Johnathan Thurston wants $1 million a year to switch rugby codes

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,2...2-23217,00.html

North Queensland Cowboys halfback Johnathan Thurston wants $1 million a season from the Australian Rugby Union to switch codes.

Thurston's hefty asking price became public knowledge as dual international Wendell Sailor urged the Cowboys, Queensland and Kangaroos maestro to remain in the NRL, saying he would be "bored to tears" in rugby. The Kangaroos playmaker stunned rugby league when he revealed that he was contemplating a cross-code switch with a view to representing Australia at the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

But Thurston's manager, Sam Ayoub, says the star halfback will seek a seven-figure sum to change codes.

"He'd have to look for at least a million dollars (to go to rugby)," Ayoub said.

"It would take a lot to entice him away from what he has got in rugby league. He has representative opportunities, and he loves playing for Queensland and Australia.

"An asking price like that would not be unreasonable for one of the best players in the world."

The Australian Rugby Union is almost certain to baulk at Thurston's price tag, with Wallabies five-eighth Matt Giteau and former skipper Stirling Mortlock understood to be the union's top earners with base deals around $500,000 a season.

With match payments, a top Wallabies player stands to pocket around $700,000 annually, excluding private sponsorships.

Thurston could earn $1 million a year in rugby with endorsements, but Sailor believes the Cowboys star should abandon any notion of switching codes.

"I personally hope he stays in the NRL," said Sailor, whose NRL stints with Brisbane Broncos and St George Illawarra were punctuated by a five-season tenure in rugby.

"He would get bored to tears with the style of the game (in rugby).

"Of the guys that have gone over to rugby, most have come back, as I did.

"Rugby league has a better brand, there is no doubt about that. Rugby union at the moment is a bore-athon.

"The one thing rugby can offer you is a great lifestyle. Thursto could play at Twickenham, in South Africa, France and Japan.

"His body has taken a fair bit of a whack so it depends on what Thursto wants.

"But I think JT would get so bored that he wouldn't know what to do. He would succeed at the game with ease but he would get so bored with it, simple as that.

"He's a player who would love confrontation, (but) he wouldn't make many tackles (in rugby), he wouldn't be in the game as much.

"If he wants a new experience, good luck to him. But I reckon he'd really miss rugby league."

Gold Coast ***ans utility Mat Rogers, another dual international, is also adamant that Thurston will miss the week-to-week passion of the NRL if he switches codes.

"If he has a goal and wants to do it for the right reasons, I'd wish him all the best," the former Wallabies utility said.

"I have no doubts he would play for Australia. A lot of league players who go to union would play for Australia.

"But it's not a simple transition. There's a lot to it.

"I don't know his rugby background but he's a natural footballer, he just knows where to be.

"As a single bloke travelling around the world, it can be the best time of your life.

"But the tribalism that surrounds rugby league, I love that. I love the fans, I love going to a Leichhardt Oval or Shark Park. You don't experience that in Australian rugby. You play Super 14 and Tests, and it's a different audience.


"If he goes, he will play for the Wallabies, absolutely.
"I'd play him at 10. He couldn't play halfback, he's a ball player, he'd kill it at five-eighth."


The Sunday Mail (Qld)[/b]

As far as I can see, this is merely a case of his agent flying a kite, trying to up his salary. My question is, would he be a success in Union if he did make the transition?


I guess that he wouldn't. League players don't get the same amount of time on the ball when they move to Union. For example, a standoff in League has 10 yards between himself and the defence when he gets the pill in his hands. In Union that space doesn't exist unless the flyhalf stands deep in the pocket. In that case they stunt any opportunity for those outside them. League players who succeed when they move across are generally wingers who have more running room in front of them i.e. more time to think and use their obvious skills. Would Thurston have the required tactical appreciation to be a success and if not, at 26 years old is it too late to teach him?


Thurston is a tremendous League player but to spend $1million per year on him when you're unsure how well he'd translate to a different sport would be extremely foolish in my opinion. Spend the money bringing Greg Inglis to Union instead .

 

[Ripper]

Has all the skills but his kicking game is average by Union standards - definatly see him as a stud at inside centre.

 

[William18]

He won't get 1 million a year unless he goes to Japan or something. I see him being a good union player but he wouldn't be any Dan Carter or any Matt Giteau. Apparently many league players just to do this so that they can get payed more league. He may not want to go to union at all.

 

[Olyy]

No no no no no, he should stick at league. He's arguably one of the best players in the world atm, and is pretty much guarenteed to be in the starting XIII of any Roos squad, why throw all that away to play union where he basically has to start all again

 

[candybum]

Because his agents want to up his salary!

 

[Woldog]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Olyy @ Dec 26 2009, 10:02 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

No no no no no, he should stick at league. He's arguably one of the best players in the world atm, and is pretty much guarenteed to be in the starting XIII of any Roos squad, why throw all that away to play union where he basically has to start all again[/b]

With about 52 international player in League, I don't see how it would be hard to be one of the best

 

[Olyy]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Woldog @ Dec 26 2009, 01:18 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Olyy @ Dec 26 2009, 10:02 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No no no no no, he should stick at league. He's arguably one of the best players in the world atm, and is pretty much guarenteed to be in the starting XIII of any Roos squad, why throw all that away to play union where he basically has to start all again[/b]

With about 52 international player in League, I don't see how it would be hard to be one of the best
[/b][/quote]
Har-de-har-har

 

[QLD]

Who?

 

[Flux]

I actually think he'd make a good Union player. However, I'd say there's little chance of him actually switching.

 

[William18]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Woldog @ Dec 26 2009, 02:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Olyy @ Dec 26 2009, 10:02 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No no no no no, he should stick at league. He's arguably one of the best players in the world atm, and is pretty much guarenteed to be in the starting XIII of any Roos squad, why throw all that away to play union where he basically has to start all again[/b]

With about 52 international player in League, I don't see how it would be hard to be one of the best
[/b][/quote]
Well, making the Kangaroos is far harder than making the Wallabies. It's hard to be one of the best players in the NRL and at SoO level.

 

[RC]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dale @ Dec 26 2009, 03:56 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Who?[/b]

I'm with Dale on this one.
Who?

 

[Tomsey]

he won't come. he's just talking himself up so he can get more money in league. i remember joey johns did it years ago. all he had to do was say he was considering switching and the Australian Rugby League went out and bent 50 of their own rules so they could get him more money to stay. even if hegenuinely wanted to switch there is no way that the ARU would give him a million a season. thats like double what the best players get atm and there's no guarantee that he would even be good enough for the wallabies.

as to whether he would be good or not..... i doubt it. he can't kick well enough to play fly half and i think he would struggle and inside center because of the MASSIVE difference in the time you have (no 10 metres etc).

apparently JT doesn't have the same concerns as most of us do about weather he would succeed. he said in a recent interview.
"I could easily play rugby, I watch the Wallabies and a fair bit of it and I could certainly see myself playing the game,"
what a ******.

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0...8-10389,00.html

 

[gingergenius]

Well he's a wonderful player. But wonderful League halfbacks are wonderful for their footballing skill. If he plays Union, this will be less important, and he'll have to take on new ones. Which is why so many League players making the switch don't make a big success of it.

He's clearly doing it to get more money from the Cowboys. Alternately, a French club may prick up their ears at this news. I don't see him at the Reds, personally.

Someone else said it, but if anyone from the roos was to make the switch, it should be Inglis. He's the greatest athlete in any code of football around, so he'd be able to adapt to anything quickly enough.