I am not saying it is purely finaincial by any means. If he lives up to his potential he may be playing for england etc etc . that may be a factor also. From the info i have recieved wigan were trying to get him to sign months back but he refused. IL nearly got shut of him at that time. I knew this was going to come at some point this season.

I don't think it's quite the death knell for Stefan Marsh just yet. Wigan rate him a lot more highly than they did Thornley.

"IF" he is going for the cash, then fair enough.

If he dont want to play for us then let him go.

If he was the next big thing then i would be disapointed, but he is a young lad with a lot to prove.

I am sure the sausage factory that is our youth set-up will chun out more promising youngsters.

I can certainly appreciate if Lenegan was a little vexed at this. After all it will have no doubt cost Wigan a fair amount of money to develop Thornley, and now after all all that financial assistance and countless hours of hard work by the staff at Wigan it's all gone to waste in his case.



I hope so. it'd be a real shame to lose another of our brightest prospects just when the club appears to be heading towards good times.

This is of course true. But we have to say these kinds of things because we've no choice in the matter.

I hope, if this happens, that IL makes some kind of representation to the RFL about yet more talent draining to RU because no RL club was in a position to make a similar bid.

Even if Wigan have decided they don't want Thornley, it's a same he has to leave the game.

The problem people seem to miss is that although Thornley might not be as good as Marsh & he might not have had the attitude to make it at Wigan he could probably have been better than some of the dross that is currently playing in SL.

We’ve got a league where players like Sykes and Yeaman are in for international contention at so called big clubs.

We need more talented players like Thornley in the league as it raises the bar for all.

Well put. That's more or less what I was trying to say.

And i completley agree, i genuinley do

but i have no confidence that the RFL will pull there finger out of there arris and actually do anything about it. They are far more concerned with tinkering with the rules and trying to keep a level playing field. I honestly have no respect for the majority of them because they have done nothing to prove that they are even interested in keeping our young'uns.

TBH i just feel really jaded about situations like this. It used to really bother me, but now i just think "sod em".

Fair play to these young lads, the cash is there so why not.......it just means that i no longer have any respect for them as a Player of the game. This is harsh no doubt, but it is just the way i feel.

I desprately hope youngsters will one day be exempt from the cap but that will never happen. After all where will Hudd'd, Wakefield and the like get there players from? and that is who the RFL protect.

My heart bleeds

What did Wigan give St Pats or Ashton for all their hard work devloping the lad?

Nice post... NOT

I think you'll find that Wigan actually does a fair ammount assisting the Amateur clubs in the area, and specifically have a scheme to help them develop coaches, raise funds, and increase their profile.

Or you could just continue to imagine the club does bugger all and just steals players.

How do we know the issue is money?

This is a novel attitude.

Professional clubs should pay amateur clubs for the privilege of taking players off them who they themselves have never paid and never would. Or perhaps it's wrong that we take players from amateur clubs under any circumstances?

Perhaps the solution is that all the pro clubs develop their own amateur tier as well, so that young kids can join Wigan, Widnes, Saints when they're seven years old and then progress up through the ranks.

Can't you imagine it? Wigan RL have their own junior sides, and all the lads have to do is turn up, sign a bit of paper and they get a game. That'd be great for clubs like Pats, Judes, Shevy, etc, wouldn't it?

Grow up.

Stef as not signed for sale is words not mine.

Get youself a keyboard with a "h"

And you get one with an 'r'.