I can't understand how any Wigan fan is not disappointed by hock going to the NRL. Simply put, we are losing the best forward we have got. Any money we get from him will not be much use as the very low salary cap will prevent us from replacing him with a play of equal quality. The fact is that British RL is massively hindered by the lack of finance in our game. Union has much more money to offer players as does the NRL. As a result, sponsorship in SL is limited as our best players are being drawn away.

I'm sorry to say it but we are rapidly becoming nothing more than a feeder club to the NRL and RFU.

Until Hock signs that contract then he's a Wigan player, only time will tell. If he does go then we have to look at our youth, as people have pointed out before, we have the best youth system in the league, maybe we should trust in it ?

Let's imagine at the start of the season Hock has left, we have the Hock money and we keep it in a safe. Tomkins departs the year after, we have the Tomkins money and the Hock money, if my maths is right we can afford pretty much anyone according to the rumours on here. I think people underestimate how much we are paying to keep Tomkins.

I'd rather have 12 months of rebuilding rather than 4 years of no silverware and buying random players to keep us going.

Lets look at this from a purely Wigan POV, if Hock leaves, it's a massive blow, but is it the end of our season ? The simple answer is no. Instead of knocking IL and Wane, let's have a bit of belief, it's not like we can get relegated is it !

No, Super League is becoming a feeder for the NRL and Union. The refusal to amend the cap structure is killing the competition in combination with the rise in the NRL clubs cap. We just cannot compete when it comes to offering contracts.

Many more younger players know they can take a risk at having a shot at the NRL and earn a decent crust doing so too. The RFL and club chairmen have to take their heads out of the sand before it's too late.

They showed a list of British players who'll be in the NRL next season so far it's 10, even with Russell and Ainscough missing from that list. Things carry on the way they are and that list will grow.

Before people say it's great that British players are in the NRL, I pay for a season ticket to see Super League. If I wanted to watch the NRL I'd give up my season ticket and shell out for a TV subscription instead.

Another one probably on his way.....Tom Briscoe possible move to the NRL in 2014. www1.skysports.com/rugby-league/ ... in-the-NRL Our game will be diluted three ways over the next few years: Our top starts steadily leaving SL for the NRL (and RU). The last few quality imports that are over here will head home with nothing coming the other way. Young talent from the Academy leaving to go and play in the Australian reserves. Will need to change from 'Super League' to just 'League' in a few years time.

Another one probably on his way.....Tom Briscoe possible move to the NRL in 2014. www1.skysports.com/rugby-league/ ... in-the-NRL Our game will be diluted three ways over the next few years: Our top starts steadily leaving SL for the NRL (and RU). The last few quality imports that are over here will head home with nothing coming the other way. Young talent from the Academy leaving to go and play in the Australian reserves. Will need to change from 'Super League' to just 'League' in a few years time.

How come England RU are pretty average then? They have fallen a long way from where they were 10 years ago, when they were the best team in the world. Owen Farrell is not a Hanley or Edwards type player, there are no players of the calibre of Hanley, Edwards, Davies, Offiah or Schofield in English RU today. I follow RU to an extent (probably more than most do on here). It is certainly NOT the case that RU is creaming off all the best junior rugby talent. As for the question why aren't there there Hanley and Edwards types in the game these days, I think that's a valid question and I don't have the answer. But it's not because of RU. Also disappointing though, is why is Edwards in RU rather than RL as a coach as he is obviously a great coach like he was captain.



Funny thing about this is when it was the other way round it was seen as a reason why GB could never compete with Australia, too many rank average Aussies were turning up in SL and taking spaces away from our youngsters. All those English players going to Australia are filling up their spots and reducing the talent pool the Kangaroos can pick from. I wonder how long before they start saying we need an overseas quota to stop all these Poms from going on holiday to top up their pension funds in the NRL.



I agree with your points here. I do think the game is missing a lot of tricks and guys like Nigel Wood are not good enough.

Some great points Sally - all the home nations in RU are average at best - Owen Farrell is no Johnny Wilkinson. Australian RU is no threat to league either. And, a lot of the RL talent that has gone over to RU has either been at the end of their careers or come back. I haven't heard much about Tomkins, Eastwood et al tearing it up. Give it time and they'll see the error of their ways.

