Paul Cooke don't like us, but we don't care...

[Mike]

http://www.thisishullandeastriding.co.u ... ticle.html

On the one hand, he doesn't like beig tackled by Wigan's tackling. On the other he feels Wigan complain too much about being tackled by others. Hmm - well thought out.

[x Wigan Warrior x]

He even points out the mentality of players is to target Sam !!!

[BriH]

Who's Paul Cooke? If it's the guy I think it is he should keep his trap firmly SHUT and look at his self.
Talk about everybody jumping on the "We hate Wigan" bandwagon.
I remember Shaun Edwards saying "Wigan must be doing well because everybody is on their backs".

[First Try Tickle]

"WE HATE WIGAN , WE HATE WIGAN"

Always my favourite chant in the 80's and 90's by all the other supporters.

Nice to know those times are coming back.

But seriously the RL should be putting a stop to the coaches having a go before and after every match they lose. First Potter and now Agar, and I'm sure Brown will have something to say before friday, even though thier gameplay is very similar to ours.

[Shaun1967]

When Graham Lowe first joined Wigan he said his aim was to make them the most hated club in the world. We are getting back to those days which is a sign of success.

Paul Cooke sums up his knowledge of Rugby League when he says Sam has come in for criticism for at least four rounds of Super League. Considering we have only played four it isn't likely to be any more!

[Kiwiseddon]

A lot of this sounds like jealousy doesn't it but I have to point out one thing. Every single word about Sam Tomkins printed in that article is true. He is a very talented RL player and I love that he plays for Wigan but he does milk penalties and wind opposition up. That's not necessarily a bad thing, I'd put it down to gamesmanship but I can totally understand why opposition players loathe him and we all would if he played for another club. It's exactly the reason why I hate the likes of Briers and Long. Both very talented players who know how to push the buttons of officials and opposition players. Sam T is the same kind of player and whilst I will reiterate that I think he's cracking player, I do think he needs knocking down a peg or too.
He reminds me of Wayne Rooney. Hugely talented and thrust into the limelight as a very young lad. Given lots of cash and told he's something special. This kind of treatment breeds an arrogance in players and Sam has it in spades.

If I was coaching a SL team playing Wigan, I'd be instructing the players to smash Sam T all day long, as he is our main threat in attack. Wigan players and fans now think that this is in some way unjust and scream at officials when he gets clattered. There will always be players overstepping the mark (Carl Ablett last year) but I don't blame any coach for making Sam a target given the way he conducts himself on the field. He's only young and needs to take a more balanced approach to his play and he won't have a cross on his back. He can still be a great without the arrogance.

[x Wigan Warrior x]

He will always have a target on his back because he is one of our most dangerous players, same as Deacon because they know he controls us in attack. Take out those players and we are a weakened side. We need to protect our assets.

I do agree though that his antics on the pitch make me a little embarrassed … we do not want wendyball acting in our great sport.

[First Try Tickle]

Good Post Kiwi.

I agree totally about Sam, when i see him rolling around pretending his arms stuck, and screaming at the ref i think just get up and get on with it. Everyone knows he does it as Sky highlight it every week. This just winds the other players and fans up and sooner or later he will get clattered big style and the ref will do nothing like Ganson and almost think he deserved it.

But the other side is he gets himself so wound up the first chance he gets to retaliate he goes flying in throwing punches and no doubt a ban is the outcome.

Would sooner he kept his head down whilst still young, and this might save his brother a stint on the sideline too.

[Kittwazzer]

God help us when there are 3 of them on the pitch!

[Wigan_forever1985]

Having played the game in recent years, I always felt Leeds had players who thought they were invincible

Funny isn't it that before prior to us being "the team to beat" it was leeds and thats who he singles out.

This has got to stop though in all seriousness. I for one have always commended the way Madge has kept focus and not got into slanging matches with other coaches about our play, but we are running serious risk of being the result of prejudice from every ref if this carries on.

We have obviously got the rest of superleague riled and while thats good we need to make sure we dont suffer because of it.