Could he do it in the NRL? Will he have a go? Ellis and Burgess have done it.James Graham is having a go (good luck to him ) I think Sam Tomkins would be a sensation in OZ.

New 5 year deal says NO

The 5 year deal says not in the near future. After or towards the end of that, who knows and at the moment does it matter? IMO he could and possibly will at some point, but at the moment he's going nowhere.

I think it's unlikely that Sam will leave Wigan. True Wigan lad with a die hard Wigan background.

I'm sure he has the talent to make it over there though.

Booooooooooooo

Sam said his fair skin

would not suit Austraila to Sam burgess the other day when Burgess was asking him was he not coming over with his coach

wasn't he born in milton keynes and previously a wire fan ?

He is the next Billy Slater.

theres alot more playerrs over here that can play nrl

The way some go on you wouldnt think so. I remember a thread on the Wire board around players they thought could get a game in the NRL and they came up with about 4 names which made me chuckle. There's rafts of English players that could get a game over there. Granted only a select few would be classed as some of the better players in the division but plenty would get a game.

exactly i think theres maybe a few that could really stand out in the nrl but theres lots that would get game time ect

The only other English SL player that I can think of that could possibly make it in NRL is James Roby.

I think he has since seen the errors of his past.

By the time his current contract is up he'll be in his mid twenties and possibly in the prime of his career, that's when I'd like to see him have a crack at the NRL. Yes it would be sad to see him leave Wigan, but Sam will have hopefully given us years of excellent service by then. I'd like to see him go to the NRL and maybe just maybe cement himself as a great of the game.

Just because your players have lacked the loyalty factor over the last few years, perhaps they could take some note of the Ancient and LOYAL!!

Sam is not good enough defensively to play NRL in his current position. I would also doubt he would be given the room in attack that he currently gets in SL to make him a success. The Aussie's are consistently a lot fitter and faster than the players over here, which is why backs generally aren't good enough.

Personally, I think he would fail to shine. However, I would like to see him try - I think all athletes should test themselves against the best regardless of club loyalties, if he believes he is good enough - he should go to Australia and play week in week out against the best players to see how he does.

I doubt this will happen.

I agree. On the way home from the game tonight Radio Manchester replayed and interview with Madge and were asking about the relative strengths of the two competitions and the subject of players who could hack it down under came up and he said there were quite a few in SL could and he was fortunate he had[i some [/iof them at Wigan (i.e. not all of them).

I think we are a bit obsessed with the NRL and I can't stand this talk of it being a good idea to send our best or our young players over there so it will improve out game. No it won't. If the best players aren't here our competition will get weaker not stronger. We need to improve from within and with teams like Hudds and Les Cats getting up there I think we are.

I'd agree with that but then he is a 6 not a 1

I have said all along we get away with playing him at 1 because we can not because he is a particularly great 1. He made a mistake a top full back would not have done tonight when he tried to fly hack a ball under pressure. Probably didn't think it was worth diving on and getting his head kicked in given it was late in the game but I think a natural full back would have dealt with it. As a six I reckon he's hack it pretty easily.



I don't think it will either but he should not be castigated if he decided to be a one club man. I reckon he will get his chances for England and hopefully with Wigan in future WCC fixtures to play against the best the Aussies have and if that's enough for him and he enjoys a long and successful Wigan career as a top player in SL no one should have a problem with that.

Not sure where this comes from but no my best mate at uni was at school with him from a young age and she doesnt remember him ever being anything but a wigan fan supposedly he was only born in mk because his dad was down there for a job at the time hence joel and logan not being born there.

She also said that he was a bit weird and cocky but never about himself being a wigan player but about joel being one.

Hula my son went to school with him and I am sure he initially was a Wire fan - I think it was his dad who was a Wire but I will ask my lad when he gets up.

I can only go off what she tells me mate she doesnt tend to lie though like.

No problem Hula, I wasnt implying your friend was lying. My ageing memory tells me he was a Wire fan when he was very young but switched to Wigan - I will check with my son.

It would be good to see Sam go down under for a couple of years after this 5 year contract ends in order to cement his status as a world class player. Because for Sam to be called a world class player he would have had success in SL, NRL and Ineternationals imo. Mal Reilly said the other night that the real test of an English player is whether or not he can hack it down under as the overall standard and intensity is higher. Hats of to the likes of Morley,Ellis and Carney who did well down under and to Graham who is going into the best comp in the world. It is about proving it at all levels and Tompkins is quickly becoming a big fish in a small pond in the SL who will need a bigger challenge in time.

I don't agree that he us the next Billy Slater. He is the only Sam Tomkins!! I'm sure he'd set the NRL on fie like he has with SL but hopefully not for a very long time!!

Boooooooooooooooooooooo

Would you not agree the make of a world class player would need to demonstrate their skill over the course of a full season? It's much easier to get yourself up for a WCC or the odd international against the best, than it is to play a full season - I think that would be the test.

As much as I agree regarding your thoughts on loyalty, i'd hate the thought of my teams top players leaving. I'm afraid thats the difference between a great player and a world class player. If a player succeeds in the NRL he will be remembered as a World class player. If he doesn't go, there will always be doubt over the players ability at the highest level.