Wigan have snared the Melbourne Storm trio. Who can stop Wigan?

[dallymessenger]

Kiwi's must be short on props then

I've merely offered my opinion that you have equal or better on 2 of the signings, i've conceded that Hoffman could be a good signing for you, therefore allowing you to spend on better quality.

You forgot your very own Hannibal of the red corner list but i think for differing reasons

brett finch is a fantastic player. but you need to watch the nrl to know this

[Hannibal]

No I don't, I can wait until next year, and watch him in Wigan.

[Lee]

brett finch is a fantastic player. but you need to watch the nrl to know this

Knew i was missing something, thanks for pointing it out Walt

[1976PMJwires]

They are now using melbournes expertise in that area

Nearly fell off my chair LMFAO.

[Derwent]

I'll quite happily bet that Hoffman has a similar impact to Johnson. Firstly because he isnt as good a player as Johnson and secondly, if its true that he has only signed a one year deal then he isnt interested enough to give it a good enough go in SL.

Maybe Wigan only wanted him on a one year deal as they have Gareth Hock returning in 2012 ?

[ParisSurtout]

Ryan Hoffman's deal is for one year with a one year option.

It may be that Ryan Hoffman is looking to return to the Melbourne Storm when their salary cap problems are resolved -- either in 2012, or at worst in 2013 when the new NRL TV contract and much bigger salary cap kicks in.

This will give Wigan at least two and perhaps three separate shots at the Super League trophies (I include this year).

Edited July 20, 2010 by ParisSurtout

[shrek]

Maybe Wigan only wanted him on a one year deal as they have Gareth Hock returning in 2012 ?

You are Ian Lenagan and I claim my

[dallymessenger]

Knew i was missing something, thanks for pointing it out Walt

some of us watch the nrl lee, and some of us close our eyes to the fantastic rugby on show every week

[Lee]

some of us watch the nrl lee, and some of us close our eyes to the fantastic rugby on show every week

Which category do you think i fall into?

[dallymessenger]

Which category do you think i fall into?

wrong forum mate

[ParisSurtout]

Ryan Hoffman's deal is for one year with a one year option.

It may be that Ryan Hoffman is looking to return to the Melbourne Storm when their salary cap problems are resolved -- either in 2012, or at worst in 2013 when the new NRL TV contract and much bigger salary cap kicks in.

This will give Wigan at least two and perhaps three separate shots at the Super League trophies (I include this year).

My hunch was confirmed when I read that Hoffman came to the Storm at age 18, the same time that Craig Bellamy arrived there. Moreover Bellamy played as a team mate at Canberra with Ryan's dad.

So there are very strong ties between Ryan Hoffman and Craig Bellamy-Melbourne Storm.

[MrPosh]

Ryan Hoffman's deal is for one year with a one year option.

It may be that Ryan Hoffman is looking to return to the Melbourne Storm when their salary cap problems are resolved -- either in 2012, or at worst in 2013 when the new NRL TV contract and much bigger salary cap kicks in.

This will give Wigan at least two and perhaps three separate shots at the Super League trophies (I include this year).

Could any of the Wigan fans out there confirm to me whether Wigan won any trophies prior to Ryan Hoffman joining the club?

Frankly, I can't see how it's possible.

[ParisSurtout]

Could any of the Wigan fans out there confirm to me whether Wigan won any trophies prior to Ryan Hoffman joining the club?

Frankly, I can't see how it's possible.

Nobody is questionng the remarkable history of Wigan Warriors RLFC.

I have already indicated in this thread that I believe that Wigan has a shot at winning this year.

My point, which seems to have gone over your head, is that the three Storm signings will make Wigan even stronger than this year, and near certainties for the Grand Fnal next year.

[Wendall]

Nobody is questionng the remarkable history of Wigan Warriors RLFC.

I have already indicated in this thread that I believe that Wigan has a shot at winning this year.

My point, which seems to have gone over your head, is that the three Storm signings will make Wigan even stronger than this year, and near certainties for the Grand Fnal next year.

Next year we will have an even stronger Warrington Wolves with Hodgson at fb and all the young guns will have matured more.

Therefore its a bit premature to say that Wigan will be in the GF next year when all other teams will get stronger next season.

[RP London]

Nobody is questionng the remarkable history of Wigan Warriors RLFC.

I have already indicated in this thread that I believe that Wigan has a shot at winning this year.

My point, which seems to have gone over your head, is that the three Storm signings will make Wigan even stronger than this year, and near certainties for the Grand Fnal next year.

is that it then? are no other clubs going to sign anyone for next year? is the transfer window firmly shut?

FFS!

so many other clubs have players to buy..

