Tuimoala Lolohea is a rising star of New Zealand. I saw him play full back when Samuel Tomkins was previously injured and he was brilliant; very fast. He has been selected at centre for the first rounds of 2015 until this coming week. He can also play winger and five eighth. I just worry that he might play so well that he is preferred to Tomkins at full back. The NZ Warriors is flush with back line talent. I would have said that they could try Samuel Tomkins at No 6 but Chad Townsend has been outstanding there so far this year (much better than last year). I just hope that Samuel gets back at full back with Tuimoala Lolohea at centre or wing.

BTW the Kiwi team is going to be even stronger at the end of this year than last because of the rising young talent coming through, not only at the NZ Warriors (e.g. Sydney Roosters' outstanding young back rower Siosiua Taukeiaho ).

Lolo should be replacing Townsend, not Sam.

Townsends kicking game is gash!

Sam.

The Weird OP seems to have something about spelling out the first names of players in full.

Why Worry? if that happens then it may push forward Samuels return to SL, and it obviously strengthens our league.

Quite frankly though, if the NZ Warriors have stacks of players of outstanding quality waiting in the wings ready to oust mr Tomkins then they must be on the verge of something special at that club in the coming years so good luck to them.

NZ Warriors have always flattered to deceive. They have a massive production line of talent (see last few U20 Grand Final Victories) and a great many of their fans questioned the signing of Sam.

Given that it is practically unheard of for journalists to refer to a player exclusively by his forename (aside from maybe bylines or headers) my guess is that Tomkins has negotiated with one or more to do so.

Branding is big business in sport. And setting oneself apart from all the other products on the shelf is a key component. A housewife and first-time-viewer in Leicester mightn't know jack about the game of RL. But if one player out of thirty four is consistently referred to solely by his forename - you can be sure she will think there must be something special about him (even if her eyes disagree).

Better still if you can further set yourself apart by, say, signing a visual motif in midair (copyrighted trademark - all rights reserved) to the camera (see Usain Bolt). But the REAL PROS double down by combining the former with an entire idiomatic syntax which - if they are remarkably successful - seeps into the common language by a peculiar feat of osmosis (see Mo Farrah and the endless series of godawful uses the prefix "Mo-" has been put to since the London Olympics).

Marshall McLuhan predicted all this. Sure, he was a nut. But this is a crazy, madcap world we're livin' in.

I don't want to see Samuel Tomkins back in Super League yet. He is a very good ambassador for English rugby league, and along with James Graham, the Burgess twins, and Gareth Widdop, will make Australians more likely to attend or watch international games involving England, especially during the 2017 World Cup. (I hope that more quality English players, like Kallum Watkins and Christopher Hill, will be lured to the NRL by the start of the 2017 season).



I think that you are right about Samuel Tomkins facing a great array of talent for the positions he can play. Just look at the NZ Warriors talent on the injury list at the moment:

Glen Fisiiahi (Injured - shoulder)

Ngani Laumape (Injured - knee)

Mason Lino (Injured - shoulder)

Samuel Rapira (Injured - hamstring)

David Fusitu'a (Injured - shoulder)

Kenneth Maumalo (Injured - hamstring)

Konrad Hurrell (Injured - knee)

Samuel Tomkins (Injured - knee)


Tomkins, Fusitua and Hurrell are all deserving of a place if fit. That will mean that Fusitua takes one wing spot, one of this week's good centres (Vete) is dropped for Hurrell, and Tuimoala goes from full back to centre in place of Allwood, But Laumape, who was very good as wing or centre last year, misses out --- unless the coach drops Chad Townsend and moves Lolohea to five eighth. But that won't happen this season if the Warriors keep playing well and winning with Townsend. A team that cannot find a place for a powerhouse centre or winger like Ngani Laumape or a flying full back or winger like Glen Fisiahi is overflowing with talent.

Who dares say that there is not enough local talent for a second NZ NRL team?

If Lolohea shines at fullback, Tomkins will come back in at 6. Townsend has had one good game but is generally gash. Sam becoming a regular 6 will be good for England too.

Vete is a prop not a centre. You're slipping.

If Samuel Tomkins comes in at 6 for England then you are forced to bring in Zachary Hardaker at full back, which could create problems in the 2017 World Cup in Australia. Sydney is a well known habitat for people who are openly and celebratorily homosexual, and Zachary may well go berserk during his nights off in Darlinghurst and Kings Cross.

If Hardaker is not to your taste you could always pick Stefanopoulos Ratchford.

Well at least he could enjoy the Greek restaurants in Darlinghurst, without feeling uncomfortable in the way that Zachary would be.

Maybe Tomkins needs to go to six. I mean, he's played well at full back for the Warriors. But given that of all the SL "stars" joining the NRL, Tomkins was broadly touted as being the best of them - and yet he has yet to eclipse the performances of Burgess(es?), Graham - maybe even Gareth Ellis.

To be honest, I never figured Tomkins to be a full back. That said, Wigan didn't seem to like him at six.