As far as I understand its Wane who's asking for the protection for Tomkins. I don't see any request from Sam to be treated differently. I'm quite sure he's capable of looking after himself. If not we could see the following scenario: Visitors dressing room - referee enters and instructs said visitors to "lay off Sam, but you can knock sh*t out of the others".

You couldn't make it up (unless your name's Wane).

I don't see Sam making any complaint. He has no need to learn lessons from anyone and anyone questioning his bravery is a fool.

Almost every single player who gets hold of Sam tries to smash/hurt him. He's THE danger player and probably an annoying sod to face and if you can quieten him you're doing your team a favour. He takes probably more hits and niggle because of this. I've seen him take shot after shot and lots of extra 'treatment' and I've yet to see him complain or take a backward step.

ps. Burrow's height is the reason for so many high shots, not his skill.

Tomkins hasn't said anything so what are you going on about? It's Shaun Wane who made the comments, not Tomkins.

And as for your suggestion as to what Tomkins should do after receiving a high shot, he already does. Like after the one from Ablett.

That post is quite representative of the fairly hilarious hyperbole surrounding Tomkins.

P.s poor tackle technique, fatigue and laziness are why Burrow takes so many headshots.

I think Tomkins should be protected more by refs if obvious intent and attempts to injure him are made, I haven't seen this maliciousness yet and don't believe many players intentionally try to 'hurt' a player just rough him up abit

I agree that Burrow takes too many head high shots, but players like Crabtree are going to find it hard to get down to a safe hight, the same excuse doesn't exist for Tomkins. Indeed his hight should mean he gets less high tackles (as would Crabtree's hight).

I don't know of any occasion where Tomkins has been looking for any excuses. Indeed, I don't see Tomkins taking a backward step. JJB hit him in the Leeds game and Tomkins was there, in his face. I can't think of a time that Tomkins hasn't got up and got on with it this year.

I'm not sure what you are alluding to about Wigan fans being on dodgy ground. I hardly think that any comments about a certain Leeds player injuring himself whilst coming foul play as vaguely the same thing, nobody wished that on McGuire. There is a view that Karma is a bitch about the subject, but if anything my experience of the Wigan fans and forum is that there are very very few people whom would wish an injury on any player.

Do you need my to explain what if means to you?

Ablett caught Tomkins with a high shot two years ago, get over it, it was hardly a Mick Cassidy or Terry Newton level of Shithouseness

Don't be silly. Have you seen every minute of every SL game this year and in person? If not then it's best that you don't make any comments about any game or player this year based on your point.

BTW - also, don't comment on any comment or topic on the board unless you have read every single piece of text....

Burrows height isn't an excuse, a foul is a foul.

And I was posing a hypothetical question I was posing about Tomkins moaning, I have seen plenty of players look to the ref, rather than just knuckling down. In fact being able to dust yourself is, always has been, and hopefully always will be part of our game. RL pretty much personifies the old creed 'it's not how hard you get hit, it's how many times you can get back up'

And sadly a depressingly high number of Wigan fans who did wish injury on Mcguire, and there are sadly, people who would argue Tomkins getting injured would be 'karma being a bitch'

Wane* is talking about protection for Sam Tomkins. If what is happening to Sam, is happening to other players throughout the league then it doesn't make it acceptable. What Wane is doing foremost is looking to protect his player.

Regardless of what goes in on in all games, in the games involving Sam, Wane has noticed that foul play is occuring quite frequently against his star player.

And what you, for no obvious reason, fail to see is that frequency is a relative concept

Actually an intelligent piece of PR by Wane this. Places the refs in an awkward position now re: any vigorous tackle on Sam. Could lead to a lot more penalties awarded Wigan's way. It's really just a coach trying to give his team every advantage he possibly can. Fair play to him.

BTW, a significant factor of Burrow being "hit high" is that alot of the time he just loses his footing when trying to step defenders and actually falls into arms that are at a perfectly acceptable height. It's not the defenders' problem that Rob is of small stature & sometimes loses his footing. But a penalty often arises.

Suggesting someone can learn a lesson from someone else implies they aren't doing the thing you're suggesting they can learn. Therefore it doesn't matter whether you use the word 'if', you're still insinuating that the lesson needs to be learned. That was my objection to what you wrote.

And there's no need to be defensive. It can't be helped if the most obvious example of Tomkins brushing off a tackle and not complaining was after a high shot from a Leeds player.

But he has no way of knowing if that is normal right across the league just as you don't.
As an example I have seen Micheal Dobson battered during some games.
It happens but Wane isn't interested in all that apparently he just wants little Sam protected.
You seem to have a similar opinion.
As Smokey rightly says (God I can't belive I have just said that!!) it is all relative which is why I said this.