Nobody had heard of Carmont iirc, look how that turned out

Think some are getting a bit overexcited from an academy highlights video - I'm sure Wells, Field etc would look like world beaters in a video of their academy highlights as well. Good that we are adding depth/competition for places given we are possibly losing Navarette/Bretherton/Shelford (not sure which are announced and which are strong rumours)

Welcome to Wigan Gabe. Hope it goes well for him.

So many factors in play so impossible to predict how he'll do until we see him in action over here. I will say though that his footwork looks outstanding for a forward.

Overexcited? No, just looks to have potential, and having been signed from a reserve grade I doubt he's costing too much. So with that in mind it looks a good signing. I'm hardly sat at my desk high fiving everyone.

I think it's fair to say, though, that the opponents Hamlin was playing against are of a higher standard than those Wells and Field have been facing in England.

And a higher age group.

In his speech at the end of season dinner IL told us all we have the best academy set up of the lot in any sport. So what do we do? Go and sign a 20 year old who hasn't played any first grade footy when what we need is experience and size in the front row.

I don't care how good he looks in videos against other academy opponents even if they are supposedly of a higher standard (those mentioning that are clutching at straws IMO....) he is going to take up salary cap money that needs to be spent elsewhere. There is no more guarantee he is going to make it than any other academy player. If he comes over here and at 20 walks into the first team ahead of our own academy products what does that say about the best academy in any sport? I would have thought by now the penny would have dropped that the players we bring in should complement those we produce by bringing experience, not replace them and also need their hands holding.

DaveO.
How much academy rugby do you actually watch?

I watch the stuff they put on Wigan TV though what how much academy RL I watch has got to do with the points I made I have no idea, though I have a feeling you are about to enlighten me

Why people get so upset over a roll of the dice signing like this is beyond me. He's a kid who'll be coming over on a low salary, desperate to make a name for himself. We have very little to lose on it whichever way it all pans out.

To sign anyone else the club need to lose people from the wage bill. I'm guessing that's what they're trying to do. If and when they do that and we then go out and sign young project replacements, I may have a grumble but as things stand all this signing can do is add some depth.

Here's hoping Maguire opened our eyes to a young kid desperate for a chance at Souths with a contract coming to an end, who he knows is a top prospect.

How on earth are you saying I am having a go at Wigan's academy? All I mean is if he walks into the side in front of home grown talent then it makes a bit of a mockery of us claiming to have sports best academy. To answer your question the player most likely to kept out is Sammy Kibula IMO but thanks for making my point for me when you said our academy cannot produce five or six players for the first team every year (though I have no idea who suggested they should produce that many, do you?).

I know it can't produce five or six players. I often quote John Monie's view myself which is you are lucky if you get [ithree[/i out of your academy first team making the grade as justification for signing players from outside the club but not [iacademy players[/i from outside the club, experienced players. And this is the point. Hamlin is an academy player. He is not an established player. He's never played 1st grade and all you know of him is a few clips off You-tube. He is no more or less likely to make it than Kibula or any of the others. He doesn't address any of the issues the team faces. When it is accepted that you get few academy players making the grade it makes no sense to me for the club to go and sign another academy player from outside the club in my opinion.

Sensing a game of gobe tennis is about to start ... 2.6943359375:5