Some thoughts on this, apologies if they are all old hat as haven't read the full thread:
- there is something desperately wrong with our game that we have become a feeder league to the NRL, and, even worse, the dark side. It is insane not to have a marquee player exemption, and we are all the poorer for it;
- good luck to Budgie personally, at least this is out in the open and we can move on;
- it sounds like we couldn't reasonably keep him, but in any event I could see the logic if Wigan decided to act cautiously here. He is better than Manfredi, but manfredi is very good and will score most of the tries Budgie does. He isn't in my top 5 key players, not because he isn't brilliant, but because you need a great spine and great props before he can do what he does;
- I can't see that there is much Wigan could or should do here. The problem is the first one above - with no capacity to sprinkle glitter dust talent the competition is in peril of slipping inexorably backwards into oblivion.

He's a different case to Sam and Joel Tomkins though IMO because they paid us back in spades for the money and effort put in to their development and both signed new contracts with us that got Wigan a healthy return on their investment.

Burgess on the other hand has really given nothing back yet in comparison, wouldn't sign a new deal and leaves for nothing before achieving anything.

Fair play to him, he's looking after himself and is being very single minded in his decision. He's showing great confidence in his ability and I'm convinced he'll succeed over there because he's an exceptional talent. It all feels a little bit classless to me but maybe he'll give the club something back this year or even in the future.

We've had it with Graham and Eastmond and don't get me wrong I wanted them to stay but I don't blame them one little bit in moving on.

A lot of saints fans was saying that Eastmond should have signed longer and then gone but what's to say that offer would still be there ? Take it when you can and get what you can, it's a short career in a tough sport.

It's different but not different mate.

Yes they stayed longer but same reasons apply, they went for better money, better way of life in the best comp in the world and I don't Blame them.

I can't blame any of them at all tbh but I do feel Tomkins and Mossop did it in a more sensible way and a way that was very respectful to Wigan.

Burgess has taken a big gamble but it could pay off. I just feel he'd have been better served here, developing his game in a top side before going over at the peak of his powers. In that scenario both he and Wigan gain. I think his contract would have been five times higher if he'd have left it a couple of years but I'm sure he's good enough to warrant increases anyway.

Anyways it's done and Wigan move on. We're lucky in having Manfredi to step in. Whilst I don't think he's in the class of Burgess he's still very good in his own right and could be a top end superleague winger.

Would the offer still be there in few yeas ?