Best League to Union convert

[Provincial Stalwart]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Don Frye" data-cid="584445" data-time="1464740095">
<div>
<p>Ricky Stuart would probably be the best Aussie rugby to league convert.</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p>I haven't followed rubby loig since Super League / Super Greed days (c. 1996-97) but Wally Lewis was a crack junior union player. Michael O'Connor was another good 'un. Fuck I miss those Hunter Mariners.</p>

[rotated]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Don Frye" data-cid="584445" data-time="1464740095">
<div>
<p>Ricky Stuart would probably be the best Aussie rugby to league convert.</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p>Ray Price and Michael O'Connor would dispute that.</p>

[Rancid Schnitzel]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Don Frye" data-cid="584445" data-time="1464740095">
<div>
<p>Ricky Stuart would probably be the best Aussie rugby to league convert.</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p>Yep hands down. He totally revolutionised that position in league. I remember reading that Simeon Poedevin was gutted that he left for league. Pretty smart choice when you consider he wasn't getting paid and had a guy called Nick Farr-Jones in front of him for NSW and Australia.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Best league-union convert has to be Folau I reckon.</p>

[Chris B.]

<p>George Nepia.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He was so good at league, we let him play for Canterbury!</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In 1935 Nepia went to England to play </span><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rugby_league' title="Rugby league">rugby league</a><span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;"> professionally being signed initially by </span><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streatham_and_Mitcham_R.L.F.C.' title="Streatham and Mitcham R.L.F.C.">Streatham and Mitcham Rugby League Club</a><span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;"> in London for £500. His family remained in New Zealand. Because rugby union was a strictly amateur game at the time, <strong>Nepia was cast out from rugby union</strong>. Nepia later transferred to </span><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halifax_RLFC' title="Halifax RLFC">Halifax</a><span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">. In 1937 he returned to New Zealand and played league for</span><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manukau_Magpies' title="Manukau Magpies">Manukau</a><span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;"> and played for the </span><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_Māori_rugby_league_team' title="New Zealand Māori rugby league team">New Zealand Māori</a><span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;"> and </span><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_national_rugby_league_team' title="New Zealand national rugby league team">New Zealand rugby league team</a><span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">.</span>^{<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Nepia#cite_note-4'>[4]</a>}<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;"> During July and August 1937 Nepia traveled to the South Island, representing both Hornby and </span><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canterbury_rugby_league_team' title="Canterbury rugby league team">Canterbury</a><span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span>Someone should adopt that bolded bit as a tagline!   </span></p>

[Smudge]

<p>Pfft, that was only 90 years ago. Try Charlie "Bronco'' Seeling!</p>
<p> </p>
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote">
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<div> </div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Bronco" Seeling was an outstanding forward in the Original All Blacks of 1905 and renowned for his tackling and his strength. </span><br><br><span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Seeling played 39 matches for New Zealand, including 11 tests, before signing for the Wigan league club in 1910. He scored 54 tries for Wigan from 1910 to 1913 and played in three successive championship finals. </span><br><br><span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He made more than 200 first grade appearances for Wigan over 13 years and had three years as captain. His name remains revered in British league, perhaps better known there than it is in New Zealand rugby. </span><br><br><span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yet Seeling was described by a noted British rugby writer, E H D Sewell, as a splendid specimen of manhood</span><br><br><span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Search where one may,” Sewell wrote, “a better forward than Seeling does not exist.</span></div>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.nzhalloffame.co.nz/Inductees/S/Charlie-Seeling.aspx'>http://www.nzhalloffame.co.nz/Inductees/S/Charlie-Seeling.aspx</a></p>

[taniwharugby]

