Super League Betting: Tomkins return makes Wigan the team to watch

Ralph Ellis
30 July 2014

Joel Tomkins showing the power that will boost Wigan

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Joel Tomkins makes his return for Wigan Warriors tomorrow night. Ralph Ellis says the impact of a player who is there for love not money will make a difference when the medals are handed out...

"The impact of what is effectively a star new signing for Wane’s side could be just the thing to drive them through to retaining their title – they are currently 3.814/5 to be Grand Final winners."

There are plenty of stories at this time of year of players claiming to put their career ahead of their pay packet. From Ashley Cole dropping about £160,000 a week to move to Roma, to 38-year-old Jamie Cureton dealing with London property prices to go on turning out in League Two at Dagenham and Redbridge, it's a familiar theme.

There's nothing sports fans like more than the feeling that their heroes are performing because they love the game and not just for what drops into their bank account. So you can expect Joel Tomkins to get an extra welcome from Wigan fans when he steps back into Super League tomorrow night.

After more than four years playing rugby union for Saracens he's taken a big drop in his £400,000 a year pay packet to go back to his roots. And he's done it simply because he's realised that the 13-man code is his favourite form of playing the game.

This is definitely not a case of a player moving back across the codes because his attempt to switch failed to work out. Tomkins did well enough with Saracens to share in trophy winning success, and to force his way into the England side, even if it was only for one cap.

But he grew up playing rugby league, clearly prefers the game, and will line up tomorrow against Salford Red Devils with a fresh enthusiasm for his boyhood sport. "The top and bottom of it is I enjoy playing rugby league more than I enjoy rugby union," he has said.

That zest will bring big dividends for Wigan coach Shaun Wane in the final few weeks of the Super League season, following last weekend's shock defeat to Bradford Bulls. At a point in the campaign where tiredness can begin to take a toll, the dressing room at the DW Stadium will get a boost of boyish desire just to play the game.

It's surprising how that sort of attitude can spread through a team, and the impact of what is effectively a star new signing for Wane's side could be just the thing to drive them through to retaining their title - they are currently 3.814/5 to be Grand Final winners.

The loss of Joel's brother Sam at the start of this season was always going to be a tough blow for the Warriors to recover from. But Wane has brought through young players from the club's youth system and before the surprise loss at Bradford there was momentum on his side.

Another Tomkins turning out will recover that feelgood factor, and despite a four-point gap to the top of the table it is still not too late for the Warriors to end up as Regular League Season winners too.

With three of their five games at home, including one against second placed Leeds, and a vastly superior points difference, Wigan are still in the hunt. The current spread is between 4.84/1 and 15.5 and trying to get something matched near the top end of that range must be well worth a punt.