no, jon green plays for shellharbour marlins. their club is beneath their name, not above. Jason Godecke is the reds player.
Having watched a lot of amateur rl in the UK I would say that the national conference is a stronger comp than the JB cup.
Training wise, although the JBC players are paid match day payments they don't train anymore than the top National conference sides.
Only some JBC players would be on match payments. Many receive sign-on fees and salaries in the same way as NRL players do - it even happens in Sydney A-Grade (many a washed-up NRL player has been paid $20,000 sign-on fees to play with an A-Grade club - Owen Craigie springs to mind).
I guarantee Shane McMenemy isn't playing for match payments.
There is a club in the Manly A grade - valley united - I heard that they get $300,000 from their sponsor - they didnt even make that the Grand final last year so at the start of this year they signed 5 players with NRL experience - Jason Ferris, Jason Death, Shayne Dunley, Nathan Hollingsworth and Brad Kelly. Ferris has since left for Group 19.
The 2008 Quad Series will contain a strong international flabour when it kicks off on the Gold Coast tomorrow. The inclusion of the Great Britain Community Lions has added extra spice to the prestigious representative tournament, which features eight matches to be played over a two-week period on the Gold and Sunshine Coasts.
Host team the Queensland Rangers joins the GB Community Lions, NSW Country and a Jim Beam Cup representative side in the race for the title.
Queensland Rugby League (QRL) Chairman John McDonald said the series was designed to provide representative opportunities for grassroots players.
"This is the third year that the series has been going, with New Zealand hosting the inaugural series and the second series being hosted by the Country Rugby League of NSW and played in Tamworth, Narrabri and Gunnedah in 2007," McDonald said.
"The Quad Series has become an important event on the rugby league calendar and provides a great opportunity for grassroots players to play representative rugby league at a higher level."
McDonald extended a warm welcome to the Great Britain Community Lions who are contesting the Quad Series for the first time.
"Community Rugby League in Great Britain encompasses BARLA, the Combined Services, the Student Rugby League and the RLC Lionhearts and came as a result of the Community Board's review of the representative program for Community Rugby League," McDonald said.
"The group has made the long trek from the UK and I hope that they will leave our shores with fond memories of their time in the Sunshine State."