Don`t forget that a poster who usually knows the inside track on the club`s signings, mentioned Luke Gale.

As a short term signing while Dean develops maybe he is what we need?

He will definitely lead us round the park, but hasn`t done much since he left Cas for Leeds and now Hull.

Thoughts?

On a 1 year deal i'd be fine with Gale, he can lead the team around whilst Williams can do his own thing ie runni g game.
I think whoever posted about it said he was a back up for if we can't get Dufty. Indicating Dufty is being signed for the halves.......if we do actually sign him?

Mate. He’s 34.

Yes he said this was a back up option to Duffy not coming. And yeh Gale is vocal.

Maybe so but he can lead a team around, only thing leading our team around the pitch is whizzy rascal.

I apologise to DallasMead I always thought Mike Cooper was 33 years old.

He is 33.
34 in September.

Not that it makes any difference.

But he is playing for us now so why isn't he leading our team around the pitch now?

Still very torn on this. Interview with Powell on Cooper leaving here.

rlhttps://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/daryl-powell-mike-cooper-wigan-24174087?utm_source

Going in a different direction = Backwards

And while Cooper may be getting on, Kasiano and Dudson are both 31, 32 when them arrive. So it’s not about longevity.

Re: external business commitments, that would not (in a well run organisation) be signed off by a coach. So the change from Price to Powell should not have an impact on that unless the impact is that Powell’s nose is out of joint.

It’s widely accepted by those with eyes in their heads that we had a 2 man pack for years, Cooper and Hill. It fell to bits when they went off. So… we get rid of them. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not Morley and Peacock, but there are very few tried and tested good props around. So instead of keeping the ones we have, that work, we ship them out and bring in journeymen and imports, of a similar age.

If we had signed some proper replacement to cover the 50+ minutes of effective work that both Hill and Cooper delivered consistently, I wouldn’t be concerned, but we have got Kasiano (great for 25-40 minutes), Dudson (no comment required), Philbin (effective for 25-40 minutes), Mikaele (untried and unproven, could be Sita reincarnated) Bullocks (bang average) and potentially Mulhearn, who somehow is the best of the pack.

We need change, to get a group of men who are capable of getting to finals, to WIN them. That was the job. If the players have too much influence on when they train, as set out above, that would (should) have been signed off at executive level. There is NO CHANGE at executive level, so those bad decisions have not been addressed. If the CEO has agreed with Cooper re his side business, then the CEO should honour that. If decisions of the CEO are failing the company, then the CEO should pay the price for those poor decisions.

To go from nearly men, to nearly bottom, is not acceptable. There’s cracking a few eggs for the omelette and there’s just tipping the carton upside down

If we win a GF in 3 years, Powell will be justified. If we don't, I won't be thinking "bet Cooper would've won it for us" I'll probably just think he gets added to the list of manager who aint done it. But it's not for want of trying change.

Cooper is basically the last remnant of a good pack which consisted of ,over time, Morley, Carvell , Wood , the Anderson's , Rauhihi ,Westwood ,Waterhouse &, the last to go , Hill. We had journeymen backs ,hookers who wanted to be halfbacks & vice versa & the ex GB coach who delivered for Leeds but couldn't do it for us. We still couldn't rise to the occasion & have dwindled steadily over ten years ,becoming a graveyard for coaches & supporters gate receipts alike. Perhaps our ingrained club culture is what needs the kick up the booty. We are going backwards at a rate of knots.

Cooper is right at the very end of a great career with Warrington, but he’ll be 34 before he makes a tackle for Wigan so he’s nearly done. Wish him well and move on guys. Strong rumour we’ve also signed Vaughn and McGuire from the NRL so the clear out continues apace. All good….

Hill and Cooper in the pack repeatedly failed to win the GF.
Our recruitment for 2023 is not done yet. Let's see.