BY JOHN DAVIDSON
Wigan CEO Kris Radlinski says Super League needs to become a more attractive package to players, in light of the growing threat of the NRL, as he admits player retention and recruitment is a huge issue in the UK.
Wigan have arguably lost more players to the NRL than any other in recent years, with the likes of John Bateman, Oliver Gildart, Ryan Sutton, Harry Rushton, George Williams and Dan Sarginson moving to the southern hemisphere competition.
Warriors back-rower Kai Pearce-Paul will also join the Newcastle Knights in 2024.
With the Super League salary cap stagnant and the NRL salary cap more than triple its English equivalent and growing, more young UK talent is expected to join the southern hemisphere competition.
Radlinski, who was one of the best local players in Super League in the 1990s and 2000s, believes it not just salaries but everything across the board that needs lifting – facilities, media coverage, profile – to help keep homegrown talent.
“The retention and recruitment of our players is a challenge for our sport,” he told rugbyleaguehub.com Long Reads.
“There’s no doubt about that. You will have seen where younger players are going over to the NRL now and it’s a free hit for them.
“They can afford to take gambles on people they don’t even know. We lost a player two years ago, Harry Rushton, who never made his debut at Wigan.
“He played well in the academy [but] he probably wasn’t one of the players of the year or anything, but that was an alarm bell then to think you can go.
“And if you’re him, why wouldn’t you? And I know he made his debut for Canberra, but I don’t think he played more than five games for Canberra.
“But he then came back to Super League and can command a good salary at Huddersfield.
“But it’s the fact that more players are going to do it.
“That’s a worry.”
Huddersfield’s Will Pryce will head down under next year, while Wakefield winger Lewis Murphy has recently been linked to a deal with the Roosters for 2024.
NRL clubs have found success with young English talent recently such as Dom Young and Herbie Farnworth.
“That’s why we need to spend more time, improve facilities and improve the whole package,” Radlinski said.
“It has to be.
“I know the next 10 years with IMG is critical, but I think the next few years retaining talent is one of the biggest things we need to focus on.”
