Don't let the door knob hit you in the back!!
Apparently Tahu is trying to get back to the NRL after his dismal showiing in 18 months on the sidelines and off the bench in rugby. Not a moment too soon I say.
Seriously, can this end the madness of the ARU throwing cash at NRL players? What has the return been compared to the investment- one world class winger in Tuqiri. That's it. Rogers, Tahu, Schifcofske, and of course World Wide Dell had their moments but ultimately were failures in the 15 man game. And, really, it's not like Australia struggles to produce top line backs so was even the investment in Tuquiri necessary? If we could poach some tight fivers from somewhere I'd be all for it, but league won't produce those for us.
The delicious irony of the whole NRL-raided-by Rugby-era is the indignation of League types wailing that they are developing these talented players only to have rugby throw cash at them, just like, Oh I don't know- Rugby League did for the past 95 years!! Anyone heard of Michael O'Connor, Ricky Stuart, Ray Price etc etc? Do you think they just went to play League for the challenge? Rugby League wouldn't be a sport if it wasn't for Union players sick of being shortchanged, so don't bitch when the shoe is on the other foot.
Also, I think we can put to rest the myth that Union loves League athletes because they're so superior and League wouldn't be interested in any Union players. That's some serious horse shit. As the success rate of League converts shows, they really aren't that great, and even Tuqiri was probably better off in League. John O'Neill's love of publicity is the only reason so many Leaguies have been poached- it gets the attention of the Telegraph readers.The only reason Union players don't convert now is because they like money. Do you think there would be a single NRL club that wouldn't want Giteau or Carter playing for them? Please. But they can't pay these guys a third of what they now make, so the NRL don't bother even wasting time to make an offer.
We need the ARU to stop this ridiculous experiment and invest the cash in developing actual Rugby players. Ones that might win a scrum and lineout on a consistent basis against world class opposition.
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Nice spray and particularly valid points Deevs. I must admit to enjoying the struggle that league has found itself in after 90 years of pillaging union. It makes you wonder where both sports may have been in the 21st century if union had gone professional a whole lot earlier. I wonder if 50 years from now we'll be witnessing a 'hybrid' sort of game. Maybe a fair deal would be to keep the rugby lineouts whilst also keeping the ridiculous league scrums where backs get an even bigger rest whilst the forwards take the hit ups as they do presently for comedy purposes...
ReplyDeleteTahu was the single biggest joke in rugby I have ever seen. He is like the Scott Muller of Rugby Union. "Cant tackle, can't catch, can't pass" WHAT THE FUCK CAN YOU DO? The amount of times I have watched this waste of space lose games for NSW over his short stint are numerous. Piss off back to league and a game you actually could play ok!
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