I feel exactly the same. I cannot, for the life of me, see any reasoning in any of this. It's so poor that it's laughable. I just think it's getting harder and harder for the club to justify the current situation and they are now falling over themselves with endless contradictions, bull and pointless finger wagging at the fans.

Agents can speak to their players at any time. It is neither disgraceful nor against the 'laws of the sport' . Agents can speak to clubs whenever they like. clubs can say to an agent that when player X is out of contract they would be interested. If the player is good then several clubs will say it. No 'laws of the sport' broken.

As for it being September...

the notion of running to lawyers over such an issue is laughable. It is an RFL issue.

Watching Cullen wet himself over his abject failure to retain a player is comical. No doubt the buck will stop...elsewhere.

Of far greater concern for Widnes fans should be SOC saying he will not put in the 400K next year while sticking with cullen and betts. That will mean a weaker squad and another dire season ...with the prospect of him walking away.

Possibly best post ive read on here trying to blame lack of support , what does soc want at least neil kelly got a mixed squad of players lesser known Aussies apart from steve carter and players from the champinship and gelled as a team ! if they gave free season tickets to all the schools in widnes and to be accumpanied by an adult why not try it speculate to accumalate they may get 7-8000 per game sell food merchandise etc . No disrepect to soc he made the desicions to keep an under performing team and headcoach from last year so is it the players or the coach steve i think more so the coach my self !

I agree 100% pepe

Been Thinking about this one ! so SOC is basically saying hes walked away from other buisness then thats not been a sucess then ! well what if his Transport Buisness was going down the pan hes basically saying hell support his managers and not axe them but go down with them and walk away just like that !Sorry why not Just Say it that Widnes vikings been a bad investment then ! But if you walk the walk remember you Employed these Employees and the Book stops with YOU not the supporters !

''It was stated that the reason we are in this position is because of the standard of squad we have managed to assemble. basically picking up players other teams dont want and taking a chance on others with a past history or injuries.''


That would explain why we only have two wins so far.What it doesn't explain though is the margin of the defeats.They are professional RL players,many with lots of experience in SL,some with NRL experience too.I don't believe they cannot master a basic of the game such as tackling.The problem I believe is the structure and organisation of the defence as a whole unit,not the individuals ability in this area.

Spot on, Chief!

I think you will find that simply isn't the case and complete bull is being spouted here.

A players representative is not permitted to speak about any matters concerning his player to any other club unless permitted to do so by the club he is currently under contract with. Regardless of whether it is the player's agent or the player themselves that do this before that permission is given or the free-agent deadline passes this constitutes tapping up for which there are severe penalties including fines.
Even an indirect inducement through the media can be construed as 'tapping up'. So all this... so and so can speak to so and so nonsense is complete bull. If Widnes have not given their permission then they have a right to seek compensation. Compensation is due anyhow due to the age of the player.

Afraid it is the case. The agent as a rep of the player can indicate the duration of a contract. and a club can say they would be interested in players when their contract expires. Unless there is a clause in the contract to the contrary then players , like many people, are free to tell others what they earn. Deny it as much as you like.

If Cullen and Betts do not know who is OOC in 2013 Widnes are pretty well doomed.

Oh my god!!!! you genuinely believe this!!!

I would say that Willie Manu has been tapped up