Duo head for exit door
Phil Bailey in action last season against Catalans Dragons
SHAUN Ainscough and Phil Bailey are set to follow Iafeta Paleaaesina through the Wigan exit door.
Winger Ainscough is attracting interest from Bradford Bulls and is expected to sign with the Odsal outfit for 2011.
Bailey, meanwhile, is thought to have agreed to join Kiwi prop Paleaaesina at Salford next year.
The Reds have yet to announce the captures of those two overseas players, but it is believed that both deals have been tied up, while the Bulls are closing in on recruiting Ainscough.
Announcements may be delayed until after the anti-tampering deadline next Monday, September 1 – the date when players who are off-contract at the end of the season can begin formally negotiating with other clubs.
Bailey, a former Kangaroos international, has been at Wigan for the past four years and is a popular member of the squad.
But the development of a crop of talented back-rowers, the signing of Melbourne’s Ryan Hoffman for 2011 and the likely return of Gareth Hock from a doping suspension next year meant he was always likely to depart.
The exit of Ainscough may disappoint many supporters, even though he has failed to make his mark on the first-team this year.
The 20-year-old burst onto the scene last season and quickly became a firm fans’ favourite with his electric pace.
The former Wigan St Jude’s amateur scorched over for an incredible 17 tries in just 12 appearances, but fell out of favour under Brian Noble, and has found his chances limited behind Amos Roberts and Darrell Goulding this year. He has had stints at Castleford and Widnes and, in total, made just one appearance for Warriors this year – a defeat to Harlequins.
He has fallen further down the pecking order because of the emergence of three-quarters Josh Charnley and Stefan Marsh this season.
The only departure from the club that has so far been confirmed has been Mark Riddell’s decision to go home to Australia to be close to his sick mother, but Paleaaesina, Bailey and Ainscough are all but certain to depart as well.
Others off-contract are Karl Pryce, Stuart Fielden – who has been attracting interest from Hull FC – and Cameron Phelps.
Andy Coley, George Carmont, Eamon O’Carroll and Liam Farrell, who were all out-of-contract, are thought to have secured extensions though Wigan have yet to confirm those arrangements.
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Saturday 04 February 2012
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