Joel to Union

[cpwigan]

It is actually a very worthwhile and important thread until the previous last 5 posts. People seem afraid to think, to ask meaningful questions, to form educated opinions. Hence, you get the country, the world that ignorance deserves.

[josie andrews]

After 30 years as a gynaecologist, Joel decided he had enough money to retire and take up his real love, car mechanics. He left his practice, enrolled onto the auto mechanics course at Wigan Poly, and he studied really hard. The day of the final exam came but Joel was a bit worried if he would be able to complete the test with the same proficiency as his much younger classmates. As it happens most of the students completed their exam in two hours. Joel, on the other hand, took the entire four hours allotted!
The following day, Joel was delighted and surprised to see a score of 150% for his exam. Joel spoke to his teacher after class. "I never dreamed I could do this well on the exam. How did I earn a score of 150%?" His teacher replied, "I gave you 50% for perfectly disassembling the car engine. I awarded another 50% for perfectly reassembling the engine. I then gave you an additional 50% for having done all of it through the silencer."

[Shaun1967]

To be perfectly honest i would eat my own sh*t for that type of life

Given that you would eat your own sh*t for the lifestyle that a better wage would bring you, you will understand the position that Joel is in.

[ancientnloyal]

My friend at school actually got 105% in an exam... the teacher had to recalculate the OCR paper as the marks didnt add up correctly



anyway. I'm not a mod but can we get back on topic and to all: STOP POINT SCORING it's boring.

[TrueBlueWarrior]

Blackberry user so no idea who's said what and no intention of trawling 22 pages bu here's my four pennorth.

Wigan - 80 Grand pa
Union - 400 Grand pa

Frankly, if he couldn't work it out I'm not sure I would want him playing for our team. Or using sharp instruments for that matter.

Time for the RFL to save our game!

KW, well done for being a realist, sorry to those who are offended but get in the real world!

[thegimble]

Anyone else thinks that the reason we are letting him go is as much to do with us needing cap sapce for a decent quality replacement for Deacon or a Centre as him wanting to go.

We have adequate cover for second row so thats an area where we can let a player leave. Joel was a decent centre but not as good as Gleeson or Carmont. And quality centres are a must in the game. Its a weakness in the side at the moment with only Carmont good enough. Although there are no quality centres available there was rumors re Todd Carney 4 weeks ago which have died down due to issues regarding visa. Also i heard he was going to go to South's but again nothing has happened.

[Welski]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/oc ... ur-nations

That picture is not of Joel!!! It's Pat Richards!!!

...and now the mail is at it...how do these people get jobs in the media?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyl ... eague.html

[josie andrews]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/oc ... ur-nations

That picture is not of Joel!!! It's Pat Richards!!!

...and now the mail is at it...how do these people get jobs in the media?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyl ... eague.html

That was the original picture in the Guardian of "Joel" until they changed it.

[butt monkey]

What's all that rubbish about?

Sometimes I really worry about the standards of education/levels of competence of those who are allowed to use computers. You prove to be a perfect example as you comment on something you are not willing to try and read or even understand. Just read anything YOU post and you get the idea

Thanks for those words of wisdom, everything has now become crystal clear. The correlation between a teacher's pay/pension and a sportsmans salary is hard to fathom!

No! But maybe a desire for more money/better working conditions/broken promises/future after work/been let down ala Joel regards broken promises/pensions etc is?

[butt monkey]

he currently only receives a salary of 55K.

And no one should be afraid of reality either.

That is around £1000 per week (before deductions and wins bonuses - if there are any).

I'm sorry CP, but you (and a few others) make out that sport somehow "owes" players the opportunity to live the life of Riley once they finish playing ie retire at 32-35. I'm sorry - that is not the way. Like Paul Prescott has done, he has already taken steps to make sure once his playing career is over, not only will he be set for life (as long as he doesn't go down the drink/drugs/gambling/prostitutes route so many do with extra money in their hands), but also he will have the education to continue earning after that career has ended.

In an earlier post, you mention that Jason Robinson has a clothing business. Is this is the same player that took great advantage of the super league/NRL war and also Union going professional to make a great deal of money AND also finishing his sporting career in Union? This DID NOT mean the player was/is able to spend time living life like a lottery winner having to just live of accumulated wealth/interest payments. So why now do you try and take the stance that this should be afforded to today's current crop of Wigan players? - especially as in another thread, you actually question British professionalism/mentality at the club!

As for posters saying they can understand him wanting to go to Union for the huge pay increase on offer - of course you can!

BUT, remember he signed a deal that IS binding him to Wigan until the club that values his ability/professionalism/skills so highly enough to virtually treble his wages, at the same time stop expecting to treat his current employers (ie Wigan) as if they are some sort of back-street trader who were lucky to have him, with comparably derogatory offers in compensation.

If the Union club involved rate Joel so highly to treble his wages - surely they are willing to pay his current employer whatever it takes to obtain his release wouldn't you think? This would have all been over as quickly as the rumour started, rather than what now appears to be a penny pinching Union club expecting to entice players away with NO repercussions.

So by your argument BM, Piggy Riddell should have been told screw you big boy you stop here and see your contract out, Trent Barrett? Madge? Etc Etc

Joel Tomkins has A) studied for qualifications post playing B) invested money. I believe he has bought property not on the scale of Chris Ashton who now has several properties across Wigan BUT we have a player who was prepared to take a pay cut to stay at Wigan, to play out of position, to help Wigan RLFC be successful who decides he wants to take an offer elsewhere. If Wigan think the compensation offered is acceptable he will go. Wigan take the view that unhappy players and that is what you create when you play hard ball are better moved on. Anybody ever worked with a Peed off fellow employee. Exactly, you all know how counter productive it can be.

Joel Tomkins career could end next year if bad luck struck. If he has a few bad games Wigan fans / fans anywhere will turn on him anyway, fans will forget about him soon enough. Nothing more fickle than a sports fan. The man is being offered an opportunity to make his life secure. Noting more than Ellery, Andy Greg, Shaun Edwards would have done and guess what I for one would not blame them.

Riddell and Barrett leaving early were both totally different circumstances to Joel's situation. Riddell asked for a release as one of his parents had recently passed away and wanted (being an Australian) to return home. Barrett's wife had been unsettled in England for some time and he asked for release on compassionate grounds (being Australian he also wanted to return "home"). Neither left or asked to leave just because huge wads of money were waived infront of their noses to sign for another club (as is the case with Joel). Neither had just signed new long term deals either!

Madge had already completed his contract (as was already argued out on other threads) about his 2 year deal with a one year option. Madge didn't break his contract - just simply fulfilled it and left

I understand Joel will move once suitable compensation is agreed, however the issue remains that IF Saracens do not come up with that - Joel will have become unsettled due to this illegal approach and what happens as a consequence of this is another issue. Placed because of the total lack of respect and professionalism shown by Joel's new agents and Saracens to Wigan