Can we all stop blaming fitzpatrick for crying out loud. He has as much say in which players we sign as the people posting on here. Moran and Middleton make the 'vanity' signings and Powell has been given free reign to sign who he wants. I'm not KF's biggest fan, but he's not the reason we have some shocking players and are playing like relegation candidates.

Do you really believe that, was it Moran and Middleton that sent Fitzpatrick to Australia, if it’s them two are deciding the signings it could of been done without sending him.

He can't tackle. Stick with Thewlis would be my advice.

Thats a decent point really bit I still feel thewlis will develop better by playing. He can watch highlight reels or as much NRL as he can if he wants to learn by watching, he could even just watch Wigan games to see what field does in terms of movement in to the attack. Better off on the field to practice what he has been watching IMO.

#Kisskamout

an argument to rival some of Ducks

Absolutely no way he has gone to Australia without the owners agreement.

Maybe he's in their ear though to the point that they've both dropped about 15-25 points on their IQs and can no longer make sensible RL decisions?

He definitely has an input and if he doesn't then why is he even here in the first place? My point is that some of his tomfoolery makes the club look amateurish IMO and thats not a great look when trying to recruit players who want to win things. It looks like come to join Warrington it's a bit of a doss, even the CEO basically just clowns around all day. To be fair I didn't blame him for signings or performances as Moe suggested but I do think he is making the club look a bit like a circus. People learn on the job all the time and maybe he is going to get better on that front, maybe he does a great job as a CEO and some outside judgement is clouded by some of the visible stuff? But I still don't feel that the visible stuff is a good look for the club.

When Moz was signed everything the club did suggested we were seriously trying to win the big one, now it all just looks like soundbites, I am concerned that maybe players dont want to come here because they don't take us seriously as contenders anymore and I'm even more concerned that the current playing staff feel that way.and just don't believe it's possible at all, they certainly don't appear as driven towards that goal as the players did from 2009 to about 2015.

KF makes complete sense to be the one heading to Aus to talk to the players. Imagine if the head coach just went "see you later guys, i'm off to Australia for 3 weeks take care" So of course it's gonna be KF. Powell decides who we sign, contact will be made through the players managers, then KF goes over to talk to the players and sell the club more to them, simple as.
While i'm not excited for Dufty he'll only be on a 1 maybe 2 year deal, and if that adds more knowledge and experience to Thewlis' game long term that's a good thing.

That's not how it works in most other sports so why do we do it?

Usually, there is someone to oversee the sporting side of the business and the CEO should be left to focus on the business side.

This is our problem. NRL players who want to win things will choose Wigan and Saints over us if they are in for them too. The "this is a club going places" is a little less credible after a decade and a half of use. We either have to pay over the odds or go for the players Wigan and Saints don't want.

the RL world has shifted considerably in favour of the NRL since then (16 years ago)

I disagree Moe, DP was Cas coach and all he asked was that his back staff and 3 players out of contract come with him. He wasn’t building a team for 2022. He just put in some foundations he trusted where there was opportunity.
Unfortunately for Wire, his next opportunity for change can only come now for 2023.
Everything wrong with 2022, was down to Fitzpatrick and Price in 2021.

Thats true enough but we aren't the draw we used to be in any case. Saints and Wigan certainly still are though. It obviously helps that their youth development is prolific to say the least.

Back with dufty I think he may end up playing in the halves for us with thewlis staying at 1, I certainly hope so anyway.

Dufty 6
Thewlis 1
Ratchford utility
Dean reserves.

That is how I see it panning out.
Dufty played his best rugby at 6, perhaps he wants to play 6 and that’s why he’s coming Wire. Pretty sure Saints would have wanted him to play 1 this season had he not pulled out of the deal. Fortunately for Saints it turned out good because of the elevation of Welsby.

Powell has come right out and threw Dean under the bus, so that’ll be an end to any chance of him being a half in 2023. DP would rather play Peanut.

So I will say Dufty and Dudson are done deals.
Kassiano I’d say isn’t, but played like he was in the shop window with a fat pice tag.
Cooper is still wanted and in talks.
…and 2 other props, I suspect are the 2 from the NRL, Paul Vaughan and Thomas Mikaele.

From the tone of Charnley’s Twitter account, he’s been given a few truths from somewhere. He isn’t injured and wasn’t on the plane, I guess dropped, for sure, he isn’t playing anywhere near as good as Wrench has on the wing, and neither has King when Wrench has played centre.

King is fortunate he has a 3 year deal, my guess is that if his contract was up now instead of last season, he’d be free to talk elsewhere too.