Going to Union is both a risk and an opportunity for a player like Watkins.

If he stays in RL he gets a top RL wage for virtually the rest of his career and there's the possibility of quite high wages in the NRL.

If he goes to Union there is the opportunity of very high wages and fame. But there is also a higher chance of failure than in League. I don't actually think Watkins is the right player to make the switch to Union, not in England anyway. I don't think any Union team will use him right.
I actually think full backs and wingers are the best option for the switch. I reckon someone like Josh Charnley or Ben Jones-Bishop would do pretty well in Union.

I may be disappointed when any RL player moves to Union but I can't say I blame them. All I ask of them is not to forget or be ashamed of their roots and don't forget the sport that took you out of (most likely) a dead-end, minimum wage job.

First of all you're assuming should he return he'd be straight up to speed and at the level he was prior to defecting but for debates sake i'd say Thurston ,Sean Johnson and Cameron Smith!