I would say that's about as close to the truth as anyone needs to get and come to the same conclusion that IL did!
PS
Lets hope that the contract extensions with certain individuals goes well as for me those players will be worth far more to Wigan over the next 3 years on/off the field.

Just glad that everything's out in the open now and we can move on. He's an exceptional talent but he lacks class and brains which as been highlighted here. The club and the fans couldn't have done anymore for him over the years and in truth he's never really given anything back. He's shown glimpses of his ability and he looked to be adding some consistency but he's always been a ticking timebomb.

Cold hard facts from Hocks time in Wigans first team is ZERO major trophies in his 7 or so seasons. The only time we've won major honours since he made his debut was whilst he was banned. We won a grand final without him and a challenge cup without him (although his ban had ended) so there's certainly no doom and gloom from me.

I just hope 'all' the players are on the clubs side here.

In the RED corner



And in the Blue corner



Opinions and conjecture.

Love it.

It will be extremely interesting to see how he performs at another club.
He undoubtably has talent and the physical presence, but so much of his game was based around his agressive mental attitude that will have come down to attaining this attitude at a much higher level due to the fact he was playing for his home town club.
He was obviously very proud to play for Wigan and had the attitude to match his ability.

Will he be able to generate that attitude for another club? from his performances in the end of season internationals I would say that is a question that may not be answered in his favour.

If he cannot generate that attitude (and playing against Saints or Wigan(I know he cant) I have no doubt that he will be able to do so) on a consistent basis his career will go even further down the toilet.

He clearly spat his dummy out under madge (as mentioned in the statement) and was accomodated.

Yet some of the ire on here for SW persists. Hope it was Waney himself who told Hock to "f-off to Widnes"

My only frustration, and reading back i seem to have voiced it in different/imaginative/absurd ways, is that we are 10 days from the start of the season and it's a kick in the teeth. Not the clubs fault at all. Just a kick in the teeth. We all guessed this was the case.

Hahaha i get it now.

its a wiganwarriorsfans rumour, probably from the all knowing CP and his loyal followers believe it word by word.

I think an even bigger question is will another club be able to control him? Wigan went far beyond the call of duty in their efforts to keep Hock on the straight and narrow.

Well finally the off season has given everyone something to talk about!

Bad timing for the club, but if what has been released is true:

Goodbye Gareth, and good riddance!

No one person is bigger than the club, so there was only ever going to be one outcome. (assuming the demands reported by the club are correct)

Hock Talented? Yes.
Loose Cannon? Yes.
Bad influence?. Yes (probably)
Grey Matter proficient? No.

We're better off without him, and with that monkey off our backs it's time for the rest of the squad to knuckle down, without distraction, and focus on the task ahead.

Were is that ? Not a clue who they are

And what wiganwarriorsfans rumour is that?

I hope the squad does knuckle down and not dwell on this especially the forwards. One mans loss could be another mans gain here and people like Faz have a huge opportunity to make a statement of intent. Boys like Greg Burke and Rhodri Lloyd also have the opportunity of a lifetime here. They need to go out and grab it by the horns because if they do this whole situation could have played a massive and positive part in their careers.

Just had a look at it. It's the usual suspects giving it the "I know something but can't possibly say" routine.

that its all wigans fault most likely

Before I go on let me say based on the press release Hock doesn't have a leg to stand on.

However there are always two sides to every story and a carefully worded statement to the press from one side won't give it.

He refused to train. Why? He wanted a pay rise? Was he on a pittance before? And so on. Basically were all his demands unreasonable based on the circumstances at the time? We have been told what his demands were but not why he made them.

I mean if IL was able to say "Hock was the highest paid player a the club but demanded a pay rise" then that would sound unreasonable but he could not say that. If on the other hand he was on an absolute pittance using the fact he asked for a pay rise against him in a press release is a bit naughty - even if it is if very astute.

In short the demands all look unreasonable if you assume everything was hunky-dory before he made them.

On balance I think the club is probably in the right but the hatchet job it has done on Hock is a good'un.