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Rumours (signings, sackings & other NRL stuff)

Tigerm

First Grade
Messages
8,905
Taken from the Wigan Warriors Web site…

Hastings to leave Wigan
19 April 2021
Loch Lomond Whiskies Competition - April 2021
Wigan Warriors can confirm that Jackson Hastings will leave the Club at the end of the 2021 season.

Hastings will join NRL side Wests Tigers for 2022 and 2023.

Wigan Warriors executive director, Kris Radlinski, said: “Jackson asked to see me on Sunday morning where he informed me that he has agreed a two-year deal in the NRL and will leave at the end of 2021 when his contract expires.

“There has been much speculation about an immediate exit, but I have had written assurances from his management team and through my relationship with Michael Maguire, 2021 was never an option.

“**During my conversation, Jackson was incredibly humble and said he feels honoured to have represented the Club. I could see it in his eyes that he wants to leave Wigan a winner.

“We have never doubted his commitment as a Rugby League player. He brings an outstanding attitude to training every day and plays his heart out every week on the playing field.

“Wests Tigers are getting a player who is deeply motivated to succeed and will drive the rest of the playing squad.”**

Hastings said: “I am extremely grateful to Ian Lenagan and Kris Radlinski and Adrian Lam to represent this great Club.

“Over the last 15 months I’ve really appreciated being part of such an historic place and the expectations that come along with that.

“Kris and I have spoken at length about what the future holds. Having such a great relationship with him, the door is open if an opportunity arises in the future.

“I’m really grateful to all the fans for putting up with the rumours and speculation. I have given everything I have to the jersey and I will continue to do that for the rest of this year. I am an extremely driven individual that’s super committed to bringing success to Wigan in 2021.

“Now this is out of the way, I just want to get on with playing Rugby League. I am solely focused on 2021 and the goal we have as a Club for this year.

“Once again, I would like to say thank you to the Wigan fans for the constant support and I can’t wait to see them all back in the stands.”

https://wiganwarriors.com/blog/2021/04/19/hastings-to-leave-wigan/
 

Tigerm

First Grade
Messages
8,905
Paul Kent: Subconscious bias shown by referees not helping teams like Tigers rise to top

It’s tough being the Tigers at the moment. As if trying to reach the finals for the first time in ages wasn’t hard enough, last weekend they had to deal with an extra obstacle.A common headache shared among the bottom half of the competition is that far too often the 50-50 calls in the game go 60-40 against.

This is tremendous news for the better teams. Not so much for those trying to get there.

It is a subconscious bias that exists among the referees and the reason scouting reports by referees on players should be banned forever.

It slaughtered Wests Tigers on Saturday.

Over the first five rounds the referees noticed how the markers were splitting early to try to shut down Damien Cook at the ruck.

Cook is the game’s most damaging dummy-half runner. One chance and he is gone.

So to regain control of the ruck, the referees went into Saturday’s game with an emphasis on being more diligent.

This decision, made before a ball was kicked, immediately advantaged Cook a whole heap, and after that it did not matter what the Tigers tried. They were paying for the sins of the teams that played Souths before them.

The snowball effect it sparks creates bigger problems, too.

Over the game, the close calls increasingly went South Sydney’s way.

Again, this is tremendous for the Rabbitohs. For the Tigers, who need to play better just to be even, not so much.

Superior teams handle adversity better than those trying to get there. It is true on the football paddock the same as it is in politics, or business, or the field of battle.

After the most disappointing performance of the season, when they failed to show up for the first half against North Queensland, the Tigers responded with the kind of performance on Saturday that can turn around seasons.

They got into the battle against Souths, even if the Rabbitohs ultimately prevailed because they performed better in more crucial moments than the Tigers.

That they failed to win shows where they are in their progression. The improvement for Wests comes slowly winning more of those moments, as Souths did.

What does not help is the subconscious bias shown by the referees.

For years now referees have been studying players hoping their homework will improve their decision making on the field.

Everything about it is wrong.

