Correct.

As long as he plays till the end of the season like he has been doing these past few weeks then good luck to him at the Roosters.

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't the kid single, with no explicit ties to GB? If I were a fit bonny lad in his 20s (instead of an overweight grump with a dodgy knee) given the chance to live the high-life on a beach with wall-to-wall totty, I'm pretty sure I'd have made the same decision.
It's a shame we're loosing his tallent, but good luck to the lad. And it's not as if there aren't budding replacements knocking on the door to have a go.

To be at the top in any sport you have to back yourself.. Every credit to him. Very sad to be losing him, but, as said, i would be doing the same as him..

He's sensational. The lad has recovered from a difficult start when if anything he was probably trying too hard to impress, to really hit top form. He's a real rare find in terms of an English back because he's a huge lad but he's got blistering pace and is a supreme athlete.

Sad to lose him but give him a couple of years testing himself in the NRL and England could have one of the very best outside backs in its side. I'd love to see him back in a Wigan shirt one day but I'll also enjoy watching him represent the club and the town down under.

Aside from the fact he isn't the best winger in the league, his contract expired and he wanted to leave. He made it clear that offering him more money wouldn't change that. What were they meant to do? Put a gun to his head?

Who is the best winger then? Hall?

Was thinking similar

On current form Budgie would probably get my vote.

Charnley, Hall, Briscoe, Carney, Monaghan are all cracking players

Hall has been a beast for Leeds for many a year now and has always just pipped Charnley (IMO) for the best SL winger.

However, i would not swap Joe for any winger in the world right now.

I think he will go very very well in the NRL

Dont forget wbw mk2, makinson

He's the form winger for sure and I'd currently rank him number 2 behind Hall but he's got the potential to go past even Halls level. The one thing I would say about Hall is that his weekly round performances always seem to be a bit non fussed but the phrase 'big game player' was made for him and that's what sets him apart.

Hall and Burgess should be nailed on for the England wing spots against the Kiwi's currently but things change.

Bring the corner flags back into play and he is as mediocre as Wes Davies

Should be, but you never know with McBanana.

I suppose that we're lucky he's going now, in a way. (Bear with me).

Given that he's only 21, with (presumably) his family staying back home in England, there's a good chance that he'll get homesick and want to return in a couple of years. (See Sam Tomkins)

Therefore, if we have treated him right - Which it looks like we have - I would assume that IL will have some kind of first-refusal arrangement with him.

I don't honestly think that we've seen the last of Budgie, although don't get me wrong - I am gutted to be losing someone of his calibre at the end of the season.

I just echo the thoughts of those who hope that he continues his current form right through to the last game for us.

A report in this evenings M.E.N. said that there was a deputation of N.R.L officials here on business and are planning to add Joe Burgess to there shopping list, as it as been said that he as already signed for them I presume it was just to finalise the signing.

According to one report one agent said the Aussies would also like to sign Wigan's young workhorse of a forward John Bateman.

Of course they ing would.

We're a shop window for NRL. Bloody Aussies.

Can't see Bateman going to the NRL, he has a young daughter here, sharing custody would be difficult living in Australia.

Yes Hall for me. Carney, Makinson and Monaghan potentially edging budgie as well. Charnley is out of form but IMO he's a classic above budgie when both are at their peak

It's always easy to sing somebody's praises when they're in top form but I can only agree with Hall on that list (and his form isn't as good currently and rarely is in the run of the mill weekly rounds).

As for the others all have a case for sure but there's just something about Burgess that sets him apart IMO. He's got size, power and speed but above all the lad can really play! He is cool and collected and can do things none of the others can.

To take one in isolation I'd argue strongly that even at his best Josh Charnley hasn't produced some of the plays Burgess has. He's going through a dip currently but even on peak form I think he had more of a reliance on others to make things happen then Burgess has (put Burgess in the 2011/12/13 team with Sam Tomkins feeding him and things would have got out of hand).

Burgess is one of superleagues best two wingers already IMO and give him a couple of years in the NRL and he'll prove himself as one of the best in the world. He's that good but of course it's all opinion.

Being so cool and collected is why he is already a top player and will go on to be a great player IMO.

I have said several times he has great awareness of what is going on around him so for example when he is running full tilt he still manages to put a scoring pass away inside. He has given Faz quite a few tries by doing just that.

This sets him apart from speedy players who once they get the ball its either score or be tackled!

I said in a post a good while back that he was the best talent I've seen in a long time and I stand by that, he can score, setup for others, he can tackle, he's great under a high ball both in attack and defence. I would not swap him for any other winger in the league. If you offered me Hall to play on the other side I would be made up, but I wouldn't swap him.

His run inside when Williams went on the outside on Saturday proved his game awareness. He read Williams run so early and times his movement to perfection to give himself a walk in (that never came).

Another example of his skill, game sense and vision was the catch and instant try assisting pass (that never was) to Sarginson on Saturday.

It sets him apart for me from pretty much any winger in superleague. He reminds me very much of a lightning quick Pat Richards which is a scary prospect.

Burgess could go on to be the best winger in the world IMO. He's got everything.

Best of luck to the lad in the NRL, if they are patient with him they've got a hell of a player.

Shame to see him leave SL though I must say.

Yesterday was another example of why he could become that. His decision making once he breaks the line is incredible for such a young player.

The amount of assists he's got this year for a winger is crazy.

The amount of times he chases down opposition breaks is ridiculous as well. He must have saved half a dozen tries or more this year by chasing down an opposition player in the clear. Hudds' young fullback didn't look any slouch but Budgie had him and saved a try at a pretty critical point in the game.

Yes and the other guy who chased him down was Bateman. Incredible. I didn't know he was so quick.