Re: Now you are in charge.. : Tue Dec 26, 2017 11:12 pm  

Cruncher wrote:

To pretend that George Williams is a real marquee player is very disingenuous.

I can only assume we awarded him that status in order to keep him out of the hands of Warrington or whichever NRL club was naive enough to allow his agent to persuade them to make a big offer.

He had loads of promise as a lad, but has yet to fulfill it. I agree that most of last season he was only one among many passengers in the Wigan team, and it didn't help him at all that our pack were out-and-out pathetic. But if he doesn't want to disappear into the ranks of the might-have-beens like Gregson and Hampshire appear to have done, he's got to make it happen this year. One area where most top level RL clubs are not wanting is money-mindedness. The salary cap means they MUST get value for money, and there is no way GW is offering that at present - unless he massively improves in 2018, he won't get anything like the offers he seems to think he is worth.

I also don't think we can also discount the World Cup, where a very experienced and astute coach saw no real place for him in the top tier. A controversial decision maybe, but just to dismiss Wayne Bennet's view, when he's been watching and assessing the lad in training would be pretty silly.

2018 will be a big year for George Williams. He really MUST prove that he's the player so many people crack him up to be.

This is spot on, its almost cult like that the assumption Williams is the boy king,hes done very little in the last couple of seasons really to warrant the coronation frankly,i thought exactly the same in regards to Bennett too, though why he even got on the plane to Oz given his terrible form last season.

The club panicked when these ridiculous stories appeared about him going to Warrington and offered him a deal he simply, at present isn't worth the marquee moniker or money, he must have a hell of an agent.

The comparison to Hampshire is also spot on Williams has to kick on to even get back on track this coming season let alone get to where the pundits seem to think he is, can he do the job? I hope so I really do but I really don't know.

Re: Now you are in charge.. : Wed Dec 27, 2017 11:56 am  

I always look forward to seeing how we line up in the friendlies. It gives you an idea about how the land lies. Last year in the Leigh game a few young lads had a mare. Now with another year under their belts and fewer injuries I am hoping to see someone breaking through. I would like Higginson to get a chance.

Re: Now you are in charge.. : Wed Dec 27, 2017 2:49 pm  

hengirl wrote:

This is spot on, its almost cult like that the assumption Williams is the boy king,hes done very little in the last couple of seasons really to warrant the coronation frankly,i thought exactly the same in regards to Bennett too, though why he even got on the plane to Oz given his terrible form last season.

The club panicked when these ridiculous stories appeared about him going to Warrington and offered him a deal he simply, at present isn't worth the marquee moniker or money, he must have a hell of an agent.

The comparison to Hampshire is also spot on Williams has to kick on to even get back on track this coming season let alone get to where the pundits seem to think he is, can he do the job? I hope so I really do but I really don't know.

Thirded.

Our Marqee money at the moment is being very poorly utilised. Williams last season particularly after the World Club Challenge became ridiculously predictable. Right foot step or dink into the corner for Burgess, that was all he offered.

He clearly has talent but it just isn’t happening for him.

I mentioned this on the signings thread but I think the club have acknowledged the style of play over the last few years has been incredibly negative and dull. They seem to be looking to rectify this next season which I am sure will benefit George and Tommy.

You can’t expect our halves to create when they don’t have option runners. A top half is a top half because he picks the right runners to hit when he has bodies in motion around him. Thurston is the master at it but his team surrounds him with option runners and hemire often than not hits the right one in relation to what is in front of him. Our halves have no option runners and tend to play rugby by numbers rather than playing what is unfolding in front of them. Hopefully the club is addressing this then we will see George kick on along with Tommy to put in the performances i’m sure they are capable of.

Re: Now you are in charge.. : Tue Jan 02, 2018 9:08 am  

I'd loan out/duel reg the following;

Marshall (once Manfredi is back fit), Worthington, Bretherton, Ganson (unless McIlorum leaves), Field and Barnes.

Re: Now you are in charge.. : Tue Jan 02, 2018 3:05 pm  

Grimmy wrote:

I'd loan out/duel reg the following;

Marshall (once Manfredi is back fit), Worthington, Bretherton, Ganson (unless McIlorum leaves), Field and Barnes.

If anyone should go out on loan then it should be Manfredi

Re: Now you are in charge.. : Tue Jan 02, 2018 3:34 pm  

The Whiffy Kipper wrote:

If anyone should go out on loan then it should be Manfredi

Depends how he comes back from injury. When fit, he is our best winger, so I'd certainly want the option of playing him. Dual reg would make sense if the reserves don't have many games around that period.

Re: Now you are in charge.. : Tue Jan 02, 2018 10:00 pm  

It has already been confirmed by the club that they expect a lot of personnel changes at the end of this season. I cannot see TL or SOL going round again. This might give the likes of Ganson a shot at a starting shot in 2019. The rumours from the club suggest that Mickey Mac was the only player that any other club showed any interest in, that says a lot. Perhaps a couple of our more senior players might benefit from being put in the shop window and offered out for loan with the suggestion that it might be time to jump before being pushed.

Re: Now you are in charge.. : Tue Jan 02, 2018 10:42 pm  

The Whiffy Kipper wrote:

If anyone should go out on loan then it should be Manfredi

Agree.
Sadly there isn't a proper reserve competition, so Manfredi will have to play on loan to see IF he can get back to full fitness/performance levels. If he could go for say a 1 - 2 month period it could be beneficial to all parties.

Re: Now you are in charge.. : Tue Jan 02, 2018 10:45 pm  

Rogues Gallery wrote:

Agree.
Sadly there isn't a proper reserve competition, so Manfredi will have to play on loan to see IF he can get back to full fitness/performance levels. If he could go for say a 1 - 2 month period it could be beneficial to all parties.

I completely agree he needs to be loaned out and allowed to find fitness first, form will come in time but I have a bad feeling he will ever find it again, really nasty injury he has had as we all know.