Re: Sam Tomkins : Wed Apr 15, 2015 7:50 am  

I came in at just about the end of Graham Liptrot's career. Lippy had a good reputation. But I didn't see enough of him to really make a judgement. What I will say is that if I didn't buy a program I might never recognise he was playing. Can't think of anyone who was more ... well ... anonymous in matches. I realise this doesn't sound like a particularly great advert for a player's usefulness. But I should remind everyone that hookers were a radically different species back then. Generally they were a highly specialised class who were largely expected to go about their business without a great deal of fireworks. Paul Groves represented the spearpoint of an entirely different philosophical approach to the dummy half (the dynamic Balmain hooker, Benny Elias, was perhaps the best of the lot).

Re: Sam Tomkins : Wed Apr 15, 2015 8:17 am  

Judder Man wrote:

We,ve been blessed with some of the best hookers in the game playing for saints, excluding Howarth you have to go way back in saints history to find an average No 9.
Also, we are very lucky that Cunningham and Roby never went over to the NRL.

If you never saw Reg Blackemore, Paddy McKinnon, Paddy Lannon, Bob Dagnall, Bill Sayer, Len McIntyre or McCabe play you won't understand what a hookers main role was back then, Halcyon days, just ask Rogues LOL, especially about Bill Sayer's performance at Wembley.

Re: Sam Tomkins : Wed Apr 15, 2015 8:56 am  

Mugwump wrote:

I came in at just about the end of Graham Liptrot's career. Lippy had a good reputation. But I didn't see enough of him to really make a judgement. What I will say is that if I didn't buy a program I might never recognise he was playing. Can't think of anyone who was more ... well ... anonymous in matches. I realise this doesn't sound like a particularly great advert for a player's usefulness. But I should remind everyone that hookers were a radically different species back then. Generally they were a highly specialised class who were largely expected to go about their business without a great deal of fireworks. Paul Groves represented the spearpoint of an entirely different philosophical approach to the dummy half (the dynamic Balmain hooker, Benny Elias, was perhaps the best of the lot).

Used to love watching bennny elias.

Re: Sam Tomkins : Wed Apr 15, 2015 9:15 am  

Benidorm John wrote:

If you never saw Reg Blackemore, Paddy McKinnon, Paddy Lannon, Bob Dagnall, Bill Sayer, Len McIntyre or McCabe play you won't understand what a hookers main role was back then, Halcyon days, just ask Rogues LOL, especially about Bill Sayer's performance at Wembley.

Seggy was good friends with my dad. He didn't want to leave Wigan but they wouldn't pay him an extra £5 per game to play in the reserve (A team) and the rest is history.

My son was over in Australia in 2013 for a wedding and bumped onto Benny Elias at Wests Leagues Club. He said he was good fun to talk to especially after a few beers.

Anyway back on topic, it wouldn't surprise me if we see Sam Tomkins on Sky during the Wigan v Wire game on Thursday.

Re: Sam Tomkins : Wed Apr 15, 2015 9:44 am  

Benidorm John wrote:

If you never saw Reg Blackemore, Paddy McKinnon, Paddy Lannon, Bob Dagnall, Bill Sayer, Len McIntyre or McCabe play you won't understand what a hookers main role was back then, Halcyon days, just ask Rogues LOL, especially about Bill Sayer's performance at Wembley.

There were a breed of hookers after that who went beyond the scrum skills, these were break out runners like Tony Karalius for saints, always remembered he had hands the size of shovels.

Re: Sam Tomkins : Wed Apr 15, 2015 9:48 am  

I think it was the 86 Kangaroo tour during which the players consumed a staggering quantity of alcohol on the plane coming over. It's become the stuff of folklore these days.

This is why I've never bought the notion that Australian players are just that bit more professional than their English counterparts. Over the years the city of Brisbane has been terrorised by an army of footy hell-raisers beating up startled citizens, smashing up bars, abusing women etc. etc.. Consuming beer in great quantities and then behaving like a bell-end is about as Australian as the digeridoo.

Re: Sam Tomkins : Wed Apr 15, 2015 9:58 am  

St pete wrote:

Used to love watching bennny elias.

My youngest Son (RIP) always had his Orange Balmain shirt on with number 9 on the back.

Re: Sam Tomkins : Wed Apr 15, 2015 12:18 pm  

Rogues Gallery wrote:

Anyway back on topic, it wouldn't surprise me if we see Sam Tomkins on Sky during the Wigan v Wire game on Thursday.

Best get the Kleenex ready...

Re: Sam Tomkins : Wed Apr 15, 2015 1:21 pm  

Hawkandro wrote:

Best get the Kleenex ready...

Could be tears of laughter from us lot that he has failed to survive in the NRL. We said a few seasons back that he's needs to prove himself in the NRL, others have done that, I,m not sure if Sam can convince people that he is in that category.

Re: Sam Tomkins : Wed Apr 15, 2015 2:39 pm  

I think it was a very bad idea for him to choose the Warriors. You're kind of in the NRL - without being in the NRL. If you know what I mean. The Warriors have always been a tight-knit, us-against-the-rest club. Tomkins was making life doubly difficult for himself attempting to barge in and take someone's jersey (whilst commanding the kind of money which will ALWAYS rebound on you should you fail to do anything other than become a total success).

Had he gone to one of the Sydney clubs I think he'd have been far less homesick (not least because there are plenty of English lads knocking about in that league right now). Plus I feel he would have been handled differently. I've never thought he's a full back. Maybe they'd have tried to mould him into a five-eighth.

He's not been a failure. Indeed, he's played pretty well. But he's not drawn the kind of repeated rave reviews which the likes of Burgess, Graham ... and even Gareth Ellis pulled seemingly for fun.