serious question here with johnstone been out of contract at the end of this year and him been your only attacking threat and rumours of him being on big money would you as fans want to go all out and keep him at any cost or would you be happy to let him go and use his wage to try and strengthen the team?

Is he so important that he has to be kept on at the detriment of the squad as a whole?

Tom will do what's best for Tom, the desisions his.

He's not the only attacking threat.
But I'd like to keep him.

If he leaves us then no prob. Great servant. Given his value would be a bit let down and disappointed if he went on a free ..

Louis Murphy is a massive talent, and has the additional versatility to play on either wing, so he's an attacking threat as you would have seen last night.
Ideally it would be great to have TJ on the left wing and LM on the right wing.
If TJ goes, he goes with my blessing but I would like to keep him. Speculate to accumulate - we should keep TJ and find the money from elsewhere to fund strengthening or forwards, because our backs, behind an aggressive pack are as good as any in SL.

Let him go put his wage to a more pivatol position

We should try to keep him but not at any cost. I do hope he stays but if he goes he’s given the trinity fans alot of exciting moments over the years.

As has been said we have Murphy emerging who is the best winger to come through since TJ himself. He is similar in a lot of ways to TJ and wouldn’t surprise me if he got TJ’s shirt if he went. I’d like to keep both though. We have one eye on the future with 2 cracking prospects in Hall/Murphy.

As for team strengthening… we have plenty out of contract to give us some options including some big earners.

Johnstone, Tupou, Minns, Croft, Tanivalu, Miller, Fifita, Arona, Whitbread, Aydin, Adebiyi, Batchelor atleast are OOC and there are some big earners in Tupou/Fifita/Miller maybe Arona in there. Id only re sign Batchelor/Johnstone/Whitbread and if he’ll accept a reduced deal for a year in 2023 Fifita (he’s missed a fair few games last few years but still has another year imo). I’d look for 2 strong prop imports and move Tanginoa back to second row for a start.

Plenty of options.

As I said on another threat I am of the opinion TJ is a diminishing asset and should be offered a contract to reflect that. If he signs on reduced terms fantastic, would be a great bit of business by Trinity if not we move on without him and remember the fantastic tries he has scored for Trinity.

I can’t help but think a move for him would be good for both parties. His injury record may improve under a different coach and medical team and ultimately I think we all want to see him on the field more consistently.

We are at the point with Tom where nearly every time he takes contact he picks up a knock or has to have the trainer on.

Trinity given the financial limitations are in a position where we need to get more value in performance out of players than their worth on the salary cap. As good as he is there is no point in a club with such financial challenges having salary cap say in the stands.

Given we have Lineham and Murphy as well as the forgotten man Kershaw we are fine for wingers. Something has to give on that department so we can invest elsewhere. Lineham
Is on a 3 year deal (madness) Murphy will be on a wage to reflect his novice status and it’s been widely reported Kershaw is on next to nothing.

Sadly it all points to TJ probably bring the man to move on.

From a playing point of view I also think TJ needs a move if he is to kick on. He must be 25/26 now and coming into his prime years. Whilst he is capable of doing things others cannot I think he has stagnated a bit these last couple of years. The same weaknesses in his game persist and a new environment may be what he needs to get him to the next level as there should be no reason on his potential that he shouldn’t be the first choice winger for England.

Tom Johnstone has only 'stagnated' because of his wicked run with injuries. It doesn't mean he's easily injured it's a reflection of the way he plays. He's fearless and some of those tries he's scored would not have been scored by most SL wingers.
He's coming into his best years. He's learned his trade and he's stronger and more aggressive now and that's why I'd like to keep him.
But, I accept he must have a desire to win silverware and let's face it, he isn't going to get any with us!
For that reason he'd go with my blessing.
Young Murphy is similar to Tom (at his age) and when he beefs up I'm sure he'll be as exciting as Tom is.
I still say try and get Tom to stay and find other ways to strengthen the pack, with other players off contract, buy more shrewdly!

Very poor post here.
Being kept "to the detriment of the squad" ???

The lad is box office and is an asset to the squad.

obviously but i'm asking for your opinion as a supporter, unless you are Tom.

Brilliant post, thanks for that.

