League Targets

[Sword of Justice]

Probably for the Exodus thread but what we may see from now on is that by allowing our players to go to France/Japan/etc we actually protect our player pool rather than our current mindset of them being lost. A new mindset.

 

[Derpus]

Meh - he wont go to League. Japan a far more attractive prospect.

 

[Sword of Justice]

I used to take that view as well and he may very well do that but players have familial concerns, support networks, mates etc. If there’s salary room extensions the NRL salaries will be akin to Japan.

Many here have expressed the view of ‘Tokyo over Illawarra’ or similar and frankly I agree but I have family members who have done it (lawyers, not rugby players) and they found it very isolating. I am not suggesting it’s not a wonderful country. Similarly I know of a recent former Wallaby (friend of a friend type deal) who found France very difficult with a young family.

There is a storm coming with these contracts in the NRL. We are 90 years behind them professionally.

 

[LeCheese]

Purely an attempted anti-Union beat up. ‘Made an approach’ - nothing to see here.

 

[Sword of Justice]

Idk Cheese they are talking about it constantly on League media. Not Wright but more generally. There’s only so many good players and the new teams will create a vacuum.

 

[Derpus]

I used to take that view as well and he may very well do that but players have familial concerns, support networks, mates etc. If there’s salary room extensions the NRL salaries will be akin to Japan.

Many here have expressed the view of ‘Tokyo over Illawarra’ or similar and frankly I agree but I have family members who have done it (lawyers, not rugby players) and they found it very isolating. I am not suggesting it’s not a wonderful country. Similarly I know of a recent former Wallaby (friend of a friend type deal) who found France very difficult with a young family.

There is a storm coming with these contracts in the NRL. We are 90 years behind them professionally.

Nah living in Japan would be fucked. Those guys are nuts.

But Wright isn't going to be a big dog in League. He may not be able to crack a starting side if we are being honest. He is one of the best fullbacks in the world in Union.

 

[Major Tom]

Idk Cheese they are talking about it constantly on League media. Not Wright but more generally. There’s only so many good players and the new teams will create a vacuum.

It's more of a concern for our pathway talent. We lose far more players to league from there than we do at the Wallaby level. That's where we need to fight the battle.
Happy for there to be chat about the occasional wallaby going to league if we can quietly go about securing our next wave of players.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

This would be a legit offer. He'd be a 6 in league as I'm not sure he has the legs or high ball ability to play at the back. Organising Defence would also fry him.

With 60 new contracts about to hit the market in the NRL of course he's a target. If Carter Gordon was able to land a pay cheque with zero experience you bet Wright could and it would be starting from 600k I reckon.

A lot of these guys see the NRL as a pinnacle competition and Japan more of a pay cheque. What is his professional desires? Not like he could go to Japan at 29 after 2 years in the NRL.

He may also see the room filling up in Rugby with JAS and Jorgo likely contenders for a 15 jersey by the time of a WC. Not like he hasn't been shafted by Wallaby selections before... Coaches may change but people feel what they feel.