Brad Thorn came back and played Origin level again.

Mat Rogers

Mark Gasnier

Lote Tuqiri



A return to watch will be Craig Gower at London Broncos.

Disagree that any of the above came back better.



Brad Thorn could have been a legend of the game if he'd carried on, but now he's a trundler.



Mat Rogers hasn't been near the Kangaroos team since he went.



Gasnier was an animal before he went, big, quick and stong. And an International. He came back and got nowhere near the Aussie team and looked a shadow of his former self in the SOO this year.



Lote Tuqiri at least has been good for Wests, but I would say he was better before he left also. He's been the least harmed by the lesser code.

Agree with Jonny, not one player has come back better.

SBW has age on his side to be good again. The others came back towards the end of there careers

Hadn't he had 2 shoulder ops by the time he was 20? The move to union probably prolonged his career due to their rules of no big hits (or whatever the rule is that doesn't allow you to smash someone without locking on). I can see his return to league being over within 3 of those 5yrs. Hope I am wrong due to him being one of the most sensational young talents to have been lost from the game but unless he comes back a different player his shoulder will give out again in no time.

scum, should never let him walk back in after his disgusting behaviour towards the Dogs and NRL. All his bleating about how unfair it was he was "only" getting paid $500k and he had the right to walk out on his contract, club and game. He is an injury prone over hyped pond life 2nd rower ffs, and they want to pay him $800k after spitting in the face of the game? Gallop should for once show some balls and stick by his "never play in the NRL again" statements he made at the time.

Well said

Benji Marshall had 4 shoulder ops early in his career, sbw injured his knees a few times but I don't think he ever injured his shoulders!

It's hilarious that people still believe that there's any loyalty in professional sport. It's all about the money. The interest generated by SBW's return outweighs any negativity. Regardless how passionately you follow the sport, the NRL is a business.

No problem with players moving codes for more money, they have a short career and deserve whatever they can get, massive problem with someone signing a 5 year contract and walking out on it within a year blaming the club and game for their decision. He's just a money grabbing grub and the publicity is worth about 4 weeks then he will just be another, very well paid, pforward with dickie shoulders and knees. In his 5 years in the NRL not once did he play a full season, and he will be 28 if he comes back.

Wider issue is the financial clout of the NRL and how this should really end the player drain. Especially in England where youngsters like Ashton and Eastmond would imo have gone to Aus rather than yawnion

Still not going to be able to compete with RU even with a $7mill salary cap. French RU and the ARU can sign $1million+ contracts, NRL won't get that high even for the very best players, avg RL players like Ashton, Gower, Eastwood etc won't attract big RL $'s that they can get in RU even with the increased cap. What it will see is a reduction in the avg NRL player or players coming to the end of their careers from the NRL to SL and more English players moving to the NRL imo.