I'm sure Leeds did something like this with Cummings years ago

It seems a shrewd move really for both Wigan and Bradford if this comes off. I think Bradford need a big name signing more then we do and Orford should raise the clubs profile abit and after the hits they've taken recently they need it.

As for us we've got 2 young halfs who both play great attacking rugby and to have a steady hand around the place like Deacon wheather it be on or off the field will help them greatly.

It's a good move for both parties if this comes off imo.

That if he was austrailian, and doing exactly the same thing we would be on page 752 by now, but as he from wigan its ok.

If he is coming coaching then fine, but i wouldnt give him a shirt, as imo he is pretty poor.

But he ISN'T Australian. And he IS - according to the press - coming to do some coaching. So I'm not sure where the jist of the complaint is.

Ricky Bibey has two CC medals.

Ade Gardner has a plethora of medals.

Name me a cr.p scrum half that can match Deacon's haul.

I'm more that happy if it's a coaching/back up player role. Even if he starts he will give us a much needed kicking game that we lacked badly last season.

I wonder (if true) if the plan is to involve him with the academy team. Shaun Wane has to be replaced at that level - or did I miss an announcement on that?

Decent bit of business if it happens. As a main player no but hes not going to take TL and Tomkins positions but they cant play a full season and we cant go into the season without experience cover in both areas.

As for Orford to Bulls again he will want a decent wage which id rather see us give it to youngsters coming through. Also we dont know what plans MM has for the season after this one. Where he might only need cover for 1 season with Deacon going to coach after that.

In the last 10 seasons of players Liverpool football club signed 1 shocked more than most due to his age was Garry Mcalister but he calmed situation downs and Liverpool in 1 year claimed 5 trophies. Sometimes you need experience in certain areas and at 6 and 7 we have very good players if we get Deacon its then got cover.

Difference is Deacon was a key part of the success the Bulls had. Bibey was there for the ride and got lucky.

Its just a bit like animal farm round here. If he is coming to learn coaching, then fine, but i think we have more pressing issues than an injury hit half back, who has never been top class.

But the people who make the decision know more than i do, if he comes I will of course hope he is great, but i just dont rate him as a player, would rather us get a prop, and have someone fill in at half if and when needed.

As im not sure how it all works with the cap, would half his wage count and the other half not? I guess it all depends. I just hoped we were past signing over the hill players, regardles of what accent they speak with.

[size=150IF[/size he becomes playing staff then all his wage counts on the cap.

The way I see it, we'll struggle if we have any long term injuries to either of our halves. O'Loughlin, Gleeson, Phelps are not long term stand ins for an injured half. They can cover one or two games at most. If a half gets a bad injury then Deacon becomes playing staff and plays in those 5/6.. games. It's better than scratching round for a replacement in another teams reserves.

If neither of our halves get injured, he doesn't play. Shimples.

A bench prop and a winger? You cant polish turd but you can cover it in glitter. How can you even compare those to a scrum half who basically organises the whole team? He may be past it now but he has had a fantastic career and no-one can belittle it. I'd be more than happy having him on board to mentor Tommy and Sam for a few years, and it wont do the team no harm having him there to cover for injurys. We've got our halfback combination in Sam and Tommy and our Hookers in Piggy and Micky Mac but what happens if one gets injured? Loads of shuffling about again with Lockers, Phelps and Gleeson? No thanks, Bring on Mr Deacon

Very poor examples, a good team can carry a winger or a forward squad member, they can't carry a half back to the medals Deacon has.

To be fair, kicking aside Deacon took a huge ride on the back of McDermott, Anderson, Vagana, Fielden, Peacock to name a few. Its noticable since the Bulls dipped in the pack so has his effectiveness.

We see it in many games when a pack dominates a half back looks good, he has time, space and generally players going forward,- stick a Long, Tomkins, Eastmond behind that pack Bradford would have been even more dominant.

I am not saying he is a poor player as he isn't by a long way but he is an organiser rather than a creator, my step brother played with him at Winstanley College, i was hoping to play against him but by that time 1995/6 he was signed up and wasn't allowed to play anymore.

The one thing about him is he is the best one of the lot to become a coach, he is never full of his own self importance, has great reading of a game & has an outstanding kicking game.

For Wigan if it comes off as a dual role its a good move as he is certainly a thoughtful player, his kicking the last 10 years has been second to none, brings with him a wealth of experience in the biggest games and he has a steadying approach that will work well with the youngsters exuberance.

Exactly!

He's gives us a viable option when injuries occur

[url=http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/strategies/how-to-polish-a-turd/Wrong[/url

I don't know what is worse, someone making the site itself or me for looking

That's spot on in my opinion matey.

You sure about that?

I have nothing against the lad by the way, never spoken to him, just know a few lads who went to school with him.

16+ years ago?

Strange and IMHO a poor move which would waste a bit of salary cap.

Even in his prime he was just a mediocre player.

Well yes they were at school with him then, but its recent stuff last 3 years im refering too.

Like i say he could do a good job, nothing against him, if he comes ill give him a clap, just think he a 3rd tier half back in his prime, and that was a long time ago!

But if he comes he's not coming as a superstar signing, is he. He's coming to coach and provide cover if we get an injury to one of our two (count them - [uonly two[/u) haflbacks. Do you think a megastar like Orford would be up for that?

I still don't see the problem with this, regardless of what people thought of Deacon at school, or what they thought of him at the peak of his playing days - because neither of those, to be honest, are relevant to this situation.

If he comes to coach/mentor then it'll be a good move IMO.

If he's coming to possibly play and thus take up part of the cap then it's a waste of money.

If injuries did occur in the halves, I'd much rather see a player promoted from the reserves get a game than have a player possibly sit out most of the season except for a handful of games.

When he's not playing for the first team is he going to appear for the reserves? Surely he's a bit long in the tooth to go from playing first team at Bradford down a level for most of the season.

One thing that occurred to me is what would most fans on here be saying if Noble had stayed and this was announced?

It reminds me when Leeds signed Dunneman, not a great player but had experience to help our young halves out.


Didn't do Burrow and Mcguire too much harm.