I watch the NRL very closely and a lot of commentators and fans having watched him play a couple of times are saying he should be playing at 6.

I know Sam grew up playing in the halves and it was only Michael Maguire who moved him to fb. In 2010 he was more of a devastating runner who took the line on at every opportunity. Over the last 2/3 years his game has developed massively to being very high on the try assists gauge with clever passing and vision.

Question is, should Tomkins now follow the Lockyer route and go back to six where he gets his hands on the ball more and doesn't have to rely on a second shift play? Also, if he reverts to 6, does this open up a whole new batch of options for England with the possibility of Widdop/Tomkins at 7 and 6 and possibly some of the newer stars (Hardacker, Shaul, Hampshire etc.) pushing for the 1 jersey.

I feel he is playing a more half-back role now than he did back in 2010. And I think comments from those that have maybe seen him properly for the first time this year are quite interesting.

Hardaker/Tomkins/Widdop is the future for me.

I would have both widdop and Tomkins in the halves with hardaker or shaul at full back. We would be great I think with that trio

People seem to have forgotten that Gary Widdop started off his career at Melbourne playing full back, as a young apprentice to and replacement for the legendary Billy Slater!

I am not suggesting that Widdop should permanently return to full back, but rather we have the fascinating option of Widdop and Tomkins interchanging positions throughout a game.

I suspect he'll do a Sam Burgess and sooner rather than later if his NRL career becomes a struggle.

Well he certainly isn't a full back

I think hardaker/Tomkins/widdup would be great for England, a FB needs to put his body on the line too stop a try Tomkins (when I've seen him) really doesn't want to, think back to one of the England games, the oppo broke down the left one man running, and Tomkins slacked off and it took hall crossing the field to stop the try.

But if he doesn't get any time at 6 then he never will for England.

Apart from needing to learn how to catch a high ball he needs to bulk up - a lot. He is too light for the NRL. He needs to hit the weights and get some beef on him. Imagine him trying to stop someone like George Rose or Jared Waerea-Hargreaves

I honestly cant understand why my club signed him.

He'll not be there long mate, be off to RU when the call comes....

I watched him play for the Baa Baas in London a few years ago against the Wallabies and I thought he did pretty good to be honest.


If he left the Warriors I wouldnt be too worried going on the 2 games I've seen so far.

I was surprised he went to the NRL if I'm honest

Might see Tomkins switched to five-eighth mid-season with Kevin Locke at fullback once he's recovered from his torn ACL. The bad news for the NZ Warriors is that Locke isn't due to return until Round 12 at the earliest.

Yeesh, Locke or Townsend, lucky warriors.

Give him some time; spine players struggle to settle all the time...

I said when his move to the Warriors was announced that he'd probably be in reserve grade by the end of this season and back here with his tail between his legs before the end of next year, and I'm sticking with that.

If he returns to this country tail between legs, it'll be to union.

I'm a huge fan of Tomkins but early evidence indicates he is not fit for the purpose as a fullback in the NRL and a switch to five-eighth may well be his salvation.

He should play stand off or even centre. He's very similar to Jonathan Davies and he played his best RL at centre for me. He' s not as good an all round player as JD though.

Too right he isn't..... He is currently a luxury we can't afford

Why do you say "in the NRL" as though this is something new? I've been pointing it out for years but typical of British RL fans they make excuses. I think Sam is a great talent. He needs to play in adifferent place to make best useof those and defend on the wing ot thereabouts.

Because Sam Tomkins was the best fullback in Super League by some distance and was therefore fit for the purpose, as opposed to appearing unfit for the purpose at fullback in the NRL thus far. Quite a significant distinction worth pointing out, hence why I said it.

Yes, particularly great under the high ball.

regards,
Kevin Sinfield

I'm sure he'll be fine. He's a talented boy and will come good in time.

When the Warriors find some form, I'm sure he'll be at the forefront of it.

He's always bn dodgy defensively; apparently he's 6 kgs lighter than Slater even. I would choose D Boyd ahead of Tomkins. I'm sure I read somewhere that someone had the Warriors dwn as their favourites for the Wooden Spoon. Storm, Panthers, Bulldogs, Eagles, Roosters, Raiders, Cowboys and Rabbitohs are better than the Warriors, so IMO they would be over-achieving by reaching the Finals Series. But they have made a late run before.

And that's more than enough to judge any player...

A Johns said on Triple M earlier that S Wane isn't the coach for the NZ Warriors. I bet you're gonna say that good coaches will adapt to the cattle they have, so who then should coach the Warriors, M Elliot said that the players don't want it enough; questioned their commitment. Johns said that they need a coach who will not stifle that ad-lib football that they want to play. Obviously that's a cliché, and something I don't agree with, personally I think they should have stuck with B McLennan. They usually get better as the season goes along.