Re: Joel Tomkins returns : Thu Jun 19, 2014 10:05 pm  

Tomkins did alright in union from the games/highlights I watched of him, problem was you could see he was frustrated at times and stuff that seemed logical (from a general sport/rugby POV) didn't happen so he sort of looked 'out of position' or lost at times..that was the problem of the sport rather than him.

The other thing is that a lot of times his ball handling skills were just never going to be called upon, did some nice passes mind but for me he should have gone to open side flanker so he could work his booty off and be involved more.
He'll do alright coming back to RL but tbh I think those three years are going to effect him more than many think/can undertsand

Re: Joel Tomkins returns : Fri Jun 20, 2014 1:42 am  

Personally I think its great he's back in RL.

Isn't part of the problem that he was effectively a part-time centre in RL (albeit a pretty good one), who was always eventually going to move permanently into the forwards?

RU signed him as primarily a centre. From what I recall he had big pluses as a centre - big and quick - but didn't look a natural centre in RL either for the most part, despite the spectacular Wembley try (aided by some poor Leeds defence it should be noted).

I sincerely hope that Sam Burgess is a bigger flop, as it seems he's apparently been signed as a centre as well, with far less background than Tomkins (I don't think he's ever played in the centres - certainly not for Souths). The prevailing view seems to be that he'll never master the complexities as an RU forward.

Re: Joel Tomkins returns : Fri Jun 20, 2014 7:56 am  

BrisbaneRhino wrote:

Personally I think its great he's back in RL.

Isn't part of the problem that he was effectively a part-time centre in RL (albeit a pretty good one), who was always eventually going to move permanently into the forwards?

RU signed him as primarily a centre. From what I recall he had big pluses as a centre - big and quick - but didn't look a natural centre in RL either for the most part, despite the spectacular Wembley try (aided by some poor Leeds defence it should be noted).

I sincerely hope that Sam Burgess is a bigger flop, as it seems he's apparently been signed as a centre as well, with far less background than Tomkins (I don't think he's ever played in the centres - certainly not for Souths). The prevailing view seems to be that he'll never master the complexities as an RU forward.

He was always a 2nd row and he was Wigans best second row, who used to burst threw tackles all the time and ran better lines than Liam Farrell. Then Martin Gleeson decided he would have a meltdown and Madge fired him off so Joel had to cover as a Centre and did well but it wasn't his position.

Sam Burgess won't be a flop but what will happen is he will get bored and when he returns early he will get called a flop by people who watch barely any union and the Anti league brigade in union. It will take a naturally talented athlete like Burgess a year to learn union forwards skills but it won't matter anyway because if he puts in 28 tackles a game they will believe he is some kind of demi god. The biggest thing he needs to learn is how to read the game and how to clean out rucks and line out plays, because joining a ruck, mauling and scrumming is actually very simple for a open side flanker.

[Fantastic Mr Catpiss]

Re: Joel Tomkins returns : Fri Jun 20, 2014 11:59 am  

Welcome back joel, but i'd have to agree with the Grub comments, as he's a grub.

He's got the michael ennis seal of quality.

Re: Joel Tomkins returns : Fri Jun 20, 2014 12:10 pm  

http://www.wiganwarriors.com/WBlogp.aspx?id=22 Operation Red Squirrel.

http://www.wiganwarriors.com/WBlogp.aspx?id=22 Operation Red Squirrel.

Re: Joel Tomkins returns : Fri Jun 20, 2014 12:53 pm  

Fantastic Mr Catpiss wrote:

Welcome back joel, but i'd have to agree with the Grub comments, as he's a grub.

He's got the michael ennis seal of quality.

Not quite grubby enough to receive the Benny Westwood seal of excellence though

Re: Joel Tomkins returns : Fri Jun 20, 2014 1:00 pm  

Barrett was robbed wrote:

Not quite grubby enough to receive the Benny Westwood seal of excellence though

100% true lol

Last year a reporter from our local rag was writing teams news on twitter. On the news that Westwood wouldn't play he wrote something along the lines of 'Ben Westwood missing. Warrington will miss his go forward. Hull KR will miss his penalties.'

It made me chuckle after reading it because it was true.

[Fantastic Mr Catpiss]

Re: Joel Tomkins returns : Fri Jun 20, 2014 5:16 pm  

LifeLongHKRFan wrote:

100% true lol

Last year a reporter from our local rag was writing teams news on twitter. On the news that Westwood wouldn't play he wrote something along the lines of 'Ben Westwood missing. Warrington will miss his go forward. Hull KR will miss his penalties.'

It made me chuckle after reading it because it was true.

How's them 6 broken jaws that never happened?

Re: Joel Tomkins returns : Fri Jun 20, 2014 6:23 pm  

Fantastic Mr Catpiss wrote:

How's them 6 broken jaws that never happened?

?????

[Fantastic Mr Catpiss]

Re: Joel Tomkins returns : Fri Jun 20, 2014 7:14 pm  

LifeLongHKRFan wrote:

?????

Kinda makes a mockery of your name, that response