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Joel is a great player - fact.

He's a better second-rower than centre but circumstances dictated that he played centre this season. A season where we won the Challenge Cup, finished 2nd in the league by 1 point and were 40 mins away from consecutive Grand Finals.

He's been covering for Deacs' weaknesses and also for Josh's inexperience on our right side and I'm sure that his try in the Cup Final will be remembered forever.

Joel is a local lad, brought up through the ranks who possesses the skills to produce moments of individual brilliance that win tight matches.

Perhaps 'supporters' like JolleyMike would prefer to see Gareth Thomas in that position next season - hhhhhmmmm ?

jolleymike wrote:So what your saying is that I can't criticise a player who bombed two certain tries and who was out of position on more than one time this season to expose charnley and on the one occasion this match where he had to cover on the wing coz charnley had made a tackle that he missed. How many times this season have teams targeted charnley and Joel to come up with points.

Don't get me wrong had the cristal ball showed me the challenge cup win and reaching the semis then I would have been happy at the beginning of the season, but to show such promise to be let down at the last herdle is dissapointing.

I look forward to next season as a season ticket holder hoping that we can move on from this season with a new coach in charge.

The title and meaning of of your thread is what gets people backs up Mike.
:eusa9:
The bloke had an off nite and we have to live with it, but Joel Tomkins is not a waste of space.
There have been many games this season where Joel has played like a very good centre, yet he would no doubt tell you himself, he would choose to play at second row, but doesnt have that choice.
As a whole the team looked out of gear last night and not just poor as individuals.
Players were hanging back, no flare, no inventiveness.

I think Joel Tompkins is poor in defence at centre and leaks us tries and opposing teams know this and target that side.
However in attack I think he is very good, Joel has done a decent job at centre but needs to go back into the second row where he belongs.
We need a top class centre IL !

It's weird how we lose a game and we are looking for scapegoats after it. Saints did well in nullifying us, simple. Either be Joel Tomkins, Liam Farrell, Josh Charnley (were was he in the corner?) Eamonn OCarroll, Hoffman Hansen, Sam for an awkward pass, Carmont for knocking on, Coley for a high (shoulder) tackle...

Everyone makes errors every game. Stop the scapegoating.

We lost.

i'm spartacus wrote:Absolutely ridiculous thread starter.. never heard such rubbish in my life. He wasn't the only man in the team who got things wrong and you should get over yourself and grow up.

Spot on Spartacus. I didn't notice this thread after Wembley. No one player lost us the match, the team were out of steam, too long a season for us.

joel is a good replcement for the hoff in the 2nd row , leaves us short of a centre (aussie 1 plz) finch as to play 7 and tommy 9 , switch sam back to 6 so he gets more of the ball and find a world class fullback , with fielden back and the guy from hull i feel if we do this and make wane coach with lam numbr 2 we will not be far off next season

he is not a waste of space,challenge cup winners and runners up in league ,not bad with his help.

ancientnloyal wrote:It's weird how we lose a game and we are looking for scapegoats after it. Saints did well in nullifying us, simple. Either be Joel Tomkins, Liam Farrell, Josh Charnley (were was he in the corner?) Eamonn OCarroll, Hoffman Hansen, Sam for an awkward pass, Carmont for knocking on, Coley for a high (shoulder) tackle...

Everyone makes errors every game. Stop the scapegoating.

We lost.

carmont did not knock on he lost the ball backwards which im sure is play on so steveo mr hicks did get it wrong again

DaveO wrote:In general disregarding tonight's game is there anyone who genuinely wants him at centre again next season? Not only is he not a centre but we lose him from the pack where he is one of the best running 2nd row forwards in the game.

I commented on this on another thread a couple of weeks ago. Either Goulding, Charnley or some other promoted player MUST be given a decent run in the centre spot with, as you say, Joel returning to his natural (and for me best) position of back row.

Over the course of the season his errors have been wiped out by some individual highlights in various matches, but his overall centre play leaves plenty to be desired.

With the enforced move caused by Gleeson allowing Wigan little/few options, I for one would hope that this is/has been addressed by the coaching staff as an area that needs sorting for next season..

Btw this is NOT a dig at Joel particularly from last night, Wigan were outcoached last night and too many players came up short in their performances

Isn't hindsight a wonderful thing?!!!! :slee: :slee: