I dont think it is Tomkins the player we miss as such but the fact that we have absolutely no adequate replacement and as such it throws our entire game plan and structure into disarray. Our attacking game plan is so dependent on the full back chiming into the line and we have no other modern, attacking full back who can perform this role and our attack is just stopping dead. If we still had, for example, Roberts in his pre injury form then I think any disruption caused by the loss of Tomkins would be minimal. The salary cap doesnt really allow quality replacements when injuries occur and for me it dilutes the competition an awful lot (a totally different debate I know).

Ironically this is what i said late on in the game friday, although i was encouraged by the performance as a whole we were lacking ideas on the 2nd/3rd/4th and we just weren't gaining the yards.

and the op's statistic is worrying Mr Lenaghan

It's probably worth taking into account the opposition we've played in those games without Tomkins and also the strength of the team that we were able to put out.

I mean there weren't many complaints about our defeat to Huddersfield because we had such a depleted pack - the same goes for the Leeds game.

When we lost to Bradford last season we also had several players out.

The playoff semi against Leeds last season probably wouldn't have gone any differently with Tomkins in the team - Leeds win those games, we generally don't, particularly at home.

Put like that the statistics look poor but you really need to know more about those games and the team we had available to make any sort of judgement.

I do think we have a big issue of not being able to adequately replace Tomkins when he's injured though as neither Richards nor Charnley offer anything you'd expect from a modern fullback in that role.

It's because of our attacking structures, we ALWAYS play out the back door rugby, Sam is nearly our ONLY focal point in attack, he'll either burst through on his own or be the link to the centres-wingers.

When he's not there we lost it, because

a) we don't have many if any other attacking sets
b) we never do or possibly can replace him from that position.

With this lack of attacking options its strange we are still the top points scoring team in the league.

I also thought that our kicking game was atrocious at times. last tackle play and kicking it straight to Ryan Hall. Absolutely mind blowing.

In terms of the younger kids coming through I would have said the closest thing we had to him was Matty Russell but as he has upped sticks to Oz we are in trouble.

the couple of times i can remember us kicking to that side and Hall making a break off, i don't think was the intended play, it was forced that was from good rushing from Leeds and a poor pass on our part making us have to go to that side, what i would take issue with is Josh not getting on the inside of Hall thus letting him get a clean catch and get away easily

I hope he goes ASAP. We've had the best 2 seasons out of him

You're getting more like your father with every post.

wouldnt worry about this too much - when he goes we will change our style of play which is centred around him. at present the whole full back looping round the back thing is what we do. its fairly vogue at the minute but give it a couple of years and everyone will be laughing about it a la receiving a kikc off and kicking it back up the field or getting a tap penalty and passing it back 20 yards to run a move off a 2nd or 3rd receiver...etc etc

It may be too late by then.

What if, god forbid, he picks up an injury in late July when we have an appointment at Wembley and the playoffs to navigate without him.

Every team needs a plan B for worst case scenario - I'm yet to see ours.