Phil Wilkinson has said Rushton is leaning towards going. It seems a pretty big gamble to me for a kid I think would’ve got a debut here this season and had a sniff of getting plenty of games for our first team in 2021.

Mathers and Tansey were already established 1st team players, Rushton isn't.

The only ones I can think of who are comparable are the Burgess twins?

Moley reporting that rushton has signed a 3 year deal with the raiders today. Good luck to him, big move for a young lad

Good luck to him, but please Wigan, do not issue him with a get out of jail card Should he need it in 18 months time.

Why not?

Agreed,you leave the greatest club in the world (my opinion) then stay gone sick and tired of players using this as a stepping stone that’s fine but don’t expect a warm welcome when it goes belly up

Alright then, why should we?

Because we should sign the BEST AVAILABLE OPTION at the time of requiring a new player? Irrespective of whether that player left the club previously (And certainly in most cases, on Good terms?)

Agreed.

I don’t get all this negativity about resigning players if they are the best available at the time.

I am also confused by this somewhat naive line that Wigan shouldn’t be used as a stepping stone. It may sit uncomfortably with fans but that is exactly what we are as is every other SL club.

The NRL is the main competition in rugby league. It is of a higher standard, the players get more money and generally have a better lifestyle. Of course it’s not for everyone but most of the players especially the younger lads aspire to play in the NRL.

Rugby League is a minority sport in the Uk.

I actually think it’s a little ironic that the NRL could be the key to us starting to reverse that trend in the future.

The more English/British lads we get playing at that level week in week out the more chance we have of winning an Ashes series or a World Cup and giving the game a much needed boost in the UK.

Is it a trend I’m comfortable with? Absolutely not.

Can I understand and accept why it is happening. Absolutely despite it being frustrating for us fans.

Exactly. If we still think he's good enough for Wigan then we do what we can to sign him.

He’s showing some guts to take the plunge at such a young age and with no first team experience behind him. So frustrating to lose him but I wish him nothing but well. I’m not sure if there is an answer to the question of what the club could do to stop moves like this. When you’re the best side in rugby league at producing young talent, you’re going to have eyes on you and sadly we don’t have the finance to stave this off.

That’s slightly different to us issuing a get out of jail card.

Wouldn’t mind if they’d let us have one of their older academy lads in return if they’re not quite first team ready, like Hamlin etc

We should definitely be open to taking him back if he's good enough. Imagine if we went on to have ten years starring for Saints, Leeds or Wire?

I genuinely wish the lad well, big risk to back himself as much as he is. I can see this being a Mark Flanagan situation though, coming back a decent player in his early 20s, but having not played enough rugby to have really developed.

I know Flanagan has actually gone on to have a perfectly decent career and is going well at Salford, but I still think that decision stopped him from becoming a really top player.

I agree we should always look at taking a player back if they are good enough.But when they leave the club they should be made aware that the door they are going through isn’t a cat flap.