Admittedly I thought it was very dodgy at first view, but then after someone stated that you could pay someone off before the season started, then fair enough.

But if Monaghan wasn't available, would Hicks have retired? No. They may not have forced him, but he obviously isn't ready to retire from rugby.

He has mooted his retirement on two separate occasions.

Hicks' retirement and Monaghan coming on board never looked dodgy to me. Some people love to create something out of nothing. Hicks has been great and gets another season of top flight RL and we get a younger full international and origin player. No brainer for me and for the club either presumably.

Chris Hicks on Wolves TV tomorrow from midday giving a final farewell to the fans.

hicks is happy,smith is happy and so are the monaghans,therefore i too am also happy.

this is boring he got a good pay off 12 to 18 months money and a new job to earn a salary as well ,of course a wire till he dies but brass is brass in a short career good look mate of course he could have signed on milked the benifits and got a council house in longford ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and drank it all in walkers club .........thanks for the memories chris bag up bank it and enjoy no snow in aus only in warrington enjoy the surf mate

I know he has, but then he signed a new 1 year playing contract, and if Monaghan wasn't around he would be playing this year. Now that Monaghan was available, he decided to "retire" again. But then as soon as another contract was offered, he took it.

he seemed pretty stoked about going to play with Jarryd Hayne etc. How do we know it isn't the other way around. He was leaving and monas turned up at the right time.

It is equally possible

Well everyones come out of it better off. So it's water under the bridge whatever. But from an outside point of view, Hicks would have been playing for Wire next season if Monaghan wasn't available.

Correct.

What about Stacey Jones he retires at the end of every season.

Try to think of the bigger picture. Life isn't just about rugby. Mrs Hicks has been putting her teaching career back in Aus on hold. An opportunity has arisen to allow her to return home and get on with her life, hubby gets another crack at the NRL and Wire get an international quality replacement who is 6 years younger. What, just what, is wrong here? EVERYbody is happy!

If our signing of Joel Monas was going to leave Chris Hicks high and dry with nothing for his last year in the game I'm sure Joel would have signed for Cas or Cats for next year as originally thought. The fact that he's signed for Paras obviously shows that Chris wasn't 'retired' or shown the door. The club appear to have done the best they could for all concerned as Seb says.

Hicks farewell is on Wolves TV now.( Would post link but only takes you to splash screen anyway)

painful viewing. Was so bitter-sweet.

I didn't get the impression he was nailed on to anything there.
And seems the big thing for leaving was for Joel.

i reckon he shed a tear for Warrington. Seems like he enjoyed his stay.