Makes me laugh looks like profile is the new word. You lot dont half big RU up. Di*kheads

I'd bet my life both Joel and Sam would stay at Wigan if they could pay them what union can.

I agree some of these wigan fans do a good job of bigging union up

I don't Blame any player going for the money as it's not just a game to players, it's a job and only short career but it would be nice if clubs could compete with union to keep our home grown players. These clubs have invested a lot of time and money in these players but just can't compete money wise.

The should be a thing put in place that young home grown players salary dont fully count on the cap.

I agree. In March this year Joel said:

“I’m happy at Wigan, there are too many horror stories about people going to Union and playing reserve grade and they just get lost."

“I’m happy at Wigan playing in this team. We’ve got a backbone of young players here and I want to stay around and play rugby with my best friends.”

But also from the same article:

“Union can offer a lot more money. In a way it isn’t fair, but if there’s s club offering a young lad twice what he’s earning at a Super League club, or even three or four times, then you can’t blame them for signing it.”

[urlhttp://www.code13rugbyleague.com/2011/03/09/joel-tomkins-ive-got-no-desire-to-leave-wigan-for-rugby-union/[/url

He made no mention of International honours in RU at all as a reason for players switching. Just money as why a player may make the move.

I have said before we could allow players to earn more even if the clubs can't afford it by taking things like sponsorships, image rights and product endorsements out of a players salary cap value calculation but the flat earth brigade object.

Whatever, at the moment RL and the RFL seem to have their head in the sands, shrug it off as if it isn't problem and so are doing [iabsolutely nothing [/ito try and address the issue.

With every interview he has, he talks more positively about union menmedia.co.uk/manchesterevening ... ode-switch? Only a matter of time i imagine before theyve both gone

With every interview he has, he talks more positively about union menmedia.co.uk/manchesterevening ... ode-switch? Only a matter of time i imagine before theyve both gone

Quote ="Broxy Music"With every interview he has, he talks more positively about union menmedia.co.uk/manchesterevening ... ode-switch? Only a matter of time i imagine before theyve both gone'" No point torturing ourselves over it, they're both gone in principle, and lots more RL young lads will follow over the next ten years. We are all shouting and screaming at the RL to sort it out, but whether they can or can't nothings happening. Wigan RL Feeder Club.

Quote ="Broxy Music"With every interview he has, he talks more positively about union menmedia.co.uk/manchesterevening ... ode-switch? Only a matter of time i imagine before theyve both gone'" No point torturing ourselves over it, they're both gone in principle, and lots more RL young lads will follow over the next ten years. We are all shouting and screaming at the RL to sort it out, but whether they can or can't nothings happening. Wigan RL Feeder Club.

I'll be the first one to admit I'm pleasantly surprised at today's performance.


It was only Wales though.

THE SALARY CAP IS KILLING RUGBY LEAGUE, IT IS AS SIMPLE AS THAT.

Until it is increased/removed Union will poach all our best players. If they don't then the NRL will.

Without going in to details I know Wigan are looking at doing everything possible to keep Sam tomkins. I imagine more news will come out in the weeks/months after the four nations.

What ever they do they cant compete with the Six Nations, Lions tours, 2015 World Cup and the media profile of the top union players.

Maybe some players just can't say no to the money which I don't blame them. It's not just a game for them but a job.

I've a funny feeling both Sam and Joel would stay at Wigan if the money was the same.

I'd love to go in to details but I've sworn not to go in to details.

Maybe not but a greater sporting achievement would be for England RL to beat OZ in a Four Nations/World Cup Final. And with a little tweaking and maybe a different coach and we could see this happening soon with a little help from Sam!

I thought Sam had a good game today. Hopefully he'll have an even better one next Saturday!

Yeah maybe about the money however, only in the short term. Sam Tomkins is clearly ambitious and proving himself in England at the Union World Cup with all the added benefits would be a massive incentive and to do this he would have to switch within the next season or at the latest the season after that. If he missed this deadline his value would decrease and he would have missed the boat financially. I do not think people appreciate just how much the RFU want the 2015 competition to be successful both on the field and off. Tomkins would be a poster boy for England and his profile would match that of all the major stars from the Southern Hemisphere and those here. Unfortunately neither Wigan or England league can live with this regardless of the money situation. The RFU could and would if they believed it to be correct throw a silly amount of money on the table and Sam Tomkins would leave at the end of the Four Nations and Wigan would be powerless to stop him.

Dont talk daft he has a contract and it is worth something before people come on churping about it not being worth the papper its written on, if wigan didn't agree a transfer fee you really think the RFU would allow them selves to look like idiots be registering the player and giving rugby league more publicity? also allowing them selfs to be open to law suit? (que the person who knows all the precedents on this even with out studying law) if Sam really want's to go and WIGAN dont want to stand hes way then he can go but if WIGAN say no he wont be going. its about time a rugby league club looked at tottenham and modric saga for some good advice put the rfu through it once they wont come back.

Great to see himn put in a good display today, ended with 4 tries but in reality he could of had double that if Sinfield stopped passing to the player stood next to him, and forgetting we have a second phase of runners.

Glad the England fans got behind the lad too today, it was a pleasure to watch him today.

Full page article about Sam in today's Sunday Times. The piece is written by the paper's chief sports writer, who suggests Tomkins may be the best English player in either code. Interestingly, there's very little in the way of speculation regarding immediate interest from union sides. I'd imagine the writer is pretty well connected with union types and would know if any offers were likely to be made in the short term - and I suspect he'd mention it if there were, as without it the article's a bit bland TBH.

For Sam's part, he states that he's contracted for two more years with a further two year option. He states that he may play either union or in the NRL in the future but for now is concentrating solely on being successful with Wigan and England. I'd post a link but I think all the Times articles can only be read by subscribers (unless, of course, you buy the paper).

I would agree with him ashton is there stand out player and i would actually say myler is a better support player than him. tomkins is twice the player i wouldn't be to upset if he went to the Nrl if he wanted to earn more money and make a name for him self over there.

He still got boo'd by quite a few numpties in the North Stand yesterday

They were Welsh fans weren't they? It's fine to boo the opposition IMO. I'll probably be booing Billy Slater at Wembley. He's an arrogant toad. I remember his grin at Elland Road in 2009 when we'd just lost Shenton and the fight went out of us. He was making hay and each time they scored he would come back to stand in front of where I was sitting. I would see that grin and want to slap him! I'd have no problem booing him after that!

I really don't think they were, there were too many booing for it to be Wales fans.

There were quite a few Welsh fans around actually. Mostly in one section of the North Stand but I had a bunch sitting behind me in the East.