As I'm still banned from the Wigan forum, perhaps someone could move this post from here to there





Anyway, young Sam. Man of Steel everyone said a few weeks ago. Looked nothing of the sort in the play offs. Seemed to be limping throughout the first round when walking and again tonight. It's as if he can't bend his back properly. He walks like I used to the day after I went to the gym and had jelly legs.



Is he injured on the sly? I can understand the Goons not publicising that fact, it would have been music to the opposition's ears.

It would be bad new for England if he was injured.

Would indeed. Wouldn't surprise me if he was now booked in for an operation we never knew about.



Just didn't seem right to me. I don't think the refusal to take the ball up once he receives kicks is entirely tactical either, there were a few where if he beat one man he'd have been away, but he had no interest in it.

He's clearly been carrying a knock for some time.



And your clearly not banned. Stop playing the victim.

He definitely took a knock the other week against us and I wonder if he's carrying something still from that. We definitely need him if only to give him the experience of playing against the world's best.

We aren't missing you





When does your ban end anyway?

Tomkins has done nothing in international games. We don't lose much without him. He's shown before that he's unable to step up at the highest level.

He looked worse in the game at the DW than he did last night, I think and hope he'll be OK for England.

So we should write him off at 21 then?



He's played a grand total of 3 games at FB for England. Are you expecting him to have ripped up trees?!

Yes, because that's the average RL fan mindset. If it doesn't work straight away, it's rubbish and should be discarded.

Sam Tomkins 8 Games 7 Tries

The question was about his fitness, not about your opinion of how well he plays, which by the way is bitter and twisted and a little bit sick sounding. I reckon he hasn't been fully fit since playing Warrington in the CC. He took more punishment against the Sts in the semi and probably needed resting but C'est la vie.

No, I'd have expected him to play well, he didn't.



I'm not saying we shouldn't play him, simply that from his previous form in internationals we aren't losing much, so it's not much to worry about. With the way people are carrying on you'd think we've lost a player with huge influence on the team and how we perform.



Putting him up on a pedestal as being a significant cog in the team will only mentally hurt the teams chances if he is striked out, as a "we're ed now" mentality will creep in.



We have replacements.

Again, what would he have to do to be classed as "playing well"?

Has he played poorly?

I can't recall seeing him play poorly at international level. He can only do so much on his own.



We have other players that can play full back, but none anywwre near to his ability. He'd be a huge loss, and anyone that doesn't think he would be is blinded by their dislike for him.

Sam Tomkins is still younger than Billy Slater was when he made his Australian debut and has scored seven tries in eight tests... I think it’s probably a little too early to write him off internationally

He did play poorly, whether you recall it or not. It's the fullbacks job to run hard, find space and provide momentum. He was unable to do this in all his games. You don't need a good team in front of you to collect a ball and make meters and line breaks. Go back and look at his form, it was terrible. He casually did his jog-step and got put on his every carry.



And no, he wouldn't be a huge loss. To be a huge loss you actually have to contribute something and have previous form. We lose very little without him.

Love him or hate him, when your only winning by a few and he gets the ball, your heart is in your mouth. Think Wellens has been the better full back in the play offs but Tomkins has been outstanding all season

I think Saddo's right and Ratboy is carrying a knock. Over the last few weeks I've noticed him holding his arm and shoulder and doing a fair bit of limping. I wonder if he has a specific injury or if it's the wear and tear of a long hard season taking it's toll.

Did he injure his knee last night on Fosters ribs?

maybe he hurt his feet too on Gaskell's face