Tom Johnstone : Wed Jul 21, 2021 1:42 pm  

Ok, so twitter seems to be saying we are on the verge of signing Tom Johnstone.

I hope not, he spends more time injured than Lineham spends banned......he is a cracking player however his injury record is especially bad. It's never a small injury either.

If true i was expecting Ashton to take Linehams place to free up cap space elsewhere in the squad. Where would it leave Ashton?

Re: Tom Johnstone : Wed Jul 21, 2021 1:52 pm  

Its come from a facebook group called "Rugby league ITK"

If you go through some of their other exclusives they make Rubber Ducky look like hes actually in the know.

I would take it with a massive pinch of salt.

Re: Tom Johnstone : Wed Jul 21, 2021 2:05 pm  

Don’t know how true this is but TJ is a class above.

He’s a match winner without doubt. Over the years he’s been a major factor in a number of our victories. Wigan this year about a month ago he set up both try’s against Wigan in our 14-6 win. Without him we wouldn’t have won.

If you sign him you will see how class he is.

It’s worth noting that he seems to be completely over his ACL long term issues. He’s as fast as ever and evasive. The recent issues have been a head knock (precautionary lay off of 6-8 weeks) and a minor knee issue.

He’s picked up a few niggles but so did other players such as Lomax? There’s every chance he will have a clear run of games.

If he does he will be far better than any Ashton or option you currently have available.

I would be gutted to see him go, he’s a cut above but I do understand we have needs in the forwards and we aren’t a rich club so it maybe a case of sacrifice to balance the squad for 2022.

Re: Tom Johnstone : Wed Jul 21, 2021 2:08 pm  

Reckon if he signs for you he’ll do a Jonny Lomax and never get injured again.

Re: Tom Johnstone : Wed Jul 21, 2021 2:28 pm  

Hope we do get him..one of the better wingers in the game...

Re: Tom Johnstone : Wed Jul 21, 2021 3:20 pm  

sir adrian morley wrote:

Hope we do get him..one of the better wingers in the game...

He's the best Winger in SL when fit. A try per game in a team that is not the best. More to the point at least 50 of those tries were spectacular individual efforts. I'd also state that IMO TJ has scored ten tries that no other SL winger could.

If he got fit and received the service a quality outfit like Warrington can offer he'd score 40 tries a season and win you at least two tight games.

If you signed him and he got to fit it would be the best money you'd spent in years, but if his physical condition doesn't improve Trinity will be the only winners.

Re: Tom Johnstone : Wed Jul 21, 2021 5:27 pm  

ComeOnYouWolves wrote:

if true i was expecting Ashton to take Linehams place to free up cap space elsewhere in the squad. Where would it leave Ashton?

Ashton has some way to go before he is a first team regular on the wing I think it will depend on what happens with Charley.

Ashton has had his fair share of injuries too so it's no guarantee he will be available for more games than Johnston. Who is probably the best winger in super League when fit which I think will start to be more and more as his more recent injuries are not ACL injuries but concussion and niggles so no different to a lot of players throughout the regular season. I would think tj will also score more trys than Ashton over a season too.

I would take it with a pinch of salt at the moment but crossed fingers it's true

Re: Tom Johnstone : Wed Jul 21, 2021 5:37 pm  

It's got to come down to money. How much of the cap do you spend on a player with such an injury record? Wingers can be match winners of course, but I'd back Powell to get a cheaper winger of lesser ability to play at a standard / scoring rate fairly close to Johnstone's.

Re: Tom Johnstone : Wed Jul 21, 2021 6:04 pm  

Fantastic player but it's a risky injury record. He really is a brilliant winger though, I feel he would strengthen our starting 13 and hopefully it would be a move that would excite him (no disrespect to wakey who have been great for him and to him in his career so far). He would look excellent everytime he played for us IMO, the only doubt would be on whether he would play enough games for that to count.

Like others have said though, I will believe it when I see it.

Re: Tom Johnstone : Wed Jul 21, 2021 6:29 pm  

easyWire wrote:

It's got to come down to money. How much of the cap do you spend on a player with such an injury record? Wingers can be match winners of course, but I'd back Powell to get a cheaper winger of lesser ability to play at a standard / scoring rate fairly close to Johnstone's.

Probably couldn't risk spending over 100k. But surely we'd need to be around that figure to get him. I doubt it's true.

While I'd be apprehensive about his injuries, I'd also be very excited.

Hopefully he'll go down the Currie route who seems (fingers crossed) to be well over his injury woes.