Paper Talk: Wigan take Government loan, top coaches linked with NRL & tough choice for players

James Gordon
Rugby league paper talk joseph leilua

Wigan provide transparency for fans

Wigan received a loan of £980,000 in August, as part of the £16m made available by the Government to the RFL, reports League Express. The details were revealed in the Warriors’ latest accounts, which revealed an operating loss of £443,000 in the year up to November 2020. Last week, chairman Ian Lenegan and chief executive Kris Radlinski held a fans forum, notes from which were shared via the club’s official website.

Kear on maintaining integrity

John Kear says his Bradford side maintained the integrity of the Championship by playing their league game with Toulouse at the weekend, despite having sufficient absences to request a postponement. The Bulls remain frustrated that they have been unable to re-arrange a date to face Sheffield, who cancelled a game at short notice due to COVID recently. Bradford suffered a heavy loss to the French side, but Kear told the Telegraph & Argus: “I’d sooner that happen than us to use protocols and tactical postponements to try and avoid playing them. If you’re in the competition, you have to play everybody. That’s only the right thing to do.”

Out of contract stars

Clubs are already close to finalising their squads for 2022, but there are plenty of players whose future remains up in the air. The Manchester Evening News have run through 10 of the more eye-catching out of contract players, including St Helens prop Kyle Amor and antipodeans like Ken Sio, Jason Clark and Nathan Peats.

Coaches wanted Down Under

The coaches of Super League’s top two clubs are being linked with moves to the NRL. St Helens boss Kristian Woolf and Catalans counterpart Steve McNamara have been named as possible contenders to succeed Michael Maguire at Wests Tigers, as speculation continues over the former Wigan Grand Final winner’s future. (The Age)

Tough choice for underpaid players

London Skolars coach Jermaine Coleman says impending funding cuts in rugby league may lead to players questioning their future. The chance to play in the World Cup at the end of 2021 encouraged many to play on, but that might not be as straight forward for 2022 despite the competition’s postponement. He told League Express: “The postponement will put doubts in their minds. They’ll be asking if they have got it in them to go round again. Can these players afford to play for another year on potentially very minimal money, put their bodies through another year of playing and taking more time off work to be able to do that. I’m not sure how it’s going to be financially viable for some of these players to do that.”

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