Kyle Eastmond

[BDGS]

What's tgg?

 

[Evil Homer]

What's tgg?

Rugby League

 

[WireMan]

Not sure what RL could do about it.

Bath are no doubt offering silly money that saints don't want or cannot match.

Eastmond if he succeeds will get fame and recognition beyond what he could ever get from league. He probably looked at Smith at Leeds, who came back after a short space of time, and just carried on like nothing had changed.


Yes we need a bigger international game, but then we have an international match and crowds are low and the main league playing nation treats internationals with disdain saying how origin is the pinacle etc.

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

Not sure what RL could do about it.

Bath are no doubt offering silly money that saints don't want or cannot match.

Eastmond if he succeeds will get fame and recognition beyond what he could ever get from league. He probably looked at Smith at Leeds, who came back after a short space of time, and just carried on like nothing had changed.


Yes we need a bigger international game, but then we have an international match and crowds are low and the main league playing nation treats internationals with disdain saying how origin is the pinacle etc.

Wow, what an unnecessary dig.

 

[WireMan]

Wow, what an unnecessary dig.

Nadera said "The biggest problem for me though is the lack of direction and dedication to the international game. The RFL needs to make a real committment to this. They play games in small northern stadia because they think they can fill them without too miuch costly marketing, but this is a false economy. Too often these games simply come across as small affairs when they should be built up as events, something casual RL and general sports fans want to attend. The fact that I haven't seen England/GB play in my home city (the bloody capital!) since 2005 is insane. And the last game before that was in 2000. We need to make international matches a big event."


In a post questioning the direction of the international game it is not an "unnecessary dig" to point out that one of the failings of the international game is a lack of interest from Australia.

I also pointed out the lack of crouds in the uk also. So another unnecessary dig there, this time at myself.

We are about to have the World club championship. The only international club trophy in the game. One nation hasn't even got it on telly and the fans don't seem to care less.

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

Yeah...... except this thread is about Kyle Eastmond.

 

[nadera78]

Yeah...... except this thread is about Kyle Eastmond.

Yes but the only reason rahrah is attractive to him, and others, is that they have a successful international scene that generates a huge amount of money and fame.

If it was purely about playing a game of footie then Eastmond wouldn't go near union.

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

Yes but the only reason rahrah is attractive to him, and others, is that they have a successful international scene that generates a huge amount of money and fame.

If it was purely about playing a game of footie then Eastmond wouldn't go near union.

Yes and if the Nazi's didnt ban League in France during WW2 then we would have a more competitive game which would draw even more money into the game. How far back do we want to go in order to point fingers to why Eastmond is leaving?

Its no ones fault, simply Saints and no team in the SL had enough money to compete with Bath and the money of the RFU.

Honestly, trying to blame the ARL for Eastmond leaving is just pathetic.

 

[WireMan]

Yes and if the Nazi's didnt ban League in France during WW2 then we would have a more competitive game which would draw even more money into the game. How far back do we want to go in order to point fingers to why Eastmond is leaving?

Its no ones fault, simply Saints and no team in the SL had enough money to compete with Bath and the money of the RFU.

Honestly, trying to blame the ARL for Eastmond leaving is just pathetic.

eh? one reason for him leaving was there isn't an international game compared to Union. Which is related. Especially given the MONEY raised in such games. Also given Ashton scored in an international last weekend shows we ain't going back very far are we?

If you don't agree witht that then fair enough, try saying why you disagree.

 

[deluded pom?]

Its no ones fault, simply Saints and no team in the SL had enough money to compete with Bath and the money of the RFU.

That's the nail on the head TEZZA. It's all well and good some people saying "they need to sort the game out over there" but the English union teams have a SC of £4M approx getting on for $6.5M Australian. No rugby league team in the world can compete with that and that includes the NRL. Rugby league teams can't spend what they don't have. RL in the UK simply cannot match RU's spending power and it would be suicidal to even try. If we want to throw money at unproven players just to keep them in the game then it will be bye bye pro RL in the UK as we know it. All we can do is attempt to spread the game and get as many juniors playing RL as possible.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

But why can't the RL clubs compete? Because for 100 years they sat on their arse and spent every cent they had buying players, many from union, and failed to grow the game to the point where it could generate interest and income to match what union has today. If you look at the original 22 clubs the game has barely gained a professional foothold outside that area in 116 years. And certainly hasn't got any popular, successful clubs outside this area. Union has built its success on internationals, notably the Six Nations in the UK. RL meanwhile has just a handful of pro players from the Celtic nations. This despite signing scores of them prior to 1996 while not establishing any clubs outside England, save for some short lived small clubs in south Wales that chose to switch. The point is, league never used the opportunities it had to expand prior to '96 and now it is suffering the consequences. The need to expand is now obvious but far more difficult to achieve. But it's still a must. That's why it's so incredible when flatcappers from the north still rail against expansion today. Yes it will take a lot of time and effort to make any headway now but that's because previous generations have failed us. But we need to do whatever it takes to support expansion in places like London, Wales and France.

