Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu May 08, 2014 12:49 pm  

He was the best second rower at Wigan in 2010 without a doubt. He was exceptional in Maguires first season in charge.

Top player and young enough to adjust to life back in league.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu May 08, 2014 1:56 pm  

Unlike most of the Union converts he seems to have leaned up rather than pile on the weight.

I think he will need to pack a bit back on if he is to return to playing in the pack in Rugby League.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu May 08, 2014 2:17 pm  

LFC Saint wrote:

He was never the best Second Row at Wigan in his first stint, nevermind after a stint in Union.

I think your wrong the season before he became a make shift Centre he was one of the best 2nd rows in super league with out a doubt the season under madge he was awesome.

biggest thing he would have get used to again is line speed and his instincts of league such as supporting and not ball watching. He seemed a clever 2nd row with a good rugby brain so i am sure he wouldn't have a problem.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu May 08, 2014 2:19 pm  

jonh wrote:

Unlike most of the Union converts he seems to have leaned up rather than pile on the weight.

I think he will need to pack a bit back on if he is to return to playing in the pack in Rugby League.

It makes you wonder where Joel's head is at.

I mean, he went from being the best athlete at Wigan RL to near enough a nobody in RU. You'd have thought he'd have made at least some kind of impact as an outside running back.

That said, I'm assuming he made no impact. I barely heard his name mentioned, unlike Robinson and Ashton, who were treated in RU as the best thing since sliced bread. But it can't have gone well for Joel if it's true he now wants to come home.

I'd love to have him back, but my concerns are the disastrous effect Union sometimes seems to have on these guys. We always mention Karl Pryce and Lee Smith - neither were anything like the force after Union than they had been before (and Smith was only there a few months).

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu May 08, 2014 2:40 pm  

I don't think Tomkins has been or is a flop in his current code, he has picked up England Caps, all be it had quiet games when selected, and he has generated rave reviews for Saracens.

He has picked up injuries at unfortunate times which seemed to have stalled his progress.

One positive from the Sam Burgess code switch is that a good few of the players recruited by Union in the past are going to be fighting it out for 1 Centre position for England which may well turn their attention back towards league.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu May 08, 2014 2:53 pm  

I was chatting to one of Sarencens medical staff not long ago. He said how highly thought of Joel was and said the coaches at sarries are shocked that he hasn't been more involved with England

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu May 08, 2014 3:12 pm  

Wasn't he picked for England solely to encourage Sam to defect and to lure his parents away from oure World Cup, as a PR stunt?
He never convinced me as a centre in our game, but could still be a great asset in the second row. I always thought it was one of MaGuire's blind spots that he preferred Joel to Goulding in the centres. At times, their defence made Sarginson look like Gary Connolly.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Sat May 10, 2014 7:22 am  

Just read online that Leeds have announced that Ben Jones Bishop will leave them at the end of the season. Not said to where as he's keeping his options open.

NRL or RU?

He's already got the 'double-barrelled' surname for Union btw!

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Sat May 10, 2014 7:45 am  

There will be plenty in for him

: Sat May 10, 2014 7:52 am  

Replacement for Charnley when he inevitably leaves?