@owl Agree 100% a few fans have home town player syndrome, they never earned there silly long term contracts in the past. Their contracts caused stagnancy at the club. Change has been needed for years but never happened. We play players out of position all the time instead of recruiting players for those positions.
Depends on the calibre of the replacements- no point in letting both go to be replaced by inferior players.
That being said, we haven't really won anything or got close to....
Unless this is part of a strategy of trying to reduce the number of over 30's in the squad?
Well after hearing on social media tjat Gilmore and Owens replaced by Swinton and Rochdale players it concerned me. If repkaced by worse players it makes no sense. We are hardly flushed with money and without fans through the gates it will mean less calibre players.
Those 2 players are very good at championship level, be very lucky to replace with better on same money
they deserve another season
Has anyone definate proof that Owens/Gilmore are being replaced, or is this thread nothing more than gossip started and supported by troublemakers?
Those 2 players are very good at championship level, be very lucky to replace with better on same money
they deserve another season
I don`t agree,they they are not very good they are very average.
Owens can`t play full back......drops the ball under pressure at vital times,can`t play wing too slow even at his peak-ask any Saint fan,can`t play centre closes space rather than creating it....half back simply no threat to the opposition.
Gilmore.....never makes a break,passes often land other players in trouble,kicks too predictable rarely cause real problems...all round very predictable game which all teams in this league know how to counter.
This plays for Swinton,Rochdale etc so not good enough for Widnes.........
let me think
what about......Chris Atkin .........was in the Widnes Vikings' Academy System and he has previously played for the England Students in the 2013 Student Rugby League World Cup.Atkin was then eventually released by the Widnes Academy System due to them already having two established young halves in Tom Gilmore and Danny Craven.
Went to?-Swinton.........and then?about 200 SL apps.... Who would you rather have had in your team for the past 10 years Atkin or Gilmore?
you have a wonderful memory as birds like you do
but we are looking at the future not the past
You might have noticed we are restricted finance wise so choices are limited
in my humble opinion I feel owens and Gilmore have played well enough this season to earn another year
but what do I know twit too woo
you have a wonderful memory as birds like you do
but we are looking at the future not the past
You might have noticed we are restricted finance wise so choices are limited
in my humble opinion I feel owens and Gilmore have played well enough this season to earn another year
but what do I know twit too woo
I understand why people might want to keep these core 4 as I include Ince and Lawton as well but looking to the future and not the past........... thats why I want them gone.
I don`t ,and tbh won`t watch another season like the past few.
Rather see younger and yes probably cheaper unproven players than more of the same.
I would describe it as safe to keep them....won`t be in the top 3 but will be around 4 to 6.
What happens then?...keep yet another year? They have had their time ....it`s time to look forward.
There is no money around at any of the other clubs so players will have to accept less or not play............tbh I can`t see any other club taking on these 4 on what they are on now.
SL academies release a raft of players every year and there are 4 within spitting distance.
It comes down to scouting and spotting potential and then coaching to reach that potential.
Keeping these is stagnation....Widnes and AC now need to get younger talent in and do something with it.
We need some excitement, something different on the playing side ,the talent is there .
you have a wonderful memory as birds like you do
but we are looking at the future not the past
You might have noticed we are restricted finance wise so choices are limited
in my humble opinion I feel owens and Gilmore have played well enough this season to earn another year
but what do I know twit too woo
I understand why people might want to keep these core 4 as I include Ince and Lawton as well but looking to the future and not the past........... thats why I want them gone.
I don`t ,and tbh won`t watch another season like the past few.
Rather see younger and yes probably cheaper unproven players than more of the same.
I would describe it as safe to keep them....won`t be in the top 3 but will be around 4 to 6.
What happens then?...keep yet another year? They have had their time ....it`s time to look forward.
There is no money around at any of the other clubs so players will have to accept less or not play............tbh I can`t see any other club taking on these 4 on what they are on now.
SL academies release a raft of players every year and there are 4 within spitting distance.
It comes down to scouting and spotting potential and then coaching to reach that potential.
Keeping these is stagnation....Widnes and AC now need to get younger talent in and do something with it.
We need some excitement, something different on the playing side ,the talent is there .
