I'll believe he's a Wigan player when I see him run out in a Wigan shirt. I agree, no smoke without fire

Main one being he’d like to stay at Salford and back up this seasons efforts before returning to Aus in 2020 rather than starting fresh. It’s direct from him, he’s not shying away from telling those close to him. The NRL offers are coming in and are far more attractive now than back when he signed with us.

Maybe the rumblings about Lachlan Lam coming over weren’t to partner Jackson

I'd put good money on both Jackson and Hardaker both being Wigan players in 2020.

Hardaker has turned his life around at Wigan. Just watching him play and following his social media suggests he's very much integrated into the team. All that opposes that is merely rumour and comments on forums; hardly solid reports.

Hastings stayed on at Salford to repay them, he's an honest bloke; would suddenly turn his back on a club he's recently signed for? I don't think so. This wasn't a knee jerk decision from Hastings, he toured Leeds' facilities and was in regular communication with Lam and Wigan; this has all been documented.
On the flip side, after the Edwards mess; would Wigan really walk into the same trap of advertising and promoting a new signing to not have him play? There's so much which goes into a signing, agents fees; contract negs legal fees etc, it's not cut and dried.

Moley is the only 1 who I'd take onboard, as he's often right. But even he said it's unlikely to see him anywhere but Wigan in 2020.

You don’t account for a change of heart, there is nothing disloyal about changing your mind and wanting to remain at a club that has done so much for you. Regards Zak, you also don’t account for any personal issues that may not be publicised on “social media” and rightly so. I don’t have a problem with either case of the above turning out negatively for the club as long as it’s done promptly and Wigan have enough chance to rectify things. Last thing we want is to spend 2020 building for 2021.

I would also agree that in the case of Hastings, Moley is the person to follow...the management company looking after JH and several other high profile RL players give him all his info.

Things can happen in professional sport; but for now as it stands we have complete rumour versus contracts and what we actually see with our own eyes. Even though things can happen; I know which I'll side with.

"he is making it sound like the only reason he is coming is because of the money we have offered him ": I asked someone who is friendly with him about the time of the signing. From the conversation, the increased publicity was a big factor.
I never complain if someone moves work for a better pay. Salford has lost loads of players for that reason.

If the club were to walk into another contractual embarrassment like the Edwards saga with Hastings, that would cause uproar and I would like to believe we won’t walk into that trap again.

I’m with you on this, both Hastings and Hardaker will be Wigan players come 2020.

Zak's form fell right off in the last few weeks of the season, last minute error in the Cas game, missing goal kicks, missing tackles, out of position etc. And yes, whilst he was one of many in the team that didn't stand up in the big games, he has looked desperately preoccupied. There is much more to the Bevan French signing than meets the eye.

I have asked pretty much everyone I know who may have an inside connection (business wise) to Salford and every answer is the same "it is isn't impossible" and a few things are in the works.

I appreciate Zak’s form fell off but let’s be fair so did everyone’s so that isn’t a valid reason to get rid or everyone would be off. I agree with the Bevan French sentence though, I can’t work out his signing which almost certainly means someone is going.

I wouldn’t lose any sleep if Zak wasn’t our player next season. Apart from being solid under the high ball he offers very little in any other department. Looks like his legs have gone or he’s still carrying too much extra weight. Sorry to go off topic but we’ve missed Tomkins so much this year with all the little things he brought to the table...great hands, great link play, game management etc...if french plays fullback next season it offers a whole new attacking dimension which we haven’t had this year.

Hardaker doesn't look anything like as dangerous a runner as he used to.

Hastings will be at Wigan next year - the fan base will implode if they allow him a get-out and that's something Lenagan can't afford unless he wants to dip deep into his own pockets again.

I agree, if Hastings ends up like the Edwards’s saga Lenegan will be finished imo, crowds would drop even further and he’d be stumping up nearly 2 million a year