Quote ="justarugbyfan"Fined £1,000 but not banned www.dropgoalrl.co.uk/sam-tomkins ... nduct.html'" Fair enough, but why is the fine suspended?

Quote ="justarugbyfan"Fined £1,000 but not banned www.dropgoalrl.co.uk/sam-tomkins ... nduct.html'" Fair enough, but why is the fine suspended?

God knows. They do it for most fines.

Probably just so they can gather some money if they don't have any ready at the time

In you're world only ST tries to gain a penalty or have other players sin binned (The wilkin incident earlier this season springs to mind, but how many times does danny maguire have to go down like he's been shot).

Nope, it's obviously just me; all RL players are angels, except Sam, who is the devil of RL, clearly; nothing to do with him being the best player currently playing in SL of course not.

Justice served I think lets move on and can we now leave the poor lad alone

Ah I see - the classic 'straw man' fallacy.

You knock yourself out - I however won't be wasting any time responding to an argument against a position that I never took in the first place.

Quote ="justarugbyfan"Fined £1,000 but not banned www.dropgoalrl.co.uk/sam-tomkins ... nduct.html'" Fine suspended for a year, so basically he'll cop a heavy one if he does it again. Right move there. And case closed for me. All parties have done what I'd hoped they'd do in the aftermath of such an incident.

Quote ="justarugbyfan"Fined £1,000 but not banned www.dropgoalrl.co.uk/sam-tomkins ... nduct.html'" Fine suspended for a year, so basically he'll cop a heavy one if he does it again. Right move there. And case closed for me. All parties have done what I'd hoped they'd do in the aftermath of such an incident.

Like who!

Don't be fooled by his athletic run for his wonder try, Wigan won't keep Joel at centre long term. He isn't up to it. His defense is suspect and he doesn't have the class with the ball to make a top centre. It is the big weakness in their lineup currently and one Wigan are scouring the globe to fill.

First impressions last with some simpletons! Joel is an handy player, he's pies' Hendo but I think the beeb over-estimated his speed chronically!!! As for Tomkins the RFL think Wigan are the benchmark side in world rugby League and they can't have negative things looking any more than trivial that surrounds them.

That wasn't the question - I'm fully aware of his limitations. What I asked was who is so much better that we can't have Joel in the team to please Sam.?

It certainly isn't - Atkin, Yeaman or Shenton or any other current British Centre. Some are not as good as Tomkins, a few are slightly better most are the same but it's all relative - none are International standard. Hence IMO we can play Joel at centre and not weaken the England team in any major way.

So to suggest there are better centres out there and Joel shouldn't be picked simply doesn't hold water.

Really? I thought he bottled it big time last weekend.

Agreed.

Solid in defence, made 0 mistakes, set up a try by running around 6 Leeds players and linked up well with the attack.

Bottler.

Depends what you mean by ‘bottled it’ – if your definition is that he didn’t show the form of the last couple of months and didn’t make half a dozen game changing plays then yes he bottled it. If, on the other hand, you stick with the traditional definition of letting the game and the occasion get to him and seriously affect his game with unforced errors and the like then I’m afraid you have to look towards the opposite full back for that one

Yes but Brent Webb wasn't "nailed on" for Lance Todd was he and we all know he's in decline. I'd rather he left Leeds this season than play on but we're stuck with him for a while longer unfortunately.

Sam Tomkins started well but he bottled it big time. I can't remember ever seeing him pass the ball before on kick returns but last Saturday I can't remember him even returning a kick after the first 20 mins, preferring to give it to someone else every time.

I bet the Aussies are sh**ting it on that "big game" performance.

He passes to Richards and Charnley quite often on kick returns if they are there to pass to. It makes sense because if they get a quick PTB, he's off.

Jeez you're dim.

Coming from someone like you that really hurts.

So we have a player who is quite obviously the most talented and exciting player to come out of Super League for quite a while and we have 16 pages of criticism, putting him down for any perceived failing.
Great work guys, get a grip.

Is there anyone on this board who wouldn't be happy if their side signed him tomorrow? No, didn't think so.

And while I'm on one, why do so many fans feel they have a right to abuse players and referrees at games or on this board, but one of them shares their feelings back and they should be hung. What was he meant to do after the booing and chanting he'd received from Leeds fans already.
To be honest, I thought he expressed himself quite eloquently!

It should do, then you might not post such rubbish in future

Ok then.

Care to explain what mistakes Sam made on the pitch on Saturday? (And please let's talk about rugby and not his gesture)

Sam always passes to his wingers unless he sees a gap or if their not near him - why would he run it back in when it works better that the wingers take the hit, and he takes advantage of the oppositions markers being e.

He was meant to be a professional and follow the policies of the game (ie the RESPECT policy). It's what he gets paid for. Referees receive far more abuse from both sets of fans. How many of them stick two fingers up to the crowd? None. But apparently you think they should?

Some of the cotton-wool types need to get it into their thick and over-sensitive heads that he isn't booed because he is good, and no-one has denied that he is. If it was, then why don't people boo Roby, who is my personal choice for MoS? Maybe because he is a professional.

Suggesting Sam Tomkins is a dirty player and furthermore the only dirty player is laughable. On that basis he must be so hated by opposition fans simply because he doesn't play for them.

Has anyone actually suggested this?