The 18th Man column: Players who have returned to Wigan Warriors

Following news John Bateman is coming back to Wigan – which player’s return excited you the most?

Jon Lyon: For a player returning from another club I’d have to say Sam Tomkins. He suffered a fair bit with injuries in the NRL and they didn’t see the best of him but we knew what he was capable of.

It took a while for Sam to get back to his best back in Super League but during his last eighteen months in his second spell at Wigan he was a class act and someone I still love to watch.

For anyone returning in any manner I’d have to choose Kris Radlinski coming out of retirement to help save the club from relegation in 2006. To put his already battered body on the line and risk serious damage to himself and his future shows how much Wigan means to him, not to mention playing for free.

We are lucky to have such a passionate man involved with our club.

Rob Kenyon: I was most excited about the return of Gareth Hock to be honest. He was in superb form prior to his ban and I was very keen on his return, it was such a shame that he missed out on the 2010 season and a Grand Final win.

Darren Wrudd: Interesting one this, as there has been a habit of players returning to this club after leaving. But I think my choice would have to be Kris Radlinski.

Much was said about his leaving prematurely because of a catalogue of injuries and his body had simply had enough, so in early March 2006, Kris decided to call it a day.

However, his love of this glorious club shone through as we were having an awful time that year and were in real danger.

So June 2006, he decided to play on for free and come out of retirement until the end of the season.

A gesture which in my eyes saved this club from relegation when it seemed the whole world was eager to see us fail.

I was gutted when Kris retired as he was in my eyes the best full back I have ever seen.

But when he came back, I almost had tears in my eyes that he had returned to help in our hour of need.

Alex Graham: I’ll always remember Denis Betts returning for the 1998 season. I was playing for Wigan Town Team at the time and was receiving physio at Central Park when I spotted him in the gym but nobody believed me until it was announced! In terms of excitement, the marketing team did a brilliant job of announcing Sam Tomkins’ return in 2015.

The game against Warrington was already a tense affair and whispers about Tomkins returning to either club were getting louder through out the week before an unexpected half-time show commenced.

All eyes both in the stadium and at home were fixated on the screen and a montage of his brilliant first stint at the club played before facing the camera and announcing.... ‘’I’m back’’.

Fantastic theatrics!

What do you think of Super League’s plan to return next month?

Jon Lyon: The reduction in games was a given, there was no way around that without leaving the players with no off season and interfering with next year too much.

Neutral venues makes sense from a costing point of view, and as the fans can’t attend anyway yet it really shouldn’t matter to anyone.

I really don’t see relegation happening, more to protect Toronto than whether it should happen.

It’s just a handy excuse to keep them in the top flight for another year at least.

If it was up to me I’d allow relegation but I can’t see it passing a vote between the clubs.

Whichever way it’s done I can’t wait to see the boys back in action.

Rob Kenyon: We have the NRL to look at how it can be done, and how problems may surface eg New Zealand Warriors being away from their families with no idea when they will return has had an effect on the team, I could see the same happening with Catalans to be honest, so it might be a good idea to have their families come over with then after a couple of weeks and stay for a while.

I think most things if not all things have been written off for this year, I like the plan for the league to return, I’d be interested to know which stadiums would be used.

Darren Wrudd: In general, the return of Super League is following the expected routes as they have a blueprint to follow in the NRL which returned several weeks ago.

I do think that there should be a swift announcement though, that there will be no relegation/promotion this year at all. I fear for the players if they don’t get a decent off season at the end of this campaign, but with all the lay off, many players should have managed to get rid of little niggle injuries, so they may just be in a better position anyway.

All in all, I don’t mind the games being played behind closed doors, but Sky should televise them all for free but I bet they don’t.

Alex Graham: I think it’s still coming across very cautious and uncertain but at least we have a date.

With regards to venues, I understand the point of neutral venues but the NRL showed that too much activity on the pitch can lead to damaged surfaces and potential injury.

There has to be some form of contingency should that happen.

With regards to competitions and fixtures, personally I’d have scrapped the Challenge Cup and focused purely on fulfilling Super League.

I appreciate there’s commercial considerations but it simply makes sense to place emphasis on one competition taking into account the limited time left for the year.

Talks have taken place about a hybrid game between Australia and the All Blacks. Good idea or not?

Jon Lyon: From a promotional point of view it’s a good idea. It will certainly get plenty of hype and viewers, which can’t be a bad thing in these uncertain times. Hopefully a few Union fans will see the light and change allegiance.

From a purely sporting point of view I’ve no interest in a hybrid game. The sports are too different, Union fans don’t like or haven’t seen League, and I find Union mind numbingly dull to watch.

Removing one player aside or scrapping line outs won’t make me enjoy it any more.

Take out neck breaking scrums, line outs, three points for a penalty or drop goal, remove two players, stop people stamping on players heads on the floor and remove rucks and

mauls and they might be half way to a decent game!

Rob Kenyon: I’m not convinced it would be a good spectacle because I’m not sure which rules they’d use. Anything Union wise they’d hammer League and visa versa.

I think if Australia did well then the NRL and Superleague would be raided, so I think it’s a good idea to keep Union at arms length.

Darren Wrudd: Not really no, we have of course tried these things in the past and it proved little if anything.

I thought the Aussie international darlings needed a rest this year anyway, as they are worked so hard.

It would suit me if the all blacks knocked seven bells out of them but I think that league players are fitter and the game would need to be structured to favour the Union lads to give them a real chance.

As I say, it won’t prove much, not sure I have much enthusiasm for the idea.

And I would like to wish Wigan Athletic Football Club, their staff and their loyal fans, the very best of luck in finding a solution to their problems.

I am sure that at times like these it becomes very evident to fans of both the teams at the DW, just how important it is to support one another.

Let’s hope things get sorted in a positive manner and both of Wigan’s premier clubs can carry on with a rosy future.

Alex Graham: Great idea for Australia and Kangeroos but terrible for international rugby league.

With the Kangeroos tour to England cancelled and the introduction of Tonga joining the international elite it’s a real shame that any spare week for an international fixture is being used on an exhibition game with rugby union. However it would be an interesting game.

Even to this day media and podcasts from both codes still talk about Wigan v Bath to benchmark the differences between league and union.

There’s a lot of pressure on Kangaroos to retain the crown Wigan claimed for rugby league 25 years ago. Imagine if union have those bragging rights for the next 25!