As it says, who never made it that you thought (for whatever reason) that you thought had the potential to?

For me:

Nigel Wright, great rugby brain, he reminded me alot of Tony Myler. Was it an ankle injury that ruined him?

Barrie Mac, just didn't fit in unfortunately. Everyone could see he had ability and would do well.

Danny Sculthorpe - great ball skills, much better than he ever really got to show, having seen him as a young lad, he had the rugby brain and ball skills of a half. He was one of those whose body and running style were ungainly and made look knackered, even before the game kicked off.

Shem Tatupu, big athletic bloke who seemed to have all the physical attributes, he just didn't get the chance to develop and learn rugby league, maybe he just had too much to learn the club found out?

Greg florimo
Andy Powell
Mark reber
FPN
Gary Henley Smith
Paul koloi
Stephen holgate

To name a few

Andy Powell's a great shout. Convinced that if made the switch just a couple of years earlier he could've been an absolute monster in league.

Keeping on the Welsh theme, it's a shame that Gil Dudson hasn't ended up having the career that could've had. Not exactly a failure by any means, but looked such a powerful player in his early 20s and just never kicked on.

During my 20s, there were players at Wigan who were stars of that team by 1970s standards, but minnows compared to players of earlier decades.

They may still consider that they had good, satisfying careers, but if they'd played 10 years later, under Graham Lowe et al, I reckon they'd REALLY have fulfilled their potential.

I'm talking about men like George Fairbairn, David Willicombe, Bob Irving, Bill Ashurst, Jimmy Nulty, even Green Vigo (who could still run Saints ragged after several pints).

This thread is about players who should have made it at Wigan, and it could be argued that these men did, but none of them won silverware in the Cherry and White even though their talent was there to be seen.

Then, in the same era, there were guys like Stuart Wright, Eddie Cunningham and Kurt Sorenson, who should have been stars at Wigan, but left early to become stars at other clubs - and punished us royally for years afterwards.

More recently, I'll always wonder what happened to Simon Haughton. Never did a young forward promise so much - and deliver it for quite a few years - to then suddenly (in his mid-20s?) become so utterly ineffective.

Ray Mordt - A very powerful and direct S.A. winger.
Scott Quinell - Didn't have him long enough to make a big impact, but he could have been a great.

He had real talent, i remember him ripping us to pieces for Wakefield, at the time it was suggested that Wigan asked him to bulk up a bit which put more strain on his ankles.



Hes a fireman in Aus now, Rads talks about him in his book, says he had so much natural talent he found the game easy, and didn't love playing and as a result didn't work as hard as he should've to keep his career going. He was one of he most lethal 2nd rows I've seen, put him through a gap from anywhere and he'd score.


regarding players:

Rob Louwe (sp?), great ball playing forward

Wally Lewis

We brought through players in the early 00s who I tend to think would have kicked on if we had a better structure in place as well do now - Kevin Brown, Luke Robinson, Steven Wild. There were also signings I got excited about in that time who massively underdelivered such as Calderwood, Vaealiki, Moran, Seuseu and Tickle.

In more recent times - Karl Pryce, Shaun Ainscough, Ryan Hampshire, Lee Mossop and Nu'uauasala. I was disappointed Paleaaesina didn't work out under Maguire as well, he was brilliant to watch.

I loved watching Ray Mordt. He would run straight over people rather than go round. I think knee injury ended his time here?

Danny Orr failed to live up to his promise after signing from Cas. We seemed to remove all his attacking flair.

Nick du Toit was another SA who was great to watch, real agressive 2nd row but seemed to disapear. Not sure what happened to him?

Sure Nick de Toit owned the traditionals pub fir a while?

Shaun Ainscough
Amos Roberts

And

Gaz hock...

Ha

Lee Hansen
Brady Malam
Mark Bell
Wayne McDonald
Tim Jonkers

Phill Jones who we signed from Lancashire Lynx scores a great hatrick at cas and then I cant remember what happened to him

Didn’t he go to Leigh ?

I could never take to Mark Bell for some reason, I think I’d been spoiled with wingers over the years and he came at the wrong time. Wayne McDonald was longer than a fortnight, wasn’t he 6’7” or summat like that?

Can't believe I left Danny Orr off. He was really good for Cas. Scored for us on debut away at Bradford when they were champs, then did bugger all afterwards. My abiding memory of him is Farrell being tackled upright by one player on his own in the in goal, and Orr standing in front of him watching instead of moving behind him to take an easy pass and get back in the field of play. After the drop out was awarded Farrell gave him a right mouthful and Orr looked genuinely scared. In the early 00s we seemed to have the reverse midas touch for halves (bar Lam), they all came as stars and left as failures.

Karl Pryce. The bloke was huge, had very good ball skills but not the determination to go with hit.

I believe if he had the right attitude he could have been England’s GI.

Karl Pryce was one of those players that successive coaches look at and think they can make into superstars. After Bradford he went to RU and did nothing, then Wigan and ditto. A more recent similar example is Tony Williams - huge man, occasional glimpses of something incredible, but utterly sunk by his lack of effort.

I remember watching Nigel Wright for Wakefield and he stood very good comparison to Henry Paul at the same age in terms of ability if not style (they might even have played in the same Wakefield team as teenagers?). He just oozed class as a teenager, and its an utter shame injuries wrecked his career.

Now you mention it yes he did!

Did he have ginger hair?

Some of our own produced players

Chris Tuson
Rob Smythe
Luke Robinson
Kev Brown
Logan Tomkins


never made at Wigan for various reasons, in some cases achieving more success at other clubs or injury in other cases. There was a full back who played a few times for Wigan but later played for London whose name escape me who showed some early promise but seemed to drift after that.


I suppose you could also list players who played in the junior or academy levels and went on to play for other clubs.

I will always hold Chris Tuson in the highest regard after the way he flattened Sean McGennis in the Magic Weekend game. McGennis threw some cowardly shots to the back of his head when he wasn’t looking and got put on his backside with one good dig by Tuson.

wes cotton?

Off the top of my head...


Sean Long.

Was the natural successor for Shaun Edwards. Could have been our starting half for years, the success he brought to Saints could have been with us.

Ben Currie.

Signed, played for our school boys then went to Wire.

Owen Farrell.

If his father Andy hadn't gone to Union and took up another position with Wigan, I'm sure Owen would have never even looked at Union.

Does anyone know how Currie ended up at Wire? I know we can't keep them all, but I've never heard anyone say why he didn't stay.

Wes Davies billy Boston’s grandson?