A terrible blunder if true. I can't believe that the Brisbane Broncos' coach and CEO are so stupid.

I think after Mike Cooper was snapped up by the NRL, it opened up the door for anyone

The thing with players like Bailey and Cooper is that the wages they are on, or can expect to earn over here are a pittance with the new Aus salary cap, and taking the exchange rate into account, the Aussie clubs can afford to sign these sort of players as squad men/back up, rather than 1st team regulars.

If you use £50k per annum as a rough benchmark for a player the calibre of Bailey and Cooper - taking the exchange rate into account, this sort of salary is only slightly higher than the NRL's 2nd tier contracts (for juniors/reserve graders). With the salary cap in Aus rising year after year, even if it goes no higher than $6million, teams can afford to stock pile a number of half decent reserves and this sort of salary.

Throw in the lifestyle experience, and the opportunity to try and make a career in the NRL, I can see plenty more who wouldn't be considered superstars making the move. Agents know they can get their clients similar money that is on offer in Superleague at NRL clubs if they tout them around as good back up players.

I think Worrincy opened the door for anyone!

Mike Worrincy never played an NRL game. Then he repatriated. Bad example.

Incidentally, are you stoked on Trent (Barrett)?

I think England's only chance of winning something big against the ozzies is to have as much of our best players playing in the NRL so in that sense is good for the game.
Unless the salary cap is raised and super league becomes an attractive sport for youngsters money wise I don't see how the comp will improve.
It's just going to be a sport for guys who aren't all that smart with no ambition for something more or for guys who are just about good enough to make a living out of it.

The problem will be in 10 years time when after years of the cream being siphoned off to Oz the game in England has lost its fans and sponsors (the ones it has left) and the TV deal remains stagnant that the game in England stops producing any Cream and its all over.

The Mole ‏@RLW_Mole 52m
In The Mole in @LeagueWeek today - @NZWarriors close to signing boom English forward

wonder if its another wigan forward or bailey haha

What does it mean in the Aussie press when they write 'boom' infront of a players position? I've never understood it.

Maybe similar to us describing someone as an impact prop? Dunno, just a guess.

Maybe it's James Roby?

If so, Saints won't win silverware again for years.

I agree, and unless the money goes up that's the way the sport is going

It means a dynamic player at the top of his game, similar to when they say Greg Inglis is a "Gun"

Robes wont be heading to Australia anytime soon. Contracted till 2015, Saints would make someone break the bank to get him.

I don't think Bailey would go either, seems very settled with Delaney over here in their "bromance" but if Delaney goes back expect to see Bailey follow.

Roby apparently has turned down a move to oz in the past because his girlfriend didn't want to go. I also get the impression that he is too much of a Saints man to have any desire to play anywhere else. Also Kallum Watkins is the father of a young baby and if his partner decides that no amount of money is worth the baby missing out on growing up and forming bonds with grandparents etc. then he won't be going.

Not every player approached by an NRL club is going to go. There will be some who are content enough with where they are to not want to upsticks and move to the other side of the world.

Surely if more players go to oz, we improve internationally and win a Nations cup or world cup, then we should see a boost in interest in the UK (like with Union world cup win or Cycling last year) meaning increased interest at club level, more bums on seats, higher TV prices, more income meaning we can raise the cap and improve quality in the UK? Multiplier effect? Wishful thinking?

It will be Jordan Baldwinson or Glen Riley.

Its apparantly Baldwinson from Leeds. Very good player.

Jordan Baldwinson has signed for New Zealand Warriors.

any number of good players could go, but as has been said it will require all the factors to be right. If you're a young player at your boyhood club with a new kid, a spouse who doesn't want to go down under and are faced with moving to a city you've never been to where you have no mates, you probably wouldn't go.

I'd guess that the players most likely to go from Leeds are Hall & Hardaker, but the likes of Tom Briscoe, Watkins, Cudjoe Kopczak will be on the NRL's radar.

If England is to assemble a national team in exile, then Roby as the No. 1 hooker must go to Australia. I cannot imagine an Australian coach with a vacancy in that position not wanting him.

However if Roby does go, then St Helens will probably fall out of the SL 8, and Super League will be much worse off for that fact, and for the fact of his absence.

Why's that?

Roby for me because he is certainly the best hooker we have got over here and a few clubs might just take an interest.

I know this will never happen but, our players go for the aussie dollar and as it is at the moment I certainly can't blame them. we may finish up with quite a few internationals playing in Oz. But, with half a potencial international team playing over there, when exactly are they going to play with the other half, a week before a major competition ? Seems a joke to me. The aussies playing over here cannot play for their country. I think they have it right ! Just a thought

You may get one or two each season that leave SL and head to the NRL. These will be people with ambition and the desire to test themselves in the so-called greatest league in the World.

I feel the vast majority of the SL talent, for all the reasons mentioned on this thead, will remain in England.

Lets look at this in another way -

Like in England, there are the strong sides and the weak sides in the NRL - not every team is capable of getting to the play-off's or GF.

It is near impossible to get better than average players to move 200 miles from Yorkshire/Lancashire down to London (one of the greatest cities on the planet). Many claiming to be home sick or can't bear to be away from family and friends. I'm not knocking that, it's their decision and life afterall. But if they can't move to London, why would they move to the otherside of the world?

We know London won't win SL for a good few years (if they still exist that is) - but nor will half the teams that try and poach our SL talent in the NRL.

As such, and going back to my first sentence, yes - we will see one or two good players leave the UK for the NRL....but it won't be an issue because the vast majority will stay in their comfort zone. For those players that do leave and try to challenge themselves, it'll improve them (both as players and human beings) and allow young players to step up to SL level - all this equals a stronger national team (something we've been screaming for over the last few decades).

The balance is SL clubs doing what they can to entice those players with itchy-feet to stay....we need to keep SL as a valuable brand that hopefully (if the RFL sort it out) can attract big money sponsorship.