What ya laughing at? Radio sports commentators have to eat you know.



If you will all refer to the 'apparantly' in my initial post.

There is a real assumption over here that anyone who plays in Australia, even through the junior ranks who is English will be the next big thing. I bet most of the people talking about him on here haven't even see him play, I certainly haven't but I'm going on Sunday after the Widnes game so hopefully I'll believe the hype afterwards.

Did you not see the highlights of the Junior NRL Grand Final? He looked really good.

I didn't mate, and if he's really that good, then great. An English lad making it in the NRL through the junior ranks is quite an achievement. But he's been built up already, there's many 'superstars' in the English game coming through in my opinion, but they're given time.



If Widdop comes over in the next 2 years everyone will expect him to be a world beater now.

Was on scholarship at Haifax too dont you know!! About 2001! Must have taught him well in his time there!!

The people in Asda announcing the special offers on fish fingers over the tannoy are not 'radio commentators'.

I can’t believe he’s Halifax born and supports the Bulls tut tut

"[Widdop said of Cipriani, who is joining Melbourne Rebels a pretty easy game, I reckon.”

I like this lad already.

Seen some footage of him, he looks class. Maguire rates him very highly. I would certainly have him at Wigan for anywhere in the backline.

The best thing for England would be for him to stay in the NRL and be a star there and choose to play for England. The danger will be if he starts looking really good then the Aussies would start to want to lure him to play Origin and therefore Australia.

He was asked who he'd like to represent given the opportunity and he wasn't exactly rushing to pin his colours to the English mast which is a little bit sad imo.



He talked about getting a dual passport which I understand might not just be for rugby reasons but still i'd have hoped it would have been an easy question to anwear for an English lad with with English parents who's only been in OZ for 4 years.



I suppose he's got to actually turn out to be the real deal first before we even have to worry but if he does I expect his head will be turned and we'll have an English player playing against us.

Widdop has stated plenty of times he is not sure where his loyalties lie regarding Internationals. The main factor will probably come down to the fact he has not played in the NRL yet and is a small fish in a big pond in Australia where he is far from guaranteed any representative honours. He would probably be a definite for England as the English backs are average as Widdop said himself last year. I think he said the English game looks like "Park Football" compared to the NRL I will have to find the link. Here it is, he compares the English team V Wales to The Australian under 20's Toyota Cup [i"I've obviously not played first grade yet," admitted Widdop. "But I watched the England versus Wales game on TV last week and I sat there and thought that in terms of the speed and the skill level it was no better than the level I have been playing this year."[/i www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/local/R ... 5761936.jp

Widdop has stated plenty of times he is not sure where his loyalties lie regarding Internationals. The main factor will probably come down to the fact he has not played in the NRL yet and is a small fish in a big pond in Australia where he is far from guaranteed any representative honours. He would probably be a definite for England as the English backs are average as Widdop said himself last year. I think he said the English game looks like "Park Football" compared to the NRL I will have to find the link. Here it is, he compares the English team V Wales to The Australian under 20's Toyota Cup [i"I've obviously not played first grade yet," admitted Widdop. "But I watched the England versus Wales game on TV last week and I sat there and thought that in terms of the speed and the skill level it was no better than the level I have been playing this year."[/i www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/local/R ... 5761936.jp

I watched him last week verses the Quins. He looked very good. Equally good with the boot out of hand and going for goal(Has a strange kicking style out of hand in that he leans the ball back so that it is nearly flat and kicks the far "point" of the ball creating a back spin-A bit like the Aussie rules players. Very effective when wanting the ball to stop in the in goal area)

That kick's not uncommon in this part of the world.

How desperate are England that people are latching onto a player with good potential but has not even played first grade as some sort of Saviour or Messiah?

Grow some locals.

Widdop would be doing nothing in England if he had not moved to Oz

His father played for Keighley 89/90 season.

just run that one bye me again will ya?





you'll be claiming sam burgess & gaz ellis next...

Who cares?

He's just another kid with potential who's got a bit of a mouth.

When he gets a full season in first grade then talk but until then there's better players in front of him

I suppose thats the attitude we should take really.



The lad seems to fancy himself abit and good on him for showing that sort if confidence but as it stands he's got to try and get in the Melbourne side before he even thinks about a place in an international side and that will be a tough enough test.



Going off his interview on the superleague website he's been working on his Aussie accent just incase he ever does gain selection

Such as?

At last some sense





He is almost 21 and has never played a first grade game. Until he proves himself he is no better than a junior at Wigan, Leeds etc. He wasnt exactly renowned as a 16 year old before going to Australia and wasnt even at a Super League club. Despite this people automatically assume that he is better than our own academy players never mind established ones.



I would bet that some of the people that are raving about him havent actually seen him play and are just jumping on the bandwaggon. Others think that he is some kind of superstar based on a few grainy interent clips.

Supports Fax as well but only would play at SL level if in the UK-cant blame him to be honest. His dad was also at Fax reserves and flattened Mal Reilly after training once at Thrum hall. Gary was a very handy player but also had a good punch on him!

Good on the lad and so what if he is arrogant and full of confidence? Maybe thats why the Brits often fail to live up to the Aussies as they lack confidence and believe they are going to get beat. If he does not make it in the NRL so what least he has given it a good try. For me I am glad Gareth is where he is, though shame the system in the UK turned him away from our game to play Union! That should be a wake up call to the RFL-but as usual the same stale system will be in place and more youngsters get bored and drift out the game.

Lets face it if he can catch, run, tackle reasonably and isn't an idiot he would be first choice for England at fullback. We have no one anywhere near the quality of the Australians.