The Worst Rugby League Convert?

[mattyj]

John Gallaher----Went from winning the World cup with the AB`s to 2nd division superleague (or whatever it was back then)

Mark Carter

Be fair to John Kirwan, he was in is 30`s and was no longer an AB when the Warriors signed him, thats like asking Freddy to switch to Union and then bagging him.

Euan Crossan (or whatever his first name was) was playing second division rugby for the Bay of Plenty, so he actually went up in the world (fractionally) to play top grade for Souths.

 

[CouldaBeenAnything]

John Gallaher is the guy that kept Matthew Ridge out of the All Balcks and was considered the worlds best Union back at one time...God awful league player though.

John Kirwan would have been a decent chance if he moved around 87-90, but by the time he did, his time had passed.

Eion Crossan was a goal kicker...no more and no less.

Garrick Morgan was the best though...went from being crowned worlds best forward in 94, to being worlds biggest dud in 95, then went back to union and walked straight back into Wallabies side like he had never left.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

John Gallaher is the guy that kept Matthew Ridge out of the All Balcks and was considered the worlds best Union back at one time...God awful league player though.

He broke some sort of record for the most expensive convert at the time. The situation with Ridge was ironic, Ridge went to League because Gallagher was keeping him out of the AB side, yet Gallagher was an abysmal failure at league while Ridge became a Kiwi great.

 

[Moggles]

What about Tony Darcy, Penrith's spectacular flop in the 80's. They paid a fortune to get him, he was hopeless, about as bad as Garrick Morgan. :lol:

I had Tony Darcy as a Maths teacher in grade 8!!!
Top fella, can't really comment on his teaching skills because I didn't really pay much attention.

 

[tHe_MaC]

John Gallagher - The reason he was so bloody awful, (according to him) was that he had no more motivation, it's why he left the All Blacks because he had won everything and had nothing more to achieve, so he thought he'd go home and try league out. He started enjoying "home life" a little too much and got bored with the game and decided to start teaching.

Mark Carter - Useless.

Kirwan - Woulda been a good player if it was a couple years earlier and had a better coach that could teach the basics well...

Eion Crossan - Was actually playing First Division rugby for BOP and was the 3rd best fullback in NZ. Went to league for his goalkicking. He done his job. But, when he went to Cronulla and got taught some of the basics well by John Lang, he went alright for a few games until a guy named Nat Rogers couldn't be held back no more....

Marc Ellis - Had moments of brilliance and would have went alot better with a better coach who would have more patience to teach basics.

 

[Rise Against]

John Timu

 

[Mr Saab]

John Timu

you serious????????
Timu had a great yr for the dogs in 1995.

 

[tHe_MaC]

Simon Forrest (Canterbury NZRU to Souths) Anyone?

 

[Matt23]

Tiaan Strauss

 

[Paul Condon]

ellis spent most of his time in bartercard, getting paid 400, 000 a year. a talented player who wasn't nurtured enough. but you'd think for half a mill a year he would be able to catch on quickly.
kirwan could have gone back to the all blacks after his time with the warriors because he was fitter stronger and tougher than before. i thought he was a good player in a poor team at the warriors which were stacked with individual talent.
botica got injured early on at the warriors, went back to england and succeeded again.
carter was a flop like ellis. he lacked ball skills, good tackling technique, but at least he didn't cost as much.
gallagher was a great union player, got fair f****n belted when he first turned out for leeds and became an average uk player. very gunshy, but he stuck at it.
crossan went good for souths and like halligan improved over time.

No. 1 for me has to be ellis. If the dogs had trained him he would have been as good as timu was.

 

[Foz]

Papworth was a real talent and if it wasn't for injury he would've been a success. He certainly wasn't a dud.

Straight from the Encyclopedia of Rugby League.

Papworth,Brett (Easts 1988 & 1990-91)
5 games 1 replacement 6 goals 12 points.
Eastwood RU pivot played in 15 tests for the Wallabies during 1985-1987 but had his rugby league aspirations shattered with a series of injuries once turning professional. Papworth's considerable talents were rarely on show after a succession of broken jaw,knee and shoulder injuries limited him to just a handful of games. After a frustrating 5 year period, he retired from the game but despite being denied a clearance to return to Rugby to play for Eastwood by the International Rugby board,he returned to the amateur code with the blessing of the NSWRU.

5 games in 5 years. Plus 1 as a replacement. He was injured in at least 2 of those games.
In ability he wouldn't be the worst convert but you can do the maths.

 

[aids]

that papworth sounds like the drummer(s) from spinal tap

 

[Tighthead]

It'd have to be Tony D'Arcy. 10 tests for the wallabies, then converts to league in 1983 for $100,000.00. Plays league for 5 years without a first grade game.

He was apparently a Queensland Schoolboy at rugby league, though.

Just wasn't suited to the game.

 

[playdaball]

Penrith signed ex All Black prop Kent Lambert - a shocker.

 

[iggy plop]

Garrick Morgan wins hands down.

He went a long way to proving how useless union forwards (and players for that matter) really are.

 

[Tighthead]

So what have union forwards (and players for that matter) who have succesfully converted proven?

 

[Southern Rooster]

Papworth was a real talent and if it wasn't for injury he would've been a success. He certainly wasn't a dud.

Straight from the Encyclopedia of Rugby League.

Papworth,Brett (Easts 1988 & 1990-91)
5 games 1 replacement 6 goals 12 points.
Eastwood RU pivot played in 15 tests for the Wallabies during 1985-1987 but had his rugby league aspirations shattered with a series of injuries once turning professional. Papworth's considerable talents were rarely on show after a succession of broken jaw,knee and shoulder injuries limited him to just a handful of games. After a frustrating 5 year period, he retired from the game but despite being denied a clearance to return to Rugby to play for Eastwood by the International Rugby board,he returned to the amateur code with the blessing of the NSWRU.

5 games in 5 years. Plus 1 as a replacement. He was injured in at least 2 of those games.
In ability he wouldn't be the worst convert but you can do the maths.

he was also used for one of the great advertising boards at the SFS from 92-93 advertising Toyota Hilux. The sign read

"TOYOTA HILUX SO TOUGH NOT EVEN BRETT PAPWORTH COULD BREAK IT"

It was a great pity we never saw him in league at his best. My father who played both sports rated Papworth the best natural footballer he saw.

 

[Foz]

I reckon Papworth would win the unluckiest player.
Big Mal Menninga had a bad run with broken arms at one stage but this guy couldnt take a trick.
I dont know how much Easts were paying him but given his glittering union career you would think he was on good dollars.
He reminded me a lot of Ken Wright who use to play 5/8 for Randwick and went to the Roosters. Similar builds,great hands,good step.
Wright was lightning off the mark and maybe a touch quicker than Papworth.
I thought he was a disappointment in League as well because I was expecting more from him.