I really can't get my head round why it would have to be Tomkins or Hampshire at the club.

Hampshire is a junior who may want a better contract but he can't surely be asking the world and there's room for both.

Both of those in the same team is a very exciting thought from a Wigan fans POV.

I agree but you have to remember a few on here always have to make a negative out of something positive

But he hasnt signed a new contrsct where others have committed to wigan so at the end of the day if its anyone maybe it should be him

Quote ="tugglesf78"Sam is 100 percent Wigan bound Listen to the mistake he makes on 6 minutes Ha. www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/veit ... o-quitter/'" He's certainly not warrington bound...just been ruled out [urlhttp://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/sport/12884692.Sam_Tomkins_not_coming_to_Warrington_Wolves/?ref=mr[/url

Quote ="tugglesf78"Sam is 100 percent Wigan bound Listen to the mistake he makes on 6 minutes Ha. www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/veit ... o-quitter/'" He's certainly not warrington bound...just been ruled out [urlhttp://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/sport/12884692.Sam_Tomkins_not_coming_to_Warrington_Wolves/?ref=mr[/url

Rogues is saying we have an option to keep him until the end of 2017 elsewhere. I have been told the rumour has it his family aren't happy he's being seen as a fullback by Wigan but maybe that was because he was being thought of as a fullback yet he wasn't playing. He's now got a place and I think he'll be first choice going forward so things change.

Challenge a superleague side to throw a better spine at their opposition then the one I would for next year (listed below)and they'll do well to beat it!!

1-Tomkins
6-Hampshire
7-Smith
9-McIlorum
13-Lockers

Bench hooker- Williams/Powell

That has pace, power, creativity, aggression and any other skill/ability needed in rugby league in abundance.

Make it happen Lenagan/Wane.

Lots of flexibility too... Injuries can be easily covered, and lots of changes COULD be made during a game as required.

I've not seen much of Hampshire but I hear he's going to be as good as Sam tomkins from many wigan fans.

What I don't get, why isn't he being picked at 6 if he's so good ?

But if this is true, what is it that makes a relatively new and inexperienced 20-year-old think he can dictate which position he plays in?

I personally would hate to lose him - for any reason. But I don't understand what it is with young players, who are still basically a work in progress, that they suddenly feel entitled to their favourite shirt.

Hampshire's shown flashes of brilliance - but that's it. He's nowhere near the level Shaun Edwards or Andy Gregory were at that age.

Or sam tomkins

Sam Tomkins WILL be in a Wigan shirt next year.

I don't see why he has to be, but IF it is a choice between keeping Hampshire and bringing Sam back, it's Tomkins every time.

Indeed. Crazy how some people would choose an unproven rookie over a world class international.

it quite probably is however, sometimes you have to have a leap of faith in someone.
I have only seen Hampshire on wigan tv and the game against saints last year for the U19s his display was the best I've seen for a young halfback since I saw a 16 year old Shaun Edwards star for England RL and RU many years ago. Hampshire was better all round than Edwards and he kicked several conversions from the touch line. We are in dire need of a quality goal kicker.

My preference is Sam at 1, Hampshire at 6 and Wiliams at 7. Smith not Powell being the guy to exit.
Now that's some pace and skill that would test the best of defences.
I want my cake and I want to eat it!

I'd be quite happy with this next season

1 Hampshire
6 Tomkins
7 Smith/Williams/Powell

14 Williams/Powell/Smith

I heard the story 6 weeks ago that Rockys family were not to happy when Wane said that he was seen as a fullback (Rockys father in fact) especially when he had played standoff from being a kid and wasn't anywhere near getting in the first team at standoff.
It has been said on here that a player may have to be released to fit Sam in (I don't know if that means under the cap or not). Rouges said that he thought it may be Tierney, but I think if it was to balance the books if Wigan had to pay N,Z Warriors compensation it would be Hampshire, due to the fact that on potential alone Hampshire would command a far bigger fee than Tierney.

It will be interesting to see what happens tomorrow, will Wigan play Bowen or Hampshire at fullback or will he take a gamble( knowing all the talk that is going on about Sam and Rocky) and do something that may ease peoples minds.
He could play Bowen fullback with Rocky at standoff partnering Smith and have Williams at bench hooker, or play Rocky with Williams and have Smith on the bench as replacement hooker . This would give so much flexibility
By doing this it may send out a message that the club were thinking about trying to resolve what seems to be a chronic lack of creativity at halfback and also look at a way at getting the best partnership as well as keeping our best young players.

But if Hampshire is one of the players left out of the final 17 I think it will say that he has no future at Wigan.

