i think that is rubbish about union being next step not every player thinks like that i am friends with quite a few good RL players and they dont think like that

It's only viewed that way once an offer from Union is on the table. A quadruple pay increase will turn anyone's head but it's not an option for every single player in league

Of course they all won't, in fact the majority won't because they wouldn't have a position in Rugby Union, just as many Rugby Union players wouldn't have one in Rugby League. If Joels new salary is to be believed then no one with any sense at all would begrudge him having a go. At worst he could be back in RL in three years time, almost a millionaire. It's a short career.

Another one that still thinks joel getting £400k a year

, £400k over 3 years maybe

That's spot on I'm good mates with a player who went over to union & he'd never even given union a second thought until he was offered a deal. His feelings before he signed were basically can't stand the game & don't really understand it but the first year of the contract will buy my house so i'm going for atleast a year & if I don't pick it up I'll come back to league which he promptly did. As long as union can throw more money at people than we can there's always going to be young lads getting their heads turned & fair play to them if they take it.

Not if the break contracts to do it. If they go at the end of a contract then that is fair enough but most players are not on five year deals like Joel so if they have say 18 months left on a RL contract they should see it out and then go if they want to.

The obvious answer to the reply from IL is "Well why don't you then?"

We certainly need one.

Your maths is almost as bad as your English.

Just a thought, but might not increasing numbers of youngsters currently playing union come to see a league as a way of showcasing their talents much more effectively than could ever be done in the over-congested mess that's a game of rugby union? It's very doubtful whether Joel would be on the sort of contract he is now, had he come through union ranks. Handling the ball half a dozen times a game tends to limit the ability to catch the eye, I'd have thought.

And were we to draw in more youngsters, sure some might move on but you might turn up another Sam Tomkins or two.