Collins was class but I seem to remember he missed a lot of games too?

Yes. The odds on he and Tom being on the field at the same time are worse than the Euromillions.

There is no doubt that the centres named are great, but the service to Tom hasn't been poor from the centres he's had.
Hall will end up a top class centre. Arundel gave him good service and Tupou, although done with slip balls rather than graceful passes has done him well.
His try rate is pretty good and better than most.
I seem to remember he's one of if not the fastest to get to one hundred tries at Wakefield.
His stats suffer because he's missed so many games. His try per game rate would have him competing for top try scorer every year if he played every game.
Not his fault but it's just how it's been for him.
It will be even harder at Catalan or Wigan because there are more players scoring tries in those teams. Not just him.

Yes but he will be given more space to show his abilities because the opposition have more attack and skilful players to cover than they do against us. To lose TJ is not just the loss of one of our most box office players but also what message it send to others about our ambitions. I understand he is out of contract but we have had quite sometime to tie him down, so either our offer was not good enough or he believes his future would be better served away from Wakefield. I suppose whichever way you look at it either scenario does not put the club’s prospects in a good place.
He may of course sign a new contract we shall see.

You said the same last year about Batch.
Just because they haven't resigned by the deadline to talk to other clubs doesn't mean they won't, nor does it mean they don't want to.

Don’t really agree. Arundel was the best but Tupou is not a natural provider just like Lyne. Their style has its merits but they are not classic centres. This is why so many of Toms tries come from kicks, long cut out passes and individual brilliance.

Watch his highlights on YouTube Tupou rarely makes him space and then releases the ball to him.

A better argument imho is that the ball takes so long to reach the centres especially since Finn retired that the decision making time for the centres is limited. Even Gene Miles the best playmaking centre I’ve seen would struggle with us.

Toms value to us is above all else his ability to make tries from nothing and we will miss that should he go.

We agree. I just said that Tupou's service is different. He busts tge line and slips the ball instead of making space and passing. Still gave him good enough service to score a lot of tries.

As for the the other point, that is exactly the issue for me. It isn't the centre that is the problem.

Tom has a try rate of 75%
Makinson has a try rate 57%
Regan Grace is 63%

Charnley is better at 82%

But it shows playing for the top team doesn't always give you more opportunities to score tries.

You can spin that both ways. You could argue that in Charnley's case he's a crap player in a good team (I don't think he's crap).

Ditto Makinson and Grace have had to share the tries because at Saints everyone gets a chance to score.

But it can't prove both.
Scarlet said the Tom would get more opportunities playing for a better side. The stats show it isn't a certainty.

At the risk of sounding grubby, just imagine how many he would score if we used our left edge like Cas.
Please accept my apologies for the bad taste and inappropriate language.

As for Johnstone, just imagine what effect it would have on Trinity if he were to leave.
Yes, other wingers would score many of those tries but, some are only possible for a player of Johnstone's unique brilliance.

Apology accepted, but this is your final warning!

Another article today saying NRL side south Sydney are interested in TJ. Be interesting to see him in the NRL. Still all rumours at this stage but hope we keep him.

I never really think about winning something because it's a remote likelihood. That's why having someone like Johnstone is so good; in the endless see of medicority at best, he pulls off ridiculous feats of brilliance out of nowhere that brightens up even the schitest of performances.

I concur - that's how I see things. The saving grace is that young Murphy has already started to emulate similarly.
He still has a lot to learn but he's already ahead of where I thought he would be at this time.
I think most fans ideal would be Johnstone and Murphy as first-choice wingers. Best combination in SL.
Here's hoping!

Spot on.

I honestly don't think some fans fully realise the player we have in TJ. He's pretty much always been too good for Trinity and the fact he's scored a hundred tries on the wing - at least 50% he had no right to score - is a miracle. I hear such nonsense about his injuries and supposed defensive frailties (no more than any other winger IMO) that it makes me despair.

Even if he's missed two seasons and even if he missed the odd tackle who in their right mind gives a stuff!

The bloke is a genius and a true entertainer whose bravery, both physical and mental is astonishing, he's a joy to watch. Who doesn't feel a thrill every time TJ gets the ball, it's always on in his mind, he's fearless.

I hear tell of great past players and in most cases, I'm willing to believe they were the best. In the case of TJ, I don't think we've had a better winger, if we have then they must literally have had wings!

Once he's gone he will never be truly replaced and will soon become yet another ex-legend gone elsewhere who fans will use to bash the club. I won't, that's life and we have in truth got far more from Tom than we had any right to expect.

So regardless of what happens, I'd like to say this.

Thanks, Tom for showing us what can be done. Thanks for the games you have lit up to show us just how much fun RL can be. Thanks for making the thirty years of endless tedium seem so much more bearable. Thanks for looking like you care and that you are actually enjoying yourself. Thanks for not being one of the endless streams of false dawn players who promise so much and deliver so little. Thanks for at last giving us a homegrown player that we can brag about to other fans without them laughing, a rarity at Trinity, a true star.

It's been an honour and a privilege to watch you play and if you go you will be truly missed by anyone bright enough to realise they have watched a true Trinity legend. If you stay I promise I will say my prayers every night

Either way I wish you all the success you truly deserve.

[size=200TRUE LEGEND[/size

As Morgan Freeman said
“Now that’s a prayer”

Poaching has said we are trying to keep him but we have limitations on budget that others may not have.

In this case the board must decide what is his worth to the club. I think we can all agree that our recent recruitment appears to be based on economy rather than improvement. We got lucky with Hall but currently not sure about others.
We can assume Topou will not being retained so that must free up some funds, why cannot these be used to fund the retention of TJ.

It would appear these discussions are irrelevant if the media are correct.

We also got lucky with Murphy but talented though he is I don't see him as a like for like with Tom.

If Tupou is retained I will be stunned but I said the same about Ashurst. TBF Ashurst has done ok this year but he's not the player he was and I doubt Tupou will be either.

The media has got it wrong plenty of times before.

I hope they have this time because it will not bode well for the future of the club. I have said financial prudence is admirable but occasionally it is better to loosen the financial straight jacket because it was generate more in the long term than any immediate savings.
I fear the reaction of the many supporters who are not on the forum if true because they will feel it’s back to the bad old days.

Bad old days of what, a players contract running down meaning he's free to move on? We can offer what we can offer, but same with recruitment we are not going to be at the top table with salaries or indeed, chances of silverware, which to me is what Johnstone would be looking for over renumeration.

I think watching lees talented players get an England chance ahead of him because they play for better teams and get more chances will play a part

They have but with many reports from different sections of the media my money is on Tom running out in sunshine in a different country in 2023 TBH.