...and Lee Mossop I presume

And Lee Mossop indeed. I forgot about him because he hasn't been playing. Has he been injured?

He was injured until about round 13 or something, played a handful of games and then got injured again - he's out for the rest of the season.

Watching sam burgess week in week out, it's a complete traversty he's off to the dark side. The best and mostconsistent forward in the nrl, and more importantly getting better and approaching his prime, he will be a massive loss for south's and England. Just ask issac Luke who has a field day playing behind some of his charges and quick ptbs. (The burgess/Luke combo is a thing of beauty). Outstanding against manly, he seems to get better the bigger the game. On current form south's could well give him a send off in the biggest game come the seasons end.

Just wish league could keep hold of its best players when they are in their prime

Awful that he is leaving League. He should be staying in league and confirming himself as the world's best forward, not taking the money in Union where he will be so bored

If he wants to go let him.
He is massively ego driven, he is one player that I would lock out of returning to the game to place a marker to others that want the benefits of Rugby League then jump Ship.
He has had every opportunity in our game and every door has been opened to him and he still feels the need to abandon the game that built him.
If we accept the code jumpers back so easily it sends the wrong message, let them go and stay there.

Problem is it is the best players that jump ship - SBW being a case, Harmichael, Israel Folau - are you saying you would not allow an of these players into RL?

Yes.
Hunt was average as a Rep player and picked for Rep games beyond his ability.
Folau is a mercenary pure and simple.
$BW set out his stall in how he left the Bulldogs.

Sometimes you have to draw a line in the Sand and stick to your Guns.

The game is bigger than the player and if some that chase the money or "big stage" want to do that they can, but perhaps if Rugby League did not welcome them back less would take the option to leave.

wow! that's amazing, you're advocating banning players from league if they go to play union - talk about going full circle from the pre professional union days!!

I'm not advocating banning them - what I am advocating is not treating them like the messiah if/when they return, or congratulate them in RL media on leaving the game.

I think the Burgess clan were genuinely amazed to see that RL fans were not appladuing him for jumping ship, partly because of the ridiculous treatment of SBW last year on Channel 9. Similarly Andrew Fifita got a lot of stick when suggesting he might go to RU. Hopefully these highly paid RL players will at least understand that whilst its OK for them to go to RU to seek money or glory or whatever, that doesn't mean RL fans have to like it.

Its also why I sincerely hope Souths don't win the comp this year - Burgess can then go without having won a single thing in RL, either in England or Aus.

Samuel Levi Tomkins had another good game this last weekend for NZ Warriors. He didn't score a try and was not flashy. But his defence was good, his fielding of the high ball was good, and he did a lot of good things in attack. He was playing in a team that missed its stars Shaun Johnson and Konrad Hurrell, so he lacked some of the opportunities in attack that would have arisen had these two been playing.

Good under the high ball? He is one of only 30 people on the planet who can call himself a first choice top grade RL full back. Being able to catch a rugby ball when it's kicked in your general direction should be like an accountant being able to count to 10........a basic requirement for the role!

We get it you don't like Sam Tomkins, but he still had a good game and his defence was much improved (it did need to be, to be fair).

You should be an Aussie. That way, you could blame even more people for your hard luck life.
Oh, I forgot, they've almost got over it.
And one wonders why some from the lesser code treat RL with disdain.