Feel sorry for Lewis Dodd, a Widnes lad who has been ripped to pieces in Australia without really getting a fair crack.
Sadly, he follows a list of failed British backs who can’t crack the NRL. Our forwards always seem to thrive over there but very few if any of our backs succeed, wonder why?
Agreed, Sam Tomkins, Ryan Hall, Lewis Murphy, Jordan Turner, Zak Hardaker, Richie Mathers, Kallum Watkins, Oliver Gildart, Joe Burgess, many more I'm sure. Can't remember any of them really turning it on over there. The likes of Jack Reed, Gareth Widdop and Herbie Farnworth coming through the Aussie system really.
George Williams at least played regularly I suppose.
Like you say, the forwards seem to fare much better. Didn't used to be the case, a good few of our players had great spells over there in the 90s.
IIRC Andy Currier was top NRL points scorer in his spell!
But how many of our SL backs would rate a spell tbh ?
Our clubs are only too eager to go to the NRL for talent rather than develop youngsters, it's the 'easy manager' option as opposed to 'coaching'.
The game needs to stop taking the easy option of signing overseas players, and start producing more of our own.
Of course, that won't happen cos it's too much work, and clubs want instant success. Nor is there any desire amongst the Club owners and the Sports Administrators to do anything about it.
That is far too 'strategic'!
If anything, the traffic is moving in the opposite direction given the announcement to allow teams to have TEN overseas players instead of seven. The reason being given is that we don't produce enough domestic players of our own!!!
You couldn't make it up!!!
Lazy coaches, easy money!
TBH Burgess generally talks sense and seems to see the clearer picture, as does Degsy B !!!!!!
SL is trying to be Premier Soccer without the cash!
I maybe wrong but I can see a thrashing at the 'Ashes' unless our referees rescue the Shaun Wayne team.
To be fair, how many of the current Australasian imports (other than Field and French) would you pay to watch.
Totally agree that the long-term aim should be to develop our own talent and pay them accordingly, as elite players, rather than import past-it or average players on huge salaries. Perhaps an overseas quota of two should be the aim.
The RFL has been so fixated on developing the game in Canada, America, France etc etc, to the detriment of the home game as a whole. Perhaps the RFL should be looking at ways of expanding the game in its traditional roots, with encouragement for home grown talent, and put money (if there is any in the sport) to the expansionist clubs in the UK, where there is potential for growth.
In reality, there is unlikely to be a major development in the sport in the foreseeable future and a handful of so called big clubs will dominate the sport (and the revenues) for their own benefit and to the detriment of the rest of the game.
Wakefield have just announced a signing from the QLD Cup League. So, 2nd tier players in Australia are deemed better bets for SL than locals. Quite an indictment not just on our top-level league but on the player pool available here.