Reds target Bulldogs star

[rugged]

Queensland definitely isn't the state you want to lose players. They don't have a huge amount of backs compared to NSW.

I thought backs is what we do have at the moment esp fullbacks and wings.

 

[aussies1st]

Well fullbacks they have lots, wings and centres are a bit short. We saw it last year when they had a few injuries their depth was tested.

 

[canberra_raiders2k2]

it seems pathetic, every player that comes off a contract always has a rumour of getting a RU contract..how often does league attempt to poach RU stars?

 

[aussies1st]

League doesn't need to pinch Union stars. Most clubs have 2 grades which should provide more than enough talent for FG.

 

[Woods99]

Insulting Woods by calling him a genius is an insult to geniuss everywhere.

But to be fair, Calixte. There are people on here who call Elton Flately an NRL reject despite the fact his last game of RL was in the Lismore U12's.

Thomas.

You are a sad little case, aren't you? Running with the foxes and hunting with the hounds. Grow up.

 

[Hurriflatch]

Back before RU turned professional things were different

It's called the cycle of life in another 10 years time evewry 2nd Union player will be heading to League once the ARU realises like league that you simply cannot afford these inflated contracts

 

[aussies1st]

I'm surpised they haven't jumped already. The ARU is just buying backs from League basically saying to the youngsters you aren't good enough.

 

[Woods99]

I'm surpised they haven't jumped already. The ARU is just buying backs from League basically saying to the youngsters you aren't good enough.

No, what they are saying is that league is prepared to pay junior players to play league, in Ball, Matthews, and Flegg. Many of these juniors are from rugby union.

Let them have a couple of years in league, and then we will buy them back. What's wrong with that?

Meanwhile, most rugby union juniors will continue with their schooling, university, etc, and occasionally one will decide to go professional.

It all makes perfect sense. League can develop them, rugby union will educate them. Those that want to be professionals, can come back to rugby union if they prefer that. Otherwise, they will just get on with their lives, like normal people.

 

[Paley]

No, what they are saying is that league is prepared to pay junior players to play league, in Ball, Matthews, and Flegg. Many of these juniors are from rugby union.

Let them have a couple of years in league, and then we will buy them back. What's wrong with that?

Meanwhile, most rugby union juniors will continue with their schooling, university, etc, and occasionally one will decide to go professional.

It all makes perfect sense. League can develop them, rugby union will educate them. Those that want to be professionals, can come back to rugby union if they prefer that. Otherwise, they will just get on with their lives, like normal people.

In the world of Woods99 every rugby player is an ex union player who was forced to play rugby at a very early age, given lots of money and denied any schooling.

Every union player is a fine upstanding chap who only takes a serious interest in union after gaining a doctorate, doing the grand tour of european cultural centres, a spell in consultancy at McKinseys and writing their first opera.

 

[Moffo]

No, what they are saying is that league is prepared to pay junior players to play league, in Ball, Matthews, and Flegg. Many of these juniors are from rugby union.

Let them have a couple of years in league, and then we will buy them back. What's wrong with that?

Meanwhile, most rugby union juniors will continue with their schooling, university, etc, and occasionally one will decide to go professional.

It all makes perfect sense. League can develop them, rugby union will educate them. Those that want to be professionals, can come back to rugby union if they prefer that. Otherwise, they will just get on with their lives, like normal people.

its a pity that they missed you in terms of getting an education. I've seen decrepid bums on george st make more sense than you

 

[taipan]

No, what they are saying is that league is prepared to pay junior players to play league, in Ball, Matthews, and Flegg. Many of these juniors are from rugby union.

Let them have a couple of years in league, and then we will buy them back. What's wrong with that?

Meanwhile, most rugby union juniors will continue with their schooling, university, etc, and occasionally one will decide to go professional.

It all makes perfect sense. League can develop them, rugby union will educate them. Those that want to be professionals, can come back to rugby union if they prefer that. Otherwise, they will just get on with their lives, like normal people.

Many of them,you know them huh.There are numbers of former junior league players eg Beale(the best junior to appear on the union horizon soince the Ellas),Roach ,who have been transferred(thats a nice word) to union,via the independent no rugby league system.
Well ole boy ,it will be open season more so on union juniors now,because some of them may be a tad p..d off.

Woods99 RU made millions from the last world cup,they have been professional for 10 years,and still after all that they cant gather together 4 s14 union sides,without needing rugby league athletes to give these sides any strike power or competitiveness.They may as well pee their union development money up the wall,it apparently is a dismal failure.

Educate them LOL,what in how to hold a knife and fork,or to speak in an affected pompous way Mike Carlton style,or to remember the important schools in Sydney.We could learn a real lot from Dunning,Harrison,Elsom etc please your killing me,
Just been reading about a rugby league player by the name Drew Dalton,who
this year gave up an opportunity to play with Parramatta after being part of the Eel's premiership winning premier league team,to play for Collegians in the Wollongong so as to complete a university degree.
There are many players throughout all grades in the NRL doing uni/tech studies eg Steve Price a Bachelor of Bus.
And some will probably reach a higher status in life than you or I.

100 years of union bagging rugby league for paying money to players,now look at them-pathetic.Succumbed and seduced to the almighty dollar,so it was all right to be pro after all.Slow thinkers baby slow.

 

[taipan]

Get over it guys, it's a free market. If league players want to play rugby union, for whatever reasons, they can and will.


Signing league players will not have the slightest effect on junior player ranks in rugby union, kids play rugby union because their mates play rugby union, or they go to rugby union schools, and their parents want them to play the game.

League gets quite a few juniors from rugby union backgrounds (including Willie Tonga, so I have been told).

