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Rugby League players who could have/could make the switch

Joe Mac

Arch Winning (36)
A lot of guys played both as kids, but these guys all started their professional careers in League I think.

Nearly all of the players you mentioned were poached from the Schoolboy Union ranks: Tomane, Vuna, Saffy, Barnes, Hunt
 
P

Paradox

Guest
Anyone remember Gary Belcher? He was superbly balanced football. I honestly don't think there was a weakness in his game. Brett Mullins in 94 was unreal.
 

Scotty

David Codey (61)
Played touch against belcher a few times just after he retired. He was pretty damn good at that as well. Very good pass.
 

Budgie

Chris McKivat (8)
Is the very existence of Rugby League in Australia a joint conspiracy from the springboks and all blacks to keep the Wallabies weak.

Imagine the domination we would have at World Cup time if there was only one Rugby code in Australia. The All blacks would be road kill if our talent pool was not diminished by the other code.
 

wamberal

Phil Kearns (64)
Not forgetting the AFL. If I had to pick one player from outside rugby it would have been Lethal Leigh Matthews. Alex Jesaulenko was another fantastic footballer who would have been sensational in rugby, in fact he did play a lot of rugby when he was growing up in Canberra.
 

#1?

Larry Dwyer (12)
If we concentrated on an internationally competitive and relevant single football code, we would be unstoppable.

The Athleticism and Tribal Passion of AFL and the Victorians, SA, and WA, the Collisions of NRL supported by the wealth of the poker machine clubs. Dreams are free. Imagine those AFL kids growing up only knowing rugby. Opens up the market to another 3 million potential Wallabies.
 

Hugh Jarse

Rocky Elsom (76)
There are others who have rather strong views on the other codes as well.

Yeah
If you got rid of that time and money wasting, pocket lining,corruption riddled fetid stain of a game the theives want us to call "football" aka soccer. And make the other states play a sport you can represent your country at instead of a pasttime. (Don't AFL people come back at that statement, you just annoy me, saying "We play Ireland." No you don't)
This would then put the true code to the fore rather than Cricket losing 13 of their Vic Academy players to AFL, Parents would be save thousands of Dollars every weekend propping up the Pillars of Salt known as the Hyundai A League, so that the administrators can lead a lifestyle that Uncle Sepp, that runs the sullage pit of sport would be accustomed to.

If THAT were to happen, YES there would be probably a better average. Thank You
 

fatprop

George Gregan (70)
Staff member
Nearly all of the players you mentioned were poached from the Schoolboy Union ranks: Tomane, Vuna, Saffy, Barnes, Hunt

true, but some of them were poached from league schools with scholarships to schools who only played union

it is a very murky area, and yes many played both as kids
 

Sluggy

Ward Prentice (10)
Is the very existence of Rugby League in Australia a joint conspiracy from the springboks and all blacks to keep the Wallabies weak.

Imagine the domination we would have at World Cup time if there was only one Rugby code in Australia. The All blacks would be road kill if our talent pool was not diminished by the other code.

We still wouldn't have good props though.
 

Sluggy

Ward Prentice (10)
Which raises the question of why the game that does cater to all shapes and sizes isn't recruiting them.
 

Sluggy

Ward Prentice (10)
I was thinking more of the ones who were determined enough to make the B teams despite a lack of natural ball-handling/kicking skills, lack of pace, etc. But yes to them too.
 
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