Exiled Wiganer
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Posts posted by Exiled Wiganer
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Not sure how Greenwood failed to make a go of it, as he is clearly a better player than Sutton. Maybe he joined the wrong team? There is a risk that SL will be unable ever to keep its stars, but I hope that is one of the things focussing the minds of the chairmen. Wigan are particularly susceptible to people leaving, as our name is so well known, when compared with clubs like St Helens.
When Williams joins, Canberra will play more Englishmen than Catalans play Frenchmen most weeks...
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I think Allora is in full on “Everything English is rubbish” mode for some reason.
I think it is an interesting list, and don’t see why you can’t have all the English qualified players on a list of English qualified players. I thought the Morrises were born here, but may have that muddled. Certainly, there has been discussion from time to time about their availability (and the other “Aussies” on the list). I thought that Sutton was lined up to play in the Canberra first team, though that might have been in the Wigan papers. I will be interested to see whether how far he goes. I also read that Bateman needed an interpreter.
The point though is well made. The more English qualified players we have in the NRL system, the better our strength in depth. Anything that deepens the pool.
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Banks certainly expect a return.
That works on so many levels. If it was meant as a multi layered joke, it worked for me!
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There's a lot of merit in what you say about Shaun Edwards, whose will to win was incredible and he certainly made the most of his talent when he was with Wigan. I have enormous admiration for Shaun.
But there is also a lot in the argument that, no matter how good you are, you are only as good as your team, as Shaun showed when he went to Bradford and London, where he couldn't repeat his heroics with Wigan.
In terms of natural ability I think Garry was a better player, and I suspect he would have won lots of trophies too if he had been part of Wigan's full-time squad in an era of part-time players. But we'll never know.
Garry played alongside players like Shaun, Bobbie Goulding, Andy Gregory and so on for Great Britain, and is entitled to give his opinion, both on them and on every other aspect of Rugby League. You may not like his opinion, but I'm glad he is prepared to give it, and I wish more current and former players would be prepared to speak out like he does.
There seems to be a Victorian millowner mentality among some people in Rugby League, whereby players should be seen but not heard, and should know their place.
I'm afraid that Garry isn't like that, and he calls it as he sees it.
Sorry if that's a bit much for you to take.
Given how much money I spend on products you sell, I'd have thought you'd be interested in how much "I can take". He's entitled to his opinion, he's entitled to slag off anyone and everyone. What puzzles me is his desperate need to do so. There are so many ways to make a point beyond - "listen kids while I tell you again how great I was and how rubbish everyone else was and is." It's sad and desperate. You can be a vocal critic of many things, and argue a case without doing so. I'd certainly read Hanley's views on how he was so much better because he genuinely was better, not some re write of history to suggest Schofield was in a different class from the likes of Edwards.
I hope you can handle my opinion.
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Would Shaun Edwards' trophy haul have been the same if he had played in the Leeds team of the 80's/90's? Would Schoey have won the same medals as Shaun if he were a Wigan player?
Medal count's can not be used as a comparison of a players ability. Rugby League is a team sport.
For what it is worth I believe Schofield was a more creative player than Edwards.
Just picking up on this. For what it's worth, I think there was a brief period when Schofield was a better player than Edwards, and a very fine 6. Not the world's best player, but a very good one. What Edwards had was a will to win and a drive which made the most of every ounce of his talent, over a very long period. He became the game's most decorated player for a reason, and deserves better than to be casually dismissed by someone who never once managed to lift the team he played with into one good enough to win a major prize.
I can and I will compare their medal hauls - when the disparity is this vast, it demands close examination.
Determination and drive are as much part of what makes a player great as speed and balance.
That he was the corner stone of every great Wigan side of the era, the most successful club side of any era, is reason to hail him, not dismiss him. We sold Hanley when his powers waned. We'd have done the same to Edwards.
Now, I know that Schofield is deranged, but entertaining, but in case anyone reads his column and believes he was a class above Edwards the facts provide a massive rebuke.
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Never before in the SL era has annual promotion and relegation been cushioned with a decent level of funding as is proposed this time. So how can you possibly be so sure that the yo yo effect will come into the reckoning. Fev, Fax, Sheffield and Leigh are not far behind half the SL clubs ability wise as things stand now. Give them the funding and there would be absolutely no reason why they couldn't hack it in SL. Three years is too long to keep the fans' interest
Isn't there a lot of evidence to suggest that none of these clubs will thrive in SL (though they might survive and contribute)?
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Schofield managed not only to big himself up as a guru on half backs and then to dismiss anyone else who played after him (as per) and then turned on his peers, Goulding and Edwards.
Surely, anyone new to the game might think, such a stellar player would have inspired the side in which he played to win trophy after trophy, and would be destined for a glorious coaching career.
That playing career in full - GS - 1 Yorkshire Cup, 1 Panasonic Cup (I was a bit embarrassed even to include these, but they really are the whole story); SE - 3 World Club Challenges, 8 Championships, 9 CC wins, 5 Lancashire Cup wins.
