Joel Tomkins

[Wandering Warrior]

You actually think two high profile players will go out on loan? Where to Swinton? Where to Warrington?
Given that someone may be looking to take a big scalp, even in training, it's as unlikely as your past predictions!
It will be interesting to see what happens though.

[Wigan_forever1985]

Why shouldnt they go out on loan though? just because they are high profile is that not saying if youre a certain name you dont have to earn your place?, considering how long Sams been out for?

MM is easy because hookers rotate so you can phase him in. Sam may turn out to be easy if injurys mean Escare can be bundled off to the wing but i still dont think Escare should have to give up his FB spot if he is playing well.

To those saying give Sam a chance (focusing solely on Same here not MM) and im asking this as a genuine question, how long do you give him? whats a decent amount of games to allow him to "find his form", and after this number of games if he hasnt is he dropped? or given longer?.

some people where saying when he came back last time it would take over a season to see his form return so how long must and in form current player like Escare have to surrender his place to allow someone who hasnt had good form for 5 years to find their way?

Also how well does Sam actually have to play to dislodge Escare? what will be the metric of his success?

[TrueBlueWarrior]

I think he's that failed clairvoyant on Phoenix Nights.

'I am getting the word........'

[TrueBlueWarrior]

When was the last time Buderus, Houghton, Roby or Clark played well against MM?

For a 2nd tier hooker I find it amazing that when it really mattered none of them outplayed him, he had the better of them all!! He even bullied Cunningham in a GF!!

We've covered this in the past. There have been games I've said opposing hookers played better than him in and you've disagreed. He's your favourite player though. So I get it. You rate him more highly than me.

He is without doubt one of my favourite players but I am not blinded by what he has done in the past. I have always said SP has been phenomenal in his absence and currently deserves to be our starting hooker. I just think that MM deserves a chance to prove his fitness first then his ability again after that before we write him off, the fact some posters already have is ridiculous. I believe 2 good hookers is better than 1 and on top form I still believe MM will be picked before SP but he has to get back to top form!

[TrueBlueWarrior]

Why shouldnt they go out on loan though? just because they are high profile is that not saying if youre a certain name you dont have to earn your place?, considering how long Sams been out for?

MM is easy because hookers rotate so you can phase him in. Sam may turn out to be easy if injurys mean Escare can be bundled off to the wing but i still dont think Escare should have to give up his FB spot if he is playing well.

To those saying give Sam a chance (focusing solely on Same here not MM) and im asking this as a genuine question, how long do you give him? whats a decent amount of games to allow him to "find his form", and after this number of games if he hasnt is he dropped? or given longer?.

some people where saying when he came back last time it would take over a season to see his form return so how long must and in form current player like Escare have to surrender his place to allow someone who hasnt had good form for 5 years to find their way?

Also how well does Sam actually have to play to dislodge Escare? what will be the metric of his success?

I agree the Sam and MM situations are different simply due to Sam being injury prone and hit and miss for some considerable time whereas MM basically got 1 horrific injury and has always played good to excellent RL in my opinion.

I simply don't think they will go out on loan because of our injury situation, I think SW will want as many bodies around the team as possible, no doubt SP, Escare, Tommy, George and Lockers all have injuries and knocks and a fit Sam and MM could help us massively currently!!

[josie andrews]

[quote="TrueBlueWarrior]
I agree the Sam and MM situations are different simply due to Sam being injury prone and hit and miss for some considerable time whereas MM basically got 1 horrific injury and has always played good to excellent RL in my opinion.

I simply don't think they will go out on loan because of our injury situation, I think SW will want as many bodies around the team as possible, no doubt SP, Escare, Tommy, George and Lockers all have injuries and knocks and a fit Sam and MM could help us massively currently!![/quote]

Where does it say that the highlighted plays have injuries?

[markill]

[quote="TrueBlueWarrior]
I agree the Sam and MM situations are different simply due to Sam being injury prone and hit and miss for some considerable time whereas MM basically got 1 horrific injury and has always played good to excellent RL in my opinion.

I simply don't think they will go out on loan because of our injury situation, I think SW will want as many bodies around the team as possible, no doubt SP, Escare, Tommy, George and Lockers all have injuries and knocks and a fit Sam and MM could help us massively currently!!

Where does it say that the highlighted plays have injuries? [/quote]

With SP getting his head bandaged up, George taken off early v Wire and limping a bit in the game before that, and Escare often coming out to warm up before others, I think it's reasonable to assume they've been carrying knocks - if not actual injuries.

[markill]

He is without doubt one of my favourite players but I am not blinded by what he has done in the past. I have always said SP has been phenomenal in his absence and currently deserves to be our starting hooker. I just think that MM deserves a chance to prove his fitness first then his ability again after that before we write him off, the fact some posters already have is ridiculous. I believe 2 good hookers is better than 1 and on top form I still believe MM will be picked before SP but he has to get back to top form!

Oh ok. I'm not writing him off, just don't think he's quite as good as you think he is. I.e. I get the impression you think he's the best/2nd best hooker in the league, I think he's probably 4th/5th best, at his best.

I agree that he should be given an opportunity to play again, we can't carry 80 minute hookers all year and expect them to stay in top shape for the semi's/GF. I do feel though, that if it was a straight choice assuming both are fully fit and only one could be picked to play, I'd go with Powell as things stand.

[TrueBlueWarrior]

He is without doubt one of my favourite players but I am not blinded by what he has done in the past. I have always said SP has been phenomenal in his absence and currently deserves to be our starting hooker. I just think that MM deserves a chance to prove his fitness first then his ability again after that before we write him off, the fact some posters already have is ridiculous. I believe 2 good hookers is better than 1 and on top form I still believe MM will be picked before SP but he has to get back to top form!

Oh ok. I'm not writing him off, just don't think he's quite as good as you think he is. I.e. I get the impression you think he's the best/2nd best hooker in the league, I think he's probably 4th/5th best, at his best.

I agree that he should be given an opportunity to play again, we can't carry 80 minute hookers all year and expect them to stay in top shape for the semi's/GF. I do feel though, that if it was a straight choice assuming both are fully fit and only one could be picked to play, I'd go with Powell as things stand.

You could arguably say that Sam Powell was the best hooker in the competition last year!

[TrueBlueWarrior]

[quote="TrueBlueWarrior]
I agree the Sam and MM situations are different simply due to Sam being injury prone and hit and miss for some considerable time whereas MM basically got 1 horrific injury and has always played good to excellent RL in my opinion.

I simply don't think they will go out on loan because of our injury situation, I think SW will want as many bodies around the team as possible, no doubt SP, Escare, Tommy, George and Lockers all have injuries and knocks and a fit Sam and MM could help us massively currently!!

Where does it say that the highlighted plays have injuries?

With SP getting his head bandaged up, George taken off early v Wire and limping a bit in the game before that, and Escare often coming out to warm up before others, I think it's reasonable to assume they've been carrying knocks - if not actual injuries.[/quote]

Nail on the head!!