Correct.

That's the difference between top players and star players right there.

Leeds Rhinos have lots of top players in SL but they are only top SL players by SL playing standards. None of them are star players who possess any x-factor... none of them are box office by any stretch of anyone's imagination.

Tomkins OTOH is the only player in SL who I consider a star player, who possesses an x-factor and who qualifies as box office quality. He's the only player in SL that could convince me to turn up to a game of SL these days just because he is playing.

He's a massive loss to SL.

IMHO of course.

you comparing tompkins to messi????
if it was a lyons, fittler, johns in their prime then yes i would go just to watch them. tompkins isn't in that bracket.

No argument from me. It's "star players" and their effect on attendances that we're debating isn't it? As opposed to your less-than-subtle introduction of "top players" into the argument instead?

SL has many problems that need attending to... lack of star players is one of the most crucial of those problems.

A mystery to me, but then golf makes no sense to me in any way. But, and this applies to your Messi example, for one thing they are global superstars in different sports and different market places.

The WCC is an example - to see Cameron Smith and Billy Slater live is the main thing I attended the game for

Tomkins is a world class player and head and shoulders above any other player in SL so in his sport he is comparable to Messi in his.

Who was it who said Wigan would soon score a try, awarded by the video ref, with a much clearer obstruction than the one McGuire's was ruled out for? Tomkins just has.

You can't compare Tomkins to Tiger Woods

Messi is commonly regarded as in the top two or three players in his sport EVER, not just in his country at the moment. Absurd comparison.

No he is not.

He's not what?

The only debate tends to be whether he's 1st, 2nd or 3rd.

Stupid pishing contest going on here.

Without a doubt in my younger days I was genuinely excited about going to see John Holmes, Dave Heron, Eric Grothe etc playing. Star players without a doubt generate extra enthusiasm....why is there even a debate?

Sam Tomkins is one of the 'star' players.....as is Kallum Watkins.

Only on 'Sub Standard'' could we have a discussion comparing Tomkins with that of Lionel Messi

I fear you've attributed meaning to a choice of words that wasn't intended. I chose 'top' only because I didn't like the term 'star team' and stylistically I preferred to use the same one.

More star players would indeed seem likely to boost attendances, but I still doubt the size of the effect of one individual. The debate is about whether Sam Tomkins' departure will seriously harm the business of the league or Wigan.

In terms of the actual product, I completely agree that he'd be a loss. He is, after all, the league's star player.