North Wales Crusaders?

Some people don't seem to be able to grasp that Tom can do what he likes. It's not necessarily financial or it might be. He has been with us for a good few years. Players come and go it's life. He may want a change then again he may be happy to stay I am sure will know his decision soon enough. The club may also feel the money used on Tom could be used elsewhere to strengthen. FWIW I really hope he stays it could be a good time for the club with the ground improvements due to start. The club should be on an upwards trajectory. If he goes then it will be disappointing but it's a short career and he may have goals he wants to achieve that he may not feel will come at Wakefield. The club however has been first class looking after him through his knee injuries and so loyalty could also be a factor. Time will tell.

Odd opening statement. I have not seen a single poster who doesn’t understand that all to well.

What’s upsetting is that we all seem to agree that it’s not about money it’s about success and we simply can’t offer him that at present. We have no hold over him other than emotional and emotion is no longer enough at his age. All very sad and predictable. Despite the attempts of certain posters to stir it’s nobodies fault it’s just life.

The only shame in this scenario is that we weren’t able to turn some good periods of team form into success and trophies… I’m not sure that that would have stopped Tom moving on at this stage of his career… I think he always talked about trying his hand at NRL, and I hope that’s his destination…

I’m just happy that I have had the chance to see this really talented player do his stuff in a Trinity shirt.

I think in terms of the best players I have seen play for Wakey he’s certainly in the top 10 and one of the ones with longevity. Thank you for your service…

Frankly as long as he doesn’t join Cas and to a lesser extent Leeds I can just about take it

according to the Yorkshire Post Tom has completed his move to Catalans.

Completed, as in signed for next season?

If true, sadly it’s good business for us. Cash and an unsettled player gone. Hurts to say it but after a run of humiliating defeats it was almost inevitable. Still gutted.

Will we be getting money for him though with him being out of contract?

If he goes straight away, that is after tomorrows game, we will be entitled to a fee as i understand it.
Tom's in the squad,if he doesn't play tomorrow probably an indication he has gone. can't see either Trinity or whoever he is supposed to be going to, wanting him to play and risking anything upsetting a move.

Stuff his next team. If he’s going at the end of the year he still is contracted to play for us until then.

Where's Mason Caton-Brown when you need him........I suppose when the club signed Lineham on a 3 year deal they were probably resigned to losing him. Good luck to the lad, I hope he wins something, and gets his international career kick-started again.

We are not in a position to let him go now, it’s pure folly. We get some money now but how much do we lose if relegated. I know Vastman will support the club but even he must realise this is stupidly of the highest order and would say so if not so attached to those at the top.
We are on the brink of new facilities but will be in SL to populate it.

If he's going it's a massive disappointment to me but I do appreciate that Tom has to do what is best for his family and himself. Would want a big wedge to release him immediately cos he could be the difference between staying up and relegation.

Your telling me if Catalan threw 3/400k at the club, you'd still prefer to keep him and see him walk away for nothing in 16 games time? We need to be smart here for me, as I said before I don't think Tom is the difference between relegation and staying up, but that money could be the difference in our ability to build a competitive squad for next year.

I assume so.

Yes but that will not be the sort of money will it, this is rugby league.

Catalan have money to burn, Tom is a very special player and we have seen that sort of money, paid for a player in RL even 20/30 years ago. Around that figure was apparently the figure we turned down for Tom from Wire a couple years back. Obviously circumstances are different now.

Am I right in thinking that we will get some compensation for Tom anyway?

No we’ll get nothing if he leaves at the end of the season as i expect is the case here.

As for 300 to 400k to go 4 months early? I’ll have some of what you’re drinking please. If he goes now we might just scrape a five figure fee.

The difference is the length of contract and any money paid would impact his contract. I would usually expect it to be from next season but one thing about Vastman, he I believe is fed information from the club to get out to the forum. He was initially in denial that TJ had signed for Catalan but now not only the fact he had but it was good business for us and it removes an unsettled player which suggests more immediate. I may be wrong but we should know soon.

So we won't be entitled to the compensation associated with his development then?

No he is too old and will be out of contract.

Only counts until a player is 21.

Absolutely not and I have to ask why you’d ever think we would. We have got more than our money back with Tom. We deserve nothing in that respect, the debt was paid long ago.

Lewis Murphy then you’d have a case.