Can a player who slips out of the NRL come back?

[ek999]

The closest I can think of is Rulon Nutira. Played U20's for Parra and Melbourne, fell out of the system and returned to NZ. Was then signed to play for the Gundagai Tigers and at the end of last year was signed by the Dragons. Is currently playing for the Cutters in NSW Cup but hasn't played first grade yet.

Brian Norrie almost fell out of the system and was signed to captain coach the Wagga Kangaroos but after the Storm salary Cap scandal left them needing cheap players they picked him up before he got started with Wagga

 

[DiegoNT]

Matt king is the obvious one.
Lower grader at Norths, didn't make the cut, was lost to the game, became a garbage man if I recall correctly. Travelled to melbourne to get away from Sydney, crashed at a mates place In melbourne who happened to be a storm player (Orford I think, but could be wrong). Mate got into the coaches ear, got him a trial with melbourne and not only forced his way into the nrl but also origin and test football

 

[Danish]

Matt King had given up on footy I believe prior to getting a trial for the Storm. Debuted at 24 and played origin at 25.

:edit:

DiegoNT beat me to it

 

[Danish]

What odds the OP used to be in rep sides at high school, and now in his mid-20s has recently started playing Oztag and carving up a bit so has dreams of breaking into the NRL?

 

[Pierced Soul]

bryan fletcher quit too early on as well. story goes phil gould ran across him at a late night kebab stand and talked him into having another go. was a rep player very soon after coming back

 

[Bulldog Force]

Name names?

10 bucks says you have misunderstood the question Mr '1000 restaurants at homebush stadium'.

And you have zero concept of the difference between "Homebush Stadium" and "In and around Olympic Park" ;-)

 

[Parra Pride]

As per OP,
These dont count as they were stars forced to quit. No different from someone coming out of retirement in their prime.

Not players who drifted out due to lack of interest.

Ma'u was hardly a star forced to quit.

 

[no name]

Awesome thread.

Ask a question and when people come up with plausible answers, discount them as not what you are looking for.

Do you want everyone to say 'you're right, Matt Utai is the only one, all hail Mina Rinefart/OJlovedthepole' or whatever pun related username you are logged into at the time.

 

[Canard]

What odds the OP used to be in rep sides at high school, and now in his mid-20s has recently started playing Oztag and carving up a bit so has dreams of breaking into the NRL?

I'll have you know I scored three tries in my D-grade Mixed Touch comp last night.

Still got it!

 

[Ojlovednicole]

Some quality posts starting to stream in.

Regarding Fletch, although similar it isnt quite the same as he would have quit with a good rep (hence why Gus' would bother getting into his ear).

im talking about an unwanted player who fought his way back from the dead.

The kind of player a coach would look at on a piece of paper, and he would say himself 'this thugglifer no good'.

But said player fought his way back. Or got the break of a lifetime.

 

[Ojlovednicole]

Awesome thread.

Ask a question and when people come up with plausible answers, discount them as not what you are looking for.

Do you want everyone to say 'you're right, Matt Utai is the only one, all hail Mina Rinefart/OJlovedthepole' or whatever pun related username you are logged into at the time.

What dribble, I can tell you are a Titans supporter.

Alot of people misunderstood the question. As did you. Thats ok though, its life, people misunderstand and make mistakes, I didnt berate them over it like others do.

 

[cleary89]

Thanks for answering however they were still in the system via NSW cup, so alot of players would be in that boat.

They weren't in the system. Both were playing park footy. Then offers came in to play NSW cup after about 2 seasons and they fought their way back into NRL.

 

[Ojlovednicole]

They weren't in the system. Both were playing park footy. Then offers came in to play NSW cup after about 2 seasons and they fought their way back into NRL.

Gotcha.

I thought you meant they were dropped from nrl to nsw cup then came back.

 

[Ojlovednicole]

I can remember the Sticky enforced Park footy stints.

Cuthbertson
Manly > Cronulla > Como Crocodiles > St George > Newcastle > Leeds

Seymour
Brisbane > Cronulla > Engadine > Warriors > Hull etc.

Hannay made it to ESL but not back to the NRL.

Very close,
Werent they still contracted though?

 

[flash]

How about Shane Perry then, that is if playing in the Qld Cup for 4 years in between first grade stints fits your definition as unwanted.

 

[Ojlovednicole]

How about Shane Perry then, that is if playing in the Qld Cup for 4 years in between first grade stints fits your definition as unwanted.

Thats QLD cup. Very much in the system. I mean, It is still on tv!

If he got ropped to the level BELOW, was uncontracted, then came back, he will qualify.
Feel me?

 

[Ojlovednicole]

I like the way you are thinking Flash though.

 

[DiegoNT]

So what criteria do you judge these buy? Is their an age limit?
Someone like shane webcke never featured in any junior rep teams, was discovered by accident at a bush league grand final as 19 year old and was signed the broncos, 2 years later he made his debut.
What about guys like andrew Everingham and George carmont, who made their nrl debut in their mid 20s after being overlooked as youngsters.
What about players who got the sack and had to fight back to get back into the nrl system. Manu Ma'u got out of jail in 09 and didn't make his way into the nrl until 2014.
What about players who got cut, played in bush leagues then made their way back into the nrl, Ray Cashmere with the Tigers being an example.
So really it's quite common for players to make the nrl in untraditional ways ( juniors- reserve grade- first grade), after not being in the 'nrl system'.
You dismissed Matt King, despite it being a perfect example of what you're asking for

 

[my2centsworth]

I do remember the dark days when Souths got Craig Stapleton back from the mines (and Illawarra A Grade). J Lowe was released in 2009 and signed again in 2010 from Qld Cup

 

[DiegoNT]

David Fifita
Played toyota cup for tigers, never made the cut, drifted off to play park footy in France ( not the catalan dragons) came back to Australia, made his way with the sharks.