England launches $5m NRL raid

[Pierced Soul]

sounds like a media beat up probably incited by managers who are trying to drive up contract prices.

the reality is that players such as lockyer and thurston have probably knocked back offers in the past so it's purely financial.

if they want origin players i heard turner is being offloaded by melb

 

[Mr. Fahrenheit]

why do you think that is? ... because there are f**k all english players in good teams ...

england across all sports - cricket, league, football ... are obsessed with having the premium talent from around the world and will pay ridiculous amounts of money for it at the expense of their national team

name me the number of non English players in Leeds or St Helens... honestly, can you?

 

[adamkungl]

Yes but we're talking domestic comps, not international sides.

I fail to see your point.

My point is I don't believe the gap in playing quality between SL and NRL is shrinking. The skill level in the NRL has not decreased in my opinion, and SL getting better is debatable. Whether it is more entertaining to you is an entirely different and irrelevant story.

 

[HevyDevy]

Because when players leave the NRL for England they can't be replaced - not straight away.

If 20 experienced first-graders leave, the 20 players that come in to replace them - even if they are talented -will take time to reach the same level that those 20 departees were at.

When the same thing happens every season, a massive hole develops. We saw it with the generally rubbish standard of football we saw in the NRL this season (with some exceptions).

 

[Brownie.Kougari]

Yes, that's the way to move the English game forward...

merkins...

 

[Lockyer4President!]

And what does that matter. They are estimating 4 new teams in the ESL will be introduced by 2012 - that's an extra 20 quality players of our game hitting the airport.

Who is?

 

[bartman]

All it is is international economics and the exchange rates. The Aussie dollar is - and pretty much always has been - chicken feed in comparison to the pound.

The world is becoming more global, and more and more people from western countries travel to other nations for parts of their careers - including footballers now it seems.

There actually is no answer, so why whinge about it, or try and find some answer of how to keep our players. If they are greedy for the maximum dollar - and for a bit of different life experience - they will pursue deals in Super League. There is no loyalty to clubs or contracts anymore in either direction, and this is what we reap as a professional game.

As for England not competing internationally, these things tend to come in waves. I remember the Windies being the cricket team to beat in the 70s and 80s and now they are a bunch of no hopers. I remember India being pretty poor in the 70s and 80s and now they pretty much own our arses...

We are dominant, but in the 50s and 60s we were behind England in rugby league - and even France for a brief time? Things change, and change back again.

 

[JW]

When will they learn.

Keep digging, Poms.

 

[Chachi]

Have you seen how expensive it is to live in England. I personally think the money thing is a bit overblown. Great if you can live in a tent and survive on bread and water.

 

[bartman]

It's only expensive in London in my experience. 12/13 of the UK Super League teams are in much much cheaper places to live...

I can never understand a footy player going over and ending up living in London, there'd just be no benefit at all except being able to hang out with other Aussies and Kiwis at the Walkabouts.

 

[KalgoorlieRed]

becuase the english cannot, and will never have the anility to develop the players to a NRL standard. Regardless of what the pommie trolls tell us, they always have been and always will be streets behind us when it comes to our game.

1 - Us
...
...
...
...
about 3 blocks behind UK, NZ and closely follwed by the kumuls.

And what are 'Us' going to do about international development sonshine?

 

[KalgoorlieRed]

England have a 1st grade International Team?
They are soft, and suck.

Seriously - regardless of how good you poms say the game is over there, I cannot sit for 80 minutes and watch the crap.

That said, I can happily watch our 15th and 16th team in Australia play each other.

Australian players are coming back as well now. Matt King wanted back. Trent Barrett's coming back. Then that UK INternational is playing for The Tigers next year.

The more the suck, the more they want to play in our competition, because we are so much better.

Rob Burrow ! LoL

The NRL has become too mechanical and boring. SL anyday!

 

[Ryan]

Except that the quality of the NRL in 2008 was so bad that for the first time ever I found myself not caring whether I watched any games of a weekend.

Manly played Melbourne @ Brookvale oval in one of the most physical, high paced, tense matches I have ever seen in my life. I go for The Eagles, but still loved that game.

Those fairies in the UK wouldn't last 10 minutes against a fully fit, fully trained Melbourne side. The Storm would chew any of them up, and totally spit them out.

If you want to watch a bunch of poofs slap at each others jersey, then stick with your ESL mate. I prefer to watch a war.

The poms should have always stuck to lawn bowls, and crotchet. It suites them more. Even Fielden has turned himself into a punce.

 

[Glenn]

Only thing propping up the SL is the foreign players, take them out and the gap between the nations is staggering.
Obviously the Poms haven't got a clue how to devlope the game there.

 

[Ryan]

Also guys - I wouldn't worry - if I was a betting man, I'd reckon the NRL are hurting from the mistakes of its last television deal, and is smarting for it.

I'm expecting a massive bidding war, bringing huge $$$ into the game, and a large increase in the cap at that time. I also think the world economy will be much stronger then, and sponsors will be jumping over themselves to sign with league.

Look at that sporting agency and Manly for example.

 

[j5o6hn]

Why dont the ERL try spending the 5 mil pound on developing juniors to stop the farce that is the English touring side,the way the SL is going it will soon be like the EPL a case of spot the Englishman

 

[westie]

Manly played Melbourne @ Brookvale oval in one of the most physical, high paced, tense matches I have ever seen in my life. I go for The Eagles, but still loved that game.

Those fairies in the UK wouldn't last 10 minutes against a fully fit, fully trained Melbourne side. The Storm would chew any of them up, and totally spit them out.

If you want to watch a bunch of poofs slap at each others jersey, then stick with your ESL mate. I prefer to watch a war.

The poms should have always stuck to lawn bowls, and crotchet. It suites them more. Even Fielden has turned himself into a punce.

I swear I woke up early in Feb to watch Peacock, Ellis, JJB et al absolutely bruise the Storm in conditions that, quite frankly, favoured Melbourne's style of play.

 

[caylo]

You must have missed the SL GF. It was the one worth watching out of the two! Don't confuse the English national team with the entertainment that is on offer in SL. The English soccer team hasn't come close to winning anything for 40+ years yet the EPL is rated the best domestic comp in the world.

That is because you must not watch the Italian or spanish leagues. They are better, just not as promoted.

 

[caylo]

I swear I woke up early in Feb to watch Peacock, Ellis, JJB et al absolutely bruise the Storm in conditions that, quite frankly, favoured Melbourne's style of play.

You mean a side they beat by 2 (i think?) and minus Inglus, Smith and a few others...

 

[Ryan]

You mean a side they beat by 2 (i think?) and minus Inglus, Smith and a few others...

1. The UK side had been playing in competition, and training for over a month;
2. It was Melbournes 1st run/trial of the season;
3. It's in The UK.
4. It's not in our timezone.
5. Melbourne rested players like Inglis, Crocker etc etc..
6. It was STILL close.

Like I say - they are pathetic. Turn the key, and see how they'd go in the same situation at Olympic Park :lol:

They would be cremated !