The link with us and Soward has been going for a while now. Have a feeling that we will see Smith and Soward at 6 and 7 next season.

Russell is positionaly naive at the minute and doesn't command the high ball at all, especially in traffic. Moving Tomkins from full back would limit his game, IMO and Matty Smith is, well, poor compared to who you're losing.

Not sure I'd want him, tbh.

Even if there isn't a HB with his quality we need to replace at least one new marque signing in the side next season.

What we can't do is lose some of our top players and replace them with half decent players like Smith or good potential youngsters.

Some times you just need that tried, tested and proven ability in the squad to hold it together.

Would be very happy with Soward but I'm not holding my breath. Not OOC at St George and would probably have hopes of playing Origin again. That's the calibre of player we should be looking at though IMO, and as others have mentioned we will have a fair bit of room on the SC and OQ.

I'd say it would open up Sam's game.

He'd be exactly the same as Marshall

We're hoping another half-season on loan will improve that side of his game. I don't have any confidence in the Soward rumours, but I'd be delighted if they were true!

Soward won't come, christ, he's doing a Gasnier on us FFS.

Pretty peeved if Finch is going to NQ Cowboys after posing in their shirt, leaves a bad taste in the mouth.

IL needs to pull a rabbit out of the hat on this one, we should have a lot of space on the SC and there must be room for a superstar despite the increase in the NRL cap. Wouldn't mind Matt Cooper for a swansong plus a decent halfback.

Echoing the same as others, gutted he's going but can understand the reasons.

Hoping that IL and SW have got plans in place.

I dont think he is the same player as Marshall and we have a completely different style and structure to Wests with different players. Tomkins is a great full back and can play with freedom there and it gives the team an extra pivot. To change our style and structure to move him to a position where he may not even be as good, as well as playing an untried and untested Russell who may or may not be SL standard, is just needlessly changing too much imo and could seriously impact on our attack. I certainly would not feel confident having Russell as our starting full back next year and the jury is still out on him.

How would he not be that good?

Apart from 2 years he's always been a HB.

His debut season was at HB and he made the England squad.

The second he switches to HB he'll instantly be the best HB in SL

Cooper turnes 34 at the beginning of next season, I highly doubt the club will pay what will still probably be big money and use a quota place on him, especially as Wane has said he has brought Thornley back to replace George, plus Gelling could still end up in the centres. The money from Roberts, Finch, Leuluai, Carmont and probably Fielden should be going on 2 half backs plus the upgraded contracts from McIlorum, SoL etc

If there aren't any other quality options available I imagine Wane will simply make do with what is already available. I imagine we'd to try to sign up Mellor for another year and then use Russell, Powell or Mellor to fill in the gaps.

You could easily say how would he be that good? He has never been as good at half back as he has played from full back which suits his game and the style of player he is perfectly.

At full back he provides a 3rd pivot and can get the ball outwide with pleanty of space and time. He can be a maverick and chime into the line at will. He is not stiffled by organising and structuring the play ,which was always a weakness of his at full back and was always a weakness in the u21s. He also doesnt have to do much defensively which leaves him much fresher in attack. This 3rd pivot and playmaker benefits our attack greatly, which has been shown this season. We lose this with Tomkins at half back and gain nothing imo. Indeed the thought of an inexperienced Smith/Tomkins half back combination fills me with dread, we need at least one experienced, organising half back in there.

Its all a moot point anyway because the only way Tomkins will be going to Stand Off next season is if we cant sign a decent replacement for Finch. I was told this weeks ago by a member of the coaching staff.