The vast majority of Pacific Islanders playing league come from rugby union backgrounds.

Yet these Pacific islanders choose rugby league,when they could be playing for eastwood or the Tahs .They play rugby league because their mates play rugby league.There are kids who attend union playing schools ,who were rugby league players.The parents sent them there for a supposed education 1st 2nd and 3rd.If the school had a rugby league programme they would be playing that game.
There were students at my old school (private) who were league developed.Steve Gearins son attended a GPS school, and played union.Since he finished he is back playing his first love rugby league.Hoiles came form a rugby league background.
Understandably when you consider the participation last year went over the 300,000 mark for the 1st time.I guess you would find quite a few mates playing with each other there Woods.
My understanding is Tonga played a little union,but is a rugby league junior.

No one is arguing free market forces Woods(although GPS and Associated schools dont have this so called "free" choice in their sporting curriculum - world class hypocrisy) , if they go they go.When Sailor,Lote and Rogers left,rugby league was supposed to start withering.It is booming just as it is in the UK,despite having world cups held here and wins for England.Despite the competiton from other codes ,and that will get tougher.Says a lot for rugby league(a resilient code) says little for the game of union.

 

[rugged]

No, what they are saying is that league is prepared to pay junior players to play league, in Ball, Matthews, and Flegg. Many of these juniors are from rugby union.

Let them have a couple of years in league, and then we will buy them back. What's wrong with that?

Meanwhile, most rugby union juniors will continue with their schooling, university, etc, and occasionally one will decide to go professional.

It all makes perfect sense. League can develop them, rugby union will educate them. Those that want to be professionals, can come back to rugby union if they prefer that. Otherwise, they will just get on with their lives, like normal people.

True.

RU doesn't have enough contracts for the young players. RL is a good toughening up/learning/apprenticeship, then they union can pick the good ones. That's probably the way they think.

Berrick Barnes lost nothing but gained plenty even playing QLD cup. What would the Reds have done with him for 2 years? Nothing, just would have played crap rugby colts and grade.

 

[aqua_duck]

I really don't know how good tonga would be in union, he definately wouldn't be better than gasnier. Tonga has no kicking game to speak of, weak passing game, and isn't as big as Gasnier.
Plus there are huge question marks on his defence, won't matter against guys like Morgan turinui, and co but against Ma'a Nonu, Brian O'Driscoll and co it could be an ugly sight.

 

[Bring Back the Spliff]

No, what they are saying is that league is prepared to pay junior players to play league, in Ball, Matthews, and Flegg. Many of these juniors are from rugby union.

Let them have a couple of years in league, and then we will buy them back. What's wrong with that?

Meanwhile, most rugby union juniors will continue with their schooling, university, etc, and occasionally one will decide to go professional.

It all makes perfect sense. League can develop them, rugby union will educate them. Those that want to be professionals, can come back to rugby union if they prefer that. Otherwise, they will just get on with their lives, like normal people.

And you're saying Union DOESN'T do this???

Even before they 'went professional' in 1996 - let me tell you - there were kids' families being paid - and paid not inconsequential sums either - under the guise of 'academic scholarships' to send their kids to high profile Union schools and to shun Rugby League.

Some of these kids barely had to even attend a lesson - as long as they turned out for the XV during the week and especially on the weekend in the big tournaments - the teacheers didn't hassle them to learn or get good marks - it basically didn't matter what else they did - as long as they were producing the goods on the Rugby paddock!

I've seen it happen sooooo many times when I was at school - So don't try and tell me about League 'being prepared to pay players at a young age'!

You're living in fairy floss land, if you think that doesn't cut both ways - and cut DEEP!

'Amateur game' up to 1996 my ARSE!!! :lol: - in name only.

 

[Perth Red]

Don't you just love a sport that decides to expand its competition and then realises it doesn't have enough decent players to put out teams? ARU are looking increasingly foolish in this. Fair enough going for a Johns or Lockyer but giving Tonga 400 grand+, pleeeeease!

 

[Pazza]

How many outside centres do the wallabies want?
they got mortlock, lote and potentialy Gaz. They need
a good inside centre i.e Barrett or Lyon

 

[colonel_123]

Well fullbacks they have lots, wings and centres are a bit short. We saw it last year when they had a few injuries their depth was tested.

I think Queensland's depth in all three positions is pretty good:

Schifcofske (sp?), Slater, Bowen, Wesser, Hunt, Williams, Sing, Hodges, Tate, Bell, Tonga, Bowman, Berrigan, Hannay, Inglis with Lockyer a backline option as well if Prince and Thurston are in the halves...

As for Gasnier and Tonga, if they head off Inglis, Collis, Soliola, etc will be ready to step up in their place.

 

[Calixte]

This is the biggest raid from Union ever, haven't seen so many players mentioned to switch.

Emphasis on "mentioned". We'll see how many do.

All it does is highlight the paucity of the union competition.

The rah rahs are so desperate they are looking in all directions to boost their pathetic depth and ease the embarrassment of the Qld and WA teams.

Every article in the union sections of the papers deals with potential league converts or someone new pushing for non-Australian players to be allowed to play in the Super8. :lol:

 

[Calixte]

In the world of Woods99 every rugby player is an ex union player who was forced to play rugby at a very early age, given lots of money and denied any schooling.

Every union player is a fine upstanding chap who only takes a serious interest in union after gaining a doctorate, doing the grand tour of european cultural centres, a spell in consultancy at McKinseys and writing their first opera.

So very accurate it's frightening. Perhaps you know Woods?

Ar' Woods...But he's no Rhodes Scholar.