he was the second best player in SL last year and he rarely makes mistakes.

not quite sure which player you have been watching but you are totally wrong here. It's not about opinions at all..... its about being able to see what a talented player he is.... infact he is such a good player that he has been able to switch from stand off to fullback and still be one of the best players in that position as well

Signing him wouldnt be even a slight risk... but its a pointless debate anyway because it wont be happening..

AMEN!!

i don't want to be confrontational but who says?

I agree he was bags of talent and potential. I think he is lacking in certiana areas, eg vision under pressure (bad for a fullback) He certianly is a natural to the game and appears to have a good attitude.
I think it it is about opinion, though. Just the concencus seems to be that he is amazing.

You are very right though. It won't happen.
I think next year will be the making of Sam (If he stays at FB) and I will be the first to admit how good or bad he is next season. Although i probably won't see him as much. My Wigan fan friend is going to work abroad.

How long does he have on his contract? It is 3 or 4 years right? He could be the best player in the league by then.

All of the other players in super league.

I don't see what areas he lacks in to be honest.... if you wanted to be picky you could say his kicking game needs some work....but apart from that im struggling to see anything else.

Solid in defense... great at breaking the line on his own.... lovely passer of the ball.... great reader of the game... great supporting player......where is the weakness?

I've said several times when he is one on one and heading into the line he goes down like a sack of spuds. He panics under pressure and as you said he can 't kick. These are easily fixed. They will come with playing some more and probably will make him more of a leader, which is what i'd expect from a pricey fullback)

But the point of this thread was would i rather have Hodgeson (I don't know what we paid for him but you get what it says on the tin no massive change in form from the previous 5 or 6 years) or Sam (who would cost an absolute bomb and want a great contract). I would rather have Hodgeson cause there is no garuntee Sam will be worth the money.

Some might say he already is worth the money. I'd prefer to wait a year or two. If he improves the fee would be about the same and the contract would too. Even better if he wanted to come to Warrington and was OOC then i'd have him.

It is about risk to reward. I'm not convinced yet. Just call me froogle or stupid if you want, well probably not that but he isn't top of the shopping list. Rather have a great yet old FB and then get a lockyer or someone of equal skill than have Sam and wholes in the team. As they say Strengh through the depth.

I don't think i've seen Sam panic under pressure once tbh, I'd say that his strongest quality. People have (and will continue to do so) try to break his chin to try and unsettle him and pressure him, and yet the lad stands up and goes again time after time.

He has a decent kicking game, not brilliant, but you shouldn't really need your FB to kick anyway, Sam definately has a good enough kicking game for it to be classed as a bonus for a fullback anyway.

I just don't see where you get a lot of your points from, I'd say they are from extremely selected viewing but unless you didn't watch any of the playoffs or the GF I can't see where you've seen these things. Particularly the points about panicking under pressure and being a leader, he's a natural leader.

Theres a reason he was voted the 2nd best player in the league this year in just his first (completely) full season in the game. He was the best 6 in the league, then he was the best fullback in the league. But you wouldn't swap him for a 32 yr old fullback who (although is still a quality player) is passed his best and has struggled with a lot of injuries this year.

I also think that (imo) Hodgson will still be earning a lot more than Sam. When you signed BH he was the reigning MoS and would not have come cheap.

Good point. There must have been a reason we went for him over others.

I saw a nice selection of matches with him in last season and the GF and Leeds one. I missed Leeds 2 cause i was moving in.

Kicking: who would you want to have a kicking game next year? If we were buying him i'd expect him to kick. Warrington need a kicker after Lee leaves. I'd expect us to by a good kicking play maker.

I wouldn't say he is a natural leader. He certainly deserves kudos for such things as playing on after donald elbowed him but i have never seen him lead the team around the park. I could be wrong but i thought Wigan had o'loghlin for that.

I'd probably SWAP Sam for someone in the team but the COST of BUYING him would be too much. I'm sure we got Hodgeson for a short term deal and we will move on and buy someone else or better yet have a Warrington lad in the role. It can't have cost us too much. Sam, as i have said, would be a massive investment. One that would probably pay off. In a season or two.

Jdrocket i would just give up haha. Tomkins ability whether it be at full back or half back does not need to be questioned except a kicking game which im sure he will sort out over pre season.

But you shouldn't be relying on your fullback for a kicking game. Thats what your halfbacks are for! It's a bonus if your fullback can kick, which Sam can. Maybe it isn't one of the strongest points of his game but i'd wager its still stronger than most (if not all) the other FB's in the league.

Sam is definately a natural leader, he will be Wigan captain in a few years time.

in a few years yeah

but any way, hmmm, I suppose i have been too harsh.

I still think the cost of getting him is too high.

Why is this even being discussed? Sam wont be going to Warrington for any cost.

that i can agree on.

But didn't he support Wire as a boy?