The reality is that Sydney offers young people a lifestyle that Bradford, or indeed most places in the UK, doesn't. Some people will be attracted to it, others won't be. I'm sure that the Burgess brothers have nothing against the Bulls but ultimately, it appears that they feel that their careers and their lifestyle are likely to benefit living nearer to Bondi than Buttershaw.

There's not much that the SL clubs can do about that. We recently had Eammon McMannus [url=http://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=rleague/10/11/18/RUGBYL_St_Helens_McManus.insdatclaiming that the RFL needs to "do something"[/url to stop the likes of James Graham moving to the NRL whilst, in the same breath, admitting that Graham wasn't being motivated by the money on offer in Australia but by the lifestyle. How on earth can the RFL "do something" about that?

Yes, the exchange rate helps but in all seriousness, could you blame a player who is good enough to play in the NRL from giving it a go?

Indeed and then add in the fact that they will very probably come back a better player for it.
Everyone agrees that as far as RL goes its Southern hemisphere or bust ATM we need as many British players playing in that enviroment as possible as when they return 'Home' they will bring that RL enviroment back with them and hopefully to pass on to the next generation.

You areboth probably right. It wasn't such a bad thing when we had our better players oing down under in the 'off season' pre SL. Now it hits home because they are not going on temporary contracts.

I know where I'd go if given the chance.

That's 2 of bradfords best young players that have left recently.... Ouchie

We've also lost Joe Wardle to Hudds, so that's 3 by my count.

It doesn't matter though, because next season we've got IAN SIBBIT.

We've re-signed the likes of Whitehead and Addy who were our two most promising youngsters last year. We can't bust the salary structure for players that have just a single 1st team appearance or less. If Hudders or Wire want to spend a fortune on such players then we have to just target the ones we really want to keep.

At least we have first refusal on George Burgess if he comes back to SL.

I have no problem with English players going to the NRL, there are many positives.

It is a negative when your own club cannot hang on to certain players, but that is not exclusive to loaded NRL teams. If your club currently sits in one of the lower leagues or even one of the less well off ones in SL, you will no doubt be used to seeing the cream of your crop be skimmed off to play for silly money at a rich club who sits near the top of the SL.

Who can blame them? A RL career is short and wages don't go far once you've retired, it's a professional sport, is it not? The only way to counterbalance this would be to adopt something similar to the American Football franchises.

Straight into the England squad for him then.

This is an absolute tragedy for rugby.

To keep the game competitive internationally and keep the Oz game strong, they need to put a cap on all the foreign imports, the Oz youngsters over there will never get a chance....

Oi, don't laugh! With Sterling now worth only about AUD 1.50 c/w 2.40 a couple of years ago, and the wage inflation in the NRL, all of a sudden promising young Brits will look like very good value for money to NRL clubs. George won't be the last.

You forgot to count Menzies...

Who the hell gave you permission to come on here and talk total and complete sense?

This will never do.


~~~~~~~~~~~

Been to Sydney. Been on Bondi Beach. Argument totally irrefutable IMO. In his shoes, I would be off in a flash.

Everybody minus one I guess

I can't see how we are going to improve our national team by weakening our national competition, how can that be a formulae for success?

Australian RL has reached its current level (althoughthe current level is actually on the slide from its peak) by having a strong cometetition to nuture and develop their players and then to top it off Origin to blood them for high intensity rugby (the best standard of RL in the world till the Kiwis came along but the Aussies still think it is)

A couple of quick questions.
Will Burgess and Ellis come 'home' better players for playing in the NRL with the experience that brings?
Would it then be a good idea to have those players 'mentoring' young players coming through the youth setups of the SL clubs they end up at?
Yes we lose them in the short term but in the long term we will probably benefit far more than we lose.

My answers

It is too early to tell with Burgess but I have seen no evidence that Ellis is a better player than when he went to the NRL. He was a pretty complete second row in his final seasons at Leeds and if international rugby is to be used as a benchmark, he hasn't improved to any extent I can see

As for the mentoring - isn't that what the coaches are paid to do?

I would rather Ellis and Burgess be providing competition to our young players (in the same team and on the field) than mentoring them when they return from the NRL to a competition that will be easier for them to play in and pick up their 'pension'

I maintain - we will be better off in the long term by creating a competition that is of the highest standard we can

he Northern Beches leave Bondi for dead

Given the rumours I'm hearing I think George will improve and could possibly be better then Sam.
The rumours are that Wayne Bennett is going to be Souths coach after his contract is finished next season and Rusty will do anything to bring a premiership to Souths

We will have to agree to disagree.
Both have improved form in the NRL from what I have seen.

No coaches are paid to get the best out of the materials they have.
Using NRL hardened British players to mentor and keep on track up and coming British players is exactly the kind of thing I would exepct them to do.

If they are over there for 10 years you would be right but I can see them both coming 'home' long before it gets to that point.


I agree I just think that hardening up our diamonds in the NRL to help bring even more thought is the way to go.

Indeed and I would imagine he will end up better than he could ever be if he stayed in blighty.
That is exactly my point.

These are all fair points and I am happy to agree to disagree on the long term advantages of losing our best players to the NRL although I do feel that you have a slightly higher regard for the amount of mentoring a professional player will do than I... maybe I am a cynic but I feel that a young player would learn more (or at least prove who is the best young players) by playing against a Burgess or an Ellis at their peak than being mentored by them later in their career. Competition breeds excellence

Indeed. Far more picturesque. Although if you want a busy busy big beach then Manly is your place. But last time I was stood on Bondi Beach it was in a July. With a huge sea and a gale blowing in off the Tasman. And I was the only person on it.

Bit like Skegness in July really, but warmer...

Who says they are going to come back at all? They are young players trying to make their mark in a new country, both were excellent players before they went anyway.

The Sydneyside beach lifestyle is a young Briton's dream; the chances of them meeting and perhaps setting up home with an Aussie girl, having a family etc are far from small , I wouldn't come back in their position.

nor I, oh hang on I won't be doing!

Looking at past histories most do come back.

If at 18, I had the chance to move to Sydney I don't think i'd turn it down.

Especially when you see how well his brothers done. ATEOTD, if its the lifestyle what they want there is not much you can do do stop it. Like previous posters have said, why keep them at Bradford against their will? Their heart wouldn' be in it and they'd leave at the end of their contract anyway.

I'll just ocncentrate on cheering on our other promising youngsters who want to play for us - Whitehead, Donaldson, Addy & Southernwood are all just as good prospects as George Burgess.