Andy Powell. Over on the forum they are saying this too, have a feeling they are correct

3 year deal apparently from what I've been told.

If it is Powell then things won't be dull for the next few years!

Powell has been a long term target of ours our last serious bus was 2 years ago, or so it is reported. He has limited league experience as a junior player.

Sale have had a poor year and I expect they will have a clearout. It would not shock me to see him trial with us with a view to picking up a deal at the end of the union season.

Probably get 3 years out if him if he showed potential. Big lad good pace durable with decent hands. Would be a massive risk for him personally though financially when he could probably pick up a deal in Japan playing Union and also a risk to his credibility.

The Wales link I suppose also gives the story some legs.

If it is Powell, he's a big man with perhaps what we call "a bit of mongrel in him".
Plenty Wigan fans have been asking for an enforcer prop and maybe this guy is someone SW fancies for that kind of a job.
With all the younger players out there no one would get bullied if Powell was one of our props, that's for sure.
He would want very decent money I would imagine so it could be Gaz Hock's dosh would be being used.
That's if it is Powell!

I do not read the other forum, is it at all reliable? Does not seem to be from what I have seen in the past.

Totally reliable yeah. I read on there that our team for Friday is

Slater
Charnley
Goulding
Inglis
Hall
Green
Cronk
Flower
Smith
Gallen
Farrell
Watmough
O'Loughlin

It's about as reliable as this one

As a rule, they are a lot more negative than we are on this board, and at times seem to have a problem with everything the club does. This trait seemed to reach its nadir during the Hock nonsense.

As for reliability, it's as much a rumour factory as this one. Some come off, some don't.

Feel the club would have to be careful with this one, I remember reports a few years back stating we were keen, however at 31 he would have to have exceptional fitness to make the code jump and be a RL forward.

I would feel Powell would want a chuck of money, of which could be a massive risk investment.

If anything comes of this I see it as a next step in our link up with Wales RL and he'll be used as much as a way of driving that link up and rugby league in Wales as he will as a first team Wigan player. It will take him months to adjust which he'll do playing for South Wales and he'll no doubt be included in the Wales World Cup squad. He will bring publicity to both Wigan and Wales rugby league regardless of how he settles or performs and a player of that status coming over to League could have some longer term benefits that will outweigh any contribution he personally could make on the field.

Keep him away from golf buggies and some positives will come out of this move either way.

If Powell does sign I'd have faith in IL to cover difficult times the lad may have.
It will be a specifically worded contract knowing how IL works these things.

Most ridiculous rumour involving an ex Wigan player Stuart Howarth to Saints with Lee Gaskill to Salford.........nobody in their right mind would believe that!.....