Ask Ablett - he still annoyed that his forearm smash didnt actually make Sam stay down, never mind go off injured.

Those of us who watch him week in and week out will tell you that he is no wimp, he is a tough little bugger who is targetted every game and just shrugs off the rough stuff. To be unconcious is a different matter though, but i'm sure he would have been willing to come back on if he could have.

Hand on heart, how many wimps do you know take to a Rugby League field, not many. Certainly not professionally, for which I have total respect for every one of them.

If you want to see wimps - see some continental footballers feign injury / dive...etc.

I thought that when I watched it back. It's a shame it got overlooked because of the Raynor incident because it was probably the best bit of rugby in the whole game

When Tomkins went off on Sunday you seemed to lose your way.
Restrict Sam and it seems Wigan are far less of a force.

Every team has their key players, who they'd miss sorely if absent. Wire wouldn't be as effective without Briers, or Leeds without Sinfield. We're no different to any other club in that regard.

If there's one thing he isn't - it's a wimp. Tough lad IMO.

There's a difference though between restricting him and taking him out of the game by knocking him unconscious. A good example is the game against you lot at HJ last season, he was quiet until that chip over the top which led to the winning try.

I don't think it's necessarily the absence of Tomkins that causes the biggest problem, it's the rearranging of the team. Richards at fullback doesn't offer and attacking threat, which means the attacking moves which are generally well planned end up being pretty useless. Also Hoffman moving into the centres gives little attacking threat there because there's no pace and takes an awful lot out of the pack because Farrell and Tuson have to play long stints and they are both small forwards.
When Tomkins was missing against Huddersfield we still did well even though Roberts wasn't great in that game because there was a player who knew the patterns and how to attack from fullback.

my mate stu has been saying that for ages, if you restrict briers it makes no difference and if you don't it still makes no difference

Not quite, i'd say Monaghan not Briers, the old Warrington was all about Briers but with a lot of Talent around him now it makes no difference, Monaghan is the main man in making the team go forward now.

When did Briers have "a [sizelot[/size of talent around him" ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!

Fair enough, you know who's more pivotal to Wire than I do. But my point still stands, all teams have their key players, and those teams wouldn't be as effective with those key players missing.

Last 3 seasons, before that we've had some very average players as well as some world beaters Alfie being one.

sorry i meant that lee briers is ineffectual, the only thing that happens when lee briers gets the ball is that stevo gets really, really excited in quite an inappropriate way