I have to say I find it extremely uncomfortable that the first thing you think of when Lenegan says anything is me. I preferred it when the first thing you'd think of is the salary cap.

No doubt he is a great player and IF he moves to RU eventually he will be a loss to rugby league but can't see how the RL can help you out? What sought of help did you have in mind

Presumably the same help you'll be looking for when they come knocking on Ryan Hall and Ben Jones-Bishop's doors. A central fund from which to build up the salaries of marquee players. It's not so far-fetched. We did it before, and it helped us keep two palyers who RU was supposedly ready to break the bank to acquire.

Interview with Sam in progress on 5Live now.

Confirms he'll do his 3 years and evaluate his options.

It's more than just leverage. IL has basically said Sam is guaranteed to be here for three years and during that time he is not allowed to even speak to RU or NRL clubs. Ever heard of that before and it being made public?

It is not just an improved contract it is a contract [idesigned[/i not to be broken in a way ordinary contracts just don't match.

Should the RFU come sniffing anyway offering gold bullion never mind a measly £250K they got away with for Joel, IL has to enforce the terms of the contract and the contract itself keeping Sam a Wigan player or IL loses credibility. This is a line in the sand type of deal and it has to hold for the good of the sport.

Exactly. How much do we reckon union are going to be willing to offer as a package for a player who has never played the sport anyway? Average wage for a union player is what 200k?

If the RFL are changing the cap im sure we can put him on a great package as IL has mentioned. Why would he want to move if he loves playing for Wigan and also gets a juicy contract for doing that?

If he keeps on performing for England like he did at weekend too im sure the RFL will be keen to keep him and other key prospects in our sport. The massive plus added to Sam staying is the RFL changing the cap, maybe this is the start of the overhaul weve all been crying out for?

viewtopic.php?f=22&t=513016&start=10

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£300k a season according to Andy Wilson of the Guardian. www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/no ... ur-nations

£300k a season according to Andy Wilson of the Guardian. www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/no ... ur-nations

Well, you weren't happy the last time I mentioned one of his interesting interviews with the press. At all. That was fairly memorable.



Anyway, a similar line taken by Lenagan here and this time you aren't defending him, that's progress I guess.

Great news for you lot and our game thats he's tied to a big contract.

Fuckoffunion

300k a year?

bloody hell that's a massive pay rise....... I wonder how the other previous 'top earners' in the club are going to feel about someone earning maybe 3 times their salary.

they should understand that he is the most talented player in england and if they wish to raise thier own game they could look at the same salary. its all down to your mentality i guess. its kind of asking why a CEO of little experince or skill didn't get paid the same as steve jobs.

With the money We are now paying Sam I would be very disapointed if he left and went to RU to play in the world cup in 2015, he is on enough money now to set him up and if thats not good enough and he can only give us 3 years he would be a real judas but hopefully he wont do that.

That all depends on the ruling i suppose....if its one per club then they will know they can never reach parity while he is at the club.

Also likening it to a CEO of little experience and Steve jobs is silly... These are sportsmen that share the same pitch.

take football for example....Players have contracts that stipulate they must always be on parity with the highest earners at the club... I'm not for one minute suggesting rugby players have contracts with these stipulations in them (they might do though)....

Such a huge gulf in salaries is bound to cause a certain amount of envy within the squad ...i don't think that is in doubt.

Saracens won't be paying him that. The 'extras' in Union are what will bump it up to that figure. They get £15/£20K per international for a start plus other bits and bats for endorsements...

thats sam tomkins new salary by all accounts.

Note to self.... Read title of thread before commenting

Somehow, I stack the possibility of losing both Tomkins brothers in one season against the possibility that Sam stays but makes a couple of the other players jealous (like, those who are inclined to be jealous can't find reasons for it anyway), and there's only real winner.

But please carry on ... I'm sure if you try hard enough, you can imagine some other reasons why this deal won't work in our favour. Perhaps what you should really be thinking about is why Warrington still haven't produced anyone that Rugby Union is even close to being interested in.

Been thinking the same thing for the last 24 hours or so.
There's been numerous posts which to be honest have been nothing more than sly little muck raking digs which I was almost tempted to reply with "You Wish!" too but couldn't be ar5ed!

apologies for discussing a topical issue on a message board.

I will go away and think about why warrington still haven't produced anyone that rugby union is even close to be interested in... sound advice lad.

He is now on 250k a year at Wigan.

On the contrary..... this deal DOES work in wigans favour..... i dont think anyone is suggesting otherwise... you get to keep your best player AND free up his cap space...... I just saw the supposed salary of Sam Tomkins and was taken aback at how much bigger it will be than anyone else in rugby league.

Then i suggest you complain to the owner of Wire about the lack of great youth players that has come through your system over the last 5-6 years. Why should the best player in SL have to leave Wigan and go to play RU if they can sort out a system that rewards youth policy and gives him a massive deal.

I do think that it sucks donkey balls to Saints as they are losing Graham and thats slightly unfair on them. But i do think they can see this will work for them as it will for Leeds (Jones Bishop especially) as both clubs have a fantastic youth set up which sees players coming through year on year. Only clubs that should not like this is a high cap spending club that does not develop its own youth talent adequately. eg Wire.

Its about time that the clubs who have thsese kids at 16 and turn them into world class players have every right to kive them a deal which not only keeps them at their respective clubs but frees cap space to bring in other players or even give btter contracts to exsisitng players. Why should clubs have to let very good players leave just to keep the cap as it is to benefit inefficient youth policies and RU.

This will put great pressure on clubs to develop its own players now which benefits RL as a whole. This is very good for Rugby League and will put a stop on an exodus to union or NRL. If you can not see this works for SL then its obvious its not to the advantage of Wire but is to most of the other clubs.