 

[The Observer]

the English union teams have a SC of £4M approx getting on for $6.5M Australian. No rugby league team in the world can compete with that and that includes the NRL.

1. The Aviva Premiership (England First Grade) lifted their cap from 1.8 to 4 million, in part to contract larger elite Premiership squads, which moved from 30 to 40-42. They grew those squads to cover players on 6 Nations duty, so the money is spread across more players.

2. The AP clubs look to recruit from Union as well and probably before looking at RL, such as the 3 SANZAR nations, the Celtic Unions, the 3 PI Unions, Argentina, France and Italy, and others. There is a large number of overseas players from those nations.

3. The Super League salary cap was 1.8 million. A few years ago, it was dropped to 1.6 mill. The big 4 teams (who win everything under the current cap anyway, and Warrington has arguably replaced Bradford in that echelon) could spend up to 1.8 mill now, and an extra 200K could have kept stars like Eastmond and Ashton in the game.

 

[CC_Roosters]

Agree ECT, nothing will be done and Saints will probably just replace him with an Australian who can't get a start in the NRL.
This is a serious loss to RL and the weaker England get at Int' RL the faster it will slide into oblivion.
I would actualy enforce a three year moratorium on SL clubs signing overseas which would force the clubs into concentrating on developing British players.
As it stands the England coach would currently have about four players to choose from at scrumhalf, it's a disgrace that this has been allowed to happen.
Fans are as much to blame as the clubs as they crave any overseas signings no matter who they are, too see Hull fans celebrating the two year deal for Sam Obst says it all IMO, he would struggle to get a start in the qld cup or nsw cup.

To be fair a number of the clubs have placed the emphasis back on British talent in recent seasons. Leeds and St. Helens in particular are rolling out youngsters at a higher rate. Although i agree the RFL/SL need to put something into law, say only a certain number of non-england eligible players per english club obviously. They have the limit on overseas players at the minute but too many get though it with dual citizenship etc...

 

[JasonE]

To be fair a number of the clubs have placed the emphasis back on British talent in recent seasons. Leeds and St. Helens in particular are rolling out youngsters at a higher rate. Although i agree the RFL/SL need to put something into law, say only a certain number of non-england eligible players per english club obviously. They have the limit on overseas players at the minute but too many get though it with dual citizenship etc...

Not really and i am disappointed with Leeds, they have seven overseas players this year.

Their forward pack could quite easily be

Cross Buderus Leuluai
Lauititi Hauraki
Delaney (played backrow last week)

Add Brent Webb and that is appalling imo.

 

[biggestbroncosfan]

But why can't the RL clubs compete? Because for 100 years they sat on their arse and spent every cent they had buying players, many from union, and failed to grow the game to the point where it could generate interest and income to match what union has today. If you look at the original 22 clubs the game has barely gained a professional foothold outside that area in 116 years. And certainly hasn't got any popular, successful clubs outside this area. Union has built its success on internationals, notably the Six Nations in the UK. RL meanwhile has just a handful of pro players from the Celtic nations. This despite signing scores of them prior to 1996 while not establishing any clubs outside England, save for some short lived small clubs in south Wales that chose to switch. The point is, league never used the opportunities it had to expand prior to '96 and now it is suffering the consequences. The need to expand is now obvious but far more difficult to achieve. But it's still a must. That's why it's so incredible when flatcappers from the north still rail against expansion today. Yes it will take a lot of time and effort to make any headway now but that's because previous generations have failed us. But we need to do whatever it takes to support expansion in places like London, Wales and France.

The best way to move forward, now i believe is targeting young players look at Harlequins back in the days they had no London based players now they have produced lads like LMS, Tony Clubb, Jamie O'Callaghan, Olsi Krasniqi and the list is growing , same needs to be done everywhere to establish youth teams, if we can do this then we have a future to build on and needs to start now in years to come they will become professional players in super league nrl or wherever! that is the best way for our code to grow!

 

[deluded pom?]

To be fair a number of the clubs have placed the emphasis back on British talent in recent seasons. Leeds and St. Helens in particular are rolling out youngsters at a higher rate. Although i agree the RFL/SL need to put something into law, say only a certain number of non-england eligible players per english club obviously. They have the limit on overseas players at the minute but too many get though it with dual citizenship etc...

