That was why the Warriors paid a transfer fee believed to be more than $750,000, as well as an annual contract that put him among the NRL's top earners.
Aside from the financial considerations, what about the other costs? What about the time and effort put into the pursuit of Tomkins by the football and recruitment staff? Did that compromise other decisions made at the time, as the Warriors became almost obsessive in their pursuit of the former Man of Steel.
What about the players moved aside to make way for the Englishman and the money not available for upgrades? And where was the due diligence to check that Tomkins was ready to live on the other side of the world?
Tomkins is a genuine talent who has added much to the Warriors. He brings a professional work ethic and has a clever arsenal of attacking skills, contributing 12 tries and 13 try assists last year.
He is one of the best fullbacks in the NRL but for the money invested, he was meant to be one of the best players in the NRL.
He hasn't had the same impact as Sam or George Burgess, nor arguably James Graham or even Gareth Widdop.
The Tomkins saga should signal the end of the Warriors' English experiments. They haven't really worked.
Right back to the first season, when inaugural chief executive Ian Robson spent astronomical amounts to sign British internationals Dennis Betts and Andy Platt. Betts - said at the time to be the world's highest-paid league player - made just 42 appearances for the club and was also allowed to leave with more than one year left on his contract.
Also on huge money was Platt, dubbed the White Elephant, who lasted 35 games and less than two seasons.
There was also the farcical signings of Leeds juniors Mason Tonks and Jordan Baldwinson ahead of the 2014 season.
At the time, it seemed crazy the Warriors were signing two young English forwards to multi-year contracts, with all the young talent on their Auckland doorstep. And so it proved. Tonks and Baldwinson both returned home early and made little or no impact on the field.
