Russell is off to australia at the end of the season. King has been released also

Definitely? I think King has done the right thing. Can't keep waiting much longer, the fact Gelling was chosen over him must have made him aware that he wasn't gonna feature. Its a shame because he does have a lot of talent just unfortunately with Pat and Charnley, we are gonna be set for wingers for the next year or so. Also Joe Burgess is doing well in the 20s/18s and looks a more natural choice for replacing Pat with his size and speed

Waney likes big guys and unfortunately King and Russell don't fall into that category both are however very good rugby players and will do well with another SL club. I hope that these decisions don't come back and bite us.

Burgess is a natural and will be fast-tracked into the first team along with Williams and Hampshire (2-3 years), he may however end up playing centre in years to come.

whats ryan kings attitude like? surely his size isnt the thing holding him back? if so then wigan have treated him very poorly.

I think the biggest problem King had is that when there was a chance for him to fill in for Richards his form wasn't very good. Even with Gelling being a bit lost on the wing at times he fit the teams style of play well, he was a real hard worker and he had the chance to get first team games outside the player he will be trying to replace.

I think he'll have something to offer at Super League level but with the chances to academy rugby the club can't really keep hold of all of the players over the age of 19 that haven't yet had much of an opportunity. I imagine it's more difficult to loan wingers out too since there's quite a few wingers knocking about and many different players who could fill in there.

That would be great for him given that he can still play under 20's next season, any idea which club ?

There have been a couple of clubs in the NRL chasing his signature for quite a while, Roosters and Parramatta (I think) but its certainly not definite that he will go. Quite a few of our current U20's are seriously considering going to Aus at the end of the season as some of the lower grade feeder clubs over there actually pay quite well and they also set you up with jobs and accomodation. With the U20's being scrapped for next season we could be losing a lot of our young talent

So we get punished because Huddersfield, Hull KR, Castleford, Wakefield etc can't support an under 18's and and under 20's team.

The tail wags the dog in this sport.

the problem next year is where do our over 18's play, they can't play U-19 and we can't play them all in our SL 1st team squad or keep them as reserves outside the top 25 because of salary cap. So that leaves loan deals to other SL clubs, most of whom will have the same problem, more players for less levels of competition or playing championship rugby. Now the best will realise that reserve grade in Aus will pay a hell of a lot more so they will be looking at that as an option.

Bring back the A teams

let teams have an A Team that can play in the Championship.
That should increase the quality of the tier below us and provide a decent level of games for juniors.

Sounds familiar that doesn't it.

* cough, Salary cap, cough *

Too much looking after the small timers in this sport IMO.

Wigan were very much in support of the RLF's proposals because of the money they are putting into South Wales Scorpions.

Only St Helens and Warrington opposed the plans.

so in effect South wales Scorpions are going to become more like a feeder club for Wigan..??

So South Wales scorpions effectively become our A Team? I suppose that makes sense.

Well it must do to somebody but I don't see what sense there is in having your A team based 190 miles away.

I can assure you Wigan were not in support of the plans to scrap the U20's

Most backward step ever made scrapping the u20's why bother bringing players through your acadamy to effictively have to some players no future in the club that supported you in the first place.

Why do not buy LEIGH and have that as our A team dual registered players etc.

Fact?



Fact?

Fact

Good


I was just clearing up the FACT that the Wolfs fan seemed to know how our chairman voted!

Believe whatever you want. You might want to check back on who correctly forecasted exactly what the changes to the academy and scholarship systems were going to be sometime back.

Whether Wigan's player development staff support the changes or not I don't know however I do know that Wigan as a club supported the changes when proposed. As I have been saying for a number of weeks only St Helens and Warrington opposed the changes.