The race for Bradford Bulls forward Sam Burgess looks no clearer if the buzz of the press room is anything to go by.
I was in London last week following the Challenge Cup final for a certain paymaster and in the media filled bars following various events, my antipodean twang often resulted in discussions about the NRL.
Those discussions naturally then flowed on to Sam Burgess and his likely destination.
Burgess’ move to the NRL is big news in rugby league circles in England, and rightly so.
He is without doubt the best young forward in the game and without question has the potential to make as big an impact on the Australian competition as any of his countrymen have.
But just where will it be?
Judging from the gossip, it looks to be down to either the Rabbitohs or Sea Eagles.
Of course, the Russell Crowe angle has already worked its way into the Sydney papers, although the Sea Eagles had been working on a deal long before that.
One scribe told me that he had been told by an official at Souths that it was close to a done deal.
However, Mike Stephenson from Sky Sports later told me that Burgess would be heading Manly (He also said I could quote him, so there you go Stevo!)
Stephenson argued that Manly had nailed the deal because they had agreed to also take Burgess’ brother Luke who currently plays with the Leeds Rhinos.
Of course, Manly have a good recent record of signing brothers. They trumped St George for Brett Stewart’s signature when they agreed to also take on brother Glenn.
“Stevo” also said that the ability for him to live by the beach was also a big one in the Sea Eagles favour.
This factor though was probably slightly overplayed given 90 percent of the Sydney NRL based players seem to live on the near one of the Northern Beaches, Coogee, Marouba or Cronulla.
Maybe those chilly nights in Emu Plains when he was playing for the Panthers are still haunting the old forward.
Finally, it must said that no discussion about the fact that one of England’s brightest prospects was leaving competition brought about claims that it was killing the game there and that more must be done to stop it.
Which is exactly what I’d expect from plenty of Australia journalists.
Maybe like many of the good ales in the UK, they handle things differently to us and its not always for the worst.
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Knives Out said | September 3rd 2009 @ 7:03am | Report comment
Interesting article, Steve. I’m a part-time league fan (full-time union fan) from London. I’ve been following the Burgess story with a broad interest. Frankly, it would be excellent for the English game if more young English players would play in the NRL. The success of Morley and now Ellis is success in isolation and although both improved personally (I would hope that Ellis is still improving) it is hard to see how that benefits the game in the UK at large. I’d like to see far more (within reason) English players in Australia: Graham, Roby, Wilkin, Crabtree, Eastmond et al.
Knives Out said | September 3rd 2009 @ 7:04am | Report comment
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Interesting article, Steve. I’m a part-time league fan (full-time union fan) from London. I’ve been following the Burgess story with a broad interest. Frankly, it would be excellent for the English game if more young English players would play in the NRL. The success of Morley and now Ellis is success in isolation and although both improved personally (I would hope that Ellis is still improving) it is hard to see how that benefits the game in the UK at large. I’d like to see far more (within reason) English players in Australia: Graham, Roby, Wilkin, Crabtree, Eastmond et al.
Greg Russell said | September 3rd 2009 @ 12:26pm | Report comment
Knives, an example you should have a particular interest in is Brian Carney. Despite his small size, he was one of the best wingers in the NRL, arguably the best at one stage. I was convinced he would be a big success in rugby, perhaps a la Shane Williams. What went wrong for Carney at Munster? Certainly NRL brought out a level of excellence in him that was not duplicated anywhere else.
The answer to my question is of broader relevance to Australian rugby, which has failed to get the best out of virtually all its converts from league.
I suspect it’s something to do with the season structure. NRL is well structured: there are tough games every week for 6 months, and then there is an off-season of 6 months. This allows players to have both short-term improvement (through constant play every week) and long-term improvement (because of a proper off season, which allows, e.g., strength in a particular part of the body to be developed, or a skill deficiency to be ironed out). The rugby season is all higgledy-piggledy in the SH. There is no proper off-season, and during the season the top players are often “rested” for 2-3 weeks, which in my opinion achieves little.