<p>Bert Cooke read one pundit said he was the Cully of his day...all 61.6kg of him!</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span>Rugby union career</span><span><span>[</span><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bert_Cooke_(rugby)&action=edit&section=2' title="Edit section: Rugby union career">edit</a><span>]</span></span></p>
<p>Cooke joined the Grafton <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rugby_union' title="Rugby union">rugby union</a> club in 1919 and graduated to senior club rugby in 1923. In that same year he made his <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auckland_rugby_union_team' title="Auckland rugby union team">Auckland</a> debut and was a reserve for <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_national_rugby_union_team' title="New Zealand national rugby union team">New Zealand</a> against <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_South_Wales_rugby_union_team' title="New South Wales rugby union team">New South Wales</a>. He was then part of the 1924–1925 "<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Invincibles_(rugby_union)' title="The Invincibles (rugby union)">Invincibles</a>" side that toured Great Britain. He again played for the All Blacks in 1925 and 1926 but withdrew from the 1928 tour of South Africa for business reasons.^{<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bert_Cooke_(rugby)#cite_note-abs-2'>[2]</a>} He did play twice in 1928 for New Zealand against New South Wales before making his last Test appearances in 1930 against Great Britain.</p>
<p>Cooke played for the North Island in 1931 and spent 1932 with <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawke's_Bay_Rugby_Union' title="Hawke's Bay Rugby Union">Hawke's Bay</a>, before switching codes. Cooke also represented <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wairarapa_Bush_Rugby_Football_Union' title="Wairarapa Bush Rugby Football Union">Wairarapa</a> and <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wellington_Rugby_Football_Union' title="Wellington Rugby Football Union">Wellington</a> while playing rugby union.^{<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bert_Cooke_(rugby)#cite_note-Statistics_at_espnscrum.com-3'>[3]</a>} He finished his rugby union career with 121 tries in 131 first class matches.^{<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bert_Cooke_(rugby)#cite_note-abs-2'>[2]</a>}</p>
<p><span>Rugby league career</span><span><span>[</span><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bert_Cooke_(rugby)&action=edit&section=3' title="Edit section: Rugby league career">edit</a><span>]</span></span></p>
<p>Cooke joined the <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richmond_Rovers' title="Richmond Rovers">Richmond Rovers</a> club in the <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auckland_Rugby_League' title="Auckland Rugby League">Auckland Rugby League</a> competition in 1932 and made an immediate impact, racing away for three tries in the inter-island game only weeks later.^{<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bert_Cooke_(rugby)#cite_note-akl100-4'>[4]</a>} He was selected for <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_national_rugby_league_team' title="New Zealand national rugby league team">New Zealand</a> that year against the <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Britain_Lions' title="Great Britain Lions">Great Britain Lions</a>. Cooke also represented <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auckland_rugby_league_team' title="Auckland rugby league team">Auckland</a> and captained New Zealand in two Test matches against <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia_national_rugby_league_team' title="Australia national rugby league team">Australia</a> in 1935.^{<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bert_Cooke_(rugby)#cite_note-5'>[5]</a>}^{<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bert_Cooke_(rugby)#cite_note-Statistics_at_rugbyleagueproject.org-6'>[6]</a>}</p>
<p>He coached <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auckland_rugby_league_team' title="Auckland rugby league team">Auckland</a> in 1936.^{<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bert_Cooke_(rugby)#cite_note-akl100-4'>[4]</a>}</p>
<p> </p>
<p>^{<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bert_Cooke_(rugby'>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bert_Cooke_(rugby</a>)}</p>

[Sneakdefreak]

<div>League to Union: Brad Thorn</div>
<div>Union to League: Brad Thorn</div>
<div> </div>
<div>There....done.</div>

[Sneakdefreak]

<p>Currently playing:</p>
<p> </p>
<p>League to Union: Nehe Milner-Skudder</p>
<p>Union to League: Tohu Harris</p>

[Baron Silas Greenback]

<p>SBW is the best for me.</p>
<p>Plus has  he bought a skill set with him that was a true step up.</p>
<p>Miles ahead of Robinson, and slightly ahead of BBBT</p>

[Glath]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="jegga" data-cid="584428" data-time="1464738032">
<div>
<p>Can't really look past Robinson and Thorn, who's the best that went the other way?</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p>Dally Messenger.</p>

[MN5]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Baron Silas Greenback" data-cid="584466" data-time="1464744868">
<div>
<p>SBW is the best for me.</p>
<p>Plus has  he bought a skill set with him that was a true step up.</p>
<p>Miles ahead of Robinson, and slightly ahead of BBBT</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p>
Well Robinson was a better stepper and much faster. Thorn was better at every single facet of forward play.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But of course, that means nothing up against SBW. You win.</p>

