Players signing with Super League

[bronco_buddy]

Over the last few months I have been tuning into the Super League and watching our ex-NRL players going around.
The one thing I have found is the little impact they seem to be having in the league (with the exception of Trent Barret).
I was watching Warrington play the other night and two of last years NRL Grand Finalists were playing, Monaghan & King and they both looked well below par.
Is it really just the money rather then the experience we keep hearing about in their reasons for signing?

 

[schnitzel]

Some players have gone to another level over there tho. Adam Mogg was good in NRL but is one of the best in ESL, even does some of the playmaking and kicking for Catalans. Another is Brent Webb, best fullback over there these days.

 

[KeepingTheFaith]

King has admitted to being very unhappy about his form. Monaghan was carving up in the early rounds, but has gone off the boil. I think he was injured for a bit though so that might be it.

Having said that there are many former NRL plaers who contribute a fair bit to the ESL. Take a look at top tryscorers, try assists and clean breaks etc and ou'll see a lot of familiar names.

Barrett, Webb, Donald, Hicks, Fitzhenry, McGoldrick, Obst, Dorn, Monaghan, Meli, Leauluai, Murphy, Gafa, Sherwin, Gidley, Mogg, Carmont, Jeffries, Hill, Greenshields, Randall.

The question is, how many of those guys would pull similar statistics playing for an NRL club? Maybe half of them.

 

[Frederick]

I watched a bit of the Wigan-St Helens match the other night. While watching I was thinking to myself "gee, the standard must be really poor if the commentators were asking eachother 'is George Carmont the player to spark Wigan to life in this match?'"

 

[Perth Red]

I think many NRL players believe the hype that SL is a far inferior quality to the NRL and when they get there they think it will be a walk in the park. Reality is Sl may not be as intense week in and week out but the games are faster and more open and that is a challenge in itself for players that have been used to a strict no risk game plan. That and the challenge of living on a foreign country. Is is interesting that it is usually the overseas players without the reputations and the high wage bills that become the fans favourites.

Of the players that moved last season Berrigan, Galea and Carmont seem to be the best suited to SL. The likes of King, Monaghan and Barret continue to struggle to meet high expectations.

 

[MSKnight]

I think it comes down to combinations.

Carmont was the next Steve Renouf in one article.

 

[humpy]

For all the crap they go on with CASH IS KING!!!

The players seem to come down to the level of players surrounding them which is why it took Jamie Lyon a full season at least to get back to his best in NRL.