An experienced whole-hearted player - not a bad backup player to have if needed. I suspect he won't play a lot of games (unless we have a bad run of injuries) but at least he will provide cover - a no lose option really.

He's no larne patrick, but if needs must

He has a similar play-off win record.

definitely an astute piece of business by the club.
Yes, he may not be the Sonny Bill Williams or Sam Burgess of this world but if James puts in the same effort as he did in 06, where I thought he was unlucky not to be kept on as he was one of our better players in a dire year, he will be a good squad player. Someone who is not going to demand a massive salary also. We should still have some movement under the cap so I wouldn't be surprised to see another forward come in!

This team under Wayne is based on unity, hard work, toughness and commitment.

Whilst he may not be a super star he certainly has those attributes.

I expect him to be a cameo figure in out match day 17, featuring rarely or he could also become a first team regular due to the attributes listed above.

I agree with that you say with regards to unity, hard work, toughness and commitment jonh but you can only get so far with that.

There has to be an element of talent in there. I have to be totally honest and say I'm disappointed that we have signed Jordan James again. He wasn't good enough for Salford last season when they were languishing around the bottom so how he is good enough for a title winning team is beyond me.

I am willing to support him 100% though and I am hopeful that I will be proved wrong. It'll just take some convincing IMHO.

Building two teams, so top players can be rested and we can still field a team which can compete with the times from the lower end of the table.

Team 1

Bowen
Charnley Goulding Thornley Gelling
Green Smith
Flower McM Taylor
Pettybourne Faz
Lockers

Hampshire
Manfredi Thornley/Gelling AN Other Sarge Burgess
Williams Powell
James Tomkins Dudson
Clubb Hughes
Hopkins

With lots others to pick from.

Personally I think Sarge and Burgess will make their way into the first team this season. I also think we'll see Bowen rested allowing Hampshire some game time, I see him as our first choice FB in 2015.

Same here. This signing smacks of desperation with the exit of Lauaki and Powell leaving us short of experienced props.

It also highlights the madness of selling Hansen.

Baggsy having him as a scape goat for this season.

You really are a miserable b*****d aren't you, I really don't know why you bother. James isn't a world beater but he's an ex marine and will give it his all as he did in his first stint. He's also a member of the club staff so I will trust that the senior management know what they are doing........

Isn't that already reserved for knackered knees Bowen???

Nothing to lose adding him to the playing staff. He will be an excellent influence for the young players (and old alike actually) with his dedication and determination. His story is an interesting one and I'm pleased for him that he's been given this chance.

Not for me. I had Eric last year so James seems to be the obvious choice for me. I'm still hoping that Shaun Wane will fail big style and I'll still have Gelling as a back up. Three is enough for any doom monger.

Rubbish Wigan. Get the kids in.....

Just wait till he finds out that we've been looking at Karl Pryce again!

I'd have to have a complete overhaul of my scapegoat strategy if that happened.

I'm covering my bases this year and have decided that the squad no.18 is my chosen scapegoat this season. Why pick on one person when you can blame thousands?

Desparation would be signing him as our starting prop or paying a lot for him. What it has to do with Hansen is beyond me. He and Tuson are replaced by Clubb, Bateman and Hopkin, not someone we've signed as injury cover for a year at prop until Greenwood/Sutton is ready to play the odd game

It was either sell Hansen now or him leave without us getting a fee and the end of this season.
I can see Clubb being a staight replacement for HH. Clubb is a right sided player both as centre and 2nd row.
Perhaps Bateman is the replacement for Tuson. As much as I liked Chris T, Bateman is never the less a very good buy.
The signing of James is a back up signing. He has plenty in front of him but will probably play around a dozen to 15 games I'd think. The additional cost to the club will probably be very little.
After this number of years now with Mcguire and Wane, we don't get too much wrong and not here either.

decent back up prop, and i trust Wane's judgement.

They better not try and pass him off as a marquee signing!

If you have an issue with what I posted I don't know why you bother either.

I'd bet my house if I said you to you a month or two ago we should bring James out of retirement you's have said I was an idiot.

I would have been to.

Nothing has changed, [uin my opinion[/u.

Your problem with that is what exactly? Which top class players have we signed with all the money raised by selling him and anyone else?



He may well inherit H's shirt but who is the better player?

Who on this message board was advocating we replace H with Clubb before it happened?

No one.

Last season there were even threads on here e.g. one started by Rouges for example, singing H's praises.

Now H has left it's a master plan.

No it's not, it is hypocrisy.

Jordan James is going to be, what? Our 6th or 7th choice prop hardly desperation just another big body. We won a playoff game last year starting Andy Powell, I think we'll be alright with James.


Well last year we paid for Green and Taylor and that worked out pretty well. This year we've paid for Clubb, Bateman and I think Sarginson. If they don't work out fair enough but they've all been internationals at various levels and the later two started out well. Presumably we have money should anyone else require a fee, we don't have to spend it straight away.

Just because people on here don't think these players are going to be as good as the ones they're replacing or wouldn't have wanted them before they were signed doesn't mean the coaching staff don't know what they're doing. Have we not learned from the Finch and Leuluai for Green and Smith swap. We got two half backs who might not look as good on paper from unfashionable teams but they complement each other and have particular skills the previous players don't, which made us a better team. While it is concerning to lose players of Hansen's experience, not to mention all the others we've lost, he was never the best in attack. In the last 4 years Hansen has scored 3, 5, 3 and 1 tries whereas the other second row (JT, RH, GH, LF) has scored 13, 10, 11 and 12. That's not to mention clean breaks, try assists or just meters made carrying the ball. I think Clubb or Bateman could step up and offer much more attacking threat and work and still be solid in defence if not necessarily as good as Hansen possibly meaning we're more complete and dangerous overall.

Obviously the the club could've got it completely wrong and none of the new players will hold a candle to Hansen but after the last couple of years and the play from people like Flower, Smith, Green and Taylor and the results in big games last year I'm willing to give them a chance. Rather than saying 'that sounds daft to me, they've cocked up' I'll give the people privy to far more information with proven track records a chance before I light my torch, grab my pitch fork and take to the streets.

I really thought that after last year people might have learnt to at least let things play out. I'm not saying don't question the club, I just find it strange that some people continually make out as if they're making massive cock ups when we continue to win, finish high up the table and collect trophies.

Give James a chance? Trust SW and IL?

No. We must burn them. Burn them all!

On a more serious note, I think we have recruited well generally. James just looks like a back up experienced squad player. He clearly isn't going to be a central figure in the team but his experience will come in useful at times next year. We have a young pack, so this makes sense to me, especially as I imagine he isn't taking up much cap space.