because the presents from Joel will be more expensive than the ones from Sam?

Is Sam now the highest paid player at:

a) the club

b) in the country

or

c) in the world.

Cos I've seen all 3 reported in different places.

I can see it now Sam get joel a 4 pack of fosters, joel gives him a bottle of Pimms




I think the official quote was 'one of the highest at the club'

i dont think so, Sam will be asking Joel a lot of questions and its of great use to Sam as we all know he will be playing in RU come the 2014/15 season.

Wouldnt surprise me to see young Logan going the same way (if he's up to the standard of course)

Disappointing to see another good RL talent switching codes,irrespective of it being a Wigan player.

Thanks for the memories Joel you had the best job in the world and threw it away for more money.

Anyone he's age would do the same.

i certainly would

I'm 21 and I have dreamed all my life of playing for Wigan Rugby League, if I was being paid the same as Joel £80,000 a year for the greatest job in the world I wouldn't leave for any thing. Joel was 24 he would have retired from Rugby League very close to being a millionaire, if more money is his motivation in life he will never find happiness.

Without a shadow of a doubt I would.

I said this at the time of Ashton crossing over, it's a short career and a bad injury could be around the corner. With the 'extras' he could potentially get if he succeeds and a bit of guidance on how to look after his money, he could be set up for life when he eventually retires. He will be a massive loss to our game though and I do think the RFL have to do something about it if they already haven't started to think about it.

Eastmond, Ashton and Tomkins. 3 great young locally produced lads have left big clubs over the past few years.

'Everybody in rugby league can see there is something very special happening at Saracens and I can't wait to be part of it.'
Can we Joel, really?

Spot on Pemps.

So in 10/12 years (baring injury of course) you think someone on £80,000pa could be a millionaire? You are aware that the cap hasn't budged for years so the chances of a second row forward increasing that wage significantly are slim. Also he will be paying a significant amount of that to Her Majesty.

So have I, but for 5 times the wage, id go and live in a nice apartment in London and never have a financial worry again in my life thank you very much. Along with that, if he makes it internationally there is the chance to be a national superstar. A celebrity.

It's just hyperbole. Nothing special is happening at Saracens that isn't happening at Wigan twice over.

But I can't blame Joel for chasing the bigger payday.

I just hope and pray that something else comes out of this tragedy, namely that the RFL take some kind of action towards allowing our marquee players to earn bigger money. But I'm not holding my breath.

Just out of curiousity, everyone who is whishing him good luck, did you say the same things when Ashton went? Balls to the good luck messages, good riddance to the hypocryte is my view.........

What happened with Ashton was a completely different situation.

How is Joel a hypocrite? Expand on this please...............

This is were our loyalties with Wigan divide, the thought of being idolised in my home town a place I love far out weighs living in London and being known by the people who support rugby there. In Wigan pretty much every one knows who Sam Tomkins is he and he turns heads walking through town, in London can the same be said for the likes of Owen Farrell, Alex Goode and Charlie Hodgson?

His departure isn't really akin to ashton's though. Nor is it like Eastmonds earlier in the year.

Disappointing but it's hardly devastating; Sam would have been devastating. No doubt he's gone for more money, but if he was on £80k p/a at Wigan, it's hardly paupers wages is it.

Joel is a hypocrite or rather his head is easily turned in context to his comments about not considering a move to union that he was quoted in March this year.

1) Both Ashton and Joel have gone for the money

2) I cant find it just at the minute but a few months ago he came out in the press and said that he could never imagine himself playing kick and clap

Is that ok for you???

I was obviously disappointed when Ashton left but I had no ill feeling towards him. The main issue surrounding that was his appearance in a Northampton shirt whilst he was still a Wigan player. I put that down to naivety on his part or he was poorly advised. I certainly didn't jump on the vitriol bandwagon that was rolling around on here.

Proof?

If you was his age, you would go, he's on five times the wage, blame the salary cap, not joel.

That article where Joel says that, has been posted many times on here already. You're on here a lot you must have seen it, if not take the word of the countless regular posters on here that have.

I've yet to see any details of JT's wage deal with RU though; how do you know it's 5x more?

Why do you keep posting this? No-one in RU is on £400k per year as a playing contract.

Good luck Joel. Hopefully he'll do well and have a good career. Maybe come back to us one day...

Nice to hear Sam confirming his commitment; just hope it lasts.

Wonder what this partnership rubbish is all about?