Tomkins’ displays this year are showing that he is still a class player, he may have lost a little pace but has compensated with increased creativity. I’d say Barba is the better player but not by as much as some are taking pleasure in claiming.

That said I’d still take Tomkins over Barba in my team on the grounds that I expect Barba to be back off to Australia sooner rather than later where as I’d hope for at least 3 more good seasons from Tomkins. Just for the record even though he plays for the old enemy I’d like Barba to stay in SL as the competition is better with players of his ilk.

Barba for me, purely based on his team play. Tomkins lacks this

If we are comparing now as Superleague Players then Barba has stats that Tomkins really struggles with as an overall impact game.

Barba wins for trys 8 v 1, tackle busts 45 v 19, clean breaks 7 v 2. Tomkins is level on try assists 7 v 7 and errors are even also. Surprisingly Tomkins is well down on metres with Barba double what Tomkins is achieving 600 metres Barba Tomkins 300 metres, obviously stats don't mean everything but the difference in ratios are hard to ignore.

Right now probably Barba. In 6 months time probably Tomkins (when Barba ditches Saints to go back to the NRL).

Don't mean now. When Barba was at his best he had the best FB in the world to compete with for that Jersey. Not forgetting there was also Jarryd Hayne on the scene.

You are right he was sensational in those years, was truly box office. I honestly thought he was going to be a big success in the NRL. I think unluckily for him he was probably too small to play full back long term in the NRL.

Escare is a better full back and a better half than Tomkins. Escare is quite simply a better player than Tomkins.

He clearly isn’t that high impact runner anymore and I’ll freely admit Barba is an alround more dangerous and better player but Tomkins is still top class at this level. His main area of strength is highlighted within those stats. He is creating so many chances for others and his tally of 7 doesn’t tell the full tale tbh. He’s played one less game then Barba and in the Widnes game alone the team bombed 2 or 3 openings he created.

A better Barba vs Tomkins debate would be Barba 2018 when he’s at his explosive best verses the last season when Sam Tomkins still had that explosive running game. That was in 2012 (he started to struggle with injury in 2013 before his NRL move) when Tomkins finished with 28 try’s and 33 assists in the league. He made 156 tackle busts, 37 clean breaks and racked up just shy of 3,500 metres. He was unplayable at times including a couple of performances against Saints at the Etihad and Leeds at Headingley which were as good as anything I’ve ever seen.

If Barba finishes with those sort of numbers in 2018 then as a rugby league fan first and foremost, I’ll enjoy watching him.

Barba was garbage last year, sure he's doing very well in a very good St.Helens team AT THE MOMENT, it's when your team is on its heels that a class player stands head and shoulders above the rest. That isn't Barba.
On current form, Barba but at their peak I'd have rat-boy for all his negatives.

Barba was garbage last year because he was 2 stone overweight and was thrown into a team with a 4 or 5 games to go in a pivotal position. Even then he showed a few glimpses of class.

Could well be the case. I'd also throw the number of games we play into the mix. Barba has yet to play a full English season. Let's see if his enthusiasm and sharpness is still evident after another 25 games, say.

If we take each player at their peak, it has to be Barba as Tomkins never proved himself at the highest level. (he did regularly tear us a new one though)

In todays game, there is no comparison. Barba all day long. However, if you compare them both in their pomp, ie, Barba in 2012 and Tomkins before he did his knee and Barba is still light years ahead.

Regards

King James

Barba was a star in a higher quality competition and has continued in the same vein over here. Whilst Ratboy was big over here he was certainly not in NZ. Barba all day long for me!!

Over the course of a third of a season Amos Roberts was playing better rugby than Barba until the rugby posts more or less ended his career.