Weren't the 2 codes still quite similar when those guys came on? I'd argue we've accelerated the divergance in the last 10 years (sometimes not for the better, but....), but RU mob still look at league & assume because it's a simple game, it's easy. Only when they actually pay attention do they realise the error of their ways.
Freaks like SBW are few & far between.

Different game then,we had the upper hand wages wise and no cap. Would you sign someone like Ford for probably 500k plus? I’d rather spend it on a ready made too League player.

And how many ready made super league players fail, A quality player is a quality player, doesn't matter if they come from union, I would happily have Edwards sign a few union players, after all he knows more about both codes than you and I and many of the experts on here

I can imagine Edwards has seen and told players hes coached your a good union player but you would be great league player. He may have one or two fringe players who fit the mould in mind. Looking at "ALL" comments I have seen from the RU on his departure hes held in high esteem from fans, players, coaches and pundits. The lure of playing for him at Wigan especially if that feeling of a new start that Im getting comes to fruition may see a couple of known and unknown named players heading our way.

These Polynesian backs playing in super 14 wold cost a fortune, why would we break the bank for a project player?

A few years ago I’d have broke the bank for George North, what a player he is/was.

Currently if there’s anyone I’d want us to break the bank for it’d be Owen Farrell. Would he come back to Wigan? Unlikely.

@13 to replace S O'L, seriously doubt we (or anyone in SL) could afford him.

Edwards will be just fine. John Monie said that having Edwards on the field was like having a second coach on the pitch. Hopefully he will bring back some of the attacking plays we used to run in the early 90's that have been phased out in favour of the modern day boring attacking structures.

Alas it's never going to happen. According to the sages over on RedVee, this entire deal is just a scam to get gullible Wiganers to buy a season ticket in advance.
Edwards will never coach Wigan.

Was a little sceptical at first, but after seeing the press day thingy, and seeing Edwards and Lam interviewed on SKY, i'm looking forward to the forthcoming seasons.

Not sure why anyone would be sceptical or think this isn't the real deal? Edwards isn't the man to mess around and play games. After that he'd potentially be ruling himself out of potential employment opportunities in RU by 'pretending' to be signed up to Wigan in 2020.

Skeptical about how effective he would be, and how things would work out with Lam...

I didn't make it clear, but thank you for showing how someone can read something into a statement, that that isn't there.

If Edwards does not happen then Lenegan will never be trusted ever again and Edwards himself would have a huge stain on his reputation for going along with it. I highly doubt Lenegan or Edwards would take that risk.

Shame Ryan Hampshire didn’t get the chance to be coached by these guys, I still think he is a hell of a talent.

excellent, they certainly are running scared and pretending it wont happen.

The one thing I know about Edwards, if he says he's doing something.....it gets done.

It's the kind of irrational thinking that sets in when you've spent the last nine months kidding yourself that your star player actually cares about you and won't take the first job he is offered back in Aus, and that, as a consequence, all you have to do is turn up to win every piece of silverware on offer.

Shame he listened to his dad and didn't bide his time

There've been a few like that over the years. Most can now be found in the 'where are they now?' section.

Ohh let it go.. a real legend in his own lunchtime that lad no coach could get through to him by the time he finishes he will have collected quite a few clubs.

It's an interesting discussion. The path to success is far more complicated than raw ability. So many make the wrong decision with their career, or they do something stupid and tarnish their reputation. So many are marked to be a future star, then nothing.

Agree. I often wonder if he had his time to do over again would he still have made those decisions? The other thing is that if we had a reserve grade competition then he would have been allowed to develop under that system.

You never know, but one impression I have is that a certain person not unconnected to Rocky now seems to have exactly what he always wanted. The lad plays for Wakefield. Whether that's good for the lad's career is another matter altogether.

Are we so sure it was the wrong move for him? He has played more SL games in the two years since he left, than he did in his four years with us. I've just had a look on the Wakey board, and it looks like he was man of the match in the halves in their last game and the fans want to get him tied down to a long term deal asap.

I'd argue that he is in a better position now (approaching 100 SL games, playing very well in his preferred position at his hometown mid-table club) than if he had stayed with us (potentially spending two seasons either being loaned out, or used as cover for Tomkins/Williams).

He well could be. Hard to say really. At a point in many players careers they have to make some difficult decisions, Rocky is no different.

With Bitcon now confirmed as leaving there's big changes all round next year. I really wouldn't be surprised to see Stridgeon follow Edwards out of Wales and back home to Wigan.