Grimmace
15-09-06, 07:37 AM
Welcome Mat, but not for Origin
By Darren Lockyer
September 15, 2006 IT is great news for rugby league that one of our own, Mat Rogers, will return to the game, with Gold Coast Titans from 2008.
Fellow dual international Lote Tuqiri - a close friend and former teammate of mine at the Broncos - has also declared his interest to return to the NRL after next year's Rugby World Cup in France.
I know both guys well. They are good blokes and obviously wonderful players and it will be great to have them back in league.
However, with a view to protecting what is most precious in our game, I think the NRL needs to make a stand now and let all players in similar situations know that, while we welcome them back, their days of representative football may be over.
Rugby league can never compete with the money top-line Wallabies will earn, but we have State of Origin football - the pinnacle of domestic sporting contests in this country.
Believe me when I tell you it is one of, if not, the biggest drawcards for elite footballers.
As a code we must protect its integrity at all costs. Some might see it as being harsh but any player who turns their back on a representative jumper in favour of another code or a big-money overseas deal should be made to leap some major hurdles before being offered that chance again, if at all.
I want to make it clear I am not having a go at anyone in particular. The guys who have headed to rugby or overseas are big boys who make their own decisions, which I respect. They obviously felt it was the right move for them and that is fair enough.
However, I take my position as captain of Queensland and Australia very seriously. It is a huge honour to pull on the maroon of Queensland or green and gold of Australia and I feel those jerseys would be cheapened if players pick and choose when they want to be a part of it.
I think it's an all or nothing commitment and also that the players who stayed loyal need to be rewarded.
While there have been some high-profile players switch to rugby, there have been many representative players in our code who rejected offers. Rugby union made no secret of its interest in guys such as Mark Gasnier, Anthony Minichiello, Willie Tonga and Willie Mason.
Just yesterday, a report in The Australian said the Australian Rugby Union was looking at Melbourne's young gun Greg Inglis, who would certainly be a handy acquisition for the 15-man game.
But you can't tell me guys such as Justin Hodges, Matt Cooper, Johnathan Thurston, Ben Kennedy and Timana Tahu haven't been sounded out about leaving the NRL.
These blokes are superstars but have stayed with our game and I am sure the attraction of playing for Queensland, New South Wales or Australia was significant.
Some things are bigger than the individuals in our game, no matter how great the player.
Playing representative football is one such thing and it is something our game must continue to protect if the State of Origin and Kangaroos jumpers are to retain their status in Australian sport.
Getting back to Mat Rogers, I am looking forward to having "Rat" back in the NRL. He has signed a three-year deal with the Titans and has plenty to offer.
Before he switched codes, Mat excelled as a goalkicking winger and has filled pretty much every position in the Wallabies backline in the past few years.
When he comes back, I see his best position as fullback, where he will get room to move and have the option of injecting himself into the backline.
He is an entertaining player with great hands and good speed and won't be fazed by the pressure of being all alone at the back.
While there would be some concerns over a three-year deal to someone who is 32, Mat hasn't played a lot of football in recent years, so wear and tear on his body would be far less than others the same age.
Mat has signalled the move as a new start for him and his young family. I wish him the best of luck. He certainly deserves some after a pretty tough couple of years.
Source: The Australian
By Darren Lockyer
September 15, 2006 IT is great news for rugby league that one of our own, Mat Rogers, will return to the game, with Gold Coast Titans from 2008.
Fellow dual international Lote Tuqiri - a close friend and former teammate of mine at the Broncos - has also declared his interest to return to the NRL after next year's Rugby World Cup in France.
I know both guys well. They are good blokes and obviously wonderful players and it will be great to have them back in league.
However, with a view to protecting what is most precious in our game, I think the NRL needs to make a stand now and let all players in similar situations know that, while we welcome them back, their days of representative football may be over.
Rugby league can never compete with the money top-line Wallabies will earn, but we have State of Origin football - the pinnacle of domestic sporting contests in this country.
Believe me when I tell you it is one of, if not, the biggest drawcards for elite footballers.
As a code we must protect its integrity at all costs. Some might see it as being harsh but any player who turns their back on a representative jumper in favour of another code or a big-money overseas deal should be made to leap some major hurdles before being offered that chance again, if at all.
I want to make it clear I am not having a go at anyone in particular. The guys who have headed to rugby or overseas are big boys who make their own decisions, which I respect. They obviously felt it was the right move for them and that is fair enough.
However, I take my position as captain of Queensland and Australia very seriously. It is a huge honour to pull on the maroon of Queensland or green and gold of Australia and I feel those jerseys would be cheapened if players pick and choose when they want to be a part of it.
I think it's an all or nothing commitment and also that the players who stayed loyal need to be rewarded.
While there have been some high-profile players switch to rugby, there have been many representative players in our code who rejected offers. Rugby union made no secret of its interest in guys such as Mark Gasnier, Anthony Minichiello, Willie Tonga and Willie Mason.
Just yesterday, a report in The Australian said the Australian Rugby Union was looking at Melbourne's young gun Greg Inglis, who would certainly be a handy acquisition for the 15-man game.
But you can't tell me guys such as Justin Hodges, Matt Cooper, Johnathan Thurston, Ben Kennedy and Timana Tahu haven't been sounded out about leaving the NRL.
These blokes are superstars but have stayed with our game and I am sure the attraction of playing for Queensland, New South Wales or Australia was significant.
Some things are bigger than the individuals in our game, no matter how great the player.
Playing representative football is one such thing and it is something our game must continue to protect if the State of Origin and Kangaroos jumpers are to retain their status in Australian sport.
Getting back to Mat Rogers, I am looking forward to having "Rat" back in the NRL. He has signed a three-year deal with the Titans and has plenty to offer.
Before he switched codes, Mat excelled as a goalkicking winger and has filled pretty much every position in the Wallabies backline in the past few years.
When he comes back, I see his best position as fullback, where he will get room to move and have the option of injecting himself into the backline.
He is an entertaining player with great hands and good speed and won't be fazed by the pressure of being all alone at the back.
While there would be some concerns over a three-year deal to someone who is 32, Mat hasn't played a lot of football in recent years, so wear and tear on his body would be far less than others the same age.
Mat has signalled the move as a new start for him and his young family. I wish him the best of luck. He certainly deserves some after a pretty tough couple of years.
Source: The Australian