The annyoning thing is though that when he leaves for RU the first ones to criticise him and ridicule him will be the kn0bs who have booed him and call him a cheat every week etc. they will be the first ones to have a go at him for leaving our sport.

So this is going to become the rumour of choice is it? The Tomkins boys to RU?

Of course they will go, our sport is second rate in comparison, the players will set themselves up for life and become world famous, instead of being booed playing in front of 10000 idiot sheep lovers in the mecca of Leeds.

I fully expect both to go at the end of their contracts, and RL will continue to become less and less relevant on a national stage, but as long as Eddie & Stevo are on Boots N All and Nigel Wood gets a p*ss up at Wembley & Old Trafford Im sure everything will be fine.

Yeah, what he/she said.

Its not the booing or beingcalled names or the pressure of home teamsfans expectancy, its a decent wage when playing and the potential to be part of something bigger afterwards, even becoming an accepted coach or getting a media job when finished on the pitch.

Look at Ashton: no doubt he had potential and would probably have been successful at thirteen a side, but now he is lauded by the emptyheads on t'other side, plus he is earning. As a guess, would it be fair to say that the top players in our game would be on £250,000 a year? Notwithstanding the less glamourous players who will be lucky to be on £40,000. That sort of money can be earned by stiffs here on civvy street and professional sportsmen who batter themselves each week deserve more......lets not mention footballers!!!!!!!!!

I think that the try was all he needed last night. He hasnt been playing bad, he was inches away from several breaks last night, earlier in the season he would have got them and hopefully next week and the week after he will too. He continues to be our best player, week after week, it's only when he's not producing dazzling displays that people think he's struggling; give me 13 Sam Tomkins 'struggling' every week.
PS Caught the end of the Argies beating the Sweaties and anyone wanting to play that e game, is welcome to it.

You are spot on - and I wouldn't even be surprised if it happened before the end of contracts if a transfer fee is offered.

They have both already won all they can realistically win in RL.

And as a previous poster has pointed out (and Sam mentioned in the Daily Mail article) , the disappointment Sam Tomkins has felt at getting booed whilst representing his national team will have had an effect.

Very sad, but he's not the first. Long and McGuire have both been booed by Wigan fans in an England/GB shirt.

Question is whether he has the attitude to turn it around with his behaviour/performances on the pitch (a la Beckham going from public enemy number 1 to hero). He's only 1 good performance in an England shirt away from turning jeers into cheers.

I desperately hope he stays in RL.

Don't ever recall a time when I heard Long being booed during an international (will hold my hands up if wrong) but McGuire was booed in the game v Aus at the DW/JJB because he was bloody awful, not because he plays for Leeds.

Recent pics of chris ashton in the papers at lower mill estate in the cotswolds buying a holiday home which typically cost £1M! And that's a holiday home.........
Can anyone imagine any established rl player able to affor a similar house?

If I was reading that I would be giving union serious consideration.......

Not even sure he was booed.

The decision to take McGuire off was greeted with ironic cheers. Hardly the same as a lad being booed on every touch of the ball.

Strange thread this.

Correct. Danny McGuire was rated by Wigan fans until he became a famous actor. If he was booed that day, it was purely because his hopeless efforts in defence were badly exposed.

No-one booed him when he walked onto the field or took his first possession of the ball.

Nice one

True.

Long was booed playing for GB in the game against Australia at the DW in 2004, after the betting scandal. Not as widespread as the morons at Headingley, but booed nonetheless.

But the boos soon disappeared as we went on to win the game. Sport fans are very fickle and Tomkins is just a decent performance for England away from being cheered from the pitch.

Goes without saying what Long did was in a different stratosphere to Tomkins who is just a little bit annoying. The boos he got playing for England were an utter disgrace. I can only imagine the people doing it don't remember the all conquering Wigan team - the likes of Edwards were 1,000 times more annoying than Tomkins but got our full support in a GB shirt, it's pathetic.

tomkins is class, no doubt... but for me finch has been our best player over the last ten games

i was told in the sponsors lounge yesterday that he has been carrying a injury for the last three weeks.he gets rid of the ball as soon as he can and thats not his normal style.

I heard this. Arm injury occured at the Wire game I believe.

He played against Saints with his elbow pretty heavily strapped IIRC

Well if this is true just one (hopefully two) more games and he can concentrate on getting 100% fit in the off season. Bollocks to him playing for England after what happened last time.

He picked it up just before HT in the Saints game, strapped it up and Madge left him out there.

Was it a gamble worth taking? Not sure saying we got a second bite but no one likes losing to the enemy.

Having a half fit STomkins on the field is better than having a fully fit first choice full back in most teams case.

I think he initially did it against Crusaders. I remember him shouting to the physio in that game and shortly after getting it strapped up.

Going back to the union talk, I believe Sam has it written into his contract that when he has won a Grand final and a Challenge cup (Which he has both) he is free to leave the club whenever he likes. Not sure is true but it was a good source and I have no reason not to believe it.

I hope he stays for the rest of his career but can't see it happening and the treatment he is getting from opposition players, coaches, fans and the media will only hasten his exit.

I also hope he gets the MOS as that will dispell the myth that he is hated by his peers and could be the confidence boost he needs as he doesn't look happy at the moment (admittedly this could be down to injury)

So basically the new long-term contract he signed at the start of the season said he can leave if he won a challenge cup. Hmmmmmmmm.



Yep, the kind of deal Lenegan would happily agree to.

Yeah he has had his left arm heavily strapped, but i didnt notice that against Catalans.

Just what I got told, from a source I have no reason not to believe

Indeed you don't and you'll have no reason if they've delivered previously. Unfortunately given the info you supplied, and the fact I don't know them, I have every reason not to believe it.