Clubs are out to look after themselves whether we like it or not. If they can expolit a loophole they will. It's all very well saying limit the number of non English players clubs can sign but unless all clubs agreed to what can only be an unwritten rule then it's just NOT going to happen. There are ways in which clubs can bring in Aussies and Kiwis that cannot be prevented as to do so would contravene EU employment laws. Sad but true. It's OK for ECT to rail on (like he always does) about how the game's adminstrators a hundred years ago lost their way and we should be the number one sport in the UK but it didn't happen. We ARE where we ARE. The Observer, four million across 42 players equaltes to roughly an average contract of £95,000 PA as opposed to one of £1.8 million across 25 players of £72,000 PA. Still far and above what RL clubs here can afford. So you're a team mate of KE's and all of a sudden they give him a contract of £200,000 per year. What's YOUR next move? Oh, and Ashton was hardly a "star" in RL just an average kid coming through the ranks. He made the leap and it paid off for him. Best of luck to him. He could just as easily have joined the likes of Chev Walker, Gareth Raynor, Karl Pryce and Lee Smith in booking a quick return to RL. Losing KE isn't good but neither is it the beginning of the end of RL as we know it.

 

[The Observer]

The Observer, four million across 42 players equaltes to roughly an average contract of £95,000 PA as opposed to one of £1.8 million across 25 players of £72,000 PA. Still far and above what RL clubs here can afford. So you're a team mate of KE's and all of a sudden they give him a contract of £200,000 per year. What's YOUR next move?

True, the average contract is 25K higher per player, and some might argue that an increase in the cap would inflate the player market. However, it didn't happen when the game paid more to keep Radlinski and Cunningham a decade ago:

RFL/SL retain Cunningham using Club GB contract, offer Radlinski one
Radlinski refuses magnificent union offer, stays in RL with Club GB contract

Club GB is a good concept and Keiron Cunningham and Kris Radlinski are worthy of the recognition and the support they have received

Oh, and Ashton was hardly a "star" in RL just an average kid coming through the ranks.

Ashton was more than just an average kid coming through the ranks, he was earmarked as a test back. From his wikipedia page

After impressing in the academy, where he scored 27 tries in 23 games, he made his Super League debut against Hull in June 2005, at the age of 18.
Ashton was brought into the Wigan squad at the start of 2006 as replacement for the injured Kris Radlinski. Ashton had impressed on his debut for Wigan in 2005, but in 2006 he showed good skill, pace and talent and impressed many Wigan fans and people within rugby league. Ashton was one of the most consistent players for Wigan during a disappointing Super League XI season and was a contender for the Young Player of the Year award. He finished the 2006 season with 15 tries form 29 appearances making him the leading try scorer for Wigan.

RL Project Stats for Ashton

In 2006, at age 19, he also played for England throughout the Federation Shield tournament in England, coming off the bench against France and Tonga, scoring a try against Tonga, starting at fullback against Samoa and grabbing two tries. Lee Smith was ahead of him at fullback at the time.

He could just as easily have joined the likes of Chev Walker, Gareth Raynor, Karl Pryce and Lee Smith in booking a quick return to RL. Losing KE isn't good but neither is it the beginning of the end of RL as we know it.

He might stay in RU like Jason Robinson and Andrew Farrell, two of the game's biggest stars. People to switch to Union have also taken their talented sons - Saracens young playmaker is Owen Farrell is seen as a big talent, keeping SA international Derick Hougaard and Welsh international Gavin Henson out of the team. Mike Ford's sons Joe and George Ford play for Leiceister, George being the youngest debutant in the Premiership at 16, and is considered one of RU's rising stars.

This code switching is not good for the game, and certainly not the competitiveness of the test team against the Kangaroos or Kiwis - neither Brown, Robinson, O'Loughlin or even Sam Tomkins showed the playmaking spark or talent of Eastmond. A solution like the Club GB scheme must be considered.

 

[deluded pom?]

I can put whatever I like on wiki, doesn't make it true though. Plenty of Wigan fans will tell you his defence is poor but you read it on wiki so it MUST be true. He was the leading Wigan try scorer in a poor Wigan team, wow. Ashton played in the Federation Cup. Big deal, so did plenty of others who will never wear an England shirt in a full international. Club England money is money spent the game doesn't have and sends out all the wrong signals. Who decides which players are worthy of the top up cash? The game can only pay so much. If players feel they can go elsewhere and get more then good luck to them. You are assuming that Eastmond WILL be the next Jason Robinson. Is that because he's black, small in stature and has a jinking run? He might just as easily prove to be a highly expensive flop in union.

 

[WireMan]

Well he has agreed to go to bath.

Interesting that he was offered the same money as he is getting at Bath by Saints but chose to go to Union.

Obviously seen Ashton and Robinson doing the business and thought he'd like some of that. He maybe should of asked the mass of players who have flopped about the charms of Union. But oh well. Whats done is done.

 

[deluded pom?]

Doesn't McGeechan see him as a centre in RU? I hope his defence is top notch or there'll be a KE shaped indentation on the Bath pitch.