I'd rather have 5 years of Tomkins, Charnley etc then 2 or none. Would we have won the trophies we have without players who went on to the NRL? I doubt it. Plus they help along the players coming through

I think the time has now come to accept that unless there are major changes as the top of RL, we start attracting some bigger sponsers and bring money into the game. The trend of players going to union and the NRL is going to continue.
Sam Tomkins has said it himself, he doesnt blame S Burgess for going to union, players have a short career. They have a right to maximise their earning potential. Are taking bets on how long Sam Tomkins stays in the NRL?
This is not a great situation, it is worrying, but unless something significant is done (i.e Dr K's idea), i think it is going to be the norm from now on. I intend to watch whoever Mr Wane fields in the cherry and white and support the team as best i can.

Worth a read... www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... ay-6777197

Worth a read... www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... ay-6777197

Quote ="WARRIORCRAIG"Worth a read... www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... ay-6777197'" Worth bookmarking to see his statements ring true at the end of this season

Quote ="WARRIORCRAIG"Worth a read... www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... ay-6777197'" Worth bookmarking to see his statements ring true at the end of this season

Quote ="WARRIORCRAIG"Worth a read... www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... ay-6777197'" At least this shows he realises - maybe because he's been told, but at least he now knows - that the Wigan fans are increasingly unimpressed with and frustrated by players who use our club to try and secure themselves a deal whereby they can spend their very best years at another club. If nothing else, the mere fact he's aware of this and is embarrassed by it is an improvement on those who've gone before.

Quote ="WARRIORCRAIG"Worth a read... www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... ay-6777197'" At least this shows he realises - maybe because he's been told, but at least he now knows - that the Wigan fans are increasingly unimpressed with and frustrated by players who use our club to try and secure themselves a deal whereby they can spend their very best years at another club. If nothing else, the mere fact he's aware of this and is embarrassed by it is an improvement on those who've gone before.

Let's hope it's not just a way of keeping people happy in the short term. We simply must have an off season of very little disruption at the end of this season because we can't afford to keep seeing 4 or 5 players walk through the door each year. We have a young squad now with loads of improvement in it but all the players need continuity now to fulfil that potential.

Let's hope Charnley is speaking the truth, Blake Green extends his deal and nobody else jumps ship. If that happens we'll have an outstanding team next year with the likes of Burgess, Hampshire and Bateman a further year on in their development.

I think we're almost certain to lose Bowen and Green at the end of this season, but Hampshire and Powell should be able to fill those voids. It would be nice if those were the only changes to the core first team squad, with a couple of experienced players coming in.

I have my reservations about whether Charnley and Taylor in particular will be here beyond this season, though.

Maybe the club has changed policy on this and will now keep players to their contract.
We need experienced players more than we need transfer fees.

I still think Bowen will do 2 years and one of Powell or Rocky will step up to replace Green. Out of the 2 I expect it to be Rocky.

there is an option for 2015 in the clubs favour on Scott Taylor, so if the club want him they have him

"Why would I want to leave such a great club right [unow[/u?"

As they say, the devil is the detail.

.....and he clearly told everyone that he has 2 years left.

Cash in at end of season time for Wigan I reckon.

Spot the difference:

I agree the likely scenario seems to be that Charnley will leave at the end of the season. Although we often blame salary cap for players leaving, it seems to me that over recent years, more players leave Wigan than anywhere else? Leeds have kept the core of their side together, so have Huddersfield. Up to last so did wire but their players left due to their age. Apart from James Graham, Saints haven't really lost anybody to the NRL so why just us? Surely players from other are touted for moves but their club is doing something to retain them? Food for thought I suppose!

I think you ask the pertinent question which is "Why us?". I have got to the stage where I am sick of hearing the club announce another player has signed a longer term deal because we know it is meaningless.

I'd sooner them sign a two or three year deal and stick to it and if they did sign deals that long then we would IMO be justified in playing hard ball to keep them too it. If you put someone on a five year deal and they want out after two then the idea you can play hard ball for three years doesn't wash. Compare that to making someone on a three year deal play another year. A totally different scenario.

Long term deals may be done to get a fee if they do leave early but it they also stick a big "For Sale" advert on the players forehead in my opinion.

We need to be able to ignore the temptation of transfer fees and if that means IL needs someone else to invest in the club he should look toward sorting that out rather than keeping it all to himself (so to speak) because at the moment it does look like we are very keen to realise cash by selling players.

Our players are just better than everyone elses

He's come out and said he's happy and has no interest in going to union or NRL, give up with the bull the shiit stirrers where made to look like fools again. He is going nowhere and not making future plans either, he has made it clear and andi peter said the same the other week any other crap is in your heads.

I said the club should make it clear that our players should expect to see out their contracts - which in your world seems to mean that Tomkins, Mossop and Charnley (all players who came through our academy) would never have signed for the club in the first place if they were not granted an opt-out to go to the NRL whenever an offer came along.

That doesn't seem particularly realistic situation to me.

Just out of curiosity guys why do you all seem to agree that you will lose Green at the end of the season, is he out of contract?

Blake said on Wigan TV last season that he planned to return home at the end of this season, it was before we won anything so it's a possibility but nothing dodgy.

I wish it was.

Charnley has clearly had his head turned and is off to the NRL

It is strange why Wigan can't keep their star players whilst other SL clubs can though?

Last year Tomkins played the majority of the season knowing he was leaving, for Charnley it could be the whole season. Why didnt SW drop Sam? Sam had a few poor performances, especially under the bombs. Double standards perhaps? Who knows.
RU and NRL is ripping us apart and the management doesn't really know how to deal with it, although they are trying their damndest. I think we all appreciate the effort they are putting into a losing battle.
It just feels like league was put into administration 15 years ago and SKY are the administrators.

When a club gives a player a contract (2 years for Taylor) and pay a significant fee for him and the club has an option for another year it is obvious to me that it is the player who only asked for the two years.

The years option in the clubs favour is to safeguard the clubs interest and by having the option of an extension it allows the club the option of asking for a fee if the player decides he wants out.

If it had been an option for the player to choose to stay for the extra year it would signify to me that it was the player who wanted a longer contract.

Taylor isn't ready for the NRL and would be crazy to move IMO. Wigan are working hard on him, improving him and getting him fitter and I believe he'll be one of the worlds top props in time but he isn't there yet. He needs to keep working and he couldn't be in a better place.

He'd be wise to stay where he is for at least another season after this IMO.