Back at Wigan in 2016...

I still think he'll need to move into the halves eventually if he wants to go up an extra level. Whilst his deficiencies in defence are exaggerrated, he does have the habit of making an absolute clanger every now and then, and his running back with the ball simply isn't that good against a strong kick chase (although that could be improved if his wingers were able to give him options more often).

Our warriors wingers are built to take crash balls 5 meters out or to catch bombs/cross kicks......we did ok without the skinny turnstile.....hed be no loss if he left now

I thought Tomkins did ok in his first season. A bit of a mixed bag. Sometimes very good, sometimes reminiscent of Michael Platt at the Bulls. It takes time for players to get used to the demands of the NRL. Morley and Sam Burgess had mixed first seasons in the NRL.

I think he’ll go better than last year. He’s not there for his last line of defence but as a creative force out wide. I thought his combinations with Hurrell were great and he made a lot of tries with his contribution. I actually think he could be better if used a bit more intelligently but the occasional off the cuff style doesn’t allow that.

I think the Warriors lack a decent halfback partner for Johnson. I’m not sure Tomkins is the answer but I don’t rate Townsend (too slow and ponderous). If they could get Foran that could be the making of them.

Michael Platt? That's harsh...

There were a few classic howlers at times. Laugh out loud stuff.

Even taking that into account I thought he did alright. It can be hard playing for a side that’s obviously below average quality in the comp. He looked better under the bomb for England than he did for the Warriors but I think that’s down to the better protection he got from teammates. In attack he certainly played a big part but again backs need a platform from the forwards and at times I thought the Warriors were lacking in intensity and got snuffed out up front.

He could be more effective if he was more powerfully built as he often half breaks a tackle but hasn’t the power to make a clean break – particularly on kick returns. I know nothing about conditioning so whether he could put weight on to help with that I don’t know.

Agree with all that. I think he's done alright especially for a still relatively young player. As mentioned the system at Wigan was setup in a way that played to his strengths. Whether that was deliberate or a happy co-incidence I don't know. Not to mention at Wigan he was in a team that generally dominated their opposition. Put Billy Slater in at full back for Widnes and he'd struggle in some areas.

I have no doubt he'll kick on and do better in 2015 after a pretty good 2014.

I hope the rumour of him coming back to Wigan in 2016 is true. A top player in our game is only good for the sport regardless of which team he's with and it keeps him out of Union's grasp for a few more years.

From what I've seen. He has proved he is more than good enough for NRL. I actually think there are better options at fullback for England but wouldn't want to leave him out the team

I'd have him in the halves alongside either Widdop or Smith, with Hardaker at full back.

Whoever we have in those positions I'd like to see us stick with them and try and build around them rather than chopping and changing. We don't get many games a year to play together as it is, changing the halves every few games doesn't help.

Yeah I was thinking the same.
Would be great if he was moved in the halves in nrl and started ripping it up.

He played a lot like a half in attack. Rather than used to finish off moves like when he was at Wigan, he'd chime in on either side with wither Townsend or Johnson. Some of his handling was top class.

I imagine the only reason he's Fb and not a half is because there are doubts about him defending in the line, full back takes him out of the line of fire to an extent.

Agreed he's a more natural stand-off than FB, and surely it'd be easier to protect him in defence there than at FB?

I think he may be targeted more by opposition attack this year.
He was an unknown quantity to some extent last year.
NRL Coaches will be looking to unpick his defensive frailties, he can not go one on one in defense with much confidence.
His reading of opposition attack is poor, he often turns up and hugs the attacker as the player is sliding over the line.

I think if he was in the defensive line, probably defending out at centre, he'd get ran at all game. They'd make good yards, the guys either side of him may start to drift towards him to help and taht'd create gaps, eventually he'd get tired out and lose some of his potency in attack. He looks really lighweight, and as we've seen, his technique isn't the best. Plus at 6, he's unlikely to be subbed for a breather, you want your 6 out there ideally for 80 minutes.

At FB he'd only really exposed to 1v1 tackling, which over the course of a game wouldn't happen too much.

FB also gives him the opportunity to run at broken fields after receiving a kick (if he catches it

).

That sums up Tomkins in a way.
He has done pretty good in the NRL without standing out.

The broken play runs he had in England's SL are not there in the NRL, the kick and chase and defensive structures are a lot tougher than in the SL.
He will never be able to do what he did in England in the NRL its a totally different game.

Completely agree. But having him there atleast gives him that chance should there be an opportunity, which is what I meant.

I don't think its a SL v NRL thing. I think it's just the setup at Wigan was perfect for him to shine and highlight his strengths. If he'd moved to another SL club I think you'd have seen a similar effect.

All I know about ST is that if he became available to SL clubs, there would be no shortage of teams wanting to sign him.

End of the day. Even though I personally feel he is a tad overrated, he had the balls to test himself in the worlds biggest rugby competition and managed to not look too out of place. There are a number of supposed english rugby league "legends" who had the chance to go over there and bottled it. For that reason alone he should be commended.

Regards

King James

Will improve for sure he has done well so far. I think he gets put down by fans out of jealousy as every top player does. I for one would pay to watch him play. It is good to see SL players not looking out of place down under.

So very true.

I think the price tag he came with is what makes most question his value. Decent player but worth one of the top salaries in the NRL? I don't think so.

Spot on........

Samuel Tomkins, currently ranked the 10th best full back in the NRL, has the prospect --- if his defence improves -- of becoming the 7th best full back in the NRL. That will be a great achievement, running behind only Gregory Inglis, William Slater, Brett Stewart, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Matthew Moylan, and Brett Morris.

He will then be in the top half of the NRL -- the world's greatest rugby league competition!

Last year was pretty flat in the nrl.......it is only #1 because the only other contender hasn't caught up yet......