I think we are agreeing really. I just think more of our stars out there will be a benefit. I feel if Domestic development is better(nrl standard) then the players leaving will be replaceable which would be different from the problem we have now because our outstanding talents like roby are few.

Well in Robes. Made my day!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think you read the first post and didn't get any further. I've made my view clear over the 3 pages.

I think tomkin should go to Oz at least mid 20's, right away would be good for me. Under someone like Wayne Bennett he could be the worlds best player in a few years.

without tomkins,roby and the like,super league will be finished.we cant afford to lose any of our top players plus we would be making the nrl even stronger than it is now.we need our top players at home,increasing gates,tv audiences and ultimately sponsorship.

Totally, 100%, spot on.

I just don't understand the mentality of those fans who support losing our best players to the opposition, who have plenty enough good players of their own. We need our best players here as role models in the game to our young players and maintaining the standard of our own competition. The likes of Roby and Jammer will be excellent players no matter where they play and they are needed in our game.

I dont understand the mentality of those fans who arnt open minded enough to see that our best players going to play in the best comp with the best players will become better players themselves and when they come back as players and later coaches will make our comp stronger for the long term. Leading to our ability to produce a much higher volume of quality players. Which means when the high quality players leave we have youngsters of high quality who will fill the void and be the stars of tomorrow.

Locking our best talent in to long term deals is a short term solution to a long term problem. I understand why the clubs do it. I believe there is a bigger picture. using the NRL to train our best to be the best. Then they can come back as players and coaches and take our game forward instead of this indefinite stagnation it's currently in with regard to sl's inability to produce a high volume of world class players.

they come back when they are of no use to the nrl,much like most of the aussies playing here now.our younger players will learn more playing alongside and against roby now,rather than later.as for coaching,well lets see who will be adrian morleys first club is as head coach.warrington,leeds?more like quinns.i am not narrow minded,i just dont think our game could survive a mass exodus of its best players.your theory is right,but i suspect my practice is also right.

I don't agree with mass exodus either. Maybe 1 player a year to start with. In 10, 20, years why shouldnt we have 30 + world class blokes to pick from instead of the 3 or 4 we have now.

We might have,but only if we have a league for them to play in,and a league full of star players that youngsters aspire to play in

So what you are really saying is you want to convert Superleague into a feeder league for the NRL by providing most of our best players on an annual basis. Meanwhile superleague degrades into a comp with a void filled by 2nd rate players from OZ and young English players not ready for superleague.

Can,t understand when the high quality players leave where these youngsters of high quality are going to sprout from.

If we send all our best players over to OZ, I won.t be watching superleague, I,ll probably be viewing the NRL.

No I'm not saying that, I think you have missed my point. It's a long term plan. If roby went for 3 or 4 years, comes back at 28/29. if the Tomkins
go and come back at 26/28. They still have plenty to offer. there will be no need to fill the leagues with Aussies. At first it might be 3 steps back to go 5 to 10 steps forward. It might take 5 to 10 years down the line to reep the rewards. It's a long term fix to an SL problem which is we can't produce high volumes of quality players. We send our best players and coaches to get educated then when they return matured as players and coaches the need to send our talent to Oz will fall. With a view to learning the true skill of developing raw talent in to genuine world class players. Something SL clubs are failing to do on mass, a Tomkins here a roby there, a McGuire who could be everything marshall is but just isn't quite at that level. Peacock who almost got missed as a player.

having all our best players go right away wouldn't be a great move I agree but having more of our top players getting nrl exsposure over a period of time can be the start to bridging an ever increasing gap.

This statement is wrong. The fact that we have a larger total population that New Zealand makes no difference whatsoever. Rugby (Union/League) is the main and most dominant sport in New Zealand. The vast majority of their kids will play one of the codes as that is their national sport. However, we have to compete with the likes of Football, Cricket and Union. In New Zealand, union as stronger as it is over here but not to the same extent. We have a vastly smaller talent pool than New Zealand when taking into account what percentage of youngsters actually play the game. Looking at total populations is completely misleading.

That is a logical fallacy mate. We have more kids playing the game in lancs, yorks, Cumbria and London than the kiwis do. We have more juniors and junior clubs than the kiwis do. Just by sheer volume. Take the cas area there are at least 3 divisions at every age group from 6 years up, It's the same in Leeds and i would think the same in saints, Wigan, widnes, Warrington, bradhuddersfax, hull, Cumbria then there's other places like Oldham, wakefield, fev, dewsbury and Leigh and the like who will be involved in the other leagues. Don't forget London too.

Union is a much bigger pull full stop in NZ. At least in our heartland we have it to ourselves. Don't forget cricket is massive in NZ too. And don't kid yourself "soccer" is massive down under and in NZ too as it is world wide

Haven't read the earlier posts so this isn't a comment on anyone in particular, but I have to laugh when people want to see opposition clubs' best players move overseas, for the 'benefit of the British game.' Just a coincidence that it also happens to weaken their rivals...

I'm delighted Robes has renewed his contract, he's a world-class player and its a massive boost to the club and the town that he's decided to stay. Why should I feel disappointed that such a fine player isn't leaving my club?

I've been to New Zealand and seen their set up. You are somewhat misguided.