Code-hopping great's cold reality check for rugby

1 year ago 98

Wallabies manager Eddie Jones has identified Cameron Murray arsenic rugby's imagination NRL target but dual codification large Mat Rogers says Payne Haas should beryllium apical of the hitlist.

Rogers played 45 Tests for Australia arsenic good arsenic representing the Kangaroos and Queensland successful a glittering league vocation that included 200 archetypal people games.

He played nether Jones during a aureate epoch successful which helium and chap code-hoppers Lote Tuqiri and Wendell Sailor fired the Wallabies to Bledisloe Cup glory and the 2003 Rugby World Cup final.

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Mat Rogers, Wendell Sailor and Lote Tuqiri speech tactics nether the ticker of Eddie Jones successful 2003. (Getty)

With Roosters limb Joseph Suaalii already connected the books from 2024 on, Jones and assertive Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan person made it wide they would similar to pull much NRL endowment to the 15 antheral game.

"The top feline to get would beryllium Payne Haas," Rogers told Stan Sport's Rugby Heaven.

"Everyone talks astir Cam Murray but you enactment Payne Haas connected the broadside of a scrum oregon astatine lock, he's conscionable devastating successful presumption of a shot carrier.

Payne Haas of the Broncos is tackled. (Getty)

"That's a feline that tin bash immoderate damage, but he's got large footwork and he's got large consciousness with the ball, helium tin offload, helium tin bash it all. He'd beryllium devastating successful rugby."

For each his Haas admiration, Rogers hoped that RA focused the bulk of its attraction connected retaining its ain talent.

The present 47-year-old subordinate manager was a schoolboy rugby prima and said helium would ne'er person joined the NRL if the wealth connected connection was comparable.

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"We look aft a batch of kids that are successful those systems," Rogers said.

"We spot rugby league clubs coming successful and conscionable taking our champion kids due to the fact that they're prepared and they're ready. So I'd emotion to spot Rugby Australia code that truthful that you don't person to spell looking implicit the obstruction for the talent."

Rogers besides described the "Paris oregon Parramatta" enactment trotted retired by rugby types arsenic bushed and irrelevant.

Rogers rips 'one dimensional' Wallabies

"What rugby can't bent their chapeau connected anymore is 'oh, you know, we're a planetary game, you'll question the world.' Kids don't recognize that. Like they'll question the satellite erstwhile they get paid playing rugby league and they're going to get paid sooner," Rogers argued.

"It doesn't outgo a batch of money. But erstwhile a nine comes and puts wealth connected the table, successful beforehand of a 15-year-old bluish collar kid and family, erstwhile the money's there, it means they consciousness wanted. It's not overmuch wealth astatine all.

"But if you privation to support the champion kids, you're going to person to enactment your manus successful your pocket. That's the quality of business.

"And they'll extremity up retaining galore of the apical kids that they extremity up losing. Your Kalyn Pongas, your Angus Crichtons, your Cam Murrays, your Mat Rogers' of the day.

"I loved rugby, I ne'er wanted to permission it, but the world was determination was wealth connected the array present to spell and bash thing I emotion to get paid for. And determination was nary implicit here.

"So, hopefully they tin rectify it. Rugby league and rugby union, they're successful specified a conflict for talent. They're some professional. One's conscionable handling it a small spot amended than the different astatine the minute."

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