Leeds have had a dreadful season but are still there or thereabouts and i wouldnt rule them out getting it together next season..

Sains under a new coach could well get their act together

Bradford may well sort themselves out with potter after what he did with catalans i wouldnt rule anything out.. they are not a bad team they just cant seem to play together..

Warrington may well get a couple of nie signings, they are doing pretty well at the moment and nother year playing like this and who knows..

there will always be abolter as well..

Wigan have signed 3 players.. they will be letting 4 possibly go from their foreign list.. so how will these 3 fit in.. will they be disruptive to the dressing room, how will they gel? they may get on with Mcguire but will they get on with the other players.. will they be fit or get season ending injuries in the first match?

the signings Bradford made this season made people stand up then they did nowt.. same with Warrington over the season past..

3 great signing do not necessrily mae a championship.. that is what people are saying..

[ParisSurtout]

is that it then? are no other clubs going to sign anyone for next year? is the transfer window firmly shut?

FFS!

so many other clubs have players to buy..

Leeds have had a dreadful season but are still there or thereabouts and i wouldnt rule them out getting it together next season..

Sains under a new coach could well get their act together

Bradford may well sort themselves out with potter after what he did with catalans i wouldnt rule anything out.. they are not a bad team they just cant seem to play together..

Warrington may well get a couple of nie signings, they are doing pretty well at the moment and nother year playing like this and who knows..

there will always be abolter as well..

Wigan have signed 3 players.. they will be letting 4 possibly go from their foreign list.. so how will these 3 fit in.. will they be disruptive to the dressing room, how will they gel? they may get on with Mcguire but will they get on with the other players.. will they be fit or get season ending injuries in the first match?

the signings Bradford made this season made people stand up then they did nowt.. same with Warrington over the season past..

3 great signing do not necessrily mae a championship.. that is what people are saying..

That is what some people are saying.

It is not what Mr Posh was saying.

[ParisSurtout]

Next year we will have an even stronger Warrington Wolves with Hodgson at fb and all the young guns will have matured more.

Therefore its a bit premature to say that Wigan will be in the GF next year when all other teams will get stronger next season.

There are two ways a club can improve itself: (1) a good new coach (2) good new players.

Warrington bought a lot of good new players a few years back, but they underachieved, because their coach was not of Super League calibre. The club then bought a good new coach and it became a much better team, which within twelve months has improved to the level of the top three clubs.

Wigan has retained the same team as last year, but the purchase of a good new coach has lifted them to the top of the table and Grand Final favourites. Next year they clean out their underachieving imports and purchase three new ones who are better than the departing. The obvious conclusion is that they can only be an even better club next year than this year.

Warrington has added one quality player named Brett Hodgson -- a big improvement on Richie "Turnstiles" Mathers -- but his acquisition will not be as significant as the Hoffman, Finch, Lima acquisitions for Wigan.

So I conclude that Wigan's improvement is likely to be greater than Warrington's, making them clear No. 1.

As for the others, I do not see Leeds either changing their coach or buying significant new players of quality.

Bradford's new coach will improve them, but even so their player roster will not get them to the Grand Final.

St Helens do not have a new coach named yet. But since we know it will not be Wayne Bennett or Craig Bellamy, I cannot see their new coach making a huge difference.

The only club that is likely to improve dramatically under a new coach is Les Catalans Dragons. But in that case the retention of Clint Greenshields will be necessary for them making the top six, let alone higher.

In summary, the uplift that three new good new players will give current table topping Wigan next year is greater than the uplift that other clubs are likely to get from new coaches or new player acquisitions. My argument is that this uplift cements Wigan's right to be considered Grand Final participants, and even Grand Final favourites.

Edited July 21, 2010 by ParisSurtout

[RP London]

That is what some people are saying.

It is not what Mr Posh was saying.

what has that got to do with it..

your quote:

My point, which seems to have gone over your head, is that the three Storm signings will make Wigan even stronger than this year, and near certainties for the Grand Fnal next year.

my reply:

oh no it doesn't, not anywhere near.. for all the reasons in my post..

[ParisSurtout]

what has that got to do with it..

your quote:

My point, which seems to have gone over your head, is that the three Storm signings will make Wigan even stronger than this year, and near certainties for the Grand Fnal next year.

my reply:

oh no it doesn't, not anywhere near.. for all the reasons in my post..

Please read my previous longish post immediately above yours, posted at the same time as yours. It answers your response.

[Dave T]

There are two ways a club can improve itself: (1) a good new coach (2) good new players.

Warrington bought a lot of good new players a few years back, but they underachieved, because their coach was not of Super League calibre. The club then bought a good new coach and it became a much better team, which within twelve months has improved to the level of the top three clubs.