Like for him to stay but fully expect him to move on. He needs to be playing for a team his ability deserves, not one who barely utilises his strike power and will bob along down at the bottom, occasionally threatening the play offs.

He is not a diminishing asset the service he receives is. How often have we worked an overlap to give him room. I think he is what helps Murphy because the opposition focus on stopping him thereby leaving space on the other wing.
I am sorry and I know we cannot stop him from bettering himself but please don’t try to justify based on his performances. It might make some feel better but the club and team will be worse plus they will lose one of their most merchantable players.

Sorry Khlav,and I respect your opinion,but Tom doesn't 'need to be playing for a team his abilities deserve' he needs to be playing for us, and we need to be totally selfish.
If he is adamant he wants to go, or his demands are outrageous re a new contract, then sadly, we would have to part company.BUT,it is just bad business to lose your best player and match winner, and sends out all the wrong signals to loyal supporters and prospective ones.I don't think he was at his best against Shudds,(very unusual),but won us the game in 40 mins a few weeks back so def don't agree he is a diminishing asset.
There is his injuries and head knocks to be taken in to account, but if the medics are happy with that side of things then that shouldn't sway our decisions.The lad does take a lot of knocks,but when you're targeted like he is, that's not surprising.
Just as an aside - I've followed Trin for an awful lot of years and is there a better sight than seeing Tom Johnstone flying down the wing?
Whatever happens I'll still follow them of course, and,without wanting to add any pressure,does'nt that young Murphy look something special!

Last paragraph Murphy does look special as does Hall .one been brought in and one been given a chance by W Poaching Under the old coach Hall would have been no were near the club and Murphy would be no were near the first team .The old coach would though bringing in a old winger from Wires ,and giving him a 3 year contract was a good move and was going to get a 32 year old from Catalans .and we wounded why we got no money Just wanted the easy way out

I agree forevertrin.

Yes me too.
TJ is ours and we should keep him and build a team that can get good ball to him and Murphy.

jonhs wasn't a brilliant post. This is.

Well of course it is. A Wigan fan who pretends to be a Trinity fan and a Hudds fan on a fishing trip.

It was a rubbish post imo and clearly many agree.

Here she goes again.

Love you Vasty.

Just wish you had the stones to actually crawl from behind the keyboard every now and again.

You were slating me a month ago for saying 11th would be a result this season….now you are the biggest critic.

Keep hiding behind the keyboard and being the laughing stock fickle “supporter” everyone knows you are.

Rest of us will get on with talking rugby and not being keyboard Warriors.

So sad so bitter.

Ps despite your recent change of heart I personally still hope you are right from your thoughts last month…not this month….and Trinity finish higher than 11th.

Also make your mind up on that one.

I’m reminded about the old sayings about empty vessels when I read your posts.

…but seriously are we top 6 or relegation fodder because in a few short weeks you seem to be struggling with that decision.

My opinion, just like it was at the start of the year was we will finish 11th, possibly 10th at best.

At least one of us is consistent and also not scared to meet in real life.

Jonh
You know full well this is an anonymous site and asking someone to meet in real life is inappropriate.
Just make your point. About rugby. Not individual posters.

Please read Vastlass’s post.

No mention of rugby dig at an individual poster.

I also didn’t ask to meet him in real life…God forbid people actually interact.

To be honest I wouldn’t mind the hypocrisy but I’ve met and had great company with posters on here.

Some who agree with me some who don’t.

I’ve even been in Vastlass’s company but he chose not to declare himself despite apparently knowing who I was.

If you want to take the moral high ground fair play but at least be consistent..unlike Vastlass’s predictions for our season.

Just a point of correction re Corey Hall, he is one of ours as he was signed by Kelly into our Scholarship where he spent 2 years before going to Wigan then Leeds.

and here lies the problem being the anonymous site, years ago when Big Al, RR, Phil was around quite a few of us got together and met up mainly the Brennan Rooney fund raising and others and guess what not a problem, and had some great times together games, events it actually brought fans together respective of difference of opinions, some of us don't need to hide behind alias names in fact mine is a nickname I got at work.

I know Jonh and he comes over as a decent person willing to help as he has me in the past, Vasty I've met once and wouldn't recognize him if he wobbled up to greet me but I wouldn't expect him to attack me just because we don't share opinions

you need to practice what you preach and stop being the drama queen