That coaching career in full - GS - I was almost too embarrassed to write anything here - 13 games at Huddersfield and 5 at Barrow; SE - sadly, all Dark Side, but seemingly impressive in their terms.
GS awarded himself the Golden Boot for each of the "lost" Open Rugby years, before being given it well after the event by his employers. Edwards won Man of Steel once.
Next week, read how GS was so much better than that Alex Murphy fella.
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Never heard of him, but then I was trying to think of a current union player I had heard of, other than the ex leaguies - is there a TUilagi? A Cockerill? A Moody?
The timing is good - made the front page of the BBC web site - nice subliminal message. Makes you wonder whether Sally Bolton is pulling the strings for the whole of the sporting world.
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I like L-P. I'd have been gutted if they'd gone for Veuve Cliquot - it's diesel oil in a bottle.
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We should be selling them as the greatest rugby players in the world. I have a poster of Brett Kenny in his Kangaroo kit walking out that they put up all round Wigan for our match in the 1986 tour.
It just said "They're Coming!"
On the Dark Side, they build up the All Blacks image/myth so that getting close to them is considered an achievement. We should do the same for the Greatest Game equivalent.
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I am not sure it is extra revenue - didn't we sell all the rights to IMG, who are entitled to on sell them to whoever they want?
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OF - I'm gutted no one looked beyond the overt aggression to the underlying wit. If only I'd added a smiley.
(It did cross my mind that I'd have to don my keyboard armour though.)
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It's ok, far from a classic edition.
It has the obligatory Schofield "I would have done better than what I was given free tickets to sit through on my way to 10 consecutive Golden Boots" comedy self parody moment of course.
And it has as much doom and gloom moaning as this board, though you have to pay for Sadler's d and g.
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I hadn't thought about it, but I must say reading the replies makes me appreciate how far HKR have gone. One thing I'd say about them is that they seem to be able to attract players you'd pay good money to watch, which is a tremendous credit to them.
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I agree - what if they've only made 40 % of 40 % available and sold 40 % of those? Where would be without our resident French cynic? A happier place, perhaps?
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Given how far out we are, I remain pretty optimistic about this. For our game, getting to 500k tickets would represent an unprecedented level of success and popularity, as we watch the greatest World Cup in our history.
We seem well on track so far. A big performance from England at Cardiff and we'll be set very fair indeed (and weather like 95 rather than 00 please).
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He only need sto be better than Tuson to be a step up. He'll go well and is a great age.
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Oh and given that it was mentioned on here as an example of SL at its best, on Monday Wigan had a huge number of young British players stepping up to the plate. From our perspective this year has shown that well coached British talent can go a long way given the chance. I hope that HKR go down that route and that the next Dobbo is a Brit.
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Dobbo may be reserve grade but then Scott Moore is a first team player. Maybe his style better suits SL than the NRL.
From what I have seen Burns looks to be pretty much as good as Green, for whom they got a fee, so maybe HKR have another 7 already lined up? Sandercock must have decent connections there.
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Did we nick him from Wakefield? Wigan's youth set up can be widely acquisitive.
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Williams and Hampshire are real talents. Not seen Tierney so can't comment on whether he is a Keiron Cunningham or a (wide to) West in the sons of famous fathers stakes.
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Avoid injuries to key players. If Sam and Lockers had been out for a long time simultaneously we would have had a different season. While we were often without 7/8 players at a time they were often in positions in which we had cover. Contrast that to Saints and Leeds, where you can have everyone fit apart from 2 of your strike players and be far less potent.
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I thought that went very well indeed. Wigan did everything they had to do - make Saints turn around, run at their outside men, keep our discipline. Not sure how it must have looked to a neutral, but our second try was a wonder to behold.
To win the Quintuple - League Champions, GF Winners, 9s, Reserves and Locker Cup. A barely believable haul.
For Saints, they did remarkably well to get there, with no halves and seemingly only 1 centre most of the year. A trick for them is to work out who to develop out of their many good youngsters. Plenty of hope for the future though plenty to ponder.
A couple of things puzzle me - when the ball is stolen as a player crosses the line, why is that not a sin binning? Why did Saints move so many people around to positions they don't normally play?
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I think Les Cats have made an inspired choice. Not only does he look as if he is an excellent coach (v similar reputation to MM), but he speaks French and knows the game and culture down there. He is tailor made. I like the signing of Blanch, as he strikes me as a consummate professional. I have a v soft spot for him after his fabulous Irish World Cup performances. Menzies is a brilliant signing as a player who can set an example off the pitch and lead the team around on it. He will enjoy being surrounded by higher quality players again.
Very excited to see how far he can take a wooden spoon team after taking the NRL one to tomorrow's GF.
Brits in the NRL
in The General Rugby League Forum
Posted
I was thinking about this the other day - to what extent do the commentators’ emphasis affect the disciplinary? Say, if you compare Sky’s reaction to Smithies’ indiscretions against their ignoring Walmsley’s attack on Wells’ knee, would that be a factor in the process? Surely they aren’t influenced?