Despite giving heavy criticism and still believing he should be released; I’m in full agreement with your post.

Good shout.

He has to go. You cant behave like that.

The RFL need to sort it out. Why are they always silent in these situations? The NRL wouldn't have it!!!

I don't understand why top pro athletes during a season feel the need to go out and get totally wasted. Have some professional pride and look after yourself. Drinking as much alcohol as possible isn't doing any good.

The drinking issue is a point I’ve not see discussed too much and I’m with you. I noticed during our pre season in particular both in person at the same bars sometimes and in pictures on social media that our lads seemed to be out pretty much ever weekend and that theme looks to carry on throughout a good portion of the season.

I’m not the guys need to live like nuns but IMO they should be really limiting what alcohol they’re taking on board in all parts of the year other then when they’re in the off season and not pre season. That doesn’t mean they can’t have ‘a couple’ after a game or a few sociable ones in the week if they have a day off the following day but getting in states like that is poor form for me. I’ve been as drunk as they were in that video on plenty of occasions (without the need to be a total tool I may add) rightly or wrongly and it takes days to get that fully out of your system. Luckily I have a job we’re I can sit and waste away for a few days unlike these lads. It’s something the club needs to get a grip on.

Since it came out we’ve banged on about the culture at the club and in KR’s statement he mentions it as well. The only way to ram that home is by the sacking of Joel Tomkins; that would hammer it home that misbehaviour will not be tolerated and if one of SW’s self confessed biggest mates is released - what does that tell the rest of the squad?

Referencing back to rubber duckie’s post, it is imperative that support is given to Joel post disciplinary action.

I have said the same thing for years both on here and on Mike's board. It's been a surprisingly unpopular view.

It'll take someone like JT at 31 longer to recover from a binge than a 21 year old as well. It's surprising how the recovery time is affected by that 10 year difference. Any senior player wanting to prolong their career at a top club ought to be more careful IMO.

News tomorrow on his future.

Really hope he's gone, It might stop future arsing around

There isn’t much performance to prolong these days, or these last few years for that’s matter

I have a user name of a player from the 80’s but I’m only 34 myself and I can testify to it being far more difficult to get over a big drinking session now then it was 10 or even 5 years ago. I do not have a job that needs me to be in peak physical condition (just as well) but if I did and I was being paid handsomely to do it and I was passionate about being the best I can be, I’d like to think I’d stay away from these huge sessions.

I look at them in that video and that isn’t 5 or 6 sociable pints. I have no problem with them having that amount now and again but the state they’re in (and I don’t limit it just to those two as I’m sure plenty of others have been in that state from this squad at some point without the last year or two) has come on the back of drinking massively excessive amounts of alcohol and as professional athletes they just shouldn’t be doing it (in season) IMO.

They look ‘Mad Monday’ level and that can’t be right.

As I rapidly approach 30yrs old I can absolutely testify to the prolonged hangover. It takes me a good solid 3/4 days to recover mentally, physically and emotionally from a session.

God knows how I managed it when I was 18. Two weeks solid bingeing on holiday with the lads and I landed back home Saturday morning and was up King St that night.

Thankfully for me I’ve also never held a job that requires me to be in absolute peak fitness, although a decent level is required. If I was good enough to make SL level as a player all those stories of drunken escapades and solid lengthy sessions wouldn’t be a thing. Part of being a professional athlete is discipline both in and more importantly OUT of work. They’re role models, not just to the young players but the older players such as open age players. I know I based my game on Jamie Peacock.

If an 18yr old academy player saw Joel and Sam doing this up King St or another player having a set to or someone else snorting something what example does that give? What does that say to that player? It would have told me that I could do as I please as I play for Wigan.

I’ve said it before but if this culture at Wigan truly is about team and self discipline; Joel has to go especially after the two assaults caught on camera. It may seem drastic, draconian even but it send out one hell of a message to the younger players at the club.

I can't disagree with that at all BUT the more worrying thing for me are the posters on here who seek to excuse the behaviour (they should be able to have a drink , they are not role models,players have always done it, it is only what other people do etc etc ad nauseum, ). As professional athletes I find it shocking that during the season some (not all) players think it acceptable to over indulge to that level.

You often have the quote "its only a short career they need to get as much money as they can",I have seen that argument used with the Sam Tomkins move. I agree with that aspect, you need to look after yourself financially but some of the players are not mature enough to realise that their career is going to be a lot shorter if they dont look after themselves.

So do I. The "they aren't role models" one gets me as well. I can only assume those saying so have not been involved with a sports club much and witnessed how more senior players are looked up to by juniors and and younger players. Coaches encouraging their young players to emulate the senior pros if they want to succeed and so on. Totally undermines the whole ethos.

50/50 on this. The role model aspect is for younger players to take the good habits and use them to improve their game but not necessarily copy their lifestyle. I played for years and one of our older, better players always turned up early for training and it was a habit I picked up. He also had a smoke at half time but it didn’t make me start smoking!
Parents / guardians should be the best role models

The old phrase springs to mind... if Joel put his hand in the fire, would you? Probably not.