Josh Hodgson’s nephew follows him to the NRL

[Davo5]

https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/castlefords-bailey-hodgson-follows-uncle-josh-in-making-nrl-move/?utm_content=buffer7b24a&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer&fbclid=IwAR2eeGi3e2pKnAjAdpWOaGI0Q3vmCITFZDzh-CW3qasx5IZOG2P0bNBu1Ck

[Hela Wigmen]

Young players with next to no professional games under their belt moving to Australia is a worrying trend that appears to be picking up speed. 

[Liverpool Rover]

One substitute appearance and he is going to the NRL? Even though English Rugby League is so inferior   NRL clubs are queueing up for our players, surely for every Bailey Hodgson over here Australia will have several.

[Pulga]

22 minutes ago, Liverpool Rover said:

One substitute appearance and he is going to the NRL? Even though English Rugby League is so inferior   NRL clubs are queueing up for our players, surely for every Bailey Hodgson over here Australia will have several.

They're not queueing up for them. They probably offered him a development contract several times more than what he's on at home because they can. They do it to all of the Pacific basically.

[Toby Chopra]

24 minutes ago, Liverpool Rover said:

One substitute appearance and he is going to the NRL? Even though English Rugby League is so inferior   NRL clubs are queueing up for our players, surely for every Bailey Hodgson over here Australia will have several.

It's not that the raw material is inferior - why would it be? It's just that the English development pathway and ability to earn a living is clearly inferior to the Australian one. If you get spotted, you'd be mad not to go.

[DavidM]

40 minutes ago, Hela Wigmen said:

Young players with next to no professional games under their belt moving to Australia is a worrying trend that appears to be picking up speed. 

Is it worrying  ? Young lads going into NRL development systems . If they make it great , if they don’t it’s a great experience and they’ll pick up plenty for their future career . More should do it given the chance 

[Davo5]

26 minutes ago, Liverpool Rover said:

One substitute appearance and he is going to the NRL? Even though English Rugby League is so inferior   NRL clubs are queueing up for our players, surely for every Bailey Hodgson over here Australia will have several.

Maybe he thinks he will develop quicker over there rather than being backup to a fading ex NRL player.

[nadera78]

Just now, Toby Chopra said:

It's not that the raw material is inferior - why would it be? It's just that the English development pathway and ability to earn a living is clearly inferior to the Australian one. If you get spotted, you'd be mad not to go.

Absolutely. I'd encourage any player with the ability to take the opportunity. If it works, you'll earn multiples of your potential salary in England, get to play in the best rugby competition in the world, with great facilities, a support network, and be recognised for the elite athlete you are. And if doesn't work out you can always return to England and earn a decent wage in SL.

[Hela Wigmen]

4 minutes ago, DavidM said:

Is it worrying  ? Young lads going into NRL development systems . If they make it great , if they don’t it’s a great experience and they’ll pick up plenty for their future career 

Yes, it is worrying. We’re losing young players that have come through our clubs and our clubs have invested time and money in. It’s likely to have a negative effect on the quality of the league and drive the wedge between Super League and NRL further apart. 

[RP London]

2 minutes ago, Hela Wigmen said:

Yes, it is worrying. We’re losing young players that have come through our clubs and our clubs have invested time and money in. It’s likely to have a negative effect on the quality of the league and drive the wedge between Super League and NRL further apart. 

but over time may make the England side better as our best players are playing at the NRL coalface, something we have said we need for a while.. . a better England team (with a proper international set up) can then drive more interest in England so rising the potential talent pool etc... 

All ifs buts and maybes but not all doom and gloom either.

[nadera78]

4 minutes ago, Hela Wigmen said:

Yes, it is worrying. We’re losing young players that have come through our clubs and our clubs have invested time and money in. It’s likely to have a negative effect on the quality of the league and drive the wedge between Super League and NRL further apart. 

King Canute, mate, King Canute.

[DoubleD]

Shame Bennett isn’t England coach anymore, as we’d have got to see him in the World Cup next year

[Copa]

I’m amazed he’s been given permission to enter the country. There is currently an extremely restricted incoming passenger cap so I’m shocked a place has been given to someone who really is a nobody.

[muckymunksy]

51 minutes ago, Davo5 said:

Maybe he thinks he will develop quicker over there rather than being backup to a fading ex NRL player.

Who’s the fading NRL Full Back? 

[Hela Wigmen]

22 minutes ago, RP London said:

but over time may make the England side better as our best players are playing at the NRL coalface, something we have said we need for a while.. . a better England team (with a proper international set up) can then drive more interest in England so rising the potential talent pool etc... 

All ifs buts and maybes but not all doom and gloom either.

The international game is a limb of the sport. Let’s not try and dress up England RL for what it’s not. We play three times a year, if we’re lucky.  

