I realise I'm about to commit heresy but here goes:



Sam Tomkins is an admirable RL figurehead.



Ouch, that hurt! He has been a bit of a love to hate character for all non-Wigan fans, partly due to his niggly semi-cheating antics at the play-the-ball, his perceived over-cockiness and for his sheer ability to destroy teams with his talent. But watching him on the Sams Team feature on Bootsnall must surely be changing peoples opinions of him? He seems a natural in a classroom helping teach awkward kids and what he is doing is great work.



Well done. (ouch, hurt again!)

And getting well paid for doing it.

I wish Sam was playing for us, he is class, pure class.

Getting well paid doesn't make standing up in front of a room full of kids much easier. He comes across really well in the Sams Team feature, well paid or not.

The only pain from me is that it's only a matter of time before RU get ahold of him.



I've no problem admitting that he is the best talent in British RL.

Tweeted almost the same comment to him y'day after watching Boots n All.

I was impressed with how he came across in that feature as well. To be honest I've always felt he came across as down to earth and having his head screwed on.



On the pitch I don't think he's been up to his previous very high standards this year. That's from the perspective of stats anyway which admitteldy don't tell the whole picture.

I wish we had him. Shame that one day he might leave and take the 9 gold pieces ala Edwards and Farrell. I love watching him against anyone bar us.

Phil Clarke has been saying this for years, now finally people are starting to listen.



I think he is great, he is something that has been missing from the British game for a while, a game breaking outside back.



In the 1980s and 90s we had Offiah, Davies, Schofield, Robinson. After Robinson left there was nobody in that league. The best was people like Gleeson, Senior and Carney, good players but not that calibre of gamebreakers, whereas the Aussies churn out Slater, Inglis, Hodges, Folau and co. Tomkins is up in that league, Eastmond potentially was too.



I would love it if he went to the NRL, if he went to a top NRL club I think he could help change Aussie perspectives on British RL. Guys like Morley and Ellis have gone there and got their respect so they think Brits can turn out players with strength, toughness and work rate but they don't think Britain has got any outstanding athletes in the backs like they do. Tomkins in a top NRL side would be a superb player, score buckets of tries and be regarded as a sensation there.

Sal, who cares what the Aussies think, They're Brits in the sun trying to be Americans.

When Tomkins hot the big time many could see (but could not admit) he was a great talent. What many people used to love to feed on was the negatives (because simply he didnt play for there team)? He had a air of cockiness but too often that used to cross the line and because "it was Sam" he seemed to get away with it. BUT.....does he still have that same impact. Over the last couple of years we seemed to have had the measure of him. Leeds played him superbly in that semi-final where his performance was way off (yep, i think it was Leeds tactic rather than Sam having an off day). Admittedly he is still amongst the best players in SL BUT I dont think he is now the game-breaker he used to be.

Some very fair and unbiased comments on this thread. So thanks for that. I know some of us like a little jibbing and ribbing on the boards, it adds to the fun, but none on the Wire board today from me. All quiet on the west stand front, today!