it either leaves Bateman or Faz on the bench, or Joel at centre. The numbers not important, 11 was free so why not. IIRC he wore 11 playing centre,, but that was Madges idea, Wane may think different.
Before he left he had the potential to be the best british centre since Keef Senior, but i suspect he may have come back on the back of a promise to let him go back playing in his fav position

Good to see him return, especially the year before the next RU world cup.

I think you're right in that. He wasn't a great centre and that clouded people's judgement on him at second row IMO. He was exceptional in that position and getting better all the time. He was big and aggressive, ran great lines, defended well and his main quality was his pace which is great for a big bloke. His handling ability is something we've missed in that backrow as well.

If we can get the Joel Tomkins of 2010 back eventually we'll be in a very good position indeed.

Joel Tomkins had his best season in 2010 especially the first half of the season when he become one of the most powerful runners around and a really clinical defender. He still had his pace and even scored a long range try better than the one at Wembley. His best position is second row by far IMO. He showed some awesome glimpses at centre, but that is because he is a great player, not because he is a great centre.

I would only consider playing him at centre if 3 of our 4 centres are injured for a big game as he would still be a better option than Jack Hughes.

It will be interesting to see how he goes at Loose when Lockers is rested, hopefully he can learn to link up like Lockers does and become his natural replacement.

The way I see it, he has been having a rest in Union. The training and particularly the games are nowhere near as demanding. He is 27 but probably is as fresh as the 24 year old who left. No doubt he will have prolonged his career in league by resting in Union for a few years.

People will need to be patient with him though, past examples have proved that the horrible other code can coach all of the ability out of good players. We will see the best of him next season after a full pre-season with our coaching staff and players.

Operation Red Squirrel Rads at his best. www.wiganwarriors.com/WBlogp.aspx?id=22

Operation Red Squirrel Rads at his best. www.wiganwarriors.com/WBlogp.aspx?id=22

A good insight into the whole transfer and the day's events leading to his appearance on the pitch.
I thought that brining Joel onto the pitch with IL was a PR masterstroke.

Probably got Sam Burgess to thank for this in part. Him going to RU pushed Joel even further down the pecking order. However its come about though I think its a great move!

Great blog... whatever Joel brings to the club, he will have to do a lot to be bigger than our very special member of staff... Mr Radlinski.. Take a bow young sir...

Joels obviously is a good playerand I am glad to have him back but he is no superstar like he is being hyped up to be. He is a good, hard working 2nd row that can occasionally break the line but isnt a star signing by any means.

Thankyouverymuch

you know how to make your self look like a negative person don't you. Not 3 weeks ago you was saying a player told you nobody was happy at Wigan and they were all looking to leave and now your trying to tell people that joel isn't a star signing, what are your thoughts on Ryan Hoffman? because when Joel was in the 2nd row he was just as good if not better.

Completely agree, if he hits his 2010 form there isn't a 2nd rower in SL I'd swap him for.

He's got an agenda with IL, his last username was probably RHJ.

interesting that Joel is actually fit and in full contact training now but they are going to put him through a mini preseason for 6 weeks. Hope he can get back into 2010 shape if anything he should be bigger, probably needs to put about 5kg of muscle on.

Based on what? Still bigger than Farrell and Bateman no doubt.

to get back to the point when he was at his peak physical condition in 2010, i remember one match he had to swap shirts and the guy was a monster. he looks a little undersized at the moment its no criticism of him but for him to get back to that kind of form he looks like he needs to bulk up and it seems he agrees along with Wane and Bitcon

Give over. If he gets his 2010 form back (I will use that qualification because you never know but fingers crossed) he will be one of the best back rowers in the game.

His defence was as good as Hansen's who everyone knows I rate highly and he didn't "occasionally" break the line, he did it quite often and ran great lines.

If he gets that form back a back row of Faz, Joel and Lockers with Bateman on the bench (or whatever permutation of that you like) is a great back row.

Where did you get thet from? On Joel's, interview on Wigan TV he said he has 6 weeks of rehab left after a routine back operation.

He said he was back in to full contact training as of yesterday and in the pit (wrestling), and that he is going to have a mini preseason for the next 6 weeks. 6 weeks of rehab would not include wrestling and preseason style work outs.

It is on the newest interview.

Target return 1st August Salford...

Expects to put on a couple of Kilos over the next few weeks...

Ditto, I'm going on holiday on the 2nd!

Build him up for the head to head with Hock.

stats please Bilko, did Joel "often" break a tackle or the line?

can't find his stats for the year but he scored 17 tries in 34 games in the second row in 2010. PS i do know I'm not bilko

His Super League stats that season were:

13 Tries
7 Try Assists
64 Tackle Busts
2577 Metres
6.4 Avg. Meters Per Carry
9 Clean Breaks
26 Errors
45 Offloads
33 Penalties
749 Tackles
41 Missed Tackles (5.5%)

Compared to Hoffman in 2011:

10 Tries
5 Try Assists
2415 Metres
6.8 Avg. Meters Per Carry
13 Clean Breaks
27 Errors
30 Offloads
23 Penalties
645 Tackles
31 Missed Tackles (4.8%)

(JT played 2 games more)