£100,000-plus-a-year centre but we don't want to do that' Well said IL. www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague ... ml&BID=480 www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyu ... acens.html? Apologies if this has been put on here. Also good Joel/Faz article www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard- ... farrell.do?

£100,000-plus-a-year centre but we don't want to do that' Well said IL. www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague ... ml&BID=480 www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyu ... acens.html? Apologies if this has been put on here. Also good Joel/Faz article www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard- ... farrell.do?

Quite interesting that it was Joel who approached Union

Is it just me, but reading about Andy Farrell coaching in Union, Shaun Edwards coaching in Union, Owen Farrell, Chris Ashton and now Joel Tomkins all in Union just totally depresses me. These guys are Wiganers! Faz and Sean should be in League! Ashton, Farrell and Tomkins should still be with Wigan.

Imagine Faz and Sean still at Wigan coaching.

Owen Farrell, Ian Thornley, Chris Ashton and Joel Tomkins all still in League playing in the same side, complimenting the talent we already have. People say - "you can't keep them all" - but I bloody well want to keep them all! We identify them, we train them, we use our resources to help these players fulfill their potential and we should get to keep them.

Imagine:

Edwards, Farrell and Wane coaching.

Chris Ashton
Josh Charnley
Ian Thornley
George Carmont
Pat Richards
Sam Tomkins
Brett Finch
Stuart Fielden
Thomas Leuluai
Lee Mossop
Gaz Hock
Joel Tomkins
Sean O'loughlin
-------------------
Owen Farrell
Paul Prescott
Jeff Lima
Harrison Hansen

Yes, another dummy spit, but god it's so frustrating to see other clubs and now other sports benefit from our excellent academy! I would love to see those players in the same side coached by the immortal legends of years gone by. That's the way it should be. That team just screams Wigan and they would win everything too!

Agreed Cadoo. I hate seeing people we developed in another sport.

Its like we are being punished for putting the effort in.

Totally. I never find articles like that interesting, only gut-churning.

I know it's a simplistic response, but I still blame the British game's non-achievement culture which seemed to set in when the 'stop Wigan at all costs' mentality took charge at Red Hall. Though I now support the cap, so long as it's modified as per the new guidelines, I still reckon its original implementation was tantamount to us raising a white flag and saying: "We can't compete at the highest level any more, and that's all there is to it. From here on, we're more interested in being a small, evenly-balanced game than reaching for the stars."

Ultimately of course, it was inevitable given the lack of finance in the game, but no wonder so many top performers started looking at pastures new. Even the occasional returnees have given no cause for celebration - Henry Paul, Iestyn Harris, Karl Pryce and Lee Smith (in his case after only 6 months) were so badly retarded as athletes during their stint in Union that none of them were any more than shadows of their former selves. For all Andy Farrell's glib chat, I suspect that should Joel come back, it will take him years to restore himself to 'Michael Maguire' form, if he ever manages it.

Let's not pretend that this whole affair isn't a tragedy for Rugby League, because it is in so many ways.

Good to hear Lenagan mention Josh Charnley as a potential centre. He's got all the skills to play in that position IMO. If he is moved there he'll need some patience defensively but he'll get there. His defensive play on the wing really started to improve at the back end of the season so he's obviously got the ability to learn.

I'd get an experienced head outside him though in either Roberts or a move I favour Pat Richards. That way we'd get some extra pace outside Carmont if Roberts or possibly King went on that side.

I would rather he went to Australia and brought a good right centre over because currently we don't have anyone good enough. I fear for the right side of our defence next year.

When a player goes to union they always say the player came to them. Farrell, Edwards and the rest of them are proper turncoats. Joel how can you defend him ? Wigan give him five year deal which he was happy with and then he want to leave for a deal thats is not that lucarative and tells people he want to play union and tries to tell us everyone in rl ru can see there something special about to happen at saracens what a joke. The bottom line is joel now has been brain washed by RU people and he thinks grass is greener. Sam has been bent over backwards for and given a fortune but still does not look to pleased and in 3 yrs after we had made him even more successfull he could go and play in the ru world cup any other player thats given so much money to player a game they so call love they wouldnt even think about leaving before the 5 yr is up seems funny he can be brought off wigan 12 month before ru wc and no money will cushion the blow just hope he doesnt do it. To say he can go hes achieved everything he can in league so go is even if he wins the RLWC2013 the more success he has the more vital it is for him to stay imo once they go to union we will never get him back and give it a few years and everyone in the world will have forgot he even came from RL

I take it you've never changed jobs in your life then?

I can't people people are believing the 5 year deal was signed with a view to him seeing out his contract. I think we gave him 5 years knowing there was a possibility he would be off at the end of the season, and through giving him this lengthy contract allows Wigan to get more compensation for the player. Simple really.

Correct.

Its the exact same situation as working for a company, and being offered 4 times the annual salary to go and work for another company, to suggest he is a "mercenary" is quite frankly, embarrasing.

I agree, however I think the whole situation with Joel has been sort of swept under the carpet. If he has approached Union with a view to going there then IMO that is as bad as what Ashton did, with the shirt situation. Difference with Joel is, he has a brother who is a world class player and most fans (including myself) attention immediately turned in trying to keep Sam in RL.