I’d imagine the reported return of Mark Gasnier is music to the ears for NRL boss David Gallop. Finally, something positive to take the spotlight off salary cap drama and the endless parade of players receiving media attention for all the wrong reasons.
Gasnier left rugby league as arguably the best center playing the game.
But before he suits up in the number 3 for the Dragons a few things need to be discussed.
Is he done with rugby?
Rugby union has certainly provided for Gasnier financially, but I’m not convinced he’s confident in his own ability as a rugby player.
Gasnier is reported to have said he finds rugby boring and that although he enjoys the French lifestyle his preference is to play rugby league.
I for one find it hard to believe that earning almost double what you would playing league would be boring, especially when you enjoy living in Paris so much.
John O’Neill has said he’s prepared to withdraw his “never approach him again attitude”.
Truth is, Gasnier is a champion footballer and given the right environment could be the x-factor the Wallabies need with the upcoming RWC, I’m just not sure he knows it.
European rugby dulled his speed and agility – Gasnier has certainly shown glimpses of greatness but it’s far from the scintillating form we know he’s capable of.
Slugging away in the rain sodden “bash fest”, which is European rugby, is enough to damage anyone’s confidence, especially when you were once spoken about in the same breath as your great uncle.
Super rugby would give him more room before the line and would allow him to play closer to the ruck rather than the limited room he’s been dealing with on the wing for Stade Francais.
However, despite what the ARU can offer him and despite what we all know he’s capable of with any shape of ball, it would appear Gasnier would rather sink back into the comfort zone of the NRL
But where would he go?
Surely the Dragons would find it difficult to squeeze a player of this calibre under the cap – in fact this would almost be as miraculous as the Melbourne Storms’ bid for Willie Mason.
Newcastle has some space under it’s cap, and it’s also apparent that Gasnier and his wife Claudette prefer a more relaxed lifestyle, which Newcastle certainly offers…
Also, one of the main reasons Gasnier left Sydney was to get out of the fish bowl.
If that’s the case, the only thing more relaxed about being a footballer in Newcastle is the traffic.
In Newcastle, Gasnier would be treated as a God and hounded wherever he goes, and perhaps he should have a word to Andrew Johns about why he now lives in Sydney.
Maybe Joey will be able to offer a better definition of fishbowl.
Gasnier should not sell himself short as a rugby player.
Super rugby can provide the environment he needs in order to fulfil his true and undoubted potential as a world class rugby footballer, not to mention the pay cheque!
dave
Guest
karlos, your world is only limited to australian league and rugby. there's a huge rugby world out there with many players more skillful than your average nrl players.
dave
Guest
well said corey. its better to have secondary game like league in nz than have to watch soccer!
Ryan
Guest
Gareth, when Tahu left the Eels he was or was close to the best centre in the NRL and probably Parra's best player at the time. As an Eels and Tahs fan I have been hugely disappointed with how it all turned out but I did think of all the League converts he had the most potential but he should have switched 5 years prior. The way Chambers has been handled is the best model for convert success.
Gareth
Guest
It's worth remembering that when Tahu was playing rep league, he was doing so as the guy on the business end of a lot of well worked Andrew Johns plays, and not through any great skill of his own. This became apparent when he moved to the Eels and lacked the same impact he'd previously enjoyed. On his return, he's been good and bad. Defensively quite poor, but good in attack without being exceptional.
Whiteline
Guest
Yes Timmy - good call, stand corrected.
Joe
Guest
yeh what about gasnier v inglis game 1 2008, i bet that still gives greg nightmares
big Kev
Guest
like passing left and right? pull the other one dude. A league international centre, Tahu, was so bad at Union it was embarrassing. His tackling and passing skills were non existent.
big Kev
Guest
yeah right mate, if Timana Tahu is good enough to play origin I reckon it's got nothing on Super 14. All hype as he is like a n f'in turnstile that bloke. if I ever hear another leaguie telling me Union players cant defend I will have to show them that tape!
big Kev
Guest
Lote was certainly a first choice for the Waratahs but did not make the Wallaby side last year and to be honest he has not been missed in Union one bit, given that the winger who replaced him at the Tahs, Drew Mitchell, has scored 9 or 10 tries this season. But Lote, who leaguies claim like all other league converts, would not be missed in league looks set to walk back in the Origin. Tahu was a bench player at the Tahs and will possibly go down in history as having the biggest shocker in a Wallaby jumper of all time yet he too is likely to play Origin this year again. Gasnier? The Rebels are the only Union side interested in him and the money is less than he could earn in league so what choice does he have? As for the nonsense about those guys choosing to return to league, lets be totally honest Sailor was kicked out of Union as was Lote. And the ARU were more than happy to release Rogers and Tahu.
