[urlhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/super_league/bradford/8281531.stm[/url

Great move for Burgess and English RL - they guy is going to be a star out there.
Weakens Bradford even further though, why are they still considered 'big 4' ??

Good move by Burgess. At least the Rabs are not propping up the table now; it's the other Sydney club doing it!!

Wonder if Jam........actually, forget that one; not getting involved.

Know what you mean Wire Fanatic, if the FBG can't take a bit of rough treatment over here, he'd be fooked in Aus.

What are you going to do if the rumours about Graham turn out to be true and he signed for Warrington?

laugh!

he'll be the best thing since sliced bread then

Good. You'll be in a sticky situation if you did.

Rumor has it that along with fozzard rejoining Saints due to there financial difficulties due to winning naff all this season that he will be joined by Paul Sculthorpe and Chris Joynt

Great to see that at least one young player has got the balls to test himself in Australia.

Not like that Ben Harrison at Warrington. I won't rate him till he's won the Grand Final in Aus like Morley did.

Don't get the Ben Harrison comment Sally.
I must be the only one that thinks Burgess off to Oz is a bad for British RL. The game can't produce really good young players like him easily.
Can't blame the lad for wanting to go though. great move for him.

Ready made replacement for Fa'alogo?

Not really, I just don't want this forum swamped with crap from other fans like it normally is.

Good move for the lad, big test for a 20 year old though

I was referring to this bizarre attitude on here that being positive about James Graham has to be qualified by "but he hasn't done it in Aus...." Nobody would say that if he was one of our top upcoming forwards coming through eg Harrison.

I agree with you that I think its a bad thing for Super League to lose a quality British player, surely thats what we want. If he was going off to prove himself in RU would we be saying what a great move it was blah blah.

Other countries block their players from playing internationally if they leave their domestic league because they are worried about a talent drain!

If Harrison, or any of our other good upcoming players signed for an NRL club I wouldn't be turning cartwheels about how great it was for the game. Yes the NRL is good but its not the be all and end all, Jamie Peacock, Scully, Farrell etc were all great players whether or not they played in the NRL.

you could argue that jamie peacock turned into a quality player after going over and cutting his teeth in the local comp in wollongong

so perhaps it is a good thing for english rugby league if burgess goes out there and in 4 years time comes back 10 times the player he is now...which will be a scary prospect for any touring aussies

Burgess, the new morley??

Great to see young English players like Burgess and Flanagan going over to compete in the best competition in the world.

He has the potential IMO to be better even than Mozza.

I agree with most that t is good for the English game. Less overseas players over here and more players of international quality playing over there.
Should make it for a marginally stronger England team and in theory one less Aussie Prop playing in the NRL.
Rugby league needs a stronger England team to beat the Aussies in a series or World cup. Probability makes me think that when we eventually win against the Aussies it will be when the England Football team win the world cup, negating any impact that the success will have due to the Hysteria and national outpouring that we will see due to the fuuuuuzball.

Totally agree, our top young players want to be tested against the best in the world and obviously they believe that's in the NRL. Bulls fans must be choked to lose a player of Burgess' quality. It seems to me it's as much the lifestyle change that's the attraction as the RL factor. Being paid well to play the game you love in a country as great as Oz must be fantastic.

The only way we'll have any chance to beat the Aussies, other than in a one off test, is if our best young talent play with the same intensity week in week out that their Aussie counterparts do. The only way they'll do that is if they up sticks and move to the NRL.

It is a great, and courageous move by Burgess (and Flanagan too). It may be bad for Super league to see a player of Burgess's stature leave, but I would far rather a top player go and test themselves in the NRL than switch to kick and clap.

The probability of England winning the football World Cup is as close to nil as makes no difference.

I'd say its about the same probability as Warrington winning the Challenge Cup.

Wouldn't of minded him in a Wire shirt, Fantastic player and so young.

Two different style of players. Never seen Burgess as a second rower really. Souths won't be short of forward options next year though I wouldn't say his spot is garunteed.