I'd be very pleasantly surprised if we did get a marquee 7 but I can't see it for two reasons. First I would guess it's going to be at least as expensive as paying Tomkins what the club said it would in 2019 but welched on and it doesn't want to pay that kind of money. Secondly there is Wane's misplaced faith/loyalty in/to Powell who has the 7 shirt who was given a new improved deal at the start of this season.

1. Hardaker 6.Williams 7. Woods or Sharrocks 9. Powell 14. Escare

We wont get a new Marquee will just see one of the players changed to Marquee - Bateman

1 Hardaker
6 Williams
7 Shorrocks
9 Powell/Ganson

Perhaps? How's Shorrocks progressing?

From what I've seen Salford fans aren't happy with him. I don't know how much game time he's had, but I saw someone say, "I can't believe we've got the only lad from Wigan never to have touched a rugby ball".

That said, it was on Twitter, so I shouldn't trust it too much.

I think the club have accurately assessed what his value is, as one of the three or four best Wigan players of the past decade, and have offered him that. Even Sam said it was a higher offer than he was expecting.

What I don't understand though, is Sam's insistence on going now, rather than in a few years time, when he could still afford the lifestyle while still having chance of more medals, perhaps even another MoS.
I don't think the club should have done any more than they have, to try and keep him.

So when do we get the counteractive positive news story and when can we officially call him ratboy? Not that I would BTW.

I suppose the question really is whether they don't to pay that kind of money, or don't want to pay that kind of money for S.Tomkins. I can definitely understand wanting to pay him less, given his age and the amount of time he has spent out injured/off form. They may be willing to pay more for a younger/better player with a better injury record.

I can see our back line next season being

1. Escare
2. Burgess
3. Gildart
4. Hardaker
5. Marshall
6. Williams
7. Powell

9. Ganson (TL bench back up)

I honestly don’t believe SW will switch Powell from 7 to hooker. Nor do I see Sarginson seriously contending for a centre spot.

For me personally I’d have Hardaker at FB and as already been mentioned a marquee #7 but also a new centre in place of Sarginson. Escare to continue as utility from the bench or 18th man.

Signing announced by Catalan

Here’s a quote from ‘homesick’ Tomkins when he left NZ ......

“ I never expected I would miss England and the comforts of home but it took an off-season trip back to Wigan for me to realise this is where I wanted to be “

I’ve lost all respect for this fellow

Yes, France is the other side of the world

Good luck to him, no hard feelings from me. Hope he improves Catalans.

A shame that he spent most of his second stint here on the sidelines. I think it speaks volumes that everyone of the highlights in the video Catalans used to announce his signing are pre 2016.

That is a abit daft if they have. He's had his moments this season already. I am sure they could have found something more relevant.

No hard feeling from me either. If I'd signed a deal that said I'd get paid £X in 2019 if I was at the club and then the club asked me to take less even with a longer deal on offer I'd have gone looking elsewhere. If he'd have gone anyway because he genuinely does want to live in France then good for him.

But as I've said previously Dave, it isn't his market value. It is the value one (and only one) team are prepared to pay. Given that that team is one with a long history of poor decisions when valuing players, even to the point of causing bitterness and unrest among their own squad, then to use this as some kind of yardstick to measure his worth borders on the insane. At best it's cutting your cloth according to the worst tailor on the row. If it was his market value there would be a clamour for his services at that price. There isn't. There's a reason for that.

Well said. ATEOTD, Leeds and Saints didn't come knocking, did they?

I really can't see who this "Marquee 7" people keep talking about is coming from. I can't think of any feasible candidates offhand, either here or in the NRL. We'll probably end up bringing one of our own lads through. Look at Richardson at Saints, he looks a really good kid, was he one of their own?

Anyway, I'm rather less down on Powell than many here, and we have Woods and Shorrocks, and maybe others too, to back him up.

Ask Scott Taylors missus about distances and homesickness

Surely there are halfbacks in the NRL who would tear it up in SL. I get that we couldn't get anyone who is playing origin, but other than that surely it's just a case if offering enough to turn the players' head, we have a marquee spot after all, so there is less restriction than when we signed Lam, Richards, Barrett etc. In SL there is only Luke Gale I'd be trying to lure.

Obviously there are a few in the mid-way Jacob Miller/Albert Kelly category, but I can't really think of anyone we could entice who would massively strengthen us. I do rate Tyrone Roberts, but he hasn't pulled up any trees yet at Wire.

totally pee'd off...we could have got him another year and it wouldnt have affected the cap just cost us more. As for aussie halves theres non better than Green whos non origin, as for Hardaker he will be a flop if we dont get a class half back as he doesnt have the same rugby brain or skill set as Sam so needs that on his inside. If we persist with Powell then we may aswell not bother and start planning for middle 8's rugby.

Good post....but what does the 1st paragraph have to do with Sam T?

Or planted any.
However the sapling is growing.

It may have cost us other players though as there would be no marquee spot to offer to another player or any wiggle room under the cap with whatever does count on Tomkins salary (plus any saving they’d make by moving another player in to the marquee slot). Having Tomkins for one year and him then leaving to add to a number of other exits this one year due to him staying would’ve been bad business.

The pressure is on Radlinski in particular now and in a big way. If Tomkins is followed out the door by Sutton, Gildart and Bateman then there will be an absolute storm blown up and it’ll be difficult for him to avoid a great deal of heat. On the flip side if he gets the younger lads tied down and Hardaker in then people will accept that this move may well be for the best.

Pretty much my thoughts, which I've stated several times this year. Powell is solid at best, he does the basics and not much more. He is covered by the fact we have Tomkins at FB as he acts like a third half. Remove him and replace him with Hardaker and we lose that ball player and we are left with a running fullback.

This is a pretty critical time, Tomkins leaving is a much bigger problem than replacing a fullback, it now puts even more pressure on our limited halves. If the club fail to acknowledge and address it, we could be in for some torrid rugby next year. My fear is Wane does his usual and stand by players based purely on effort level.

I for one cannot see how it could be for the best - we lose four very good players (possibly developing into even better players in the case of Sutton and Gildart) and so far are looking like gaining one very good on his day but more limited skill set player who everyone will be waiting for the next brain fart from (and it is hard not see it happening somewhere down the line).

There will have to be some very good and clever recruitment in addition to get even close to being on a par let alone being for the best. If this scenario does come to pass then we would need a centre , a prop, maybe a second row and another half-back and at least similar levels to be even close - and where they will come from in anyone's guess and the track record of the current regime at Wigan does not inspire much confidence on recruiting from outside the club. And the worry is there are few signs of any of the current crop of youngsters at the club knocking on the first team door at present.

Meanwhile Saints could have Percival and Gildart as there long term centres - nice of us to help them isn't it?

Perhaps by giving Williams a marquee wage certain other young players want parity as well It was always a risk giving so much to a player so young perhaps now we are seeing the effects.