Wigan has retained the same team as last year, but the purchase of a good new coach has lifted them to the top of the table and Grand Final favourites. Next year they clean out their underachieving imports and purchase three new ones who are better than the departing. The obvious conclusion is that they can only be an even better club next year than this year.

Warrington has added one quality player named Brett Hodgson -- a big improvement on Richie "Turnstiles" Mathers -- but his acquisition will not be as significant as the Hoffman, Finch, Lima acquisitions for Wigan.

So I conclude that Wigan's improvement is likely to be greater than Warrington's, making them clear No. 1.

As for the others, I do not see Leeds either changing their coach or buying significant new players of quality.

Bradford's new coach will improve them, but even so their player roster will not get them to the Grand Final.

St Helens do not have a new coach named yet. But since we know it will not be Wayne Bennett or Craig Bellamy, I cannot see their new coach making a huge difference.

The only club that is likely to improve dramatically under a new coach is Les Catalans Dragons. But in that case the retention of Clint Greenshields will be necessary for them making the top six, let alone higher.

In summary, the uplift that three new good new players wuill give current table topping Wigan next year is greater than the uplift that other clubs are likely to get from new coaches or new player acquisitions. My argument is that this uplift cements Wigan's right to be considered Grand Final participants, and even Grand Final favourites.

There is a lot of sense in the above post, and had you positioned it like this you would probably have had more agreeing with you.

The main risk for Wigan IMHO is that it may take time for some of the players to settle in. Hoffman should be fine, forwards do tend to slot in nicely, but a new halfback can take a little bit of time, although Finch is pretty experienced so shouldn't be too much of a gamble, but you just never know.

[RP London]

Please read my previous longish post immediately above yours, posted at the same time as yours. It answers your response.

so you believe that leeds cannot get any better even though they have had a reched season with injuries and just poor form.. yet you believe a new coach will make les cats better and so you can only see them improving.. how does that work are the french the only people who can improve?? leeds are 3 times champs in a bad season.. why can they not pck their form back up with the same coach that won them 3 titles..

and you havent covered fact that we have no idea what players will be signed by other clubs int he comp yet.. or has the draw bridge been pulled up?

[MrPosh]

So, Saints sign Inglis, Cam Smith and Thurston and Wire sign Slater, Cronk and Burgess.

Still Wigan in the GF. Of course not, you silly little man. Nobody with half a brain would make that prediction at this stage.

[Padge]

Nobody with half a brain would make that prediction at this stage.

Maybe you've hit on to something there.

[ParisSurtout]

so you believe that leeds cannot get any better even though they have had a reched season with injuries and just poor form.. yet you believe a new coach will make les cats better and so you can only see them improving.. how does that work are the french the only people who can improve?? leeds are 3 times champs in a bad season.. why can they not pck their form back up with the same coach that won them 3 titles..

Catalans will improve greatly because they had the worst coach in Super League, who dragged them to the bottom of the competition. The only way forward is up.

Leeds have plenty of improvement in them. So they could well deny St Helens and Warrington the right to challenge Wigan in 2011. There are, after all, two spots in the grand final up for grabs.

and you havent covered fact that we have no idea what players will be signed by other clubs int he comp yet.. or has the draw bridge been pulled up?

The draw bridge has pretty much been pulled up.

Inglis may go to Brisbane, if he doesn't stay at Melbourne. But nowhere else.

All the other top NRL stars, who could make a difference to a Super League club rival of Wigan --- such as the Melbourne 4, Thurston, Lockyer, Gasnier, Morris, Jennings, Prince, Marshall, Pearce, Carney, Dugan, Coote (look at the State of Origin and Kiwi teams) ---are committed to NRL clubs for 2011.

2012 could be a different story, though the impending NRL salary cap increase will probably stop the super stars from coming to England.

Edited July 21, 2010 by ParisSurtout

[MrPosh]

The draw bridge has pretty much been pulled up.

Inglis may go to Brisbane, if he doesn't stay at Melbourne. But nowhere else.

All the other top NRL stars, who could make a difference to a Super League club rival of Wigan --- such as the Melbourne 4, Thurston, Lockyer, Gasnier, Morris, Jennings, Prince, Marshall, Pearce, Carney, Dugan, Coote (look at the State of Origin and Kiwi teams) ---are committed to NRL clubs for 2011.

2012 could be a different story, though the impending NRL salary cap increase will probably stop the super stars from coming to England.

Are you saying that Finch, Hoffman and Lima are better than all of the other players in the NRL, aside from the eleven that you have mentioned?

You have certainly implied that.