Chin Grothe next to go

[Raider_69]

And then when Moon and Falou get poached at age 25 then what.

if they so decide that they can not hack it in the premier contact competition in the world and want to chase the bucks and 6 month cold, then by that time anothe 20 players will have emerged from our junior system, all keen to step up and take their place... same story as now, different players

the wallabys will still be a mess. infact at the rate their going, im not sure they will have the cash to sign them when they are 25

 

[Raider_69]

Raider, I observe and appreciate the sentiment but you've named at least two forwards there.

I think it would be a little bit worrying to lose three in one year, but not a massive problem.

I did? who are they?
:?

 

[S.S.T.I.D]

And then when Moon and Falou get poached at age 25 then what.

One thing rugby league doesn't need is well known players pissing off. The names are what bring people through the gates.

Parra's backline will look mighty ordinary next year which is a shame because it will mean less people through the gates.

That is a good point. It would be better that this sort of thing doesn't happen, but the great thing about our game is that the production line never stops, if anything it keeps speeding up. I wish I knew the solution, but I truly don't think it is that much of an issue. For some the temptation is too much.

Perhaps we could sit them all down and force them to actually watch a game?

 

[Burwood]

Grothe will leave having never reached anywhere near his potential. At least Tahu can look back at his time in league knowing that he had achieved nearly all things possible for him.

What has Grothe got? One good season. He'll be forgotten soon enough.

 

[Raider_69]

Or we could let them leave with a "do not return to send" stamped on their file. That'll teach em, when they get bored of doing nothing in union, they'll have no where else to go

 

[Mr Saab]

Grothe will leave having never reached anywhere near his potential. At least Tahu can look back at his time in league knowing that he had achieved nearly all things possible for him.

What has Grothe got? One good season. He'll be forgotten soon enough.

He has never been "mentally" there.

 

[Brutus]

That is a good point. It would be better that this sort of thing doesn't happen, but the great thing about our game is that the production line never stops, if anything it keeps speeding up. I wish I knew the solution, but I truly don't think it is that much of an issue. For some the temptation is too much.

Perhaps we could sit them all down and force them to actually watch a game?

I just look at the team lists for this week and see a lot of very average line-ups. Some of the poor teams could really do with some of these players that have gone to RU or the English Super League. We need a better retention policy or something has to be done with the cap.

Too many average sides and with the extra team this season things appear more average than ever.

 

[Johns Magic]

I did? who are they?
:?

Greg Eastwood for one

 

[Burwood]

He has never been "mentally" there.

Yep, seemed to spend a lot of his career more interested in getting his band a gig on The Footy Show.

 

[Hindyscrack]

Pity for the ARU none of the players they are poaching would make full strength kangaroos sides

 

[S.S.T.I.D]

I just look at the team lists for this week and see a lot of very average line-ups. Some of the poor teams could really do with some of these players that have gone to RU or the English Super League. We need a better retention policy or something has to be done with the cap.

Too many average sides and with the extra team this season things appear more average than ever.

Funny you say that because I was having a good look at the team lists last week, in particular the backlines, and realised that there weren't all that many that are actually better than ours. Which surprised me because going into the season I thought it might be a huge problem.

The quality of sides absolutely aren't what they used to be. Surely Wests and Brisbane are two of the worst premiers of all time. Hopefully when the RFL reduce quotas to three per team the quality will pick up. In my opinion, the raft of players that head to the ESL is more of an issue than the occasional league winger heading to union.

 

[Raider_69]

Greg Eastwood for one

he has been known to play abit of centre in his time hasnt he? Same with Sa? They were two i was iffy on (Sa more so then eastwood whom im sure i read could play centre)

 

[Johns Magic]

he has been known to play abit of centre in his time hasnt he? Same with Sa? They were two i was iffy on (Sa more so then eastwood whom im sure i read could play centre)

Yeah he's played there a bit, but he seems to have been earmarked as a forward in the big-time.

 

[Ghoulies]

he has been known to play abit of centre in his time hasnt he? Same with Sa? They were two i was iffy on (Sa more so then eastwood whom im sure i read could play centre)

Correct. Greg played a handful of games in the centres/on the wing for us last season.

 

[legend]

The biggest restraint is the salary cap. It needs to be raised to $5 million so players can start being paid their true worth.

Does anyone think these blokes cross to Union for the challenge? Of course not. Once the salary cap is raised and IMO the game can afford it, then and only then will we see the end of players leaving for the ESL and Rugby.

 

[ToiletDuck]

Perhaps. The game is suffering due to this BS though. The exodus to england is particularly problematic, and ARU raids, whilst a sign of desperation, should not be shrugged off. To the neutral observer it looks like ARU has the upper hand over league with the Tuqiri "non-defection" and now what appears to be a counterthrust with targetting of more league players. But i agree, i dont think it will help them on the field. But they have enough powerful backers i think to ensure that it wont matter in the medium term how crap the wallabies are...

 

[Nook]

The game is suffering due to this BS though.

How?

A few clubs might suffer, short term, but overall none of this paints RL in a bad light. What it does is clearly expose the weakness and desperation of one of its main rivals.

If every single winger in first grade converted to Union the NRL would have a laugh and move on - because it has the talent to replace them. Union doesn't have the talent to fill its own positions in the first place.

As far as I'm concerned the NRL can sit back and watch it happen. Or it can take some small steps to make it a bit more difficult. As legend says, a salary cap hike is one, but whether that is sustainable and whether that will have the effect of allowing clubs to match Union bids for these players is another issue. In another thread I've advocated the possiblity of making top flight Union players exempt from the cap.

These are the sort of things they can look at but a few middle of the road rep wingers dawdling off for a pension from the Wallabies isn't overly concerning IMO.

 

[Y2Eel]

How?

A few clubs might suffer, short term, but overall none of this paints RL in a bad light. What it does is clearly expose the weakness and desperation of one of its main rivals.

If every single winger in first grade converted to Union the NRL would have a laugh and move on - because it has the talent to replace them. Union doesn't have the talent to fill its own positions in the first place.

As far as I'm concerned the NRL can sit back and watch it happen. Or it can take some small steps to make it a bit more difficult. As legend says, a salary cap hike is one, but whether that is sustainable and whether that will have the effect of allowing clubs to match Union bids for these players is another issue. In another thread I've advocated the possiblity of making top flight Union players exempt from the cap.

These are the sort of things they can look at but a few middle of the road rep wingers dawdling off for a pension from the Wallabies isn't overly concerning IMO.

I already want Hagen gone lol thats how the game is suffering poor fans not getting what they want a good side that can win!!

 

[Xplosive]

Union can have Grothe if they want.
Wont do much for their code with forwards that in league would not even make premier league.

 

[Ant]

Look on Eric Grothe I am a massive fan of his as a league player, but I tend to think as a union player he won't cut it.

The games aren't the same.

Eric grothe's talents lie and speed and strength, but skill???

I'm sorry Eric but your kicking game and passing game are non existant and/or terrible.
A winger in league can get away with being less well rounded, because you don't have to kick or regularly link up with your fullback.
When I think Grothe, I think Wendall who also wasn't well rounded, now lets face it Wendall's league career was a lot better than Eric's.

So on his day awesome league winger, but I doubt he would be as successful at union.

If Eric wanted a challenge I would have thought it was to become a regular in rep side. He has played 3 origin games, and never played for australia. He is hardly at the top of the mountain.

Anyway maybe with Eric's laid back attitude he might want to just play super 14 for 13 games then sit on his but for the rest of the year.