Another big risk is the organisation skills that he would need to play at 6/7 - has he lost those? It's fullback at best for him for the 1st season back and thats where Bowen is. It doesn't seem to sit right, it's bad timing, if he had said he wanted to switch 3 months ago we wouldn't be having this discussion, I think he'd be a straight swap for Sam at that time. Maybe Salford or Leeds?

100% Yes.

Isn't Green going at the end of the 2014 season? Eastmond can play anywhere in the backs then to make either 1 or 6 his own in 2015.

He's got Warrington written all over him.


1 - Ratchford
6 - Eastmond
7 - Myler

That's would be some Tattoo

Im a bit worried we cant keep our current squad happy with the amount of cover we have in most positions

Powell had an great game for the england knights against somoa, i think next season he will be putting real pressure on squad selection

Lee Smith won the Harry Sunderland trophy with Leeds, (I think in 200icon_cool.gif. A good player who played anywhere in the backs, but never the same player after he came back from Union, and I don't think he was there that long.

Watched a bit of Joel on Saturday before coming to the match. I honestly can't see anyone enjoying that kind of game. Dominated by huge monsters with no ball skill. Joel got 3 passes I think. I mean, he would touch the ball more in one set of six than he does in the whole half in Union. Eastmond will suffer if he takes up league again. Time has passed. He may be talented but I don't think you can swich on and off your talent in that way and adapt between the two games.

The Eastmond of 3 years ago - yes. But not now.

The only possible place for him in our set up would be as a direct replacement for Pat - because he is a good place kicker.

It's not fair to compare Eastmond to Smith just because they both went to play Union. I also feel it would be silly ti disregard a young talent in league just because he's played Union for 2 years.

I wasn't comparing them "just because they went to Union". I was comparing them because they both had the ability to play anywhere from 1 to 7. Smith played in a GF winning team two years running and played for England at full back and on the wing. When he went to Union he played centre. Why is the comparison unfair?

funny first time only.....

The disappearance of Lee Smith's ability has always been a bit of a mystery.

Surely even Union couldn't hammer his skills out of him in the very short time he spent there?

Bit odd, that one.

Actually I think that my arguement is that Union does hammer players skills out. Lee Smith was a seriously good League player as was Eastmond. But, they go from playing a game that involves a great deal of running and passing to a game that requires them to do very little except tackle, catch high balls and kick. Watching Joel play now is quite pitiful and the money may be a compensation but you have to spend time actually training and playing a vastly inferior game. I very much doubt that he would be much use to Wigan now if he wanted out. From what I read he doesn't have much of a short term future in the England RU team as injured players will replace him come the 6 Nations. I don't blame Joel for going. I just think he will regret it.

He was a future Wigan captain for certain. Whilst he earns more now - the top players in League aren't that badly paid. OK he's played for England in front of 80,000 speccies for 3 weeks, but he could have played in the Challenge Cup/Grand Final/World Cup semis and even Final had he stayed (preaching to the converted I know!!! - but I needed to get it off my chest!)

I think Sam has taken the sensible decision and gone to the NRL where he has a chance of success. He would get killed in Union - no space, huge players dominating and so few chances to actually score. He averages about 1 try per game for us - what does a good Union winger/full back avaerage? The one game he did play was also a pitiful site. He got the grand total of one pass in the opposition half (practically on the line, her couldn't miss) and spent the game looking for something to do. I think that Barbarians game helped make up his mind IMO. I also think that people who think Sam would be brilliant in Union should look back to that game, because I'm certain that he wouldn't.

Sign him up and loan him out for a year

I totally agree with all of this, especially the stuff about Joel. I still regard that as the most tragic waste of an athlete I've ever seen. And though he and his missus may be enjoying the high life in Harpenden (!!?!!), I wonder if, at the end of it, he'll really think he's had a fulfilling career (bearing in mind he would also have earned a lot of dough at Wigan and in the NRL). Also, as you say, he no longer looks anything like the force he was - and would really struggle to make an impact if he came back to RL.

I really wonder about Lee Smith though - he barely played Union, and yet seemed to come back a completely broken man.

I'd still go for Eastmond as long as he's not asking too much, to see if we can make anything of him. If not, we sell him on.

Was Sonny Bill playing Yawnion for 5 years? He WAS the Roosters best player last year. You never forget how to ride a bike or swim but confidence can be affected, I don't see Eastmond having a total confidence crisis playing league but there are too many doubts. Compare him to the London players we have signed he's a rugby behemoth

Not sure of the relevance of SBW to this discussion. He did win the World Cup with the All Blacks and was considered a huge success in both codes. He is something of an 'outlier'. Eastmond is very much part of the norm.