If thats the case............

Would it make sense that NRL clubs were affiliated to a particular SL club. Then if they have a young talent who they arent ready to blood in the first team just yet, but can see that he has real potential they could 'loan' him to their SL club for a season or two. Thus giving him the experience he requires plus proving he has what it takes, also the SL club could well get a real talent at a vastly reduced cost?!

Obviously it wouldn't be as simple as that with contracts and loan periods etc. But its just an idea....

3rd rate

Would it make sense that NRL clubs were affiliated to a particular SL club. Then if they have a young talent who they arent ready to blood in the first team just yet, but can see that he has real potential they could 'loan' him to their SL club for a season or two. Thus giving him the experience he requires plus proving he has what it takes, also the SL club could well get a real talent at a vastly reduced cost?!

Obviously it wouldn't be as simple as that with contracts and loan periods etc. But its just an idea....

McKinnon, Martin, Seymour, O'meley, Moa, Heremaia, Obst, Manu is to many especially as we've got room for another.

Im not disagreeing that we need less but we do have a good representation of british players too, more than a lot of clubs, one being our neighbours whove got rid of alot of english players and replaced them with imports

But we shouldn't be reliant on overseas players, using the old 'well they've got more' doesn't sit well with me.

And why should fans of Nrl clubs have to put up with their clubs been raided? We don't like it when RU clubs take our talent.

I know id love to have all british players but the fact that atm we dont, and wont for some time, it makes it a bit better imo that we dont rely as heavily on imports as others

But the clubs who have more are 'smaller' clubs and for whatever reason (haven't been in the top flight long, bigger clubs 'stealing' players) have to rely on them.

I do think this will be the way forward in the coming years, SL clubs will have to gamble more on younger players. The only issue is then why not take the chance on british youngsters? Plus they younger players in the NRL won't be able to command the bigger salaries.

There will always be a bunch of 26-32 years olds always willing to come over though.

Because, for the most part, they're nowhere near as good!

There's some great amateur clubs in England, but the route from being a promising junior to becoming a professional is incomparable to what it is in Australia.