#rugby league BLOG 2010/11: When does a player drain equate to a couple of players?

Entry 16.  19th November 2010

Eamonn McManus at St Helens sounds a worried man.

A story today suggested the Saints Chairman is seeking the RFL to take action in order to prevent a player drain of talent to the NRL.

I’m sorry but I just can’t agree with him. Currently there are just two English players playing regularly in the NRL (Sam Burgess and Gareth Ellis) while one youngster is trying to make his way (Gareth Widdop).

At the end of last week there was a shock fourth player announcing a move to Australia, none other than Michael Worrincy who has played the last couple of seasons with Bradford Bulls.

I would hardly call this a player drain, particularly when in the Super League there were reportedly 111 overseas players according to Widnes Sporting Director Terry O’Connor.  It makes the four pale into insignificance by comparison, especially when Super League Clubs can sign up to FIVE Australian or Kiwi players EACH.

What it does point to is my opening statement, McManus is a worried man. He knows that the likes of James Graham and James Roby, arguably two of the jewels in the Saints squad, have boosted their reputations down under following good performances in an outgunned England team during this past Four Nations Tournament.

Perhaps more pressing is the thought that from the end of next season Graham in particular is out of contract and has already reportedly been sounded out by a couple of clubs. To be honest I couldn’t blame any player for looking towards Australia, the current exchange rate is good, the lifestyle is different with cold wet November nights a thing of the past, plus the best league competition too.

I also reckon both players would do well in that competition with Roby’s sniping from dummy half and Graham’s toughness.

I wonder if the first thing on Mr McManus agenda is a meeting with both players next week?

An interesting concept - NRL All-Star game - RL Comment

I've just witnessed about 55 minutes of the NRL All-Star game between an Indigenous select and an All-Star team.

It was fast, it was skilful and the winning try from Jamie Soward was top class as Jonathan Thurston pounced on a mistake by the All-Stars, attracted two defenders before rolling the ball out in a round-the-corner style to Soward who pinned his ears back and dashed a good sixty yards to the try line.

For years in Australia, the indigenous population haven't been treated well and only over recent years have concessions been made. Now I'm no expert in Australian social history but what is clear is that to the Indigenous select, this was a game that clearly meant a lot, there was feeling, there was emotion, there was pride.

The final score of 16-12 to the Indigenous All-Stars justified the validity of such a game while Skilled Park on the Gold Coast looked packed to the rafters.

I feel that we lack something of a season opener in this country - it seems to be friendlies then the season starts whereas this All-Star game gave fans plenty of interaction with there being an online voting system regarding player selection which was certainly an innovation. With master coach Wayne Bennett giving things the thumbs up I would think there will be short odds for the game to appear again on the NRL calendar next year.