That's the point, the game hasn't produced Tomkins, Sam's pure born talent has ensured he has come through. How much the system has improved him is open to question.

He is going nowhere, Sydney enquired and he told them straight out he wasn't interested.

Hence Australia must be a cocaine free land!

Not cocaine free but most of the stuff over there is absolute rubbish & costs a fortune compared to over here so maybe the contract offer wasn't quite lucrative enough when he factored in the increase in cost of living

Maybe the Roosters were after Hock as back up if the SBW deal falls through.
SBW hasn't signed a contract to join them, yet!

SBW has been a Roosters players months, potentially years.

Quote ="Father Ted"Maybe the Roosters were after Hock as back up if the SBW deal falls through. SBW hasn't signed a contract to join them, yet!'" Taken from todays Sydney Morning Herald. Interim NRL chief executive Shane Mattiske says he needs to see a contract in his hands before determining whether or not Sonny Bill Williams will be cleared for a return to the game. Speculation mounted on the weekend that the NRL are considering blocking Williams' widely-discussed return to rugby league with the Sydney Roosters due to the fact the dual international is managed by non-accredited player agent Khoder Nasser. Read more: www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... z2Afnmin9g

Quote ="Father Ted"Maybe the Roosters were after Hock as back up if the SBW deal falls through. SBW hasn't signed a contract to join them, yet!'" Taken from todays Sydney Morning Herald. Interim NRL chief executive Shane Mattiske says he needs to see a contract in his hands before determining whether or not Sonny Bill Williams will be cleared for a return to the game. Speculation mounted on the weekend that the NRL are considering blocking Williams' widely-discussed return to rugby league with the Sydney Roosters due to the fact the dual international is managed by non-accredited player agent Khoder Nasser. Read more: www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... z2Afnmin9g

I'd quite like to see Hock go to the NRL, he'd be a hit there.

I do wish he'd curb the brain farts a bit if he's going to be playing for England in the World Cup, but he can be one of our better strike weapons.

The minor 'incident' with Kear on Saturday was brilliant. On the replays you could see Kear push him, then think "oh s**t, wtf did I just do" then you get about 5 seconds where there are very clearly 2 voices arguing inside Hock's head. Nobody was more relieved then Elliot Kear when that debate at least took long enough for the big fella to be restrained...

There are plenty of players who have got the public talking and put bums on seats who have never had Hock's tendency to lose it. You seem to be implying the flaw in his game which is basically his tendency to be a bit hot headed at times (and I don't just mean spoiling for a fight) is some how a prerequisite for a player in order for him to be capable of pulling off some game changing plays. If so then this isn't true. Players like Ellery Hanley, Andy Farrell and Trent Barrett to mention just three prove this to be so. There are plenty of other great players who have graced the game who managed to be great without being a maverick in the way that term is being used to describe Hock. It is what made them great rather than merely very good.

Yeah, nobody wants to see a fight at a RL game...

They love a bit off biff down under, heard he's off to parramatta

Seems all are hearing these rumours, apart from wigan fans...

Which has absolutely nothing to do with the point being made.

Not with your point true... But the unpredictable nature of some players DOES put bums on seats...

Bobby Goulding has just tweeted that he's off to Parramatta too. Might be some truth in this.

He also tweeted Wigan got a fee which would be a first in the modern era. There hasn't been an international transfer market for years.

Leeds Rhinos received a fee for Greg Eastwood,he is apparently paying so much off his yearly contract himself too

Bradford got decent fees for Sam and George Burgess.

Well I am genuinely surprised. Most players seem to go (or come here) for free at the end of their contracts.

Well if this is true i can honestly say i am pretty gutted.

Not just because of the clubs loyalty to him during the ban (although i concede that the club are cashing in?)

Mainly because i like players like Gaz

He is pure entertainment.

I don't know how to read this,who is off to Parrammata. Goulding or Hock ?.

Another bit of news (not worth starting another thread) Sean Anscough is leaving Bradford for Aus as well.

This seems to be gathering pace and if it happens I'll be a worried man about our hopes in 2013 and further tbh. What is the club doing wrong that is making these lads leave? Or is it the complete opposite and we're just doing a lot right meaning other clubs/sports are looking at our players?

Whatever the reasons are Ian Lenagan, Shaun Wane and Kris Radlinski need to find some answers quickly. Our side has been re-built over the last few years but it's falling apart quicker then we built it in the first place. I think we all know Tomkins will leave within the next year or two and we needed to be in a really strong position when that happened but the way things are going that won't be the case. We look like being a young side, losing their best player and spearhead who'll have followed a whole raft of experience out of the door.

I've had full trust in Lenagan since he took over and have always thought he'd see us through most things but he's got one hell of a challenge on his hands in the next couple of years. He must stop the player drain or we risk going back to square one!

I'm not sure even he'll be able to fix that sadly.

What happened between them?

If Hock goes to the NRL, we really need to have some top quality signings lined up, when in all likelehood Sam will be off next year as well.

Hock owes Wigan some loyalty for standing by him & id be surprised if he wanted to go, but I imagine the wages will be higher.

If he goes, our pack becomes even weaker, when I think most agree its weak already.

+1

Well, lets all pray that Piggy knows what he's talking about... This on Twitter a short time ago.

mark riddell ‏@riddell009
@PhilWilkWIG gaz would never leave Wigan!