Dan Sarginson: "This is a fantastic opportunity for me to join the biggest name in the competition" 18/10/2013
Tony Clubb: "This is a new exciting chapter of my life signing for Wigan and I couldn't be happier" 18/10/2013
Romain Navarrete: “I’m very happy to have signed for Wigan Warriors. As soon I knew that Wigan were interested, they were the only team that I wanted to sign for. To me, Wigan is the biggest Club in Rugby League and it will be an honour to pull on the famous Cherry-and-White jersey next year. I look forward to working with Shaun Wane and the players at Wigan.”
That lad Karl Pryce at Quins looks a good prospect. Scored 3 and set the other up against Bradford today. Wonder if he is available?
Nah, got a heart the size of a pea. He only had to fall over to score them. Besides, he looks like he doesn't want to play, just loping around stealing a living. Never a Wigan player. Thank fook we never saw any potential in him and signed him from Union when he was crocked.
Dropkick Murphy..we actually saw and heard a mass of bouncing and scarf and flag waving to Dale Cavese that drowned out anything we could muster.. It stopped us singing our own celebratory songs, it died out seconds later when we accepted we couldn't be heard over the Wigan lot Celebrations muted from us, job done from them. Most fans who slag them off are jealous their own club's support is nowhere near that good - sally cinnamon..Why not discuss Wigan? It's a rugby league message board. Wigan are the most famous brand in rugby league - Tre Cool..Saints fans are hopeless unless it's a cup final or grand final. Wigan fans are so much more loyal and passionate - the flying biscuit..Wires havent been massively succesful over the years, but I've spoke to Brian Bevan And he spoke to me and i wouldnt swap that for Wigans History, ever - Ande..on the TV i could only hear the Wigan fans with about 10 to go - Saint94..Every team is in your feckin shadow, we all know - FIOS
I agree for the most part tomkin is as tough as they come. But hull, wire, Leeds have got in to him and he has been much less effective. With a player with that much talent he's gonna get it more and more. If you can take 25% of his game it helps! I don't think his snide side does him any favours but that's his game far play to the kid. But there is no doubt sl clubs have seen how to beat Wigan! Thanks st George! obviously doing it is a different story as we found out on Friday! If we had a bit more luck we could have beaten you by 20 with half a team! As it happend you showed you champion spirt and took a point! again massive respect
You think what Leeds did was effective on him?
Did you see his chip over the top? He moved to 6 in attack and took hold of the game, the Leeds players stood off him.
He ran straight through the line to set up for the kick at the end. They tried to niggle him and he kept coming back at them and Leeds didn't like it. He then kicked the goal to draw the game, do you really think he would have done that if Leeds had 'got in to him'.
From a Wigan POV, the best way to deal with Sam is how wire did. Simply read when he is running around the back and put two men on him and get your centre to cover if he gets the ball away. Easier said than done though.
He made the Leeds team look stupid, Cross, Danny B, Bailey etc. were at him all game, it didn't get to him, this is why we all know and all other fans know he is the hottest prospect this country has seen in the backs for a VERY long time. He will not go hiding when we play Aus, he will win games for England in future because of his ability to deal with the pressure and the niggles. Last season Ablett tried to take his head off, I have seen big forwards go off the field for less than that and he got up.
All the fuss about Tomkins tells me one thing, it is a sign of respect. It is not a player people hate for being an idiot like Bailey or Hock when he returns or even Newton when he hit Long...... Tomkins is a talent and every fan of every other team wishes they had a young player just as good.... if they don't wish that then I dare them to watch what he can do to teams and then come back and tell me the same.
In an ideal world for me our best 17 next year would be:
1. Sam Tomkins 2. Darrell Goulding 3. Matt Cooper - 2 year deal to come and teach Charnley the way, goulding would score another 20+ alongside him. just what we need. 4. Tom Briscoe - 3 years, great player. would love to see him in cherry and white. 5. Pat Richards 6. Brett Finch 7. Tommy Leuluai 8. Stu Fielden 9. Micky McIlorum 10. Paul Prescott 11. Ryan Hoffman 12. Liam Farrell 13. Sean O'Loughlin
14. Gaz Hock 15. Joel Tomkins 16. Lee Mossop 17. Jeff Lima/Harrison Hansen
Those who hate Sam because "he's a snide, he's a cheat, he's a rat" etc, are newcomers to the game. Pure and simple.
They clearly have no memory of the same pattern existing with Long, with Edwards, with Gregory, with Alex Murphy, etc.
If any of these players had been gash they'd have been ignored, for all their antics. But the combination of attitude and superlative talent made them the huge personalities they were, and made the opposition massively envious (which was the real explanation for the dislike).
They were also hated by the thicker end of the fan spectrum because they were tough enough to ride out the rough and dirty challenges of pantomime villains like Ben Cross - which, given that Cross is big and Sam is small, just doesn't compute to those who'll never understand that's it about more than size, it's also about heart and guts. In truth, Sam is relatively easy going by the standards we're discussing. If Cross had tried that stuff with Andy Greg or Alex Murphy, he'd have been decked.
Those who hate Sam because "he's a snide, he's a cheat, he's a rat" etc, are newcomers to the game. Pure and simple.
They clearly have no memory of the same pattern existing with Long, with Edwards, with Gregory, with Alex Murphy, etc.
If any of these players had been gash they'd have been ignored, for all their antics. But the combination of attitude and superlative talent made them the huge personalities they were, and made the opposition massively envious (which was the real explanation for the dislike).
They were also hated by the thicker end of the fan spectrum because they were tough enough to ride out the rough and dirty challenges of pantomime villains like Ben Cross - which, given that Cross is big and Sam is small, just doesn't compute to those who'll never understand that's it about more than size, it's also about heart and guts. In truth, Sam is relatively easy going by the standards we're discussing. If Cross had tried that stuff with Andy Greg or Alex Murphy, he'd have been decked.
I'll add Bishop, Woods, Goulding, Miles, Friend, Freeman. All good halfbacks, with the exception of Bishop who was crap and Miles was was a great, who would have given as good as they got within the laws or outside of the laws of the game.