They did with Wendell Sailor, Lote Tuqiri and Matt Rogers.

Just watched Sam on Boots n all and he's a likeable man off the field and he is without doubt the face of RL. He will be a big loss when he does decide to play kick and run.

We have been telling people this for years

I would echo that as well. For a RL player he was remarkably eloquent.

I would have no complaint with HIM being paid more in respect to SC exemption to keep him in RL

And Sonny Bill Williams who iirc will be the highest paid player in the NRL this season, if not one of the highest paid.

where would sam play if he did go to union

i'm no expert, but FB is completely different, you need to be able to catch and kick, so his elusiveness at FB in league will be wasted

Wingers get less ball than i do in Row W East Stand in Union, so i cant see him playing wing

that leaves the fly half / scrum half or whatever they are called in union, which i dont think will be right for him either

so it looks like if he is going to leave it would be the NRL

agreed. look at the successful international converts from league to union, and its generally been on the wing.
the halves are a completely different proposition between the 2 games (you get even less space/time in union because of the back row hounding you so instinct is crucial) and FB is basically a kicking and catching game with a bit of counter attack.
the only other position he might be able to play in where he would have the space to create an impact would be centre (a la Guscott/Twelvetrees), but that would require a bit of bulking up and a lot of learning (and would he have time to adapt?)

and i think the other thing is that they have tried to convert back row forwards into inside / outside centres in Union

why they cant take one of our centres and play there is beyond me (not that i want any to move)

i'm pretty sure Faz was signed to play centre as was Joel. Faz was never the fastest forward in League, so it was beyond me why they wanted him as a centre

i think some of the other names posted earlier pretty much sums up what you have said also - Sailor, Rogers, Tuqiri, Robinson, Ashton - all wingers and all made it

RU centres are completely different to RL centres. The inside centre is almost a traditional RL stand off where as the outside centre is more of a crash ball centre, akin to a RL second row. That's the nearest comparison I can make anyway.

They really are 2 completely different games.

Sam to Salford! www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... rd-1347811

Sam to Salford! www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... rd-1347811

What would be in it for Sam? Aren't Salford also constrained by the SL salary cap? He will no doubt see out this season with Wigan and wait for the chance to increase his salary (either with the NRL or Union).

Absolutely no reason to leave for Salford unless they increase his salary to an extent it skews their pay grades beyond anything seen before!!!
Sam + 28 reserve players (on 20k each)...seriously???

And in next weeks edition of the Koukash files, Salford attempt to sign god himself......

Salford need their name in the papers, and the good Dr is talking the club up.. Good for him.

Quote ="ksm1701"Sam to Salford! www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... rd-1347811'" is your avatar Dr Marwan Koukash?

Quote ="ksm1701"Sam to Salford! www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... rd-1347811'" is your avatar Dr Marwan Koukash?

Well Salford have now bid for Sam, Chase and Morley. Only 2000 there yesterday. This new chairman needs to concentrate on building a squad that is competitive not chucking money at 'never gonna happen' signings. Then he will get the fans through the door. To pay a huge transfer fee on 1 marquee signing wont change the clubs fortune. It may in the short term say that he is ambitious but he needs to build a team. Back on Sam id be very surprised not to see him in the red and green of the bunnies when he leaves us. Just an opinion, and not in anyway fact based, but a hunch none the same.

I can't help wondering if the current doping scandal now brewing in the NRL might make Aus seem a less promising destination. It it does turn into a rugby league nightmare, as some have forecast, it might make him more likely to re-sign for us, or - who knows - more likely to join his brother in the much easier, much better-paid game.

Either way, Salford's approach is all about publicity seeking, which is probably good for their club - though it could also raise the Reds' fans expectations to an unrealistic level.

I think that Salford will sign Hock next season.

Thats a good shout. He'll get the money he wants thats for sure. I reckon there will be slip ups by Mr Hock though and full expect a Gleeson style fall from grace in the world of rugby league.

Well, Lee Briers was at Salford yesterday, so no doubt they're after signing him too

I believe they already have

Ben Barba potential time out away from the NRL gold fish bowl and in time to replace the obviously exiting Tomkins? Very similar players in style and I'm sure Sam's wages would be promising to Barba as well as a less intense media focus on him.

[urlhttp://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/nrl/bulldogs-stand-down-ben-barba-indefinitely/story-fnca0von-1226585272226[/url

Sounds like Barba needs time away from the game full stop and as and when he's better he'll be back playing in the NRL.

Regardless of issues he's too high profile to be moving to superleague in it's current state.

Could he do a job at prop?

I have heard that as part of his promise to put bums on seats, Koukash is trying to sign Oscar Pistorius.

I heard from a sauce that Salford offered Wigan a £1M t/fer fee and Koukash promised Sam 40 virgins as a signing-on bonus. Wigan accepted but the dr couldnt find the virgins