Many times in the past, we have signed a player and the reaction has been underwhelming, and we fans even criticise certain players before they they play for the club.
However, on many occasions these players often go on to surpass expectations and become a big sucess, thus making people look a bit stupid along the way.

So, who has made you eat your words over the years?

Me - Ben Westwood. When he signed from Wakefield as a centre. For me looked a pile of e on first showings for both Wakefield and us. Couldn't catch a cold and never seemed to run his weight. Add to that his tendency to lie on in the tackle made him a bit of a penalty machine too. I remember commenting at the time to a mate that I thought he would be gone within a year.

Now, he's probably my favourite Warrington player.

David Solomona for me.

I knew he had skills, but i thought "what are we thinking" when we signed him. He looked fat, injury prone, lazy etc. But the man has fast become one of my favourites. All credit to him, and hope he produces his magic for a few more years!

I ate my words once, i used to be a dyslexic sword swallower though.

Not so much eating my words, but was pleasantly surprised by Allan Hunte
Allready had 10 years at the top, I thought his best days were behind him.
Great try scorer for us. Was gutted when we didn't renew his contract. I've always said never get rid of a try scorer.

Monas & King. Under Cull they were shocking. Now 2 challenge cups & a lance todd trophy later all is good in the world

Going back quite a few years I'd have to say Ken Kelly. When he was at Saints and briefly Bradford he
was injury prone and often petulant and I remember thinking when we signed him 'God no' or something similar. I thought he was a square peg in a round hole and not what the side needed at the time, although we didn't have a half who could push the pack round the pitch. Ken went on to be a fabulous player for us, man of steel, captaining us to two JPS Cup wins plus a Lancs cup and losing out to Bradford for the league title on the last day of the season. Through the late 70's and early 80's the side changed a lot each year with players coming and going. At the centre of it was Ken with John Bev and Tommy Martyn as his partners in crime. A true Wire legend.

Not exactly a signing but Chris Riley.

When Riley started off I used to think that he was just like Dean Gaskell, great attitude but would end up in NL1 after about 2 years. Even when he started scoring tries I took a while to be won over. Now he's been one of the top wingers in SL for the past two seasons, have to take my hat off to him.

There are two players who I was quite pleased when we signed them, but thought at the end of their first couple of seasons that they were going to be duds, before being proved wrong: Westwood and Bridge.

Then there's another category of players who I had wanted us to sign for a few years before we signed them, and was dead pleased when we signed them and thought they'd be great signings, but they didn't do it for us: Daryl Cardiss & Stuart Reardon.

David Kidwell for me was the guy who i thought would be a fantastic signing and just did nothing, but then went on to become a cracker

Andy Currier & I still think he's cr*p

Chris Hicks for me...I thought it was risky signing at first especially using a quota spot....

But he didn't take very long to win me over the man's dynamism,bravery,try scoring,low error count and commitment to the cause have made Hicksy possibly my favourite oversea's player to wear a Warrington shirt...

I like to be proven wrong in situations like this...

Chris Bridge - Came in for £30,000 and he'd had off the fields problems, attitude etc. but he's turned out to do alright for us and he would have done even better had he not got that ruptured achilies tendon.

Chris Hicks - He was 30 and was going to be 31 in the March, he'd had a solid record in the NRL and I'd seen him play but it was still a worry to use a quota spot on a winger. He has been such a great signing and has provided memories that will stay with me forever.

Garreth Carvell - His injury record and the reported price tag was a huge worry but apart from spells of missing rounds 3 - 7 in 2009 and between round 12 and 17 in 2010 he's only missed the odd game (sometimes for rests) so has played 74% of SL games for us. He definitely helps with his size and go forward.

Ben Westwood - Has turned out to be a bargain for £60,000 think he's absolutely brilliant. Definitely the right decision to convert him into a second row though.

Nigel Vagana - Had played 1 game for Auckland Warriors so didn't know him, ended up having a top try scorer season and we lost him back to the NRL. Best memory is his hat trick in the shock 35 - 24 win against Wigan.

Danny Nutley - Was also really unknown in 1998 when he came over as a 23 year old as he hadn't played much in Australia and was at a poor quality club. He definitely became a favourite of mine.

Simon Gillies - Originally thought "Oh here's an Aussie here for a last pay day" but he definitely gave all what he had.

Nick Fozzard - He'd broken his arm and hadn't played since 2000 when we signed him in 2002, so was a big risk. But things turned out well and he didn't miss a SL game in 2002 and only missed 3 SL games in 2003, shame we couldn't keep him when things started to look up.

The jury was out on a certain Mr Morley for a while. Seems a long, long time ago now though.

HOPEFULLY... in 12 months I can add Richie Myler's name to this thread

ben's signing along with nat woods may have had something to do with weakening other teams squads who were facing possible relegation alongside us,both were inspired signings,one in the short term and one for the duration,neither made me want to eat my words,westwood wasn't that bad in his first year either.

Louis Anderson, just thought he was after a brwal constantly when we first signed him. Now I think he is one of our best and most consitent players and a try-machine last season!