It's a clever strategy - gives young players another opportunity and their motivation is sky high. Their initial contracts will be cheaper too when compared to an established name 30 something. But when you find a good un you need to up the ante on contract terms to keep them - which Wigan did.

Utter nonsense, do it the wire way and go for legends like Inglis

I do worry about the prospect of Wigan or saints poaching KFP as their CEO, they'd become totally unstoppable and they would probably make fun of us on social media as well.

Aren't we adopting the same strategy with the signing of Magoulias?

Be interesting to see if we pursue this policy in the future. It certainly worked in the past with the likes of Nutley, Kohe-Love & Grose?... It's likely very dependent on having good contacts down under - Wouldn't Joey Johns be worth employing in some scouting/advisory role, even if it was just part-time?

Yes definitely. Let's hope we get a cracker.

I don't think there's much strategy to what Wigan are doing. It's availability and finance that is driving it. You won't sign the star imports as you aren't willing to pay them enough, they'll continue to go to Warrington, Catalans and Leeds. Whilst it's good for Wigan and SL that Field is staying, you've got to be cynical and wonder if there is an NRL release clause in there. It's either that or he's had a firm no from them and has given up, fullback is one of the most oversubscribed positions in the NRL at the moment, most clubs seem to have a worldie or an up and coming star.

It most certainly is a strategy that Wigan are employing.

We signed George Burgess and Bateman from the NRL - the finances are clearly there.

Also offered George Williams the biggest contract the club had ever offered.

The finances are there, there is clearly a strategy.

I'd take French & Field over Jason Clark, Widdop, and Austin any day of the week.

You just come on here to have a dig at us, now your on here just having a pop and trolling Wigan on our board.

If he posted on the Saints board, nobody would read the message.

Regardless of it being financial or due to availability it’s still a strategy to go for those type of guys. If it wasn’t, we could just go to Wigan St Pats and sign players.

The cracks seem to close up further down the A49 when Warrington comes into view. Field reminds of Brian Johnson, always on hand when a break is made due to anticipation.

That kind of proves my point. The suggestion is that it's a deliberate strategy to sign fringe NRL players who aren't getting a look in. Signing Burgess, Bateman and trying to sign Williams flies in that face of that. Had you signed Williams, would you have signed Cust? No, highly unlikely. It's also likely you'd have had to release one of French or Field to sign the forwards you wanted. You were also in the running for Dylan Napa when he signed for Catalans, so it's unlikely that Mago or Ellis were first choices either. They're okay signings, but I think it's availability that caused them to be signed rather than a strategic change of direction. They are going to be the only kind of signings Super League clubs can make with the ever widening gap in the salary caps, along with the naughty boy signings Catalans look for.