I'm sure he is, but we all network.

I do not think it is a coincidence that Sean Wane has been talking about Eddie Pettybourne recently and his potential availability, one of Souths strike forwards as a possible target for 2013.

In relation to Thornley, what I have seen recently which admittedly is not very much is the fact there is potential for him to really add some size. He is a tall yet fairly lean lad, and if handled correctly by our conditioning staff, of which I have no doubt he will not be, the possibility to bulk him without damaging his athleticism.

In Gelling and Thornley we have potential to have 2 huge strike backs in the team for a long time to come.

Great news, I was very disappointed when he left, I always rated him higher than Marsh in the reserves, and he always struck up a great partnership with King and/or Russell (when Veivers was our first choice fullback) on the left for us.

Good news, look forward to seeing what all the fuss was about.

I blame the union communist cap for this defection.

Don't set your expectations too high despite what a lot of people are saying!

I mean he's good - But he's no Jamie Foster that's for sure!!!!!!!

Oi, Jamie is the best young haircut of his RL generation and has a great future of styling ahead of him.

Ahhh. You're back. I must have missed your congratulations on the news that the cup tie is to be played at the DW?

It is great news re Thornley. The future is looking very bright indeed.

A lot of faith shown in the young lad once again to give him a three and half year deal. Hopefully this time he repay that faith.

It certainly reads as though the club were bitterly disappointed to lose him, but because of his potential kept an eye on him.

Am I right thinking Leeds RL were also sniffing around for him?

Hope unions not ruined him, Lee Smith only went down for a matter of weeks and still doesnt look anywhere near where he was.

Fair play to you.

I think we would all acknowledge that one of the few clubs that Wigan fans cannot criticise for their abject failure to bring through quality young players is Saints. Admittedly Foster isn't one of them, but you do have an annoying number of others who are good (though not as good as ours!).

So chuffed this guy has come back, I still feel he would have been our centre in 2011 when Gleeson left had he not already gone to RU. He is everything you want from a centre really.

It will be interesting to see how Thornley gets on but am afraid that some people are expecting too much. He was a long way down the pecking order when he left, has never played a SL game and spent most of his last academy season in the second row. It is be no means certain that he will be in a position to take over from Carmont next year. As a centre I always felt his skills let him down, possibly why he was put into the second row, and he struggled once players had caught up to him physically. He certainly has the size and frame to develop though and is still young too so if he could develop his centre play could be a real handful. He could turn out to be a very shred signing if we can develop him.