It creates this subconscious bias which, like the Tigers trying to defend Cook, punishes teams for the sins of those who came before them.

It was not Wests Tigers fault that earlier teams were splitting markers to defend against Cook, or that the referees missed it, and it is very much not Cook’s fault.

But it was the Tigers who paid the price as the referees penalised anything close to an early split at marker — to compensate for their failings in previous weeks.

Under eight six-again rulings, the Tigers’ defence began to labour.

Once there was a time when referees got a feel for the game and adjudicated according to style.

This feel for the game died under the two referee system. The whistle blowers seemed to spend as much time trying to figure out each other’s style as they did finding the rhythm of the game.

The buzzword became all about “consistency”, which was absurd.

Jack Hetherington was in a completely different game when he got sent off than Victor Radley was when he got sin-binned. Similar tackles, but not the same, and in entirely different circumstances.

What constitutes consistency?

The referee in each game called it as he saw it.

It is impossible to achieve consistency from every game in every week, yet it has become the never-ending narrative. The best that can be hoped for is that a referee is consistent from the first minute to the last, allowing the game to flow in between.

This search for consistency is the seed of where it all began to go wrong.

It has led the game to where, the moment a new rule or interpretation is invoked, coaching staffs immediately brainstorm ways to beat it.

The referees’ good intentions are being used against them.

The old-fashioned holding down in the play the ball, for instance. Some referees allowed longer than others and coaches and fans blued they were inconsistent. How long could they hold down?

They wanted consistency, even though nowhere in the rules is there actually a time limit for holding down, but still the referees worked with them for uniformity.

Immediately, every team knew exactly how long they could hold down the ball-runner before being pinged and so they trained for it, slowing the game even more.

The better teams became better at exploiting this space within the referee’s interpretation and benefitted more.

The Tigers were strong on Saturday and it could be the start of their rise. Or it becomes irrelevant if they cannot find it against Manly again this Sunday.

This is the Tigers at the moment.

And it is Canterbury and the Cowboys and Manly, and even St George Illawarra, all trying to bridge the gap while hoping for a fair go.
 

Shredder

Juniors
Messages
1,525
Ive never seen an article about 50/50s before. Interesting.

On Hastings, Im very happy with his signing. Id be happier still if Brooks announces he is going to North Qld (or anywhere else).

The kid can play, but its just working out and I think a change of scenery will be good for him. If he goes on and plays well somewhere else, I wont begrudge him that.
 

gordsy

Juniors
Messages
2,042
Brooks maybe a talent I don't see it but if he goes elsewhere and kicks on so what. It's like that girl you like but know you can't be in a relationship with. The sooner we walk away from him or vice versa the better it will be for all parties.
 
Messages
3,320
Paul Kent: Subconscious bias shown by referees not helping teams like Tigers rise to top

Tell us something we don’t already know, the WT have been getting reamed by these protected ar#ehole referees for years.Coaches like Bennet,Stuart,Bellamy intimidate refs and in doing so gain an advantage, if they happen to lose ,then they are not afraid to direct blame at the march officials if warranted , which then gains the NRL’s attention and doing so places pressure on the refs to conform.
 

Tiger05

First Grade
Messages
9,162
Brooks maybe a talent I don't see it but if he goes elsewhere and kicks on so what. It's like that girl you like but know you can't be in a relationship with.

I agree.
The sooner we walk away from him or vice versa the better it will be for all parties.

I don't believe this at all. You have no idea what will happen. We don't as well.

I assume Brooks is here until his contract runs out. If he performs he keeps his spot. If not he goes. If he doesn't perform then he won't get another contract. Simple.

There is way too much emotion surrounding Brooks. Too many fans blame Brooks for the teams poor performances.

He has been good this year and the criticism about him has gotten stupid.
 
Messages
15,387
Jesus mate, take a breath before you blow your load on a reserve grade player looking to break into the NRL.

