Mathers wasn't surplus to requirements, TS wanted him to stay but Richie didn't want to stay.

There are no stats for players holding up over the line, Richie has saved so many tries this season. Most wire fans given the choice would rather he had stayed.

he will be the best fullback cas have had since steadman imo. ( also rated jason flowers in defence)

If it was upto me you could have him chissitt.

Did you not replace him with a much better fulback?

I'm not suprised he didnt want to stay if he would have to wait for hodgson to get injured before he got a game.

Hodgson is a better attacking fullback, that suits Wires game, Mathers is a better defensive fullback and marshalls the defensive line a lot better than Hodgson.

If you think he's naff you have been spending too much time with Wiganers. Both us and Leeds saw the good Richie Mathers, yeah he had a couple of brainfarts but so does every player and he's definitely saved us a lot more points than he's conceded. You'll see next season, you'll eat your words when he sures up your defence.

Hodgson is a much better defensive fullback, he one of the main reasons that hudds have had one of, if not the best defence for the last two years. The differance between hodgsons defence the other night and mathers was huge. You didnt see hodgson knocking on with his first touch which led to hsi team conceding did you, you didnt see hodson failing to stop a stand off crash over from short range despite having other defenders in support, you didnt see hodgson going completley the wrong way for the short kick which led to another try, you didnt see hodgson throw out an aweful pass that got intercepted to cost his team the game and end his clubs season.

I can assure you i dont spend any time with wiganers, i base my opinions on what i see, mathers hasnt been the same player since he left leeds and the fact that he is costing his team games despite being under far less pressure than he will be at cas and being far better coached than he will be at cas fills me with dread.

The only plus is that in 3 years he will be gone.

If you had swapped fullbacks the other night you would still be in the play offs

Thats the way to welcome and encourage a new signing. ffs weve got him and hell go fine for us.
Reserve judgement for when the lad has a few games under his belt, then you may be saying 'told you so', but I think you will be admitting you got it wrong this time

Have to agree lets give people a chance!

Are you normally positive about the club signing a player that you think will make the team poorer?

The singing of mathers means we wont get a halfback and that owen wont get chance to play in his best position, i cant see anything other than is scoring less points next season (i dont think anyone is even trying to argue that he offers as much in attack as goldy) and us conceding more (games like the other night and wigan v wire illustrating mathers defencive weaknesses). I'm sorry if it upsets you that i carnt get positive about that but i love the club and cant see this signing being anythink other than a disaster.

Now I know you're having a laugh! Hodgson is a great player but not cos of his defence - its not really his fault but he's just too lightweight to be able to stop anybody running head on at him.

In your comparison between the performances of Hodgson & Mathers the other night I note you didn't mention the fact that Mathers wasn't picked up and thrown about like a rag doll by an oposition centre a la Atkins on Hodgson.

Hodgson is a classic Australian fullback - great at running the ball back and chiming into the attack but not considered there to do the tackling cos in the NRL the rest of the team are expected to make the tackles before it gets to the last line of defence.

I suppose that why mathers misses more tackles than hodgson then?

Hodgson positioning in defence is first rate and the safe under the high ball, 2 things that cannot be said for mathers.

What the hell has atkins picking up hodgson got to do with how good a fullback hodgson is?

maybe not but compare that to when we played hudds in the challenge cup this year, mathers dealt with everything, hodgson, wouldnt even have been able to deal cards that day! hodgson is class, yet he can have the odd day off like everyone else! mathers included, you keep mentioning mathers knock on with his first touch, the ball was being pulled and hed had his face smashed by a forearm! not easy to hold onto a ball in a tackle at th best of times!


and dont be so ridiculous, so richie makes one pass that gives an interception try away, if cudjoe misses it riley is most likel in! and its a brilliant pass! he did them all year for us and has set up more tries with his great skip passes than he has caused with them! that pass did not cost us the game, danny broughs great first 40 minutes did, and anyone with any rugby knowledge knows that.

you must be half a wiganer...even your name supports that fact!

you also say you base your opinions on what you see... well in that case you havent seen half of what richie can offer, as you havent seen himall year have you, youve seen a few games on telly and made a rash and inadequate judgment! you say he has cost his teams big games, yet the 4 most recent of his big games, challenge cup semis and final in 09 and 10, richie has put in superb performances!

ofcourse he has his brainfarts, yet i defy you to find me a player in the league that hasnt this year!