As a Saints fan even i can admit Sam is a cracking fullback,he is so dangerous joining the line and offers more in attack from fullback than he would from halfback,its obvious to anyone that has been watching that he isnt 100% but at this time of the season not many players are.The try he scored tonight was class,a great kick and he showed nice awareness and pace to touch down.

The fact is even if he is only 80% fit he offers that x factor that few in the league have.

It's not a knee jerk reaction and it is not absolute rubbish. I have been saying he should be playing 6 just about ever since he was switched to full back and giving my reasons.



And what if we can't find a SL standard 6 or hooker? There don't appear to be any available. Deacon can't do another season and when he doesn't play we do daft things like play Lockers at 6 or have Micky Mac doing the full 80 so TL can play 6.

Currently Sam is the only realistic choice to take over the 6 role. Never mind he would probably be sensational back in that position. We have no pace in the halves and he has it in spades and he would frighten e life out of defenses from there whereas at full back the top sides have him pretty much covered.


Sam Tomkins will be Wigan and England fullback for the forseeable.

Richards doesnt have the hands or creative thinking to be a fullback in our system.'"

28.30 he should have scored but if's and buts now we got beat by the better side i dont think Sam should be put back to 6 he's playing near a halfback roll atm

as a Saints fan ST is the real thing - I love watching him play

he is a fine FB and should remain there IMO not only for you lot but England also

if Sam Tomkins was injured or moved to the halves, it would be crazy not to put Matt Russell to fullback. What is the use of having one of the best young players coming through and not using him.

Brilliant fullback, and after a good rest can hopefully show that playing for England

As much I am delighted you got beat last night you don't need to over react like that. As much I dislike (yes it is jealousy) Sam Tomkins he is easily the best fullback if not player in the league. You don't need to worry where he plays you just need to make sure he is on the pitch and he will do his job.

Let's hope he can do it for England in te four nations.

Haha sorry i think a certain mr slater takes that spot and as a out and out fullback id say wello was by far superior last night realy is a credit to saints.

The problem is not Sam. The problem is the fact he is our only strike threat and as such get all the attention from the defence. You add a strike half and centre teams have to watch them as well, not just Sam.

As a Saints fan i've got to say it's an awful feeling seeing him pick the ball up from FB and not pass it to richards or charnley. Englands best FB by far.

You're problem is if Tommy plays HB you only have one very mediocre hooker in McIlorum. Tommy is a worldclass hooker & great HB, but if he is playing hooker you are weak in HBs. DEacon can fit snugly into your plays but all he can do is pass, he has no penetration & pace. A new hooker or HB should be a priority. Tomkins would probably be the best SO in SL if he played there but he is a better FB. How pleased I am your achilles heel was exposed.

As you say Sam has'nt looked fit for a few weeks now,but to have the discussion about is he a fullback or a standoff is'nt as simple as that.
This season he has carried the team at times,by not only joining in from fullback but playing standoff on the 4th and 5th tackle. At other times when clearing the lines he has been in the acting halfback posistion,which should be the hookers job.
All this workload as well as taking the high balls from the opposistion and being the last line of defence in the tackling department means he has been taking a bit of an hammering for the last few weeks.
Fans keep comparing him with Billy Slater,what makes Slater that much better is that he plays fullback,joining into the line at the ideal moment and leaving halfback work to the halfbacks.
Last night Sam was seen to be limping a few times,I hope if he has a problem he his given time to rest the injury or get it sorted and not be left to carry an injury through the 4 nations. I really think Sam is showing signs of burnout given the workload he has had to carry this season.

I think he's better in the halves, but it's tough to argue that he hasn't been effective at FB.

I'd also be very surprised if he wasn't injured for the playoffs. He's looked jaded these past three games.

This. The guy you've missed and not replaced this year is Riddell. Despite improving your pack with Lima and Hoffman you haven't had anything like the same go-forward.

At the start of the season I thought Wigan were crazy playing Tomkins at FB not 6, not least because I thought his defence/positioning/catching wasn't up to it, but he's learnt and improved on that with experience & looks a very good defensive FB, as well as the obvious attacking threat. But as said above, like Chase at Cas, when he's your only threat the good teams can work out ways to blunt him.

The truth is probably that Sam has just ran into average form for the first time in his 18 month spell at FB! Did people really expect World Class performances from him everyweek for the next 10 years!!!!!
Players have spells of good form, average form and bad form! It happens