When Sam returns I do hope he will play stand off withHhampshire at full back.

I think Hampshire will play full back v Catalans. It seems odd that the lad would be upset at playing every week at 1 rather than hardly ever at 6, be it his preferred position.
Most players want to play every week no mattter what position.

Wigan should do everything they can to keep Hampshire. He is an enormous talent and him playing full back with Sam at 6 would provide pace and options that opposition teams would find difficult to defend against. Being 20 I don't think 6 is a good place for him and perhaps they should play him at 1 as Mcguire played Sam there.

Just my own view but if Sam had stayed at the club, when Green left I think Sam would have gone to 6 anyway with Hampshire coming in at 1.
There is the progression we have seen via this route having seen Sam go to 1, also we saw Darren Lockyer at full back for years then when he moved to 6 he was a league apart.

If Hampshire was allowed to leave, especially to one of our main rivals, it would it would be the biggest mistake since we sent away Sean Long as make weight in the Lee Hansen deal. The results and ramifications would be the same if not worse.

Food for thought that Ted.
My preference for Hampshire at 6 is his sheer pace. I'm sure that we could mix it so to speak between the two who plays 6 dependant upon where we are on the park.
These two guys in the same team would be as electric as Gregory and Edwards

Is Lenegan banking all of this money?

Why should we have to sell anyone to pay compensation - all we've done is sell players the last 5 years.

I don't see why that would that signal the end to Hampshire's future at Wigan tbh. He's played the last two games at fullback at 19/20 years of age taking the place of a much senior player on a much higher salary in one of the most high profile games of our season. This quite clearly shows Wane is trying to get him game time in the first team, and isn't afraid to drop players to do so. Wigan will have known for a good while that they was signing Tomkins and will have been in negotiations with Sam and NZW for weeks.

I hope to see us in the not too distant future run with 1.Tomkins 6.Hampshire 7.Williams/Powell 14.Williams/Powell.

I also hope Bowen returns against Catalan. For how well Hampshire has played he hasn't looked comfortable returning the ball. This would be exaggerated Vs Catalan IMO as they are a dirty team at the best of times and I doubt Hampshire would enjoy the rough treatment from their pack, we still have to protect him. I'd either play him at 6 or off the bench to join Williams in the halves.

How many games has Hampshire played at 6 in the first team?
Does he look anywhere near as a good as Sam as a FB?
Why move Sam to 6 when he became a world class superstar as a FB?

This is getting ridiculous. Hampshire has potential, nothing more. Sam is a proven FULLBACK in the NRL, international and SL. Why move him to 6? Don't people understand how the game is played?

Next they'll be comparing Tomkins and Rocky (as a pair) to arguably our best HB partnership of all time... Oh wait, that's already happened.

Sam is coming back to Wigan. Hampshire has been told he's being offloaded, along with others in a shake up/making way for next season.

Hampshire's been told No such thing.

I think Hampshire is a cracking talent but I've never quite had him in Tomkins class from what I've seen.

When Sam was breaking through the guy just screamed out 'pure class' and you could just tell he was going to go down as a club great and spoke about in years to come in the same breath as guys like Edwards, Hanley, Farrell etc.

Hampshire on the other hand looks like a very good talent. I don't think he's got the confidence of Tomkins but that may come. He'll go on and have a fantastic career and he could go on to become a player of great standing but he'll be more of a slow burner then Tomkins. I'd put him more in the bracket of a young Danny McGuire, Kyle Eastmond etc then Sam Tomkins.

A very good prospect but a slight level below Tomkins. Still a fantastic talent mind.

If I was Ryan Hampshire I'd be delighted to have the opportunity to play alongside on of the best players in Rugby League. I don't see why Tomkins and Hampshire have to be pigeonholed, the numbers on their shirts mean nothing. It's up to Wane and his coaching staff to find a SYSTEM to get the BEST FOR THE TEAM out of two very exciting players. I'm sure every Superleague team would love that "problem"

As for this quote, it's completely wrong.



He's paid fees for Green, Smith and Bateman.

Taylor?

Exactly what I've been thinking.

Hampshire should be thrilled to bits at the prospect of him coming back and so should the rest of the squad.

If I were Hampshire I'd be thinking about all the spaces that are going to open up on the back of the attention Tomkins will get and the potential to win honours going forward.

He could have a field day.

The prospect of Tomkins at Full Back and Hampshire at 6 is relishing.
It would also improve Matty Smith's game, in addition the ball distribution to Charnley & Manfredi would be increased.

I don't see why Hampshire needs to be shipped out.