You're a 'glass half empty' type of guy, aren't you?

Long was in court on assault charges in January. He didn't used to be a tool, he is a tool, and we're giving him a position of great influence over our youngsters.

Another Wigan supporter who knows more about rectruitment than IL and his staff. You don't think any of this was reviewed or brought up in an interview? You don't think it was discussed by people with 500 times the RL knowledge of anyone on here??

Not often I say this but I think Andy Wilson is bang on with his first point here about the implications of this morning's press conference for the game as a whole.

rlhttps://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013/apr/23/rugby-league-set-of-six-nrlrl

Yeah, it's a sad state of affairs, but I suppose we need to deal with it rather than just sit there and wish it would go away.

Unlike this guy...

rlhttps://www1.skysports.com/rugby-league/news/12211/8665172/Leeds-Rhinos-insist-star-centre-Kallum-Watkins-not-going-to-NRLrl

I'd like things to work out the way he says, but I can't see it.

I do wonder sometimes why Leeds aren't suffering the annual losses to the NRL / RU, that we are? Surely the Ryan Hall's / Ben Jones Bishop's / Kallum Watkins's / Rob Burrows's of this world are of equal attraction but yet all are tied down to long deals and seem settled!

??

I cannot believe how gullible we are as fans.

We lose 2 top class internationals, sign an ageing bloke from another sport, announce the best player in super league will leave shortly and recruit one of the most detested saints players in the modern era and our chairman is a genius!

Was it Harry met Sally were someone said "I'll have what she's on"

According to the Guardian article "Wigan considered a move for two more unfulfilled union talents, Gavin Henson and Danny Cipriani, but the chairman was told by his coaches that Powell was a far better bet."

Hells Teeth - can you imagine the outcry at either of those wasters ending up in a Wigan shirt? It frankly worries me if IL considered either of them, especially Henson. Thought we'd gone well past the days of ageing Aussie league players taking up cap space, never mind ageing union players who couldn't be @rsed putting in the effort at their own game. Thank goodness the rest of the staff put him straight.

All in all, it's a bad situation for the game, and IL could be seen as attempting to polish a turd here, but overall he's done a lot more right than wrong over the last few years, so I think we should give him the benefit of the doubt on this one. Could be proved wrong, but I honestly think by the time 2 years are up we may well not need Mossop back, and certainly won't see Hock in cherry and white again.

WOW, After the season we have had so far and the concerns most of us had before it started, How can anyone grumble about these announcements?

We thought it would be a struggle to get into the op 4 but so far we are romping it. All the young lads have been exceptional and Blake Green is just outstanding, As is Matty Smith.

Will we miss Moss? Well we haven't done all season. Will we miss Hock and his bad attitude? Hell NO.

Will we benefit from Sean Long's big game experience? All the Grand Finals and Challenge Cup's he has won, Yeah i am sure all our young lad's wouldn't like to get that part of his brain in thier game.

Powell is a big, rough and ready front man who is fit as a fiddle. Writing him off already some people, You are jokers. Andy Coley anyone???

Faz is great news for obvious reasons and we all know that Sam is going so now is the time to get that FB ready to slot straight in and we have plenty of good options.

Some of you need to give yourselves a shake

Wigan fans in "panic! We're all doomed" shocker.

IL hasn't made too many bad decisions since he took over has he? Just trust people with more RL knowledge than everyone on here and relax.

To me there's a big positive aspect to be taken out of this, money. It's not our money but it means that should a UK player reach the top of the game there's another life style and cash step up.

OK we move big names to Australia and few will come back the other way due to the exchange rates. However we get more British tallent in the game and cream of the crop that chose to go gain valuable NRL experience, improving the national game.

It's an interesting one isn't it. I always think its down to our profile and reputation and that we pay for our successes of the past. We have guys like Farrell and Ford in union and Dean Bell over in the NRL who were part of that success and naturally look to Wigan for ideas and talent.

Leeds have only recently been successful and don't have that influence in Union or the NRL that Wigan do. In 10-15 years time Sinfield and the like may be working in Union or the NRL and spreading the gospel about the Leeds club.

Saying all that I'd still expect Ryan Hall and Kallum Watkins to give it a go soon enough.