The bit in bold is the key. Wigan did this with Thornley, and yet he still left. Do you (this not aimed at you Smokey but everyone) not think that given the choice, and having spent so much money, Wigan would have wanted to keep him? Do people really think that a club spends all that money to bring players through, with the intention of just letting them go, and not trying to sign them? At the same time, a difference in salary cap I would imagine prevents any rugby league club from competing with a union club for a young english player. This could become a very serious issue in the next few years.


With the salary cap as it is, how would this be done? To cut all/almost all overseas players would sadly see a decline in quality in the league. But maybe this short-term decline is the only way in the long run? I'd like to see the best players in super league, no matter where they are from, without them it becomes somewhat less "super". I don't think cutting out overseas players is the solution, not completely. So it HAS to be a change in the cap in relation to english/british players.


Definitely, as a Wigan fan i've only got to look at the last ten years (i'm only 20 now) to see the damage that this can cause. Which makes the current criticism all the more difficult to swalllow, because everyone can surely see how far the Wigan club has come in the last couple of years since Lenegan took over?

I don't have any problem with Thornley leaving. Young players have choices to make and sometimes they don't make the one you would like them too. Wigan can't go around throwing big bucks at every young player who has yet to make his debut but is touted as the next big thing.

My issue is more general. A couple of months back there was a thread on the Wigan board where Wigan fans were posting what they thought was their best, fully fit XVII. The majority of those teams did not include any of Feka/Bailey/Phelps.

So yes, 3 are coming in and 4 are leaving. In theory, the position is better for Wigan youngsters but in reality it isn't, because in 2010 there will be 2 MORE overseas players in the first choice Wigan XVII than in 2010, despite the quota being reduced.

That is my concern. The signings are being passed off by Wigan fans as "three in four out" but it isn't as simple as that. There is no need at all for Wigan to have 8 England ineligible players next season. Saints, in comparison, are likely to have just 4 England ineligible players next season. An extra 4 English players across all SL clubs playing week-in, week-out could have a massive difference to the development of young players in this country, but unfortunately self interest reigns supreme.

8?

7 seems more likely, even less if we can pick Manu for England....

Hoffman
Lima
Finch
Leuluai
Roberts
Richards (qualifies on residency)
Hansen (qualifies on residency)

Carmont?

I thought it was Riddell/Feka/Phelps/Bailey leaving?

Carmont will be here next season but there are pretty strong rumours that Roberts may not

I know its fun to point the finger at wigan with regards the overseas appointments, but to be honest, what other option is there? Why should they sign some random english player who is pants, just so they can take the moral highground about having so many english players?

The ideal situation that every fan wants for their team is a completely home-grown squad of players that can be competitive, but that is pretty unrealistic, even for heartland clubs, in this day and age. An adjustment to the salary cap which rewards teams for developing players would probably help, such as letting home-developed players count for less on the cap, but it would probably be seen as unfair on teams with less money or are in expansion areas

Are you feeling alright?

Damn those bloody furriners, coming over here and earning a living.

I'd like to think that every other overseas signing(s) will create an 11-page thread littered with baseless facts. I won't hold my breath, mind.

Pick your argument; do you want us concentrating on our academy of which Hansen is a product and Tommy is a young player from another SL academy, or do you want us to only have England eligible players.

tbh though I couldn't give a stuff about the international game anyway.

I feel like whatever point your trying to make isn't coming accross and it just looking like a spot of pie bashing.

-Wigan produce plenty of youngsters to benifit both them and other SL clubs.
-From what I've been lead to believe the 3 signings (mixed reports of Finch) are very good and the like of which will help improve the overall standard of SL. Quality imports are good for the game both for improving playing standard and attracting crowds.
-They are within the imposed quota rules which are slowly reducing the total number of foreign players in our league.

Ah but that doesn't matter because:
1. We are Wigan
2. Not much else to criticise us for at the moment
3. It's the "spirit" of the game we are breaching
4. It's just not fair

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