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Mike wrote:Marquee limits cap value at 100K (for a club trained player) or 175K otherwise. So 187K would count for less on the cap if he were a marquee signing.

BTW I didn't bring up the 187K value, that came from the 750K divide by 4 which others mentioned.

I thought it was £75k for a club trained player and £150k otherwise. But I get your point they could make a saving.

Well regardless of who has offered him what I think it's pretty obvious Sam T is proving very influential for us so far this season. So if the club let him leave they have got to find someone equally good to replace him.

How easy is that to do? They know Sam's capabilities, he is our player whereas the alternative seems to be a risky move for Hardaker (who is a different type of player), trying to find someone equally as good from the NRL which I can't see being a cheaper option anyway and hope he doesn't get homesick or flops or just not bothering and hoping we can still win stuff with Escare at FB because SL is going down the pan standards wise so that is OK.

Im hoping he gets a good shot in the halves soon with george..... his kicking and passing will be far more useful there in my opinion

TOMKINS TO CATALANS – A CLUE TO SUPER LEAGUE 2019 ?

It’s the time of the year when Super League is awash with rumours of player moves for 2019 and the main one doing the rounds is Sam Tomkins to Catalans.

A done deal we are led to believe, admittedly nothing has come from Wigan or Tomkins himself but the Dragons have admitted interest.

It all seems familiar, we had all this with rumours he was going to New Zealand Warriors in 2013.

Now the rights and wrongs of the deal are for another day, I for one am baffled why he’d want to make a step which is semi retirement at this stage of his career, but what does this tell us about the structure of our competition for next year.

As yet all is unclear, whether we keep the status quo, go to 14 teams, bring back licensing?

Cynics think the RFL are waiting to see which club ends up in the bottom 4, whatever the reason we don’t know.

We do assume though that the decision has been made, and at this stage Catalans look destined for Relegation.

They already seem certain to be in the middle 8 and with Toronto getting stronger by the day and even the likes of Leigh improving you’d worry for the Dragons in a million pound game. In my eyes they have Relegation written all over them.

Now Sam Tomkins isn’t going there to play in the Championship and I’m certain 2nd tier revenue wouldn’t be enough to finance his wages so do Catalans know that they are certain to be in Super League next year? In other words is this an indication that we are to return to licensing next year, with maybe 14 Super League clubs.

It would be October before Catalans know their fate in the middle 8 and by then with Wigan likely to sign Zak Hardaker, there’ll be no place for Tomkins to go back to if the Dragons are relegated. We also hear rumours that Tomkins marquee wages are going elsewhere in the Warriors squad to put off interest from the NRL.

October would also surely be too late for him to sort out a marquee deal at another club?

So does this mean the Dragons have been given a guarantee of their Super League status for 2019? I know licensing is controversial, but I am reluctantly in favour of it for this very reason, it gives clubs the opportunity to plan ahead.

I understand the cons, we were brought up on Promotion and Relegation and it’s very unfair on the lower league clubs, but we have to get the game right at the top which puts me in favour, with reservations.
It’s ridiculous we don’t know what’s happening next year, but I just wonder if the Dragons interest in Tomkins has given us a clue?


http://www.seriousaboutrl.com/tomkins-c ... 019-11428/

One of the key things to get right is knowing when a player is in decline. Even on Friday, when he played pretty well, Sam was unable to break the line. He passed ok, did one good kick, while Williams made one and scored one of our tries. The future is Williams, with Escare and Hardaker providing further options. If we can spend the money keeping Bateman and Gildart then that would be pretty good business.
Finally, his own motivation and drive is perfectly illustrated by his contributions over the 3 years he has been paid a fortune and his choice of destination.

Exiled Wiganer wrote:One of the key things to get right is knowing when a player is in decline. Even on Friday, when he played pretty well, Sam was unable to break the line. He passed ok, did one good kick, while Williams made one and scored one of our tries. The future is Williams, with Escare and Hardaker providing further options. If we can spend the money keeping Bateman and Gildart then that would be pretty good business.
Finally, his own motivation and drive is perfectly illustrated by his contributions over the 3 years he has been paid a fortune and his choice of destination.

So how do explain the club not binning off Lockers before now? He picks his games and is rested at every opportunity. The club does it because despite the fact it's blindingly obvious he has been declining for a few seasons now he can still contribute when he does play within the competition that is the level of SL in 2018. Likewise Tomkins may not have the pace he once had but the pair of them are what is making the side tick right now. They are both a cut above any other players in the side.

The fact you question Tomkins motivation (ignoring the fact he's been injured) while in the same post suggest Hardaker with his record is an option beggars belief.

Replacing Tomkins with Escare will take the side backwards even if we do retain Gildard and Bateman. Good players though they are neither of them are in key positions in the spine of the team.

If you are suggesting that Lockers is less committed to Wigan than Tomkins you are off your rocker.
Tomkins won’t be playing against Widnes because of a poorly foot, just as he didn’t go head to head with barba because of feeling a bit icky. See how many games we have got from him over the last 2 1/2 years (and consider in how many of those he made a telling contribution). 100k per game at a conservative estimate.
Hardaker plays a lot of games and contributes a lot when he is playing. His many problems are from off the field matters. He has played far more games than Tomkins since his last decent season 6 years ago.
You seem to want to build up his performances this year - he has been ok but nothing stunning. Williams stats as ever look far more impressive.
Finally, his behaviour this month (before giving up the ghost and skiving this week end), has been a disgrace - allowing infinite coverage of his move to the league’s worst club without once stating any commitment or gratitude to the club for our support and the vast amounts we have paid him to injure himself and sit in the gym.’

Exiled Wiganer wrote:If you are suggesting that Lockers is less committed to Wigan than Tomkins you are off your rocker.
Tomkins won’t be playing against Widnes because of a poorly foot, just as he didn’t go head to head with barba because of feeling a bit icky. See how many games we have got from him over the last 2 1/2 years (and consider in how many of those he made a telling contribution). 100k per game at a conservative estimate.
Hardaker plays a lot of games and contributes a lot when he is playing. His many problems are from off the field matters. He has played far more games than Tomkins since his last decent season 6 years ago.
You seem to want to build up his performances this year - he has been ok but nothing stunning. Williams stats as ever look far more impressive.
Finally, his behaviour this month (before giving up the ghost and skiving this week end), has been a disgrace - allowing infinite coverage of his move to the league’s worst club without once stating any commitment or gratitude to the club for our support and the vast amounts we have paid him to injure himself and sit in the gym.’

Do you want some nuts with that pint of Bitter?

Ha! Very good. It may have been slightly intemperate. Was very enjoyable to write though. V cathartic.

One way for him not to play at the DW against us put a plastic pitch down.

Seems he is afraid of it. Maybe that would be ironic. Signs for Catalan they get relegated and he goes to Widnes. And never plays a home game.