Why are NRL players so good at other sports?

[El Diablo]

Other than rugby union, league players don't dominate other sports. And they only dominate the backs, not the forwards. You can claim Mundine in boxing if you like, up to you. Maybe before professional sport guys could play 1st grade footy and another sport in the summer, but it doesn't work that way anymore.

Swimming?
Athletics?
Golf?
Tennis?
Basketball?
Soccer?

Andrew Johns was a terrible cricketer. He was a below average 5th grader in a small town competition with 5 grades. Izzy is better at AFL than Joey is at cricket. And Izzy isn't very good at AFL.

http://www.news.com.au/breaking-new...-to-play-cricket/story-e6frfkp9-1226227968589

 

[aqua_duck]

http://www.news.com.au/breaking-new...-to-play-cricket/story-e6frfkp9-1226227968589

I'm sure Dan Christian is not the first nor will he be the last bloke who played more than 1 sport at school

 

[Loudstrat]

a rugby players skills are in scrummaging, rucking, mauling, lineouts. its not just hit up after hit up like in league.

Pity their skills dont include running and athleticism.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

The guys that have done well have either been high level guys or guys who've got abit of a union background.
Quite a few union guys have done well in league aswell. JWH had never played proper rugby league until he signed with Manly in 08, 18 months later he was representing the kiwis and today is arguably the best prop in the game. Ben Kennedy was a private school union player at St Joey's only started playing league after high school and turned out to be one of the best backrowers of the modern era.

Konrad Hurrell had never played League before joining the Warriors junior squad, (played union and was an Olympic weightlifter at school) was in first grade within 2 years.