And now that we can't afford to buy Aussies this should give our youngsters a chance to shine. Call me deluded but i think we make a give account of ourselves in the World Cup and if we do well, who knows, it could be the shot in the arm the game needs... But i'm thinking the doom and gloom merchants might think something completely different...

If this deal goes through I will be very interested to hear what IL has to say.
I can't see any benefit to this other than financially.
This is definitely a rare occasion which the old "the player wanted to leave so there is no point keeping him if his mind is elsewhere" wont be accepted. He is tied to a long contract and Wigan have stuck by him, so it should be a tough your staying. So what is the reason?

I agree completely, you have to question the players "willingness to leave" they they sign a long term contract a year prior to wanting to leave. There where quite a few supporters saying he should leave Hock but the club stuck by him helped develop him back into a super league player, you'd expect a bit of loyalty in return.

I'd just like to know if its the case that Hock has gone to IL and said I'm grateful for everything you have done but I have a great desire to play in the NRL. What is stopping IL from saying sorry Gaz your contracted to this club and at this moment we can't afford to lose you.

You have to feel with Joel Tomkins leaving one year into a 5 year contract IL has set a precedent to letting people go if they want to leave.

Or perhaps IL has said, or words to the effect of :-
"We have invested a lot of time and money in you Gareth and you are a massive playing asset for this club.
I know you now want to play down under but I have to treat you as an asset of Wigan Rugby League. Therefore Gareth, I will only release your registration if we get a transfer fee of (say£200k). If we get it you can go with our best wishes, if we don't get that amount we won't release you"

It is then that circumstances will dictate the outcome.
It does seem that he will leave, the Eels have just had their central funding increased by $2m. There appears no reason why Gaz won't go, after all Parramatta can afford him. Whether they can get him under their salary cap is up to them.

Because none of them are anywhere near Hock's experience or quality and we are already having to rely too much on young players as it is given who else has already left. I would have thought this was obvious.



What is the point of keeping Hock's money in the safe for a year? This is a rugby club not a bank! The idea is toi win trophies not generate cash.

As to what Sam is on just how much is he on then? Are you implying we have to sell Hock to afford Sam's wages? That can't be the case given how much we spent on Green and Tylor.

I'd rather have 12 months of rebuilding rather than 4 years of no silverware and buying random players to keep us going.



This isn't rebuilding. It's demolition.

It's going to take a lot longer than 12 months to replace the quality that has just left. The young players are not going to be able to deliver the quality and skills of the likes of George, Tommy, Finch, Lima and Hock (assuming he goes).

In any case IL said when he arrived he expected year on year improvement. He won't get it if he sells the teams best players. There was no need to see the side dismantled as it has been but it's as if it all came as a big surprise. What is the point of adding to it by selling Hock?




If he sells Hock, IL wants knocking all round Robin Park. You don't sell your best players. He will deserve all the criticism he gets. I can't imagine Wane is thrilled by the idea either.

As was shown earlier this week when Bradford knocked back Leeds offer for a contracted player, nothing.

If he goes it will be because IL decided to sell. No other reason.

He will make the usual excuse of not wanting to stand in a players way blah, blah but if he does you can treat it with a huge pinch of salt. It will just be an excuse for what he, IL, wanted to do.

That may well be the case and to be honest I accepted the Joel T transfer a lot more as its a different scenario with how Wigan have stuck by Gaz. But if IL does make a statement to say Gaz wanted to leave and we have received a significant transfer fee for him it would not soften the blow. I know how important it is for the club to be financially sound but I don't invest my time and money every year to sit in the stands and be happy that we are the most well run club financially. It really does make we worry about the next few years. What if Rhodri Lloyd, Ryan Hampshire, George Williams fulfills their expectations they will no doubt be continuously linked with moves away and going off the last two years it won't take long for them to leave. Forgive me if I am wrong but I haven't seem the Leeds and Warrington players rushing to leave?

IL is not going to come out and say anything, never has and wont start now.