RYAN HAMPSHIRE is now a Wigan Warriors player, seven years after he played his last game for the Lancashire club.
In those seven years, the 28-year-old has spent time at the Leigh Centurions (now Leopards), Wakefield Trinity, and the Castleford Tigers.
But, for leading rugby league agent Craig Harrison – of Show Me The Money UK – he feels like Hampshire has always been compared to the man who he came through the Wigan academy with, George Williams.
Harrison feels that that comparison is unfair and that Hampshire has excelled wherever he has gone.
“He’s always been compared to George Williams with him being picked for England and with moves to Canberra and Warrington on big money. If somebody has studied Ryan’s career, he’s actually done really well everywhere he’s gone,” Harrison said on the Show Me The Money UK TV: Inside the Deal Podcast.
“Leigh loved him. His stats were unbelievable, he made 160 metres as a fullback. Leigh got relegated, but they had massive raps for him.
“He went to Cas, I remember Luke Gale ringing me and said “wow, what a player”. Ryan played a number of positions at Cas.
“Every year it seemed he went to Wakefield for talks, I think he was always deemed as being petulant. I can only say from my end, he has never been nothing but 100% as a person.”
Harrison also revealed that there was one Super League club where he almost signed on the dotted line.
“Rocky would stand up for himself, if he didn’t get picked would he knock on the door asking why? He would say yes, he’s intelligent,” Harrison continued.
“You ask all the clubs he’s been at, he famously almost signed for Hull KR, but Ryan is full of potential and I think the best is yet to come.”
