Tomikins confirmed today?

[Mixmasterreece]

The holdup is, he might not be coming.

Tomkins going nowhere

Long ago we just started assuming that Sam Tomkins was joining the New Zealand Warriors next year. At one point, his coach at Wigan, Shaun Wane, was supposed to be going as well. Now Wane has had his tenure at DW Stadium extended by another year as a result of Sunday morning's Challenge Cup final victory. And Wane says his fullback is going nowhere. ''He's a contracted player with us,'' Wane told Set Of Six. ''I'm hoping he's going to be here next year and I don't see that changing''. Teammate Blake Green said he had a gut feeling on Tomkins' intentions but did not say what it was. Parramatta-bound Lee Mossop reckoned Tomkins was ''a closed book''. What did the man himself say? Nothing. Media were kicked out of Wembley before he emerged from the dressing rooms.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...r-after-all-20130825-2sjxg.html#ixzz2d0hxb5Zg
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Then why are they signing Matt Bowen? Sorry, but Ive heard this a million times before.

 

[Diesel]

He's contracted with us... I hope he's going to be here next year

Grain of salt

I still think he's coming

 

[Skinner]

Over it - move on.

 

[Fast Eddie]

Over it - move on.

Warriors fans still care and rightly so. Someone like you who can probably move on though.

 

[hitman82]

Wane's quotes actually sound defeatist. He doesn't say "Sam is signed for the next 3 seasons and will definitely be playing his contract out" ... does he? And the two players quoted didn't exactly say anything to confirm Sam is staying at Wigan... they could have though yeah? If anything, that article makes me more confident Sam will be in our jersey next season.

 

[Fast Eddie]

Wane's quotes actually sound defeatist. He doesn't say "Sam is signed for the next 3 seasons and will definitely be playing his contract out" ... does he? And the two players quoted didn't exactly say anything to confirm Sam is staying at Wigan... they could have though yeah? If anything, that article makes me more confident Sam will be in our jersey next season.

I've been confident ever since they first tried to sign Minichello, and now Bowen. Fact of the matter is that Tomkins will be leaving Wigan, it's just that Wigan could enforce that he stay another season as part of his original contract. But if Tomkins wants out a season earlier than I'm sure Wigan would play ball just to keep good faith so that Tomkins might want to return at some stage. Or his brother for that matter.

 

[hitman82]

I've been confident ever since they first tried to sign Minichello, and now Bowen. Fact of the matter is that Tomkins will be leaving Wigan, it's just that Wigan could enforce that he stay another season as part of his original contract. But if Tomkins wants out a season earlier than I'm sure Wigan would play ball just to keep good faith so that Tomkins might want to return at some stage. Or his brother for that matter.

Did you manage to catch the CC Final? Logan Tomkins looks like he'd be a solid development pick-up as a sweetener to the deal. Wouldn't mind having the older brother here too hah... that isn't going to happen though.

 

[shiznit]

I noticed a few people saying on twitter that he's being lined up by the Bulldogs to replace Barba.

Apparently James Graham convinced him to join them.

Obviously it's only twitter talk... But you would think the dogs wouldn't have released Barba if they didn't have someone ready to go.

 

[Fast Eddie]

Did you manage to catch the CC Final? Logan Tomkins looks like he'd be a solid development pick-up as a sweetener to the deal. Wouldn't mind having the older brother here too hah... that isn't going to happen though.

Nah I only saw the highlights. I haven't seen much of Logan but saw a bit of Joel when he was there, he looked like a pretty decent player before he made the switch.

 

[One Warrior]

I noticed a few people saying on twitter that he's being lined up by the Bulldogs to replace Barba.

Apparently James Graham convinced him to join them.

Obviously it's only twitter talk... But you would think the dogs wouldn't have released Barba if they didn't have someone ready to go.

Don't believe this will happen, but will be pissed if it does, we do everything Wigan wants, partnership with them and holding of the announcement of the signing at their request only for Bulldogs to steal him from under us at the last moment, similar has happened before. However I believe it is only a matter of time before the announcement of his signing for us, maybe within the next week or so.

 

[hitman82]

Haha, Nathan Friend when asked about Sam Tomkins signing on the radio today:

http://content.radionetwork.co.nz/weekondemand/radiosport/50815.mp3

"all I can comment on is his skill" ...proceeds to praise him a bit. Then:
"same as many people, I'm really looking forward to his inclusion in the team."

 

[Shaun Hewitt]

I just don't get whats taking so long?
I understand waiting for the Challenge Cup, but thats over.

I really hope this isn't hampering our recruitment drive for next season. If for one reason or another this deal doesn't work out, it won't leave us with many options to recruit for next season

 

[Fast Eddie]

I just don't get whats taking so long?
I understand waiting for the Challenge Cup, but thats over.

