.

Like I said to myself when watching Burgess for the first time ( 2/3 years ago in the 9s ) I was watching Union material, he has something of the Chris Ashton in him.
Just my opinion.

Couldn't make the forum but someone said that a loss of 500k was mentioned? Not sure about this but if true it emphaises the need to stay within strict salary structures in the current league-wide funding regime.

Ladies and gentleman this is why you should always read a full thread before commenting.

Joe Burgess' *SITUATION* is similar to Ainscoughs.

To be fair Burgess is in a better team.

Watched it back on Wigan TV and we made a loss of 475k in 2014 due to money pumped in to the Central Park facility as well as money in fresh kit for the facility at Orrell. Falling ST sales were also mentioned as a factor but Lenagan thinks the competative nature of the new structure will sort that.

On the plus side he said they know for a fact they will be back in profit for 2015 so it certainly doesn't sound anything to worry about. The forecast for this years profit must be down to our sponsorship deals. They're worth 747k this year in comparison to around 250k in Lenagans first season with us and only 203k in 2013 when our sponsor went bust (who were they? Can't remember the name). He says our sponsorship deals this year dwarf every other superleague team.

I feel for Wigan in this as they have done a lot of very good work in developing burgess and also will have put fair few quid into he development and same with the tomkins brothers etc

However, I don't blame him or any other player for going. We as fans look at it as a sport but to the players it's also a job that pays the bills. They also have wives, kids, mortgage, cars etc just like the fans. Just ask yourself if another company offered you more money, better way of life and a chance to test yourself against the best, I bet 99% would go for it.

I've no doubt he loves Wigan but this chance may never come again so he's got to grab with both hands and good on him.

I hope he goes over there and does well.

Spot on.

He's a different case to Sam and Joel Tomkins though IMO because they paid us back in spades for the money and effort put in to their development and both signed new contracts with us that got Wigan a healthy return on their investment.

Burgess on the other hand has really given nothing back yet in comparison, wouldn't sign a new deal and leaves for nothing before achieving anything.

Fair play to him, he's looking after himself and is being very single minded in his decision. He's showing great confidence in his ability and I'm convinced he'll succeed over there because he's an exceptional talent. It all feels a little bit classless to me but maybe he'll give the club something back this year or even in the future.

We've had it with Graham and Eastmond and don't get me wrong I wanted them to stay but I don't blame them one little bit in moving on.

A lot of saints fans was saying that Eastmond should have signed longer and then gone but what's to say that offer would still be there ? Take it when you can and get what you can, it's a short career in a tough sport.

It's different but not different mate.

Yes they stayed longer but same reasons apply, they went for better money, better way of life in the best comp in the world and I don't Blame them.

I can't blame any of them at all tbh but I do feel Tomkins and Mossop did it in a more sensible way and a way that was very respectful to Wigan.

Burgess has taken a big gamble but it could pay off. I just feel he'd have been better served here, developing his game in a top side before going over at the peak of his powers. In that scenario both he and Wigan gain. I think his contract would have been five times higher if he'd have left it a couple of years but I'm sure he's good enough to warrant increases anyway.

Anyways it's done and Wigan move on. We're lucky in having Manfredi to step in. Whilst I don't think he's in the class of Burgess he's still very good in his own right and could be a top end superleague winger.

Would the offer still be there in few yeas ?