Interesting to see quite a few articles linking George Williams with a move back to the NRL. Seems like you might have a fight on your hands to keep him too.

It'd be quite Warrington to sort the pack and then end up with no halfbacks after years with the opposite problem

I'm sure it's just his agent setting the scene for a contract upgrade after his superb performances at the World Cup.

I wouldn't be surprised if we are a springboard back to Wigan tbh. Him & Wane seem to have a good working relationship.

I think the fact that we have Williams as a marque is huge in his retention. We have been blessed with world class talent in the halves on paper. Briers was absolute quality in the Smith era, then Sandow, Gidley, Roberts, Austin, Widdop and now Williams. It's so important to keep him around for the long term because we haven't had that since Briers. And since he's a marque we could pay him NRL money without it being a problem for the salary cap. And not only is that important for us, but the English game as well. If we can at least retain our own best players it allows us to keep our value. Lomax at Saints is a great example, he could have easily been paid big money from an NRL club to go over there but even though he's a pain in the backside for us, it's great that we have that kind of quality in our game.

I have no doubts that if we are talking to Drinkwater, we'll get that move done ,even with the current reported issues. But, if we don't, I'll back Leon Hayes to the hilt at #7. But I could understand if we go with Ratchford at #7, for Minikin to take his centre spot.

Surely that would have been the option he would have taken when he came back from the NRL?

Plenty of speculation that Wests are clearing out to bring him in. Hastings has already gone and Doueihi is being allowed to talk to the Bulldogs.

I’ve followed Warrington for long enough to know that anything could happen with us. But I have everything hung on Williams getting us through next year

Hastings left Wests, owing to their imminent signing of John Bateman with whom there was a lot of enmity, when Hastings was playing for Wigan.

Williams left Australia because his partner was unhappy there and wanted to be near to her family, so I doubt that he will be leaving NW England at the moment.

100% this, I’m stunned how this is even a rumour, he got released early by the club because he wanted to return to the UK, when they done that I thought it would jeopardise his move to us at the time because of salary cap.

It's not a rumour, it's just a post by an idiotic saints fan who has never said anything credible on this board in ten years.

He is a stirrer who lives in perpetual fear that we will eventually win the GF. Not sure why he is worried as it is highly improbable, but his fear gives me hope!

Like Warrington would agree to a 300k per annum contact with a clause that the employee could walk out at any time.

If you’re bothered by pigeons pecking at your feet don’t feed them, just politely ignore them or call in Rentokil.

Doesn't need to be a clause, if the player wants out, usually the player gets out. (Not that I'm saying that's the case with Williams btw).

If there is a clause, does it mean that a player could leave on a free transfer?

If a transfer fee isn`t required, it makes a massive difference to recruiting a player that necessitates a significant transfer fee.

There is a rumour though, the Aus Telegraph have reported that 4 clubs are “circling”, Fox asked him if he had plans to return and he said that he couldn’t rule it out (granted he seemed to suggest in the future) and a number of the online click-baits are running it, Zero Tackle for example.

I’m not saying it’s likely, as we’d have to command a few for him (he can’t play the home sick card twice), but if a club come knocking we could be vulnerable.

I'd be amazed if we allowed a clause to say he could walk out whenever he wanted and return to the NRL, but a clause could say a player could leave for free or it could say he could leave for a minimum fee, it could also stipulate whether that was just for NRL or included SL too. I'd be surprised if any clause existed given his acrimonious departure from the NRL.

I'd agree a transfer fee would make it more unlikely, and if Bateman is rumoured at $250k I would expect Williams to be well in excess of that being a half. Although he is a known quantity somewhat in the NRL, he's already been over there and performed well, so less of a risk compared to a 'new' SL player heading to the NRL.

It would be a very good business deal for Wigan if they receive $250k for Bateman, given his form for Wigan since his return to England.

He did play well in Australia for Canberra but has looked a shadow of his former self since then.