Australia has been raving about the performances of Sam Burgess and James Graham this season, and for good reason. But there are several other English players in Super League who could be a hit in the NRL.
Apart from the Burgess bunch at Souths and Graham at the Dogs, the English influence in the NRL has grown in recent years.
Gareth Widdop is at St George Illawarra and this season he was joined by the underrated prop Mike Cooper.
Sam Tomkins had a decent start to his NRL career at the New Zealand Warriors, while Lee Mossop didn’t have much luck in an injury-plagued 2014 at Parrammatta.
Next year the Pommy push is growing.
Hull KR hooker Josh Hodgson is off to Canberra, and should do well, while his Rovers teammate Greg Eden has signed with the Broncos. Hull FC winger Ben Crooks is also joining the Eels in 2015.
It’s hard to see Eden getting much game-time at Brisbane, with their thousand fullbacks, while Crooks is only 21 and has potential. Hodgson is probably the pick of this new trio, a creative and smart hooker, and is a canny buy for Ricky Stuart.
But apart from these three there are several others in the Old Dart worth a look.
Chris Hill
Named in the Super League team of the year, Hill is a tough, hard-running prop in the Adrian Morley mould. He was ranked fourth in carries in the competition and second in metres.
Hill’s hard as nails, has played Test footy for England and has a huge engine. At 26 he is the perfect age to give Down Under a try.
Daryl Clark
He’s only 21 but Clark has been in the top-three best players in Super League this season. Able to play a variety of positions, Clark is one of the reasons Castleford has enjoyed such a good campaign.
He sets up and scores tries – with 10 assists and 13 tries – but also gets through a fair amount of work and can slot in the backrow. Quick out of dummy half and good with an offload, Clark could make the grade easily in Australia.
Zac Hardaker
Another youngster – he’s only 22 – Hardaker is a huge talent. He can play across the backline but fullback is his position for Leeds and he has scored 53 tries in 106 games for the Rhinos. Tall, strong and elusive, the Featherstone Rovers junior has also played for England.
Hardaker has had his problems, being kicking out of England’s World Cup camp for drinking and being banned this season for homophobic abuse, but if he can get his head right he would be an asset for an NRL club.
James Roby
Has just led St Helens to a minor premiership and a grand final appearance. At 28 and with 11 seasons in Super League under his belt, James Graham’s former teammate is a class act. Roby directs a lot of Saints’ attacking play, always seems to find his way over the line and has a strong passing game.
He’s already played 28 Tests, seven for Great Britain and 21 for England, and has achieved just about everything there is to achieve in the UK. A no-brainer for an Australian outfit.
Elliot Whitehead
A left-field selection, Whitehead has been brilliant in 2014. The bustling back-rower joined Catalans midway through last year and has been outstanding for the Dragons. Able to bust tackles and put teammates through holes, the 25-year-old has managed 18 tries himself and five try assists this season. He’s also not afraid of getting his hands dirty, topping the tackle count for Catalans.
Whitehead helped the Dragons go on a unlikely run to one game away from a Super League grand final and his form has just been rewarded for an England call-up. He’d relish the tough environment in the NRL.
Follow John Davidson on Twitter @johnnyddavidson
Kris
Guest
You seem to forget how many NRL players English clubs poach.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
If the helping of the national team sees that team winning a tournament or two, that may provide a catalyst for the Super League so I'm not sure if it's all doom and gloom. Still, I do agree that a transfer fee system needs to be put into place. There needs to be financial protection to ensure that the Super League continues to produce good players. Even if the NRL poaches a few of them, the system in place would guarantee that there will be more players waiting in the works to sustain their competition. I think.
Glenn Innes
Guest
What makes it even more frightening is unlike Soccer, Rugby League has no official transfer fees. The NRL clubs can feed off the English game and not provide it with one single dollar in compensation for losing the players that it develops...for me this is the biggest issue facing international Rugby League in the years ahead.
Glenn Innes
Guest
i hope they don't look at any English players, Rugby League at the professional level is fragile enough in England without the NRL poaching all the star players. Sadly that will not be the case, there was a time when Australians clubs largely ignored English players because the money you had to pay to get them meant it was not worth the gamble. But with the media sports rights inflation that Australia has seen over the last decade and with it increases in the salary cap and more liberal rules with third party sponsorship the best English players can see a clear financial advantage in playing NRL ; If English Rugby League becomes just another NRL feeder comp and every bright young thing ends up heading to Australasia to play, it will be goodnight nurse for English Rugby League in the long term, just like poaching from Sydney clubs killed of the the Brisbane Rugby League. The game in SE QLD had a get out of gaol card. putting a team in the Sydney comp. the game in England does not have that option, also it's foundations are far weaker than were Rugby Leagues in SEQLD where it was still the most popular spectator sport.In England we are talking about a fringe sport struggling along beneath the glitz and glamour of soccer.The last thing it needs is it's best talent deserting the super league,. the only other pro comp in the world. Sadly I predict business is business will rule the day, the NRL clubs interested only in self interest will start picking the eyes out of the English game and while this may help their national team to be more competitive in the short to medium term in the long run it will be an absolute disaster for the game in England and by extension the international game.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
Roby won't be leaving England, he's signed with St Helens until the end of the 2018 season at which point he'll be 33. He'd do well here, but I'm glad the Super League is maintaining a good number of their quality players.
Alvin Purple
Guest
Kallum Watkins the Leeds centre who played for England at the last world cup is a real talent that in my view would benefit enormously from time in the NRL. His defence can be stratchy at times which is where the NRL week in week competition will help him. Talk and Lanky he reminds me of Greg Inglis when he runs - although he is a long way off this. Agree with James Roby a real talent. Overall the standard of English players has improved in the last 10 years or so. With 2 less teams in Super League from next year I expect the standard to be even better with more close competition. As much as I love SOO we really need the international game to be the pinnacle of our sport
Simon
Guest
There would be 50 poms who could make it in the NRL, even though I'm not exactly sure what that means. -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
Renegade
Guest
James Roby is a star.... I don't know how old he is now - but he would kill it in the NRL. Hardaker has incredible potential and certainly wouldn't look out of place...... need to get Ryan Hall over here - he is the best winger in the world, no doubt. I haven't seen much of Chris Hill but he held his own in the World Cup for England last year.... Johnny Lomax is only a youngster but he has the makings of a great halfback.
Tripehound
Guest
All of these players would be more than useful in the NRL, if you like your stats Roby's make interesting reading. In his last couple of games he's made 63 and 65 tackles and made over 200 meters in each game, he's also chipped in with a couple of tries. Would prefer him to stay at St.Helens but he would make a massive impact for any Aussie team should they sign him.