Homesick Sam Tomkins insists it is not a foregone conclusion that he will return to Wigan Warriors when he cuts short his New Zealand Warriors stay at the end of the season.
The 26-year-old England full-back is interesting his former club, where his brother Joel plays, and Wigan have an option to bring him back to the DW Stadium.
When announcing his departure barely 18 months ago, Wigan said they could re-sign Tomkins on a “defined salary” on his return to First Utility Super League.
And while Tomkins says it would “be nice” to resume his Wigan career, he is tentatively exploring alternative options too.
Asked where he would be playing next, Tomkins said: “I’ve not worked that out just yet. The first thing was to sort it out over here that I could go back.
“Hopefully that’ll be sorted in the not-too-distant future.”
Wigan is where Tomkins launched his career, playing for the club from 2008 to 2013, so it is inevitable he should be linked with last season’s Grand Final runners-up.
“That’s where my brother’s playing and that’s where I’m from, but I’m open to other places. I’m just trying to work out what will be the best option for me,” he said.
“Wigan would be nice but I know it’s not the only team I can go to.”
Before the announcement on Wednesday morning that Tomkins will be on the move, Wigan chairman Ian Lenagan told Wigan Today: “If he became available we would be very interested.
“We’ve got the first option. If it gets to the point where he is available it is in our hands. And I’ll be delighted if that was the case.” Tomkins has been open with his current club about the reasons for wanting to leave.
Rather than not settling into the New Zealand game, it is being apart from his family and friends that has been niggling away at Tomkins, unsettling him and leaving him longing for life back in the north of England.
He told Sky Sports News: “I’ve enjoyed every minute of being amongst that group but New Zealand is pretty far from Wigan, where all my family live, so I want to be back in England around my family.
“It’ll be two years I’ve been away and to be able to go back and be around family and friends is what I’d rather be doing next year.”
State of Mind would like to wish Sam all the best wherever he plays next year