To be fair Baz, he’s a superb player and is a significant improvement on our pack.



Be careful...that’s signature material



I do agree though. We ought to be looking at props like a Fifita to replace our weak props such as TT.

Time for Tautai to be shipped out for me. He had an upturn in form around the time we played Widnes away but that last about 3 games and he’s back to his usual half interested self.

Doubt anyone would take him on sadly.

To be fair he has been good for Wakefield, but I wouldn't have wanted him before he went there, he was terrible in the NRL. I am not so sure he will be a success at a bigger club. Just a niggling doubt he could go off the rails

Lower SL to mid Championship clubs most likely. I can’t believe we’ve stuck with him for so long. He’s a liability

Barrow kicked up a fuss saying we contacted their prop without us contacting them first.
Has this developed into anything or just gone quiet?

Michael Carter and Molly have confirmed on Twitter it’s a load of crap about Fifita, a Warrington troll started the rumour.

This may be radical thinking to some, but why don’t we judge our recruitment for 2019, when we know all the relevant information and facts of our completed 2019 squad, in, well 2019.

A couple of big name signings by others (although to be honest I’m not impressed by Lolohea) and our recruitment is being called useless, before we even split the 2018 league.

I’m not for one second saying our 2019 recruitment is fantastic nor am I saying it is useless as we just don’t know.

We have a rumours thread as a sticky, I’m somewhat confused as to why we even have this thread.

The only 'top' NRL player that is coming to SL next year is Austin, and even he has been out of favour this season even if he did have a great game last week.

Sounds like Hardaker has screwed up before he’s even played a game......

Care to elaborate?

Saw this on Cas forum

Here's the conspiracy theory:
Potential legal proceedings would be crippling.
Current deal with Wigan states if he breaks any of their stipulated clauses re conduct his contract is void.
He intentionally breaks them and is released to be picked up by Cas and therfore avoid having to pay out...
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Seems a bit far fetched to me

I no longer use Casforum, so not sure what’s said on there (usually tripe).
My understating is that he’s in trouble with the police after an incident in Chester.
To be honest, it’s no surprise. I’m shocked at the stuff he still puts on social media, off his face with his old so-called “mates”, getting smashed after England games, wondering around city centres at 3.00am with his mates all obviously hammered. He’s stupid enough to put stuff like this in his Instagram (at least it saves someone else filming it).
Whatever his brings to a team on the pitch, it’s really not worth the screw up he will inevitabely make (as both us and Leeds have found). The only glimmer is if Wigan can get him away from his idiotic mates.

I also believe Cas are perusing Hardaker for the financial loss incurred as a result of his breach of contract. He had the opportunity to come back to Cas and avoid this, but chose to take more money. Unfortunately, most of the extra money he will earn will be owed to Cas if the legal action is successful. I’m not sure he will be deliberately trying out of his Wigan contract.

Agreed. Since we signed Zak, you mainly use this one.

You just need to get over the fact that he's gone.

I dont understand this. Why didn't Cas just delay their decision on Hardaker until the WADA statement had been made? If anyone is at fault here it's Cas.

It's a bit like a poker player whinging after folding early despite them having a winning hand. Sorry......

It’s a shame we lost his playing ability.
However, as you’ll see from my posts from the point he was suspended, I never wanted him back. He’s not worth the hassle he brings, despite his on-field ability.
I’ve not posted here for a long time on the topic. I only visited to see if there was anything about his recent indiscretion.

The only bad news about Hardaker on here is the bad news you relentlessly seek to bring us.

But ultimately, so what?

If ZH has broken any of the stipulations in his new contract, he’s gone – at no cost to us. The main ones who’ll suffer are him and you lot, because he won’t be able to afford whatever remuneration you’ve convinced yourself you’re owed.

Not really. Harkaker breached his contract . As his employer, Cas are perfectly entitled to dismiss him and Perdue him for any financial loss. It’s basic employment law.
Had Cas not dismissed him, we would have been paying his wages during his ban, which the club weren’t prepared to do (quite rightly in my opinion). The CEO at the time just wouldn’t entertain paying someone to have a year off as a reward for taking a banned substance.

Just reading this again, I don't see the issue above.

Unless he's committed a crime like assault or behaved in a manner like Joel Tomkins then 'getting smashed' after an England match is what hundreds of thousands of young lads of a similar age did.

Then do what other clubs have done in the past, stick him on the transfer list for a fee.

Players have always breached contracts (some go back to Aus due to homesickness), some bet against their own clubs, some get banned for failing drug tests. Massive can of worms (in all sports) if clubs start suing players, is there a precedent for this?

What’s the source for this ZH “alleged” incident?

As for him going out, why would he not? He knows to behave himself or else he’s off before he gets a penny from Wigan. I don’t really see the issue.

I guess this is the way Cas can recoup the outlay. Putting a player on the transfer list who can’t play due to a WADA suspension is perhaps one of the more ridiculous ideas I’ve heard. Who on earth would pay to sign a player who is banned?!
It’s no can of worms at all. Suing an employee for a breach of contract that results in a financial loss happens on a daily basis in ETs around the country. It’s no different in sport. Cas sued Solomona for BoC. Chelsea successfully sued Adrian Mutu for a BoC almost identical to the one committed by Hardaker (cocaine use leading to a WADA ban). It’s just pretty simple really - employees are liable for any financial loss suffered by their employer due to a BoC.

Not sure if someone else has been posting bad news about him, but it’s the first time I’ve posted on here apart from when he initially signed. Hardly “relentless”!

You posted about him being out in Scarborough just after he signed didn’t you?

I’m not saying you’re not right and that these things aren’t happening but you do seem a tad desperate for him to balls this up. I’d guess he probably will but as and when that does happen, don’t get overly excited! It’s not worth changing your underpants for

I don’t remember posting about him going out in Scarborough.

I don’t want him to balls up for two reasons:

1. If Cas do indeed persue him for money, we need him to be earning to have a good chance of actually seeing the cash.

2. On a personal level, he’s a nice enough guy. I’ve met him a good number of times both when he was at Leeds and Cas, and he always came across as polite, generous and down-to-earth. Everything I hear about him from others, including those who have played and worked with him, suggests the same. A nice lad, but with a self-destruct button he can’t help pressing (not helped by the influence of his idiotic so-called mates). If he can develop the ability to make good choices (the first of which would be to walk away from those who are a negative influence) life could turn out well for him. If he can’t, I’m afraid he’s got more to worry about than whether he can play RL for the next few years.

Slightly different scenario as he was already under contract, but Wigan allegedly paid Hock during his ban. Perhaps they will already be paying ZH some sort of retainer?