Agree but if Hardaker wanted too much… also he is always a liability off the field.

As long as we’re not relegated this year and some of our core players develop I’m personally not that bothered.

We have a rare opportunity to really sweep the broom through and that’s what we need to do. If we carry on retaining mid-table players and overpaid marquees (which every single one of them has been) then we will keep on getting the same results.

We are a good side in the making still IMO but the magic sauce is missing.

Olpherts wasn’t Hardakers replacement though.

Id be happy never seeing olpherts again mind.

Im fine with going nothing this year as long as our recruitment is good for next

He is the reason that we didn’t have the money to pay Hardaker what he wanted. We’d signed Olpherts long before Hardaker left, don’t be fooled by the announcement dates. I live near to Cas here days, it was widely known over here months before it was announced.

It wasn’t just money for Hardaker it was the length of the deal that also meant he moved to Leigh.

Yep you’re right it was. I think it was 2 years, the same as we gave Olpherts.

We offered Hardaker one year, which to be fair with his record in leaving clubs in disgrace is probably fair.

If we can't beat that Wakefield side Smith needs to go

We really need to move on from the Hardaker thing.
He's well over 30 and way past his best.
We need to be looking forward and thinking differently regards recruitment.

And this could come back to bite me, but we need to give up if we can't beat that Wakefield side....

I think we were in for Olpherts whilst Agar was still at the helm and possible before Hardaker finally snapped Wigan's patience. Pretty sure Matt Shaw was talking about it early 2022.