Knives Out said | September 3rd 2009 @ 9:40pm | Report comment
He was well respected by his coaches, Mr Russell, and O’Sullivan did take him to the 2007 WC, but he did struggle, specifically with the kicking aspect of union. Ultimately I think that the game is different on a psyhcological level (i.e. the contest for possession). Perhaps it really is simple as that?
Super League is a bit of a grind like the European union season and takes place in similar weather so UK based players shouldn’t struggle too much. Aside from Jason Robinson there has been a few success stories in the UK. Shontayne Hape is maturing nicely at Bath and Stephen Myler is doing likewise at Northampton Saints. The former Lion Chev Walker also had a good season at Bath but left due to familial issues. I honestly think the key to this success (albeit on a limited scale) is the fact that the European season is so long. Experience only comes through game time and thus there is always an opportunity for a player to hone his skills in a competitive environment. Australian players don’t have that opportunity thus Tahu was fed to the Lions in SA last season.
AndyRoo said | September 3rd 2009 @ 12:52pm | Report comment
A lot of converts on both sides complain that they don’t get individual training to adapt.
The lines are different and such and some just don’t get it because in their old code they never had to think about it, they had been playing for so long they just knew them.
Plus a lot of the outside backs don’t have the complete skill set that they need and asking someone at 24 plus to learn to kick is a tough ask when they have to adapt to everything else at the same time.
Then there is also the fact that peoples expectations are crazy. Tuquiri, Sailor and Tahu are considered flops by some but they all played for the Wallabies, Is being a wallaby no longer an achievement?
wallythefly said | September 3rd 2009 @ 2:23pm | Report comment
I’d love to know what the coaching plan is for Souths if we picked up Burgess, we already have Asotasi, Luke Stuart and Dave Taylor signed until at least 2011. this will be one big forward pack (not that i’m complaining!!!!)
Gilbank said | September 3rd 2009 @ 3:14pm | Report comment
On ya Steve, and mate, rubbing shoulders with Stevo of all people (one of the English players who went to the Chocolate Soldiers in the 70′s and taught Australian RL a few things about guile – which is something they could probably do with today – on and off the field). Interesting how the conversation about your topic went, yet again, to the (boring) subject of League v Union…again! Just let me say this: Over the decades many Union players went to LOeague and failed to make it. So far the number of League-to-Union converts is tiny compared to the number of Union-to-League who went during the 95 years before Union went all Fake Blood. Union is in turmoil for the fact that they are lumbered with ancient rules and in-fighting. Ideally they’d love to go to 13 or 11 players to open the game up, or even get rid of those rediculous Private-school scrums (faintly reminiscent of that Wall game they play at Eaton…”old boy”). The Bulls of Bradford have a great Junior set-up, and there’s a lot of Burgesses in the pipleine (the town is RL mad) but they are broke at the moment and so there’s quite a few who could do with a bit of work in the NRL furnace. I say: Bring back the World Club Championship from 95 – when all the Superleague-aligned clubs played each other in the UK and in Gods Own. John “Van Gough” Ribot was a visonary. Imagine if they’d have stuck with it – a fully fledged internatioonal competition. Alas, we had to forgive them father for they no not what the hell they did the short-sighted fools. Anyway, bewdiful article Steve. (I saw Les Boyd in the bar at Wembley one year. He was a short arse. I didn’t tell him that, though.
Tom Alexander. said | September 3rd 2009 @ 6:56pm | Report comment
John Ribot is one of the greatest visionaries the game has ever had. He played the game at the top level (remember that winning try for the Kangaroos against the Kiwis in the 2nd test at Carlaw park in 1985) , he has proven himself off the field as a capable administrator with both the Broncos and the Storm, News Limited and now the QRL. The only thing stopping his ascendency to the top of the ARL is the same old cronies still running the game (into the ground by the sounds of it) south of the border. Rugby Leagues achilles heal has always been in the key areas of leadership and administration. Looking at their style of play and workrates, Carvell, Westwood and Graham should be able to make a go of it in the NRL.