Name who?

Sam would be an absolute revelation in Union. The sponsorship will follow whoever can provide the most favourable exposure to a product. The fact that he would/would not be a rookie is irrelevant.

I don't think you appreciate just how well known Sam is. A few weeks ago I was in Pontypool, South Wales, when a group of 15 year olds were telling me just how good Sam is, that he is something special.

Now this is in South Wales. Hardly the RL heartland. It's a bit like a group of 15 year old Wiganers waxing lyrical about the talents of a 23 year old Ospreys RU player....hardly likely to happen is it?

Make absolutely no mistake, Sam would be an instant superstar in Union.

Spot on. All my Union mates at Uni hate league but will watch Wigan on sky just to see Tomkins. I had about 5 people text me after the Leeds away game saying how good he is. They couldn't name one other player from another team when I asked them.

Whilst I'd rather our best talent say in the Superleague, I can't help thinking that the odd big money move to the NRL will help our sport stave off rugby union's moves for our lads.
A number of league lads have had dissapointing moves to Union - Pryce, Walker, Smith & Eastmond for example. One can only assume they were after the big bucks of international money. With a pot of gold offered in Australia, I think it will help stave off that temptation to gamble on a code switch, knowing if they're as good as they think they are, there's good money in Aus for them without having to learn a new game.

And a better lifestyle than the North or the South of England.

It will hit Ellis hard when he arrives in Hull

Well, I'm afraid you'll not get me to buy into that one - i love where I live. A bit extra sun doesn't make it Eutopia.

I also can't imagine that the [ilifestyle[/i of someone like Sam Tomkins is anything to complain about.

I take your point though. He may also enjoy the heightened celebraty status he's get over there?

I don't think he would fail but his game and size does not suit Union at all the ball is in play 33 minuets during a game it's essentially decided by the forwards and more importantly the front row who are the highest paid players in the sport. I think every one has to stop being so blurry eyed with Union, very few players do move there from league and fewer make it as supposed "superstars".

Isn't there a rule wherby if a player goes playing in the NRL then they don't have to pay a transfer fee or buy out a contract?

Beleive it or not as a Saints fan I genuinely hope he stays at Wigan.

I would much rather he went to the NRL though rather than a move to Union which might not suit his game/style of play.
Unfortunately, unless something is done in financial terms we are going to see more and more of the better players in Super League gravitating towards the NRL. Contracts money aside he would make a fortune in Australia ( as he would do in Union)

I'm certain nearly every team in the NRL would like to sign him given the opportunity. World class players simply don't come along very often these days.

I personally view a move to the NRL as the lesser of two evils.

If Sam ended up in Union as is a distinct possibility, i would have no other option but to hope him the absolute worst (in sporting terms obviously) and would find it quite easy to turn my admiration and respect for the best RL player i have seen in the flesh, into one of pure negativity.

The thought of watching the jewel in the crown of Super League, walking out at Twicker's angers me no end.

I would be sad to see him go to the NRL, but i would wish him the best of luck.

Regardless of which option he takes. To see him swan of to whichever club, in whichever code, for zero financial reward, will be a hard pill to swallow.

He should never forget that he owes WRLFC a massive debt of gratitude, without which he would not be in this position.

He has to do what is right for him, but i would hope he will do what is right and beneficial for the club.

I still cant see him going anywere but Union. If he goes in 2014 he has the opportunity to be the face of the world cup when its in England! He'd be dominating the broadsheets, tube stations, tv etc. Mega celebrity status, which i think he craves, and wouldnt shy away from. And who can blame him for that? Hope he goes to the NRL though, he'd be a huge loss to the game

I refuse to accept the argument that players going to the NRL will all of a sudden improve the national team.

Yes it has worked with NZ, why wouldn't it? They didn't have a high standard of competition before that. They rely on their best players playing in the NRL to have a strong national side.

We on the other hand have our own competition and the best way to match the aussies would be to improve super league to NRL's standard, not send our best players to make their comp better.

We need to keep ALL of our best players in this competition while taking some of the best from the NRL. The only way of doing that is to stop holding the top clubs back with the salary cap.

We need to pay our best players more so we can keep them and also have the likes of Marshall and Thurston playing in super league. We could also take the best players from Union etc.

Easier said than done, but it is certainly not working with a 14 team league. It must be 10 teams so each club can get as much sky money as possible. It is pretty clear that the top clubs could afford a higher salary cap as it is, why oh why are we preventing them keeping the best players (e.g.Tomkins) and stopping them from getting the best players from the NRL? Surely both of those things would improve super league even if some teams did get left behind... they are getting left behind as it is anyway!!!

We clearly can't afford to pay players more money. Take away the rich owners and very few clubs would be self sufficient.

never mind -- 1 more year of Wellens --- ENJOY

NRL has been the best comp since... always. The best players want to play in the best comp since always. The international exchange rates mean that the best money is in the ozzie comp. How are we meant to make super league the best comp to keep the best players? We can't! Good luck to them if they down under. I'd be off like a bloody shot if my job offered it me. Sod the wife!

If Sam wants to go to the NRL to better himself and test himself in the best Rugby competition in the world then I can totally undersatnd that. He has already won the Challenge Cup, Grand Final and Hubcap here and if we have further success in the next 2 years then I am sure he will want new challenges. With the new TV deal the money on offer in the NRL will dwarf what we can pay him and he will still be young enough to come back and still be in his 20s if he so desires or if it doesnt work out. If he does leave Wigan I would much prefer him to go the the NRL and stay in Rugby League than to go to Union.

It will make it a much easier pill to swallow if Sam goes to the NRL. We can still enjoy watching him play this great sport as well as him turning out for England. I really cant see him going to Union and to be honest part of me expects Joel to come back to League next season.

What I can see happening in the next year or two is for Sam to dump the Pies for a few years in Australia,then come back to England to sign for the mighty Wire, his boyhood club.

That may be right.
Sam goes to Aus when he's 25. Plays there for six or seven years as Moz did then returns with Wire signing him at 32/3 on a four year deal.
His age is right for a Wire signing so that might not be far off!

Thanks. This is a depressing thread, but that cheered me up.