Wider issue is the financial clout of the NRL and how this should really end the player drain. Especially in England where youngsters like Ashton and Eastmond would imo have gone to Aus rather than yawnion

Still not going to be able to compete with RU even with a $7mill salary cap. French RU and the ARU can sign $1million+ contracts, NRL won't get that high even for the very best players, avg RL players like Ashton, Gower, Eastwood etc won't attract big RL $'s that they can get in RU even with the increased cap. What it will see is a reduction in the avg NRL player or players coming to the end of their careers from the NRL to SL and more English players moving to the NRL imo.

Regardless of ones view of SBW's career choices, that's a quality rant; anything that opens with the word 'scum' is unlikely to disappoint, and this was no exception.

I don’t think we can know the minds of these players and whether they would be prepared to move their lives to the other side of the world at such a young age

Also, Eastmond was a full international when he moved but Ashton wasn’t – I suspect that the NRL clubs wouldn’t have spent the same amount on him than the Union clubs were willing to pay whether they had the cash or not

Not sure if it will ever end but for a while to come, we will continue to lose players to Union in this country... and we will also continue to replace them with quality youngsters playing the better game

I'd not want to clean dog muck up in a local park but if they offered me double what I'm on now I'd certainly do it!

Think it would be difficult not to especially with the rise in profile that Union also offers. Let's face it there are a lot of fame hungry kids out there and RL is hardly going to get you noticed in the big smoke!

Have you ben reading Danie Craven's biography?

and I was being nice seeing as it is the season of good will to all men!

Let him stay in the inferior code.

What he did to his teammates and club was downright disgusting.

I also though he was getting into boxing now,won't this be his number one priority?

He's got a NZ heavy weight title fight soon.

He has......and on NZ TV he has been very non-commital as to his plans for 2013>>>>
On the subject of his FINE.........would it need to be paid or has it already been settled?
rlhttps://www.foxsports.com.au/league/nrl-premiership/nrl-boss-david-gallop-demands-contract-promise-from-sbw-as-condition-for-nrl-return/story-fn2mcuj6-1226234555445rl

Still one of the exciting forwards to emerge in the NRL for many years - if he is as good as he was he would be an asset to any side and given the chance there isn't a side in the NRL that would not sign him.

If clubs want rid of players they have no truck doing so - Ben Ross at Leeds is an example from last year - why are you so outraged when the tables are turned?

The bloke can't be trusted, the night before he done the bolt, he was on the footy show with hundreds of children talking about respect, commitment and all the other stuff that goes with it, a few hours later he was hiding in dunnies at airports fleeing the country for a bigger pay day without letting anyone know.

How could any club ever trust him not to do it again?

Agreed but he is such a massive talent that his potential playing contribution is too much to ignore - there are a number of players who are of such quality that their off field misbehaviour are accepted as a part of the package.

He's not that good! He's a second rower, is he going to win you a GF? Nope. If we were talking Cam Smith, Andrew Johns or even Billy Slater then yep worth $800k and accepting back someone who has pi55ed in the face of the game as they will take you all the way, but for an injury prone 2nd rower? I don't think so!

He was an exceptional player - his behaviour has clouded your view. Will he win you games - sure he will, will he help you sell merchandise you bet he will, will he bring in sponsorship - without a doubt. Will he increase crowds yes because youngsters without the prejudices of their parents will want to see him play. His money isn't just about on field he is one of a select few that will get the tills ring off field.

I go back to this - there isn't a side in the NRL that would not sign him given the chance.