I was told six weeks ago that his family had gone back to Aus, couldn’t settle here.
Widdop probably seeing the season out.

The grass is always greener. Surely the high salaries they are paid would compensate them for living in the ghettos of Grappenhall and Appleton. Winters can be grim, but Aussie winters aren't particularly nice especially in the south and we have had decent weather since April.

I have great sympathy for the Widdop family. No one could plan for what has happenned. You know hardly anyone, you & kids can't go out etc.etc. ... a terrible time to move to another Country. Most people/everyone would struggle in these circumstances.

Sydney or Stockton Heath??

I think it's fair to say that we can have just as bad weather in our summers as the Aussie's get in their winters. Let's face it ,in the rugby league heartlands of the UK , most of our summers are washouts. On my 3 visits to Perth in Aussie winter time i have been pleasantly surprised with the weather.

A lot have opted for SH over Sydney over the years.

Something like 50% of Brits who emigrate to Australia return within the first few years and in a rugby context, John Bateman has chosen to return quite soon so certainly the grass isn't always greener.

It is something that seems to happen more with the modern player though; many of our overseas signings of the 80s and 90s were here for 5 years or more. I don't think the weather was any more tropical back then, or Bridge Foot resembled Sydney Harbour more closely but I might be wrong.

That would depend on how much HBC was imbibed.

But the major difference is that widdop family would NOT be in a unfamiliar environment. Surely they would come to England regularly as Widdop has in the position of having family over here and he is. You know. ENGLISH. So it would be at least more familiar than say ashton sims for example. Who relocated his family and moved his life to warrington for what was it 3 or 4 years. With no one here. Then you have people like toa, who havent fone back home since coming to england.

Not about the player it's about their family. If the partners can't hack it that's it game over.Blake Austin has an extremely supportive partner and his 4 kids are a credit to them both. They also had the benefit of friends already here and it wasn't lock down so were able to travel around a fair bit. Very different for Widdops partner who i believe really struggled from day 1.

If he goes he goes, hope he sees the season out well and finishes with the big trophy without hurting his troublesome shoulder.

Is his wife British or Australian?

He has to do what's right for him and his family. It would be better if he sees the season out at least.