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"I probably would have re-signed with Wigan if I had the chance but I wasn't getting a chance at the time and there wasn't much contact from them in terms of a new contract so I started to look elsewhere,"

Brilliant, we loose one of the best prospects in rugby because we couldn't be at$ed/loosen the purse strings to give him a decent contract, unbelievable

Sounds like he has a great attitude - all the best to him, hope he gets a shot at first grade out there.

Not fantastic news, however we have signed up a shed load of young talent on longer contracts including a dream team member and a very good prospect winger amongst others?
Flanagan has proved to be a very good young player whilst he has been in the first team, but am I not correct in thinking he was pretty average whilst in the reserves (I do not watch the academy games very often, so could someone who does confirm or deny it please).
Am I also correct that it was pretty much announced that he would be going to Oz after his big impact against saints, which was his first senior grade match for a long while.
We have abundance in talent coming through in the 2nd row department what with Farrell et al.
I would prefer to see him re-signed that Bailey though

FFS.

Something is clearly wrong at our club if someone didn't spot this guys talent before a few months ago.

We seemed to have an ideal replacement for Locky long term in Chris Gerrard, what has happened to him not heard anything from him in a while.

What an utter joke.

Well the truth is out in the open now.

All this "he wanted to be with his girlfriend" is true but not the real reason he left. The above explains it.

I think Wigan have wasted their money and missed an opportunity to sign up a very promising player. He has been at the club for three years and it is only until we're very short in players have we given him a chance. I can understand his frustration and if trends like this continue many more will grow impatient and leave.

What happened to the days when lads were given a chance at 18? 19?

The best RL player in the world at the moment is only 21. Jarryd Hayne.

Made his debut at 18 and played for Australia and New South Wales at 19.

Andy Farrell made his debut at 16 and was a full international at 18.

Sean Edwards made his debut at 17.

Sam Tomkins didn't make his super league debut till he was 20.

He certainly wasn't much to write home about until a few weeks ago, by which stage it already seemed to have been decided - presumably by him and his agent - that he was going to Aus.

He downplays the girlfriend factor, but my info is that she was a key reason for his decision. I don't suppose that's as good a news story though.

If he really wanted to stay, it's a pity that we've lost him.

He must have been playing well in the reserves to have been given an opportunity in the first team, so it's beyond me how he wasn't given a deal months ago.

I probably would have re-signed with Wigan if I had the chance but I wasn't getting a chance at the time and there wasn't much contact from them in terms of a new contract so I started to look elsewhere,"

By the looks of this his mind was made up before he played first team this year and possibly before Hock's head explosion.

If that isthe case who would you have dropped in order to accomadate him?.

On the list of young 2nd rows we may have had to release he was well down the pecking order behind Mossop, JT, Farrell and possibly even Tuson. If we knew then what we know now life would be easy, however we dont.

Correct