Unsure what money has been offered to Gilmore and Owens, but if had a team with loads of youngsters, we could get smashed every week.Players like Sergent, Taylor and Connelly are in the mix already, and someone put the other day after a youngster winger from Rochdale. We have the U19s set up and a few here may come into contention next year. Unfortunanetly the RFL fucked the Championship up with no promotion and relegation on the pitch.They need this back or will kill the Championship. If no Widnes i am finished with Rugby League as wont watch Saints or Warrington.
Just for a bit of fun, tell me who you would recruit/keep to play alongside the 3 youngsters that have been blooded by Coleman this season. Bear in mind, I'll grant you the full 500k cap, but out of that you have to pay the players pensions and win bonuses (if there are any, so far in 2026 we have won 15 games, which amounts to a lot of coin. 18 x 15). I'll start you off...you have a wonderful memory as birds like you do
but we are looking at the future not the past
You might have noticed we are restricted finance wise so choices are limited
in my humble opinion I feel owens and Gilmore have played well enough this season to earn another year
but what do I know twit too woo
I understand why people might want to keep these core 4 as I include Ince and Lawton as well but looking to the future and not the past........... thats why I want them gone.
I don`t ,and tbh won`t watch another season like the past few.
Rather see younger and yes probably cheaper unproven players than more of the same.
I would describe it as safe to keep them....won`t be in the top 3 but will be around 4 to 6.
What happens then?...keep yet another year? They have had their time ....it`s time to look forward.
There is no money around at any of the other clubs so players will have to accept less or not play............tbh I can`t see any other club taking on these 4 on what they are on now.
SL academies release a raft of players every year and there are 4 within spitting distance.
It comes down to scouting and spotting potential and then coaching to reach that potential.
Keeping these is stagnation....Widnes and AC now need to get younger talent in and do something with it.
We need some excitement, something different on the playing side ,the talent is there .
1. Connell
2. Sergent
3. Taylor
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Paulie xx
I have been critical of Owens and Gilmore in past seasons of not looking their previous best.
Owens definitely lost a step of pace, as you would with age, and tends to be weak under a high ball
gilly looked quite slow and again age tells, often was behind a beaten pack however.
but this year they’ve both shown their quality wherever needed and are more than deserving of a new deal.
this talk of wanting youngsters blah blah is nonsense, if we started taking the tankings Salford got early on before they started recruiting some more senior players then fans saying the above would kick off quicker than anyone…
We do have a few youngsters already in Sergent, Taylor, Connell and Connelly. You have to be careful not to get smashed every week with too many youngsters. Personally I have not been a fan of Owens at fullback, but at centre quite solid. Unless you find better then definitely worth another year contract. Gilmore has improved with Richardson, and will need a decent partner next year. We are not a Super League team so we have to be realistic in our signings plus have to be local enough to play for Widnes.I do not think he or her will add names to your list all has gone quite Paulie. 😂🤦♂️
2 sides to the argument for me.
Owens and Gilmore are both 32, so will be 33 next season. They will be amongst the top earners at the club/in the Championship and the salary cap is being cut next season by about £75k I believe for us. Since 2019 we have mostly finished in mid table and missed out on the play offs. Im sure Salford have space as they have a young team so must have a lower paid squad than many Champ rivals.
They are local Widnes lads who have come through the system and been good players for us. I think being local at this level does make a difference with work commitments and family to balance. We have not had much success with the Aussie or Yorkshire players.
A lot comes down to who we replace them with. Champ clubs will be looking to reduce the wage bill for the new cap. But signing ex Swinton players and Kirk, Riley etc leads to a mid table finish. As you would expect really.
So then Dan tell us what you think ! Yes or no
@7-vikingnomad that totally depends on who we sign to replace them, thats if they are leaving and going to Salford.
2 rumoured players at half back are Else, aged 26 previous clubs Swinton and Rochdale currently at Midlands and Hansen, will be 30 in Jan, previous clubs Swinton, Sheffield, North Wales and Halifax now at Rochdale.
If as stated Richardson wants another go at SL and we sign both of the above I would keep Gilmore. Or sign another half back with a mixture of SL/top end Championship experience.
Midlands are currently 8th and Rochdale 15th, but for the re-structure they would both be playing in League 1. If we want to be consistently top 4, I think we could maybe only sign 1 of those 2 in a 24 man squad that would include 3 half backs.
I would 100% keep Lawton as he offers attributes in terms of size and a threat outwide/close to the line that no one else in the squad currently offers in the same way.
At the moment its only rumours, but at this stage of the season its interesting to speculate on who is coming in/going out, all part of being a fan.