[RP London]

39 minutes ago, Hela Wigmen said:

The international game is a limb of the sport. Let’s not try and dress up England RL for what it’s not. We play three times a year, if we’re lucky.  

no i know.. thats why i said "with a proper international set up"... 

you cant blame the kid for going, or the older ones like Bateman, Graham etc you need the governing body to step up and make the most of these sorts of things and the international game with a (supposedly) better team thanks to the NRL exposure is where they need to work.... its not like the RFL have Super League to run anymore!

[Oxford]

2 hours ago, Liverpool Rover said:

One substitute appearance and he is going to the NRL? Even though English Rugby League is so inferior   NRL clubs are queueing up for our players, surely for every Bailey Hodgson over here Australia will have several.

You've summed it up nicely, LR. It is worrying and does not bode well for the future. A while ago Gus suggested all the good juniors from here should go to Oz and that would sort out all the problems. This is nonsense of course the bits that it would solve would be eaten up by the insular nature of Aussie sport. It would leave us with only journeymen ( the most valuable but least valued of our players) but also a far less exciting spectacle to watch. But the Aussie would be fine so that's alright then!

[Hela Wigmen]

10 minutes ago, RP London said:

no i know.. thats why i said "with a proper international set up"... 

you cant blame the kid for going, or the older ones like Bateman, Graham etc you need the governing body to step up and make the most of these sorts of things and the international game with a (supposedly) better team thanks to the NRL exposure is where they need to work.... its not like the RFL have Super League to run anymore!

I don’t blame people for going, however, I do think it’s the start of a worrying trend that has seen English lads leave for Australia without many/any games played at Super League level. 

[Oxford]

4 minutes ago, Hela Wigmen said:

I don’t blame people for going, however, I do think it’s the start of a worrying trend that has seen English lads leave for Australia without many/any games played at Super League level. 

HW they're as cheap as chips and a no risk challenge for the NRL, if it doesn't they'll have lost nothing comparitively or if at all.

[Hela Wigmen]

1 minute ago, Oxford said:

HW they're as cheap as chips and a no risk challenge for the NRL, if it doesn't they'll have lost nothing comparitively or if at all.

That’s not the point. It’s a great recruitment idea for NRL clubs, I don’t blame them for going down that route. I don’t blame kids for going, it’s a great place and they get to be around the best in their field. I do think, however, that this is the start of a worrying trend in which Super League clubs are losing Academy players without them ever having played them or having played them a handful of times. I think it could have an effect on the overall quality of Super League and brings into question, for some clubs, whether an Academy is a financially viable option over the long term if they’re losing players before they ever stick a jumper on for them. 

[Oxford]

1 minute ago, Hela Wigmen said:

That’s not the point. It’s a great recruitment idea for NRL clubs, I don’t blame them for going down that route. I don’t blame kids for going, it’s a great place and they get to be around the best in their field. I do think, however, that this is the start of a worrying trend in which Super League clubs are losing Academy players without them ever having played them or having played them a handful of times. I think it could have an effect on the overall quality of Super League and brings into question, for some clubs, whether an Academy is a financially viable option over the long term if they’re losing players before they ever stick a jumper on for them. 

Only people who don't care about this would argue otherwise!

[RP London]

14 minutes ago, Hela Wigmen said:

I don’t blame people for going, however, I do think it’s the start of a worrying trend that has seen English lads leave for Australia without many/any games played at Super League level. 

hopefully they do well and stick it out, if not they come back and they should be better players for it.. that would be the hope anyway i'm sure.

[muckymunksy]

55k min wage 

[RP London]

6 minutes ago, Hela Wigmen said:

That’s not the point. It’s a great recruitment idea for NRL clubs, I don’t blame them for going down that route. I don’t blame kids for going, it’s a great place and they get to be around the best in their field. I do think, however, that this is the start of a worrying trend in which Super League clubs are losing Academy players without them ever having played them or having played them a handful of times. I think it could have an effect on the overall quality of Super League and brings into question, for some clubs, whether an Academy is a financially viable option over the long term if they’re losing players before they ever stick a jumper on for them. 

I do see where you are coming from, are the clubs paying money to take them down to the NRL or getting them "out of contract" as the money will help some clubs. (i know this isnt the point as such but if it funds the academy for a few years that could be good)... 

 

[Pulga]

19 minutes ago, Hela Wigmen said:

That’s not the point. It’s a great recruitment idea for NRL clubs, I don’t blame them for going down that route. I don’t blame kids for going, it’s a great place and they get to be around the best in their field. I do think, however, that this is the start of a worrying trend in which Super League clubs are losing Academy players without them ever having played them or having played them a handful of times. I think it could have an effect on the overall quality of Super League and brings into question, for some clubs, whether an Academy is a financially viable option over the long term if they’re losing players before they ever stick a jumper on for them. 

When your governing body acts small-time then your players will treat you as such. It's a feedback loop.