Hock on his day is unplayable but I would sooner take Ellis any day of the week.
If Hock does go to Australia I would guess he will be spending most of the season on the sidelines having been banned for either head high tackles or use of the elbow.
His enforcer type role will serve him no use whatsoever out there and he could be a lonely man by letting his team down time after time.
He will need a strong coach out there and may regret the move.
Yesterday was a prime example of how he needs to control his aggression and that was after we were comfortably beating the French.
Really not sure how he got MOM either considering the penalties he gave, the knock ons and the forward passes.
For me Mossop and Watkins were better choices on the day,

I agree with the last few posts about Hock, even though I've always been a big Hock fan, on the Wire board I was saying we should have gone in for him when he was banned like we did with Gleeson, which wasn't a popular view...

The big problem with Hock is his age. Not that at 29 he's too old to be a force in the game, but I think it's too late for a leopard to change its spots. Morley could be a liability in the early part of his career but he matured in his mid 20s and these days nobody thinks of him as a potential risk for being banned/sent off or trouble off the field. Hock has always had the same issues, when a guy in his late 20s is eye gouging the year after coming back from a 2 year drugs ban its a signal he has a few screws loose or he doesn't really care that much about the risk he's creating of putting his teammates under pressure by being banned.

I wonder how Hock would have gone on at Wigan had his career been 15 or so years earlier, the likes of Shaun Edwards and Dean Bell would have put a rocket up his booty early on if he had been throwing in high tackles, giving away penalties with the frequency he does. I think if he had matured and had the kind of relentless professional attitude those guys had, Hock would have been regarded in the class of guys like Farrell, Sculthorpe etc.

Morley was 29 when he got his lifetime NRL ban. Not sure what your point is.

Since when does seven matches equal a lifetime? Are you a dog?

That is a fair point by Wigg'n, I'd forgotten Morley kneed Corey Hughes in his last season at the Roosters. Must have been since he was with us he matured, maybe it was having the captaincy.

One thing that's come to mind with all this is the fact that Wigan have said they tried to bring in Gareth Ellis. I'd like to know the thinking behind this. Was it the fact that IL was planning to bolster the squad with a high quality SR in addition to Hansen, Hock and Lockers or has the Hock transfer been in mind for months? I cannot understand it.
Also with the Ellis transfer in mind IL would have known he would have been an expensive addition to the squad (a bit too expensive in the end), but where has the Ellis money gone? Is someone going to tell me if we had of signed him we would not of signed Taylor or Green? I just can't accept that. Something doesn't add up.

Now would be a nice time to have Joel back, but that wont be happening soon

No chance unfortunately!

Makinson is heir apparent to Wellens for the FB position, with Adam Swift looking a great prospect for Meli's wing spot. Looking likely Turner & Jones in centres, with Gaskell an obvious choice at stand off for Hohaia, and thats not including the likes of Percival or Wheeler/Foster.

I want a bit of experience in the pack, Forster, Walker & Greenwood will be the next few young forwards to get a look in, but Manu will prove a great signing for us, with Walmsley added to the props.

Not sure where you come up these stories Rogues, how often do you watch Saints academy? Twice a year?
Youve no doubt including the likes of Gardner in youre numbers who probably wont get a look in. Nice try tho mate, concentrate on stemming youre mass exodus instead.

Swift is no more than average.
No prop forwards in the academy at all.
Greenwood looks a decent prospect, but not quite as good as his brother.

Gaskell, will he still be at Saints, Rush doesn't rate him.

Numbers - Wellens, Meli, Hohia (30 next year), Perry, Puletua, Laffranchi, Manu, (I'd forgot about Gardner)

Will all these great Saints kids turn out to be like Tyrer, Scott Moore, Magennis, Ashurst, Dixon, Emmitt etc?
And of course Jamie Foster.

Doesn't matter, he was a spent force at that point, wouldn't do anything for warrington.

Sorry, for some reason I thought he got banned from the league.

Anyone who tries to run a sports club like they would an ordinary business is on a hiding to nothing and your post is the first one I have ever seen to imply it should cover costs on infrastructure such as shops by selling players. That is bonkers IMO.

It is also equally bonkers to fund the recruitment of average players like Smith and players who are merely good prospects in Green and Taylor by selling arguably the best British back row forward in the game who seems to be at his peak. There is nothing wrong with the club being run on business lines day to day but if we need to buy the likes of Smith, Green and Taylor we need to be in a position to do so without having to sell one of the clubs best players. If the "business" can't afford that on its own we need a chairman who can fund it himself.

That said I'd be very surprised if the Hock sale has anything to do with it being a necessity to raise cash. I think you are barking up the wrong tree with this line of reasoning.

seems gary hetherington has definitely jumped in the Parramatta Eels boat with all this happenings and has spoken to them regarding a centre.

I hope it isn't Willie Tonga.