I really hope this isn't hampering our recruitment drive for next season. If for one reason or another this deal doesn't work out, it won't leave us with many options to recruit for next season

It's almost October. Any serious recruitment is long gone. That all happened abut 2-3 months ago. The only players who will be moving club for next season are guys who get releases or very low level players.

 

[Shaun Hewitt]

It's almost October. Any serious recruitment is long gone. That all happened abut 2-3 months ago. The only players who will be moving club for next season are guys who get releases or very low level players.

That's kinda my point.
If we don't end up landing him, we've kinda shot ourselves in the foot.
It seems we've put all our eggs into one basket here.

I'd hate to say it but considering that he hasn't signed, and what's happened with Sandor Earl and the rumours around Jason Bukuya, worst scenario is still a possibility of entering next year with only adding Chad Townsend to our roster.

 

[Fast Eddie]

That's kinda my point.
If we don't end up landing him, we've kinda shot ourselves in the foot.
It seems we've put all our eggs into one basket here.

I'd hate to say it but considering that he hasn't signed, and what's happened with Sandor Earl and the rumours around Jason Bukuya, worst scenario is still a possibility of entering next year with only adding Chad Townsend to our roster.

Not really, we had a crack at Carney (and Lui) before Tomkins was on the radar. I'd rather we made this play at Tomkins even if somehow we don't get him than just pick up a couple of average first graders like Joel Reddy and Luke Capewell or something.

 

[hitman82]

Sam Tomkins and Carney were our only realistic Marquee-level targets for this season, and even Carney said he came close to signing with us as we made a really good offer. But it's hard to get the younger Elite Australians to leave home when they can still make epic money living in Oz.

Sam Tomkins is an awesome target and I have heard through a team source (and Friend's rather obvious comment above) that he is a done deal.

It's not like we turned down a heap of superstars while we waited haha.

 

[Fast Eddie]

Sam Tomkins and Carney were our only realistic Marquee-level targets for this season, and even Carney said he came close to signing with us as we made a really good offer. But it's hard to get the younger Elite Australians to leave home when they can still make epic money living in Oz.

Sam Tomkins is an awesome target and I have heard through a team source (and Friend's rather obvious comment above) that he is a done deal.

It's not like we turned down a heap of superstars while we waited haha.

Do you agree that besides maybe Steve Price that this our biggest signing? Since Price anyway. This is a brilliant pick up. I can see why Wigan are dragging it out, there is no really good way to break to your fans that your best player by a long way, a fan favourite and the guy that Wigan fans call Billy Slater is leaving your club 2 years into his contract.

 

[hitman82]

Do you agree that besides maybe Steve Price that this our biggest signing? Since Price anyway. This is a brilliant pick up. I can see why Wigan are dragging it out, there is no really good way to break to your fans that your best player by a long way, a fan favourite and the guy that Wigan fans call Billy Slater is leaving your club 2 years into his contract.

100% man.

Price was awesome as a player but it is only his off-field, media, image etc work which puts him ahead of Tomkins in my opinion.

If Tomkins brings the performance I and others expect, he will become a media darling. He does a lot of great off the field promotional type work for Wigan, hopefully he can raise our profile a bit. I know the NRL coverage shows will be eager to hget him in the studio, which will be good for us as a business.

I think Wigan want to announce the signing of an NRL fullback to dull the pain their supporters will feel.

 

[Albert Rosenfeld]

Wigan are reportedly negotiatig with Matt Bowen, who just announced he is leaving the NRL at the end of this season.

Wigan would only be after Bowen if Tomkins is leaving.

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/matt-bowen-announces-retirement-20130830-2suu5.html

 

[Iafeta]

Do you agree that besides maybe Steve Price that this our biggest signing? Since Price anyway. This is a brilliant pick up. I can see why Wigan are dragging it out, there is no really good way to break to your fans that your best player by a long way, a fan favourite and the guy that Wigan fans call Billy Slater is leaving your club 2 years into his contract.

Interesting to reminisce.

For me the big names are broken up into a few areas:-

Big name, had a massive impact: Steven Price
Big name, big mana, indifferent impact: Ruben Wiki
Big name, good impact: Brent Tate
Big name, perhaps a bit long in the tooth: Greg Alexander, Andy Platt, Dennis Betts, Phil Blake
Was once a big name, seen as being a bit long in the tooth, but did a great job: John Simon
Came to the club as a good name but made themselves into a bigger name due to effort: Kevin Campion, PJ Marsh, and to be fair, for a period Wade McKinnon

There's other big 'been there, done that' type players we picked up over the years, Mathew Ridge, Kevin Iro, Quentin Pongia, they never seemed to work out for one reason or another.

I guess one of the things in Sam's favour is he's not an old chap, so it's not like we're picking up sloppy seconds here.