This boils down to a simple question. Would you rather have Wardle or Halsall?

Though I’m disappointed to loose Halsall there’s no contest. I’d rather of kept him and sent him on a season loan somewhere he’d get regular game time but if the swap was integral to getting Wardle then it’s a no brainer.

Halsall isn’t a Wigan lad and as has been said on this thread he and his family are big Saints fans. I’m not sure how much bearing King had on this at all, this is a swap for Wardle who to me looks a much better prospect than Halsall. Also a lot of the players you have listed we have wanted to keep but they have decided to leave, not a lot we could do other than spending more than we what we believe they are worth.

Define 'bite us'. What I mean is they could be at least solid first team players.

Ben Currie and Ollie Russell spring to mind and did Matty Lees have a spell in the academy?

You watch the reserves and academy, tell me McDonnell, Nicolson, Halsall and Bibby are not 4 stand out players at that level.

I'd rather have Wardle and Halsall rather than King on a 1 year loan deal.

I don’t agree but even if I did that’s on on the table.

Hudds wanted Halsall as part of the Wardle deal.

Halsall is the latest player the Facebook fans adore (Escare, Hankinson, Hamlin)

Matt Peet obviously didn’t fancy him after watching him closely for 3 years in the 1st team.

I’m a little concerned with the so many of the young players going (Nicholson was the biggest blow) but a lot of the time and I we focus too much on the long term.

It’s just not the case now a young player comes through and they play for you for the next 10 years. If they are very good the NRL will come knocking, also other SL clubs will be sniffing around whenever contracts are up for renewal.

With French and Field signed up this is our trophy winning window so having a 23 year old international centre is better than waiting for a 19 year old to develop.

All about balance.

Hudds also wanted King, so it stands to reason we could have moved aside for them.

In my humble opinion Thingy was a big loss,not too upset about Yon mon to be truthful.

In Peet I trust,delivered CC in first season in charge,seems to know what he is doing.

Lees was never at Wigan but there is a story behind it. Wigan wanted him however wanted him full time and Lees wanted to do his electrician qualifications as a fall back option (he is now a fully qualified electrician with his own side business)

Wigan wouldn't agree and told him to back himself full time. Saints agreed to let him do his qualifications and the rest is history.

Why do posters on here when faced with a different opinion have to discredit the opinion with either daft replies or justify the clubs decision with an example of when the club got it right.

You say Escare, Hankinson (Who I didnt rate at all) and Hamlin, I'll raise you Sam Tomkins, Jack Hughes, McIllorum, Ben Currie, Josh Charnley, Joel Tomkins, Gil Dudson, Lee Mossop, Dan Sarginson.

All of them picked for England after they'd left Wigan.

What about Andy Ackers, has he every been at Wigan? Is he a Wigan lad?

Not great examples

Wigan had no option to keep Sam after 2018, his mind was made up for a new challenge.

Is anyone disappointed Jack Hughes hasn’t been playing for Wigan ?

Dudson and Mossop had gone stale at Wigan and needed fresh starts to reach higher leaves. Neither have played for England since .

Wigan had Burgess, Marshall, Davies and Manfredi when Charnley returned - one good year at Wire and they couldn’t wait to get rid of him. Not played for England since.

Currie was never near the Wigan first team.

Sarginson has had the odd good spell for Salford but injury issued.

McIlorum left at the right time IMO

To be honest mate that happens at every club.

We let Briers leave in 97 when Goulding was the best 7 in the comp. Look at the career that Briers went on to have. Similarly at a lower level the likes of Matty Ashurst has had a great career at Wakefield. He was a St Helens lad in our Academy.

You can't keep everyone.

The Wardle deal was wrapped up months ago. They already had Halsall signed up long before we signed up King.

I think the fall out between Wire and Hudds a few months ago with both coaches having a public pop at each other’s clubs ensured Wardle would not be joining Hudds.

Ben Currie never played for Wigan academy, Olly Russell along with Josh Wood were the slowest halfbacks I've ever seen at academy level at Wigan. He is twenty four and has only managed thirty games at 1st team level since 2018.

Matty Lees never played for Wigan but they and particularly Matty Peet rate(d) him highly. McDonnell and Halsall were very good at academy level (stand out I'm not sure). I would have taken Josh Simm from Saints before him
Bibby was behind Hill and Wood IMO at that level.
NIcholson is a big loss IMO, but if you look at it from his perspective he had Farrell, Bateman, Smithies and Isa in front of him with Nsemba pushing through.

Are you moving the goal posts here?

The conversation is around letting young / academy players go but most of the list above were not in this category when they left?