Tomkins is probably the best young player in SL !

As a Wigan fan I would not swap him for any other player in Super League and it would have to be the cream of the crop to swap him with an overseas player, Inglis, Slater etc.

And yet in the 4N, he didn't do much; I suppose it demonstrates both our crappy coaching set-up and the gulf in quality between SL and the NRL.

Widdop was awful in the 4N, may as well write him off as well, despite him being arguably the form stand off in the NRL this year.

Who's writing people off?

The problem with me is that I'm so brilliant and far sighted it often takes a long time for me to be proved right which gives people time to conveniently forget who told them what would happen in the first place. Oh the pain of being right all the time.

Heavily ridiculed was I by Cas fans and a few on here - yet he has proved me totally right (not that any Cas fan has ever admitted it).

He was hyped beyond belief when he was to young and had done nowt, I remember the idiot Hemmings suggesting him as an England Captain at 19 - fecking fool! It's not Westermans fault IMO, it's the fault of all the bandwagon jumping sycophants who attached themselves to him, and worse certain media and RL people who should have known better but lacked the guts to say "hey hold on a minute, what's he actually done". Thumbs up to Tricky and the Cas fans for their ability to hype up the slightly above average into a world beater, a gag they are still pulling.

Now he thinks he's made it, a legend in his own mind and parts of Airdale. He will suddenly relise that he's a never was when he's about 25 and desperately try and put it right but it will be too late - he's spoilt IMO unless he's lucky and finally gets some real guidance. We never learn in this country, so desperate are we for a superstar we'd worship a monkey in a tracksuit if he could pass a ball and run a bit.

Very sad (apart from me being right).

I agree so why are Wigan ruining a natural no7 - and that's exactly what you have called him in the past - by playing him at FB?

He is a natural 6 not a 7. I personally think his strongest position is 6 and still do even though his form of late has been nothing short of stunning from 1.

No player is bigger than the team and currently Deacon, Leuleui and Finch are performing very very well in the halves. The game is changing a full back is no longer a last line of defence a fullback is now a creative extra half in the top teams in the NRL and that ethos has come over with Maguire. If Roberts could recapture the form he showed in the early part of 2010 prior to his injury scoring against Trinity I am sure Sam would still be in the halves.

He has more freedom to play a free role just like Lockyer did for so long for Brisbane and Australia before reverting back to a half. With Matty Russell coming through at Wigan and Deacon getting no younger it will be interesting to see if Wane sticks with him at 1, especially when you throw Joe Mellor into the equation as another half.

As for ruining him? Given he is probably in the form of his life at the moment and playing basically as a third half back, not quite sure where that is happening?

personally think that although good players, James Graham and Ryan Hall are overrated.

and how Paul Sykes ever got an international shirt of any kind, i will never know.

OK, he's a halfback - I see no real difference between 6-7 these days. He is wasted by Wigan because when he should be learning his trade at a position in which England lacks players instead he is doing the same in a position we are well catered for. FB is a pivotal position but it's one most half decent players can manage especially in a good team. The halves remain for me the position of kings.

You may say it's not Wigans job to produce England halfbacks and they must look after their own interests, though judging by your posts you are appear an internationalist. In which case you have to agree that the Aussies must be laughing their collective cocks off as yet another young talent is wasted playing out of position in preference to a Kiwi, an off the boil Aussie and an English player past his best?

And before you go all defensive you are not the only guilty club so I'm not picking on Wigan.

Incredible but then it was Macca who picked him, probably saw a lot of himself in the lad - mediocre!

Not sure about Graham, yeah he's been a prima donna of late but he was OK a season back. Think you will have your answer on him 6 weeks into next seasons NRL!

Paul Sykes is a great shout. I don't think I have ever seen him do anything well.

Were his form struggling then I would agree and yes I am very much an internationalist. England have no decent fullbacks either. You ask any coach what the key positions in a team are they will always identify the hooker, 13, halves and fullback. Its actually a question on the RFL coaching courses believe it or not.

Now whilst you say he is being ruined which I see no evidence of at all, did Brisbane ruin Lockyer by using him as a fullback when they are a natural half or for that matter Karmichale Hunt. The positions are interchangeable. Do i think Tomkins will return to the 6 slot, in time yes, but he is learning just fine at the moment and there are some very good halves coming through at the moment.

Widdop will make an excellent partner for Brough, and whilst Tomkins sports the 1 shirt he regularly runs the show in and around the rucks as a traditional half would.

Looking long term Matty Russell and Joe Mellor look set to make an impact next year, an outside back and half respectively.

Sam does not play as a traditional 1 in the same way as the fullback is used at Trinity and personally I do not think he is being ruined at all.

You could also say Wigan are ruining his brother by moving him to the centre, a move I did not like at first, but when was the last time we had a big strong pacey centre with great hands for England? Probably not since Newlove.

Experimenting with players excited me to be honest and can bring out new dimensions to their game.

Awful player.

Graham is a machine, rarely misses a tackle, 80 minute Prop with a low error count and tops the meters in a season year after year. With great hands close to the defensive line?

What more do you want from a Prop?!