A few comments about Locke, Leuluai and Johnson from some NZ Warriors fans:

Leuluai - Mediocre. No speed or real attacking spark so far. Some good short passing and individual strength. He looks like a 9 playing 6.

Locke - Good. One of our best performing players on attack this year. Right up there in line break assists, try assists and offloads. Very solid positional defender however has been left a bit exposed by crap support when attempting to diffuse bombs. I would be very unhappy if we let him go, he is one of the GENUINE talents we have.

Johnson - Improving. Seems to have lost a fraction of his speed but has made up for that with some better option taking and structured play. Still a great deal of improving to do in many areas but has shown an improvement in most areas. not a great defender by any stretch. This guy is the future of this club and any deal that released him to another club would be suicide. I personally would come very very close to cutting ties with the Warriors if Locke and or johnson were moved on.

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Locke was seen as one of the most talented players to come through the Warriors system. He carved up nearly every week in the U20s. I think in the right environment he could take his game to the level we all know he can play at. At his worst he's a solid, NRL fullback who is very strong defensively (makes great reads), at his best he can almost do it all. Good link man in attack, good line breaker, good kicking game (he used to play 6), good support play and he's always in the right position.

Leuluai started off incredibly slow, but has gotten a lot better as he has gotten used to the NRL. I wrote him off pretty early, and I still don't think he should be in the halves, but he is proving me wrong. I don't quite know where he's going to plateau, but he is getting better every week so far. At the level he's playing at now, I'd say he would be a great ESL half again, but in the NRL he probably needs to be a hooker.

There's no way we're gonna let go of Johnson. The kid is everything, good and bad. He can be disinterested, or he can try too hard and try to create everything himself. He has defensive frailties as is pretty standard for a half, but he's a big half. He's so talented that if he put together a year of playing at his best, he'd most likely win Dally M and he could single handedly take the Warriors quite far. He's very similar to Benji Marshall, who is on and off, but an absolute freak when he wants to be.

I'd be surprised if any of those three were involved in a deal anyway. I could possibly see Leuluai, if his missus is homesick but not the other 2. If Tomkins was replacing them they'd be in high demand in the NRL and teams over there would outmuscle us financially.

I'd love to be proven wrong on that score and proven wrong in my belief that Tomkins will be at Saracens in 7-8 months time.

Check S.Johnson out on YouTube no way is he coming over here for anyone

It would never have entered my head that Johnson would come over, but then a few months ago it would never have entered my head that Wigan could be induced to let Tomkins go before the end of his five year deal, let alone before the end of his sacrosanct first three years.

So it's a balancing act.

If New Zealand Warriors want Sam, they're gonna have to cough up for him - big time. And if I was in charge, it wouldn't be for cash. We've already got loads of cash, most of which we're not allowed to spend anyway. Likewise, I wouldn't even entertain the idea of getting a bunch of replacement nobodies in exchange for our hottest property. It's like for like, or no deal at all - and NZ Warriors can bugger off.

Exactly the same would apply to Saracens, though I think they'd have even less chance, as there's no one at all on their books who I'd be remotely interested in.

As I say, that's if I was in charge.

Don't underestimate the value of cash, even if we can't spend it on players because of the cap. Our training facilities, and our back-room staff, for example, are the envy of the league, and all have to be paid for.

Yeah, but not with a once-in-a-generation player.

Sorry Geoff, I must disagree with you on this.

Letting Sam go would be a monumental blow to the Wigan fans. I'm sure IL realises that all the good will he's deservedly earned through making so many improvements to our club could be lost if we were to lose a lad of that calibre and not get something very good indeed in return.

If the coaching staff are happy with any players offered all well and good but how could you be fully satisfied with anybody be Tomkins replacement unless it was Slater or Inglis?

Ultimately cash may be the best thing for us. We can then target our own choices as replacements for cash fees rather then having to make do. If Union offer a million quid(the figure I'd want) but NRL teams won't match it (and they won't come near) then we have to look after number one and take it.

Give us a £1m to play with and if I were in charge I'd have cash offers on the table for Johnny Lomax, Daryl Clarke and Eorl Crabtree straight away. Cash would give us that freedom to pick who we want rather then being fed magic beans from the NRL.

Sean Long has tweeted that he has handed in his notice at Salford.

MEN saying widely expected to sign on at wigan to coach u19's.

Quote: pk "MEN saying widely expected to sign on at wigan to coach u19's.'" www.loverugbyleague.com/news_117 ... coach.html

Quote: pk "MEN saying widely expected to sign on at wigan to coach u19's.'" www.loverugbyleague.com/news_117 ... coach.html

Mixed feelings from me if that was the case.

The pros and cons are at polar opposites when it comes to Longy

A few more players being linked with a move to Aus...

rlhttps://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/rugby_league/4894042/Ryan-Atkins-targeted-by-rugby-union-sides.html?utm_medium

I've also seen a few tweets from "in the know" Aussies who reckon Samkins will defo be in the NRL next season.

I honestly believe that losing Tomkins mid-contract would be akin to losing Hanley mid-contract. Not because Sam is as good as Ellery was - he isn't yet. But because he's the most exciting player we've had at Wigan in a generation, and he's not even reached his prime yet - plus almost all our attacking moves are built around him

Sam isn't just another good player who we can learn to live without if we get some sparkling new changing rooms in return. Or even if we get a wad of cash to spend on new players, because prising the likes of Crabtree, Lomax etc away from their current clubs could take forever, if it ever happens.

I can only speak for myself here, but knowing how devastating this loss would be to the Wigan fans - especially after we were promised Sam would stay for at least three years - then I would demand like for like in player terms - two or maybe three current NZ or Aus internationals, and if the buyers don't like it they can wait until Sam's contract runs out, even if that means he sits on the bench sulking, in the meantime.

This is much more than just another transfer. It's an exceptional circumstance, and it needs to be treated that way.

Only a BBC article but seems to be suggesting he has something lined up with you guy's. Personally I'd love to have him back at Saints in some capacity, a real winner. www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-league/22219676

Only a BBC article but seems to be suggesting he has something lined up with you guy's. Personally I'd love to have him back at Saints in some capacity, a real winner. www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-league/22219676

Apparently we'd be interested in him, but, only in a part time role. Not sure whether he would take that up. Could well see him going back to Saints.