Both irreplaceable, but for me Briers is a giant loss for Wire.

The ball has gone through his hands for the best part of 15 years. I've got absolutely no fear of Myler and Ratchford.
And to just compare the pivots

Bowen, Smith, Green, Mcilorum, O'Loughlin

Russell, Ratchford, Myler, Higham, Harrison


I'll take ours anyday

The news today was like an early Xmas present.

Loving the fact that

1-he never managed to win the league
2-he never signed for a big club
3-he never gained any sort of international recognition
4-his last game was a heartbreaking defeat to us in the Grand Final. To send him packing off the back of a defeat makes it soooooo much sweeter.

Good riddance

Nice guy Sgt Pep, the answer is Tomkins btw, as much as I'll miss him there has been a transitional period without many other fans noticing. Ratchford and Myler actually have a very good understanding of each other. Briers has missed a fair few games last couple of seasons and we've still done well.
Your record without Tomkins is worrying, isn't it something like 80% loss rate without?

I'm not sure it's that high, but you're right it isn't great!

I'm sure wires record without Briers in the past 6 or 7 seasons isn't great either

Your right it wasn't but we learned how to win without him, something you guys now have to adapt.

Cry baby Briers is a massive loss for Wire, Tomkins is a massive loss for English rugby League...

In my opinion, Tomkins isn't even OUR biggest loss. Pat is! 11 points per game is tough to replace.

Saints are plenty big

Btw it's not like I wasn't reporting facts is it.

No league medals, no GB caps and his last game was a defeat to a double winning Wigan side.

Sending him out on a big fat L is almost as good as when we did it to KFC.

Very good point.

Tomkins is clearly a significant loss but I suspect that Matty Bowen may well surprise a few next season and could well be the perfect replacement next season (don't be surprised if Wigan extend his contract).

However we still have no replacement for Pat Richards in relation to his record with the boot.

Excellent point.

Briers didn't have quite the same influence for Wire last year anyway so I don't think he'll be quite the loss he would have been a year or two back. His experience will be a loss though and to lose so much in one go must be a worry when you consider Hodgson and Morley have gone through the door as well.

Overall though Tomkins is the bigger loss. He was the catalyst for our rebirth as a trophy winning side imo and whilst we wouldn't have got to where we have without Ian Lenagan, Mike Maguire or Shaun Wane, none of those would have had the success without Tomkins IMO.

Shaun Wane will be coaching a Wigan side next year without Sam Tomkins in it for pretty much the first time in his whole Wigan career. He's had Sam in his sides from u18's to u21's right through to the first team and they've been fantastic for each other. It's going to be a real test for Wane but one I'm sure he'll pass.

You say it as if we haven't replaced him. We have Matty Bowen now and Dan Sarginson who can do a job at Full-Back. We're not going to be using Hampshire/Tierney as starting fullbacks next season so theres no problem.

You say that like they're all as good as Tomkins