Mark Riddell says St George Illawarra should trade Gareth Widdop for Wigan's George Williams
Could the Dragons swap one English international playmaker for another?
With the long-term future of St George Illawarra captain Gareth Widdop shrouded in doubt, former Dragons hooker Mark Riddell has urged the club to pursue another English playmaker.
Reports surfaced on Wednesday morning stating a "homesick" Widdop
wanted a release from the Dragons immediately to join the UK Super League.
Widdop has since denied the claims, ensuring he would wear the Red V in 2019, but the Halifax-born 29-year-old failed to confirm he will see out the final three years of his contract.
The international pivot would undoubtedly be a tough player to replace; he is St George Illawarra's main source of creativity in attack and an accurate goal-kicker.
However, Riddell believes he has identified the perfect man to fill Widdop's boots – Wigan Warriors five-eighth George Williams.
“I’ve been thinking about this about the whole Gareth Widdop situation. [The Dragons] should try and use it to their advantage," Riddell said on
Macquarie Sports Radio.
"If he does want to go in 2020 or 2021, they should try and do a player swap deal with one of the English Super League clubs and try and get someone out here. And I've already pinpointed who.
"There’s a number six who plays for the Wigan Warriors, his name's George Williams. He plays for England in the same role as well.
"I know he’s got a burning desire to come and play in the NRL."
Riddell says the Dragons should use Widdop as a bargaining chip to secure Williams without a large a transfer fee.
"If I was the Dragons, I’d be approaching the Wigan Warriors and saying ‘How about we do some sort of a player swap: [we get] George Williams and we’ll give you Gareth Widdop’. Try and get something out of it," Riddell said.
“He is top notch. He’s one of those players over there that could come over here and do a really good job, and I know for a fact that he wants to come over here in the NRL.
"There are some halves that are going to be available [in Australia] but I’m just not sure whether they’re going to be quality. And [Williams] honestly sits up in that top quality of player.”
Williams has represented England in 10 games, the majority of those alongside Widdop. He impressed in the Poms' recent series victory over New Zealand.
The 24-year-old has already proven he can hande NRL-calibre opponents, producing a Man of the Match performance against the Cronulla Sharks in Wigan's 2017 World Club Challenge win.
He has been the subject of interest from various Australian clubs over the past few seasons.
Despite being signed with Wigan until the end of 2020, Williams told
NRL.com in August that it's his "dream" to play in the NRL.
“If there was an opportunity that came up, that was more than just interest, I would like to pursue that," he said.
And it's not only Riddell who is convinced Williams would succeed in an NRL environment.
Premiership-winning St George Illawarra half Jamie Soward tweeted his approval of Williams following England's Test win versus the Kiwis in October.
"I wish more of the Super League players would come test themselves in their prime. [George] Williams would be great in NRL," Soward wrote.
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Not a bad idea IMO
