www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 6630209144 Looks like Wigan Warriors will be a Wigan juniors trained only club before too long.

www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 6630209144 Looks like Wigan Warriors will be a Wigan juniors trained only club before too long.

It's a nice change that an Aussie has spent his best years in SL and is going back to the NRL for a final pay day.

you don't mean that all these years Richards has been over and we've been told he'd never get in an NRL team etc was just bluster and bullsh|t?

Of course it was. Richards is a credit to the sport.

Doubt he will be the last, increased salary cap and extra teams will mean we will lose a few of the better Aussies as well as the best of our own.

So?



The solution is to invest in producing more home-grown talent, just like the Aussies did 40 years ago. Instead we'll just get a whingeathon about increasing the salary cap, so that clubs who can't turn a profit today can go bust even quicker

I totally agree with you, I know Rovers have had many overseas players, but I long for the day we can field a competitive side with the majority having come through the ranks at the club.

He's been a great signing for Wigan, will be sad to see him go.

Interesting that Richards can get rehired as a winger in the NRL at age 31. It is a tribute to his talent, including his goal kicking.



Look out for Lote Tuqiri being on the market. Maybe he will be signed by Wigan?

Not every move is/will be totally dependant on the salary cap differences. Wane says Richards wants to move his family back home which is understandable and we saw the roles reversed in SL's favour when Gareth Ellis came back to England.

We don't need cap reform so that we can buy more Aussies, we need cap reform so that we can a) keep our best, but b) much more importantly but hardly ever mentioned, prove - by example - to young athletes, that if you have talent and choose Rugby League, and you turn out to be a superstar, you can make a great living without being forced to live on the other side of the world (not everyone wants to) , or play a 'sport' where you'll touch the ball twice every game (before kicking it into the stand).



As far as I'm concerned you can massively restrict the number of Aussie imports.



Note, cap *reform*. Not just a dumb "increase the cap".

What you say is more true when young families are involved, and players need extended family (like grandparents) to help with raising toddlers. However when the players are single they don't feel the need to repatriate as much.



Another factor is where the club plays. Gareth Ellis was with West Tigers, and James Graham with Canterbury, both clubs are in the not so attractive (relatively speaking) western suburbs of Sydney. The Burgess brothers are at South Sydney and have chosen to live in the delightful beachside suburb of Coogee. That, plus the fact that they are single, plus the fact that their mum has moved out to Sydney, makes them less likely to get homesick. I think you will see all the Burgess brothers buying property and getting permanent residence in Australia before too long.



You have to hand it to Russell Crowe, he has made a brilliant gamble in signing all of the Burgess brothers. He will probably be able to keep them at Souths for the rest of their rugby league careers.

As they get older and all being forwards I would be amazed if at least 1 didn't find himself struggling to get games. He might be happy to stay at the club or move to another NRL club or try his luck back in SL.