How did you figure that out?
How do you measure what a successful convert is?
That comment was my opinion, in response to Green Machine's opinion that "not a lot of Union forwards have made it in RL" - how many have tried?
For every Ray Price or Ben Kennedy there is a Garrick Morgan or Sam Harris. In later years anyway.
True, not every RU player that switched to RL would have been a success. There is no guarantee that a convert will be a success.
Morgan would always have been really hard pressed to succeed - he was a lock in Union, a slow, grafting tight forward that would have been less dynamic than RU backrowers, let alone League forwards. Whoever signed him for the Crushers didn't think that through. Harris was also given stick during his stints at the NSW Waratahs and Western Force. He didn't really succeed at either team, or in either code - in part, maybe why Harris went to play RU in Japan. Tony Daly, same deal as Morgan, his body shape and game probably wouldn't have been suited to League.
OTOH, the SA and Aussie forwards I listed above are different: they either play the position that best translates to RL, or have the game/body type to switch. A backrower, particularly the number 8 (plays at the back like an RL lock, built like an RL prop) or a blindside flanker. In particular, Spies and Kankowski are number 8s, play at the back of the scrum, both have played centre or wing at junior level, and both are very fast for forwards (see the video links). Mtawarira and Australia/Waratahs hooker Tatafu Polota Nau were both converted flankers, and they play like it. Mobile, pacy for front-rowers, can get around the field, but both are big hitters in the tackle.
It helps to understand that there are two distinct philosophies in international Union. New Zealand and Australia (and maybe Fiji and Samoa) like to play an expansive, ball-in-hand style at club and test level, run with the ball, and score tries. The All Blacks and Wallabies are ranked 1 and 2 in the world. They try to play a RL style of game. OTOH the Northern Hemisphere (like England, France, Italy, Scotland) Six Nations, South Africa, Argentina etc play the more conservative, kicking dominated game. The ARU and NZRU fought with the NH Unions since 2007 to change the RU laws/interpretations to create a more expansive game, and many NH commentators accused the ARU of trying to turn Union into Rugby League. Teams like the Waratahs were being booed by their fans during games, and given stick by TV commentators and journos, for kicking too much. The ARU finally got a more expansive game in 2010, so they may see a little bit of improvement in fortunes in 2011 with the new Super format.
My point is that the NRL has to remain vigilant with all its competitors, and I'm sure it will be.
Saffy spent the best part of 3 years learning how to play in lower grades and off the bench. He was slighly better for the Tigers in his career there than Sam Harris.
Sure, it took him some time to develop into a first grader. Nevertheless, good on him for achieving last year with the Dragons.