Timmypig
Guest
Scott Gourley played Rugby prior to switching to Rugby League after the 89 Lions tour. A registered League player in those days was ineligible to register for any Rugby club in Australia - that restriction lasted until 96 and open Rugby professionalism.
Daz
Guest
Darren Junee was the last wallaby to league star
Whiteline
Guest
Gourley played league first at St George because that's where his father played - then he lobbed to union.
Jerry
Guest
Scott Gourley?
Rickety Knees
Roar Guru
StP they were freaks who dominated both codes. Not sure about the last Wallaby to cross, though probably Michael O'Connor
Bam Bam
Roar Guru
Agree Link, we need to stop saying league players and union players can't play any other game. Athletes are gifted with abilities that suit certain sports but passing is a trait both codes have, running is another, tackling, kicking, speed, fitness, etc. Tuquiri made it and made it big. The Tahs used him as an ad campaign, they set up a website dedicated to him. Sailor, he was bought by the Tahs from the Reds, Chambers is making it good in the Reds, Barnes is a regular in the Wallabies (although his form is quite ordinary at the moment), but lets embrace the games as being unique yet similar. I love it, its better to have a secondary code like Rugby than having to watch soccer!
steve
Guest
or maybe the league players are lacking basic Union skills and then somehow delude themselves that the union players are lacking the skills...... They are different skill sets, diffrent games there is no comparison so get over it. I would hazard a guess that when you say that union players are lacking skills you aren't referring to players like Hernadez, Ruan Pienaar, Jaque Fourie, Quade Cooper, Fourie Du Preez, Johnny Wilkinson, Will Genia, Digby Ioane, Dan Carter, Tana Umaga, Pierre spies Ryan Kanowaski, Brian O'drisscoll ect. ect. ect.(the list will keep on coming) I can also grantee you that it was Tahu's lack of defensive skills that allowed S.A to beat Australia by 40 points....
Karlos
Guest
Of course its a bloody gee up. Getting that way that a bloke cant have a good laugh. I stand by my comments though. I do believe Union players are so lacking in basic skills that League blokes are used to playing alongside.
The Link
Guest
Let us forever quash the myth that Australian League converts did not make the transition. Sailor, Rodgers and Tiquiri all had distinguished careers with the Wallabies and all made a world cup final. How playing over 30+ tests for your country is a failure I don't know. I will accept that Tahu was the worst of the converts, but how he gets a start in the test in South Africa after 10 games of Rugby says more about the state of Australian Rugby than Timana Tahu. Put Scott Staniforth in Origin after 10 games of NRL and you'd get a similar result. And if you think selection of Rodgers, Sailor and Tuqiri was a marketing exercise then you need an hour in a room of mirrors on the depth of Australian Rugby from 2002 - 2008. Rugby would be mad not to consider NRL players, same goes for NRL clubs and S14 players. League players will continue to make the switch, Union players will come to League, so stop blabbing and lets just get on with it.
st penguin
Guest
Rickety Knees, the players you cite were a bit before my time (I can only remember Price and O'Connor playing RL and the other names are alien to me!) Out of interest, how good were these guys at rugby? Were they average rugby players who were amazing in RL, or were they just freaks who could dominate in both codes? And just one more question to throw out there, who was the last Wallaby to convert to RL?
Rickety Knees
Roar Guru
Agree Brett. No ex RL has really made the transition to Rugby as opposed to Ray Price, Michael O'Connor, Russell Fairfax, Arthur Summons, Kevin Ryan, Dick and Ken Thornett, John Brass etc etc etc who all made it in League. Rugby has less time and less space to play by the mere fact that each ball is contested and you have tw0 extra mongrel backrowers out to get every ball/scalp that they can - especially that of a backline player. Tuqiri was done and dusted as a test rugby player when he left Australia. However he has been an aboslute revelation in the open fields of the NRL and is rightly being considered for an origin jersey. Rugby should forget about buying anybody who does not have a background in the game. The vast sums of money required would be better spent on youth.