Let's not go OTT it's not hardly a regular occurrence for a SL player to retire from the game early for another profession and Hargreaves wasn't exactly a world-beater. As already said, he was just another talented youngster who never realised his potential, it's bound to be the case that one or two will leave the game.

I don't get why people bring his talent into the mix? Imo its not in question.

If you think of every single player who laces up his boots from Shevy open age to the Wigan 1st team and all that's inbetween he's far above average.

For me it's a sad state of affairs in RL when a 26 year old SL standard prop retires because he gets a better offer from the private sector. SL is the 2nd highest watched sport on Sky but yet we find ourselves in this situation?

Where is the money going?

really ?

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spot on comments

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spot on comments

He is, I think he's a plasterer.

he was a regular for St Helens......i call that realising your potential

How sad that a young lad who learned all his rugby at Wigan went on to play his rugby at top class teams like Saints and Bradford should slag off the game that has give him a good living for a good number of years, he will find out that working for a living 9-5 is better than full time R.L.Sorry Bryn you are livin in a dream world if you think that!!!

It is sad, but you're missing the point. Bryn is right that RL doesn't offer a brilliant career for many players. If you're Sam Tomkins you can make very good money but as a more ordinary player like Bryn the rewards aren't massive and it is a short career. You don't make enough money to be set up for life. When you add in the risk of financial failure of clubs it's not an amazing option. The idea that Bryn is wrong because he thinks he can find a more sustainable career where he will be better treated is interesting. I don't know his personal circumstances, qualifications etc, he may well be right that there are better financial options, particularly in the long term and I certainly wouldn't blame him for wanting to find a better employer than the Bulls...

On pay generally, the failure to raise the SC in line with wages inflation means that players are already paid c40% less in real terms than they were at the outset of SL. Players as a whole have been badly treated in the SL era. If this carries on then we will see many more players dropping out of RL or not getting involved in the first place. Financial mismanagement by and lack of vision of the RL and club owners means that the game is heading for a semi-pro future, with a quality of competition nearer the French domestic RL than SL ten years ago.

Wrong on so many levels - he owes the game nothing, he has played the game at the top level but has to decide what is best for his future,after all how long has he got playing top level rugby and earning a reasonable wage - 6 years possibly injury permitting? It is also likely that he would not get another contract at a top club so his earning potential would go down anyway over time. If he has the option to take a job outside the game which will pay he a decent salary long after he would have retired from RL then he has the right to make that choice - after all he has to look after himself and family (if he has one) first. He seems to have been a player who has given 100% wherever he has played and conducted himself in a professional manner (I make no comments on his ability that is not relevant)

Also his comments in the press have not been slagging off as far as I can see - they have been truthful and level headed, I for one wish him luck, anyone who plays such a hard game deserves respect for that.

I'm sorry but some comments are off here people are acting like he's been forced to leave he could well play another 6-8 years of rugby then take the path he is now

Oh he's got a plastering job in the us big deal he could save cash up and open his own business when he does finish, He's attacked the game cause lets face it over the last couple of years he's been passed around from club to club when he wanted to stay with us

I wish him all the best

If the sport is going to get anywhere we need to attract a wider range of talented athlete beyond the limited areas of Wigan, Featherstone etc. and with a choice of career to choose from including football, RU, athletics, boxing etc which all pay better money to the top and middle employees than RL we will continue to find ourselves with a diminishing talent pool if RL isn't perceived as a good career choice for the aspiring athlete.