It wasn't so much a deliberate clear out, more that DVDV had arranged it so players came out of contract at the same time he did. This was meant to allow a new coach chance to appraise the team and take forward the players he wanted to keep and move on the ones he didn't. But we messed everything up with the coach hiring, with DVDV getting disillusioned and leaving mid season, us appointing Neil Kelly then him turning us down, and scrambling around to bring in Anderson/Plange.



Which meant that players who would have been worth keeping signed elsewhere, like Toa, Nutley and Hunte, plus Gee and Langer went back to Brisbane and Nikau retired. Sibbit signed for Melbourne Storm.



Anderson and Plange had to assemble virtually a new squad after the time when most of the free agents had been snapped up, so we were basically in the same position of teams that get promoted and have to start building a SL squad from the scraps left over by the other clubs. We got ourselves saddled with players who were Championship standard and it took Cullen 2 further seasons really to get them out of the club in time for moving to the Halliwell Jones.



Although bad as that Anderson & Plange squad was, I'd prefer their pack to what we have now and I'd love to have Fozzard, Hilton, Paul Wood and even Dale Laughton (past his best but a big unit still) in our front row today, plus guys like Guisset, Burns and Domic in the back row.

Paul Wood was the epitome of underrated for me. I thought he was a good player when he played, but when you look back, he was someone you'd have in any team we've fielded in the last 6 years. Paul Wood in his pomp was arguably one of our best props.





NB : I am not Paul Wood!!

If he's a success, then we must move heaven and earth to bring in the "comfy chair".

Or break the bank to sign the "Lay-Z-Boy". Oh no, wait... Asotasi has long since retired.

Cooper to Wigan looking like a done deal. Partington coming our way

I don’t see what Partington would bring. Wigan fans don’t rate him. Too small and limited as a player. Am I missing something?

Getting forwards that Wigan don't deem good enough always seems to work out well for us . . .

Disappointed, but not really surprised.



Never rated Partington, I think he is too small and is a penalty machine.

I can understand Powell wanting to bring Partington in to provide that bit of grit and nastiness (for lack of a better word) to your forward pack. He will hurt players with his defence and is a great competitor. Also has a decent pass in him close to the line. On the negative side he will make very little impact on the defensive line, he's ill-disciplined and I still have no idea what his best position is.

If we keep Mulhern i've no issue with Partington being added to our pack to be honest

Don’t understand the Partington signing at all, he’s just an angrier Jack Hughes. Yes he’s niggly but we need an out and out tough guy not someone playing at it….and someone who can play a bit as well. Really hoping we sign Vaughan.

Beginning to look less likely, but I agree.



He does have a certain amount of baggage, but moving to the UK has worked out for other naughty boys.



(We have also been burnt with others that couldn`t adjust, or reform)

What was he in th3 academy? Of the guys you've been using over the last couple of years he looks smallest, Byrne has the bulk, havard has some height and stature, partington just looked a bit meh.



I'm sure he'll turn out to be a decent sl player, but he's not what we currently need.

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/ru ... n-24112962

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/ru ... n-24112962

Good post this.



I think Partington would be a good addition for Wire, he’ll bring a lot of traits that I feel you’ve missed in the past few years, passion, desire, aggression, competitor.



He’s super fit and can play 80 minutes if needed. Only downside is he is small and therefore his carries aren’t great (however you’ve signed 3 big props for next year who can eat up the metres)



Also still only 23 so best years are ahead.



Wigan’s pack have kind of passed him by huge props like Byrne and Havard being in the same age range (and we have some more top academy products on the way).



Might not happen but if it does I wouldn’t too disheartened.

Think he will be going to Wire as a second rower rather than a prop and filling in when required but as others have said he just simply doesn't make any metres. His aggression gets the better of him more often than not. It's a puzzling signing if true. Just don't see him making it at a club that has Grand Final aspirations. Nothing against the lad but i just don't see how he improves to a level where he bulldozing opposition props.

Crikey, fair play to Powell this is some clear out!

I head he is coming on here soon and clearing a few out starting with the Duck

Does that leave the duck free to permanently join the wigan board? Or redvee?

What this means is that next season this really will be Powell’s team..unless we start losing in which case it will be KF’s team.

No point ripping a plaster off slowly I suppose. To be fair I feel we do actually need this reset, we have some great young talent to build in to the side for the future as well.

Too much to hope for sadly…..

rubber duckie wroteCooper is not being offered a contract at this point in time, nor is it likely.



Powell was also happy to let Cooper go now, but senior club officials stepped in, to prevent it.

This is an interesting time for us. I can’t remember a period where there has been a potential clear out of fan’s favourites especially some who clearly have not reached the end of their playing career. Hill and Cooper particularly (I’m using “clear out” but include in that not looking to retain). There is a sense of loss for some fans who have invested emotionally in giving these players support, and who feel the players have given a lot to the club.

We saw with Lee Briers how strange it is to see him celebrating with Wigan against us.

It seems that the “club” felt a re set was required and gave Powell the brief to re fashion the team and no one was deemed sacrosanct.

In a way it is what many on here have been calling for get rid of the “jobs for the boys” culture and start afresh.

So ‘23 looks like “revolution not evolution”. Interesting times ahead. I feel (slightly) more optimistic after the Catalans and Saints matches (and fully expect us to win the GF this season).

POWELLY IN!

PS i don’t include losing Scully and Harris as at that time we were a financial basket case and survival was at stake!