Does anyone have stats for the number of times Burrow has been penalised for high tackles ? It happens quite regularly .
Tomkins does not need protecting . Barely a tackle on him goes by already without him earning (milking) a penalty .

Maybe it is just that people have gotten so used to giving away penalties on every tackle on him that they are thinking that if there's gonna be a penalty it might as well be for something worth penalising .

Sorry but still dont see the point. I see that you think Dobson needs protecting the same as Sam does. But think that Wane should speak up for a Hull KR player. Correct me if I'm wrong.

I think he's trying to say that we have no way of knowing whether Dobson gets any different treatment than Sam does and Wane has only spoken out about Sam when Dobson could indeed get similar or even worse treatment.

Maybe this is his plan? Maybe he wants the players to go after Tomkins even more, thus changing their gameplan and allowing Wigan to create a gameplan that sees the opposition rush out for Tomkins?

He could be working the media.

Isn't is enough that the RFL have already sanctioned "Sam's Kicking Zone" allowing him to kick out at opposition when the tackle has been completed without prosecution ?

Do we now need "Sam's Tackling Zone" so players can only perform a 2 handed touch on him with the referee calling the tackle based on whether or not Wigan are losing?

I'm sure the Southern Hemisphere will fully endorse these rules for the Autumn internationals too.

The problem is that the refs appear to think the same. Good players will always be a target but as in the game against Catalans, the officials seemed to deliberately ignore an attack to Sam's head.

Having looked at that challenge from the angle behind the sticks, the most dramatic thing about it is the other Catalans player who gets sent flying - and who Tomkins then hits. I agree with the RFL's ruling that there was no raised arm, that the arm deflected off the ball and that there should be no further case to answer. Unfortunately it seems the Paranoids of Parbold will never accept that every challenge on Tomkins isn't simply a deliberate attempt to maim.

Very good points.

I,m sure Tomkins is getting embarrased with it all. Especiallly after reading the Wigan Evening Mail today, Wane has been quoted as saying that he sees his Sam as like a son and if he sees hits on him, its like hitting one of his kids.

Wigan had protection from relegation a few seasons back, now they want player protection, whatever next.

He is attempting to help protect his own player as any coach would do by way of merely asking the referees to air on the side of Sam rather than the tackler. I doubt Tomkins would have had any ill feeling towards what Wane has said and will go about his usual stuff.

Of course Tomkins is a target, much like Burrow, Long et al were but thats because they are/were the better players on the team and the ones who could influence it most. Tomkins has big friends in the pack who can help him out if things get a bit messy but what happens on the field stays on the field.

There was no real reason for Wane to come out and do this except maybe grab a few headlines for Wigan as it'd been a bit quiet recently. Take a pinch of salt the lot of you!

The officials are there to referee the game and enforce the rules.
What else should be done to protect players ?
Lets face it, Tomkins himself is no "Snow White" and as I said earlier, he could help himself by not "show boating" which is only done to wind up the opposition players and fans.

Dont get me wrong, Tomkins has masses of talent and is worth the entrance fee on his own, but Wane's comments are similar to the kind of thing Ferguson comes out with in the round ball game and this also comes accross as though his team are so special that they should be treated differently.
Nobody can condone deliberate foul play when it is intended to cause harm, but it does happen and its up to the officials and then the disciplinary panel to sort these things out.

Well your prediction was correct LTS. We're already easily at eight entertaining pages.