Hastings is purely a depth signing to compete with Madden and light a fire under Brooks' arse. If Brooks drops in form then it's Madden or Hastings next cab off the rank depending on form

With due respect for your knowledge of the game, I think you might be underestimating him at this time.

I know we can be muddle headed at times, but the effort to procure him has been substantial, concerted and risky, but that would be for a reason.

Harto is getting most of the recruitment right.
 

gordsy

Juniors
Messages
2,042
I hope Brooks kicks on with us and does amazing things. But if he is on 700 now and is playing like crap how much will he want us to pay when he is doing well ?

What is going to change for him that he will kck on.? I mean shit it;s only been 7 years, why now, what will change that will cause him, allow him or make him become a great player.??
What's the magical thing ?
If we can't answer those questions then let him go let's try something else.

I hope he finds success if he does leave as this game needs more dominant halves like we had in the 90s when plenty of good halves were around not a select few like now.
 

Pezz70

Juniors
Messages
1,636
I agree.


I don't believe this at all. You have no idea what will happen. We don't as well.

I assume Brooks is here until his contract runs out. If he performs he keeps his spot. If not he goes. If he doesn't perform then he won't get another contract. Simple.

There is way too much emotion surrounding Brooks. Too many fans blame Brooks for the teams poor performances.

He has been good this year and the criticism about him has gotten stupid.

Thx Mr Brooks.

One thing Saturday’s south’s game did show, was that on the back some mongrel from the Pigs Brooksy is capable of a decent game. Forwards need to consistently aim up
 

Tiger05

First Grade
Messages
9,162
My Brooksy policy is simple.

We keep him until we get someone better.

I’m open to his exit on that basis.

I agree with this as well. If we get better then let him go. We need to win games.

His contract amount is also pretty hard to know what is going on. I remember it was supposedly a contract worth about 500k per season. That to me is probably a little overs but for a half it's okay.

We cannot overpay our juniors to stay here or overpay players who come here. We need to be prepared to let players go.
 

Ned Kelly

Juniors
Messages
1,641
Love the Hastings signing. Been watching his youtube highlights Nice to have something to look forward to next year.

It probably seemed like a good idea at the start of the year to say "O.K. Brooksy, you're in charge now. You take control of the team and guide them around" Didn't exactly work out so well.

Welcome plan B " O.K Brooksy, don't worry about organizing the team leave that to a hooker who is skilled in that area and Doueihi. You just play your game without the added stress."

I think plan B just might pay off.
 
Messages
15,387
I agree with this as well. If we get better then let him go. We need to win games.

His contract amount is also pretty hard to know what is going on. I remember it was supposedly a contract worth about 500k per season. That to me is probably a little overs but for a half it's okay.

We cannot overpay our juniors to stay here or overpay players who come here. We need to be prepared to let players go.

No emotion, just the best side plays.
 
Messages
15,387
Love the Hastings signing. Been watching his youtube highlights Nice to have something to look forward to next year.

It probably seemed like a good idea at the start of the year to say "O.K. Brooksy, you're in charge now. You take control of the team and guide them around" Didn't exactly work out so well.

Welcome plan B " O.K Brooksy, don't worry about organizing the team leave that to a hooker who is skilled in that area and Doueihi. You just play your game without the added stress."

I think plan B just might pay off.

And Doogie is only at 50% of his potential if that.

Even buddy @stryker is salivating over his origin debut.
 

Fordy20

Juniors
Messages
2,162
One thing Saturday’s south’s game did show, was that on the back some mongrel from the Pigs Brooksy is capable of a decent game. Forwards need to consistently aim up

Brodie Croft said pretty much the same thing at halftime in the Broncos match.
 

Front-Rower

First Grade
Messages
5,297
One thing Saturday’s south’s game did show, was that on the back some mongrel from the Pigs Brooksy is capable of a decent game. Forwards need to consistently aim up

Brooks’ needs to kick their butts in to gear. No good just sitting back waiting for it to happen. He needs to talk, direct and get angry if they aren’t doing the right thing. Problem is he can’t do that.
 
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