We've basically lost Williams, Sarginson, Hamlin, Tautai and some younger fringe players and replaced them with George Burgess, Bevan French, Jackson Hastings, Mitch Clarke and Bibby.

Not bad business at all.

George is 27 and nowhere near past his best. This season he has played better after a poor 2018. If we can get him motivated he will be the best prop in SL by a distance

Sam Burgess is Souths most important player, now hes had his op on a nagging injury he will show his worth come playoff time.

Have you watched any NRL this season?

So your post is basically opinion based on wishful thinking and misunderstanding. O'loughlin has played 18 times this season and been playing longer minutes than any recent season. Up until a couple weeks ago he was apparently 4th at the club for most minutes played. So what's your point here?

As for 'not setting us apart from Saints'; who in their back row is a current international? Zeb Taia? Nope. Dominic Peyroux? Don't think so. LMS? Well if you count 2nd tier nations I guess. Joseph Paulo? Does a 2nd tier nation 2 years ago count as current? The only 1st tier appearance between the lot of them is 1 appearance for New Zealand nearly a decade ago! If you see that as the same may I suggest your viewpoint might be a little suspect?

I see you still haven't given me your better back row (I'm assuming Saints is just a wind up?). Come on, spit it out and at least give me a crack at it.

It’s been lovely reading round social media and these boards for opinions on this signing. As a general rugby league fan I was made up Wire signed Widdop, Catalans got Maloney etc because it’s great for the league but funnily enough the general feelings around superleague don’t seem as positive on us signing one of the Burgess clan. You’ve got the usual salary cap breach claims, he’ll fit in at the grubiest team in the planet, he’s finished etc but my number one is from our favourite Wire fan Rubber Dickie-

“I’d rather sign Eddie Battye”

Close the forums, we’ve got a winner!

You can't beat jealousy. It's always shown best from someone who'd quietly convinced themselves that they were now the biggest draw in town - and had then found out otherwise.

It has been priceless reading! Before he signed for us, the general opinion is that most SL teams would welcome him with open arms. Now he's a Warrior its a case of hes finished, not been good since 810BC, wont be in the top 10 SL props etc etc....

He will be disappointed. He is Wakefield bound.

I wonder if all agents fees have been declared this time around ha ha

Again great signing and good to see weew getting better players coming over from nrl your team will be pretty decent next year if can get them gelled together in pre season and early games

Strangely my opinion isn’t based on reputation or on internationals (that was your criteria), based on your criteria I note you haven’t dealt with Wire.
As for O’Loughlin, I didn’t know how much he had played which is why I asked.
I note you have completely ignored the fact that I said I’m an admirer.
As for Farrell and the other bloke Hughes and Currie (even though nowhere near his best yet, are a match). No doubt you will respond with the “Hughes= Wigan reject” line. We see him week in week out just as you say about your 2.
Ps check out my signature for further clarification

Sorry, I didn't do Wire because it's a very similar situation to Saints. None of your back rowers are current internationals and, whilst I think Currie could have been with a good injury free run, as it stands, he's not. If I give you he's the equal of Faz (ex international) that leaves you Jack Hughes for Greenwood. Jack is a good, solid Superleague back rower but, even at his best, has never been near the England set up. I'm not sure who you want to put up against O'Loughlin but I can't see anyone in your squad (Jason Clarke, BMM - both of whom your own fans don't really rate) who comes close. You say you're an admirer so I'm assuming you agree?

I'm using being internationals as a benchmark because that's the highest standard achievable and is universally accepted as a marker of a player's worth across every sport in the world. Not really sure why you would object to that tbh and I'm sure you've used it yourself when describing Widdop, for example.

I'm not decrying your (or Saints) packs by the way. Both your front rows are significantly better than ours and much the same reasoning applies in reverse. However, my comment regarding the back row is a fair one and, unless you can show me a like for like one that stands scrutiny (to paraphrase your sig, anything else is just opinion) I'm not exactly sure what you're objecting to.

Age has nothing to do with it. George, along with Sam peaked around 3-5 years ago. Their bodies took a beating at a young age similar to Stuart Fielden and now they are on the decline from the heights they once reached. I am not saying they are bad players, and they can still hold their own but they are not going to ever recapture the form they once displayed. George will go well in SL if his mind is on the job. Best prop in the league? im not sure about that but he will be up there with the best as long as he stays injury free. Sam will still be a very important player for Souths but if you think he is going to come close to hitting the heights of his first stint there, you are mistaken. IMO Tom Burgess is the better of the 3 brothers at this present time and still playing close to his peak level.

Dear shipmates remember to wear factor 50 when going out into that green glow emanating from certain other sites.

Can you not afford sky Sam's killing it

I hereby announce George Burgess as the 2020 Scapegoat

The disturbing thing is that he isn't joking!

Eddie Battye. I just looked up his Wiki page. Is this the work of someone we know? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Battye

Eddie Battye. I just looked up his Wiki page. Is this the work of someone we know? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Battye

In a nutshell I don’t think your second row is anything special. So all we are left with is an agreement that SO’L is/has been. Nothing much to see here.
Still think Burgess is a good signing and Superleague will have more class players next season than this, making it a mouth watering prospect.

Ps Currie is a current international and Hughes is in the elite squad albeit for GB rather than England.

Quote ="moto748"Eddie Battye. I just looked up his Wiki page. Is this the work of someone we know? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Battye'" Updated at 8.10am by an anonymous person on an Iphone. Seems legit .

Quote ="moto748"Eddie Battye. I just looked up his Wiki page. Is this the work of someone we know? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Battye'" Updated at 8.10am by an anonymous person on an Iphone. Seems legit .

Important bit in bold. Care to back it up with how you think a back row containing 2 current internationals isn't a step up on anything else in Superleague.

P..S. Being picked for the elite squad doesn't make you an international. Neither is 1 game in 2017 current.

the England squad, I pointed out that being in the elite squad must make him “near”.

I gave my opinion, it is different to yours, you don’t like my opinion, fair enough.

OK. No need to post in future. I'll just assume you disagree with all my posts from here on in. It'll save us all wasting our time. You're welcome.

I’m not sure why you are in such a tizzy?
I think George Burgess will strengthen Wigan. I think Jackson Hastings will strengthen Wigan. I think next season should be a cracker. Do I conclude from your post that you disagree with me? Anyway I give in, assume what you want.