One starting spot and one bench spot up for grabs (99% of the time it's two props, a back rower and either a ball player or another back rower on the bench I'm sure you'll agree). Farrell and Lockers at 12 and 13 of course

H is obviously happy with amount of trophies won in his career and is now off for a last big payday (most likely surpassing even his testimonial year).

We've had his best years, thanks for the effort!

Good luck to him.

How can you say with such certainty that we have had his best years? If he had stayed he was a definite starter for us every week next season which is not something you can say about any of the touted replacements. Why cant people just accept that despite the best efforts of the club to keep him, he was hell bent on leaving? It's the same with Grimmys "shattered wrist" comment. I suppose that if Lockers left it would be just the same with his shattered knee? He was a major part of the upcoming season who chose to leave and that's pretty much all there is to say.

Not really.

He's won everything in SL with Wigan.
He grew-up in Salford.
His Amateur RL was at Folly Lane.
His Dad was a Salford Legend.
His Dad always wanted him to play for Salford.
He always wanted to play for his hometown Club.
He secures himself the next 4 years.
Probably on a better payday.

What's strange about that?

rlHardly ungroundedrl

This deal falls down to money and simply nothing else.

Wigan offered H a deal that they thought was acceptable and he's chosen to take a larger pay pack at the expense of his career.

You can see four years ahead? Lottery numbers please!

The reason above and beyond everything else is cash. He's basically written off a chance of winning anymore trophies (it will take at least 5 or 6 years to turn Salford in to a trophy challenging team) to earn more money and get long term security for his family.

You can't blame the guy to be fair.

Wigan were approached by Salford and they made an offer.
Hansen said he wanted to go for a four year deal to his hometown club.
If his head had been turned then it's no use trying to hold on and get the best out of him.
H has been terrific for us and a real grafter. I wish him all the best.
His replacement I think will be Clubb. He's 26 with something to prove after some rotten years at London. He will have to perform with all the competition around him.
Good Luck to "H" I hope it works out well for him and his family.

I don't blame him on a human level, he's got to do what he thinks is best for his family's long-term interests, I think everyone can agree on that.

He's effectively held the club to ransom though by saying he isn't sticking around, and if we don't agree to the offer he'll walk out on us and leave us high and dry in 12 months. For me, that's a poor way to leave a Club where he's enjoyed so much success.

A forward is probably at their peak in their late twenties in this day and age, he's probably got another 8 years in him, unless Wigan genuinely think they are replacing with equal or better it's baffling.

Maybe at Warrington! His peak was the 2008 season IMO, would expect him to retire at the end of the contract he just signed. I just hope those wrists don't come back to haunt him later in the season. Crazy what players put themselves through for the club

bit of a strange one, Wigan lose a good player, Hansen loses his testamonial £££. yes he's getting a pay rise, but unless its a massive rise he could get that next year and have his tax free lump sum this year

Maybe, but how many of them have played anywhere near Hansen's 227 competitive club games? I really do hope that H has another 4 or 8 years left, but the body takes a toll based mostly on games played rather than age (with a couple of notable exceptions). The fact that only Lockers has played significantly more SL games than Hansen for Wigan since its inception shows that clocking up 250 games in the current era is somewhat difficult before the body starts to fall apart.