I think Tomkins is fantastic but I'd wait until he's played in the NRL before drawing comparisons with Slater. Not to say he won't do well in Australia (I actually think he'd take it by storm) I'd just like to reserve judgement until then. I hope he goes over and not to Union.

People seem to have this idea that the NRL is made up of 16 squads of Green & Gold quality players. It isn't. The NRL has more than enough poor defenders and weak defensive reads for Tomkins to thrive, just like Slater and co do.

Maybe,
The fact is the NRL is several levels higher than SL across the board.

Correct.

I would have said they were more like Mourinho's Madrid than Barcelona. More machine than avant garde.

we,ve played well recently but i never get complacent when it,s 13 against 13 on any given day. the style of play is very entertaining but you can,t play like that every week, it,s not humanly possible.

So basically teams have adopted the Australian approach of defence, taking away the scoot, and the 'intensity' of the league has therefore dropped?

There's a reason we can't compete with the Aussies. It's because they take away Roby/Burrows et al scooting from dummy half. We have nothing after that. This new style will help us develop a new game plan - Wigan, as always, are leading the way.

Wigan played pretty well against a very, very poor Leeds side.

Comparisons with the NRL are ridiculous. Wigan's pack (particularly lacking Hock) would get nothing like the yardage it did against Leeds, and Tomkins would get far fewer chances to do much with the ball. In fact if you take the Leeds defence from the WCC against Manly and put it against Wigan, you wouldn't have scored more than a couple of tries. Quite probably still have won, but not by anything like that scoreline.

A bugbear of mine in SL is how quickly teams wave the white towel when they're getting beaten, leading to more soft tries and blowout scores. It does happen in the NRL (Newcastle last week were really bad when it mattered) but far less frequently.

Still not at the Warrington pace of last year yet. I think we scored a stupid percentage of our tries from within our own half and averaged around 40 points a game, whilst averging only about 16 conceded. They have also lost their last 3 league games against Warrington (sorry for sounding like Phil Clarke)

Wire 2011 - 39 a game scored 14 a game conceded

Wigan 2012 - 36 a game scored 15 a game conceded

They're by far the best team this season and their RL is breathtaking, still not as entertaining or as dominant as Wire 2011 though, there is a lot of the season left though and could easily set records in most categories.

So from reading this if Sam Tomkins picks up a long injury

Wigun will be fecked?

It'd depend on how Matty Russell performed, similar style of player to Tomkins, but nowhere near as dangerous yet. The whole reason for him going to Hull on loan is to get him some experience for in case Tomkins does get injured at some point.

Like some other posters have said, until Tomkins tests himself in the NRL then you can't claim he's the best FB in the world. What you have to remember is that Slater has been this good for quite a few years. Consistency and level of opposition is the key to being called the best. Ellery Hanley did it both over here and in Australia plus also at test level. Now there was a fantastic player. Tomkins has a long way to go before he can be called the best FB and even longer before he can be called the best player in the world.

Even in Australia, Slater would not be considered the best in the world, best fullback yes.
Cam Smith or JT would be considered more influential in deciding a game.

Rarely are outside backs the best players in the World, Hookers and Halves make a team tick.

Although the Golden Boot award is not always an accurate benchmark its a good indicator.

From 20 awards...
7 x Five eighths (standoffs)
5 x Halfbacks
4 x Fullbacks
2 Centres
1 Hooker
1 Lock
1 Second Rower

Have they opened a tapas bar?.

It's taken a team from the Barcelona region to slow us down, helped by what has reportedly been an incredibly dodgy decision to give a penalty try. Still a fairly comfortable win as it stands.

Mossop saved a try with a pretty spectacular ankle tap as well, not often you see a prop chasing down Damien Blanch.

Wire 2011 - 39 a game scored 14 a game conceded

Wigan 2012 - 36 a game scored 15 a game conceded


Still got a bit of work to do until you're Barcelonaesque.

How'd that work out for you?

Top of the league.

Warrington Wolves at this time last season

PL17 W12 L5 = 24 Points

Wigan 2012

PL17 W14 L3 = 28 Points

Nuff said

Beat me too it.

And not a pot to p[ii[/iss in at the end of it.

I forgot you win stuff in June. The points total now is pointless. The thread was about Wigans play at the moment, not league position, hence the title Barcelona of rugby league. I'm just pointing out that they aren't as devastating as us last season, but there is a lot of time to go an they still may reach those heights. They're certainly a cut above the rest in 2012.

It looks like several people people you to English class. And yet I can't imagine there's a big rush in Wigan.

Wigan are way beyond Barcelona, not only in the quality of their play but everything about their club. The iconic stadium that people across the world recognise as their own, the stylish and well-spoken coach, even the cosmopolitan feel of the city and the highly cultured locals.


Please feel free to put this in your sigs.

Just out of interest how many games have Wigan played this season without any of there main playmakers, tomkins,finch, leuluai, O'Loughlin and Mcllorum. I know Wire, Saints and Leeds have played most of the season with these key positions missing or rotated due to injury. Makes a big difference if these players stay fit. But you can bet they wont stay injury free all season, then we will see how they play. Last week they had a makeshift pack against Leeds but the main key players were still there. Take two or three;s players out and they will be a far different team and nowhere near as good. But at the minute great to watch.