[jegga]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="taniwharugby" data-cid="584461" data-time="1464742910"><p>
Bert Cooke read one pundit said he was the Cully of his day...all 61.6kg of him!<br><br>
Rugby union career[<a class="bbc_url" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bert_Cooke_(rugby)&action=edit&section=2">edit</a>]<br>
Cooke joined the Grafton <a class="bbc_url" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rugby_union">rugby union</a> club in 1919 and graduated to senior club rugby in 1923. In that same year he made his <a class="bbc_url" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auckland_rugby_union_team">Auckland</a> debut and was a reserve for <a class="bbc_url" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_national_rugby_union_team">New Zealand</a> against <a class="bbc_url" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_South_Wales_rugby_union_team">New South Wales</a>. He was then part of the 1924–1925 "<a class="bbc_url" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Invincibles_(rugby_union)">Invincibles</a>" side that toured Great Britain. He again played for the All Blacks in 1925 and 1926 but withdrew from the 1928 tour of South Africa for business reasons.^{<a class="bbc_url" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bert_Cooke_(rugby)#cite_note-abs-2">[2]</a>} He did play twice in 1928 for New Zealand against New South Wales before making his last Test appearances in 1930 against Great Britain.<br>
Cooke played for the North Island in 1931 and spent 1932 with <a class="bbc_url" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawke's_Bay_Rugby_Union">Hawke's Bay</a>, before switching codes. Cooke also represented <a class="bbc_url" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wairarapa_Bush_Rugby_Football_Union">Wairarapa</a> and <a class="bbc_url" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wellington_Rugby_Football_Union">Wellington</a> while playing rugby union.^{<a class="bbc_url" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bert_Cooke_(rugby)#cite_note-Statistics_at_espnscrum.com-3">[3]</a>} He finished his rugby union career with 121 tries in 131 first class matches.^{<a class="bbc_url" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bert_Cooke_(rugby)#cite_note-abs-2">[2]</a>}<br>
Rugby league career[<a class="bbc_url" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bert_Cooke_(rugby)&action=edit&section=3">edit</a>]<br>
Cooke joined the <a class="bbc_url" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richmond_Rovers">Richmond Rovers</a> club in the <a class="bbc_url" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auckland_Rugby_League">Auckland Rugby League</a> competition in 1932 and made an immediate impact, racing away for three tries in the inter-island game only weeks later.^{<a class="bbc_url" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bert_Cooke_(rugby)#cite_note-akl100-4">[4]</a>} He was selected for <a class="bbc_url" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_national_rugby_league_team">New Zealand</a> that year against the <a class="bbc_url" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Britain_Lions">Great Britain Lions</a>. Cooke also represented <a class="bbc_url" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auckland_rugby_league_team">Auckland</a> and captained New Zealand in two Test matches against <a class="bbc_url" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia_national_rugby_league_team">Australia</a> in 1935.^{<a class="bbc_url" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bert_Cooke_(rugby)#cite_note-5">[5]</a>}^{<a class="bbc_url" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bert_Cooke_(rugby)#cite_note-Statistics_at_rugbyleagueproject.org-6">[6]</a>}<br>
He coached <a class="bbc_url" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auckland_rugby_league_team">Auckland</a> in 1936.^{<a class="bbc_url" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bert_Cooke_(rugby)#cite_note-akl100-4">[4]</a>}<br><br>^{<a class="bbc_url" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bert_Cooke_(rugby">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bert_Cooke_(rugby</a>)}</p></blockquote>
<br>
Where the old centre point building was in masterton there used to be a menswear shop, my old man said the Wairarapa rugby union paid to set Cooke up in the shop to get him to come and play for them .

[SammyC]

<p>That schoolboy "superstar" that Canesforlife was hyping a couple of months back will be the best of all  :)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nelson someone?</p>

[Hooroo]

<p>Muntz?</p>

[MN5]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Hooroo" data-cid="584483" data-time="1464747802">
<div>
<p>Muntz?</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p>Ha Ha</p>

[SammyC]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Hooroo" data-cid="584483" data-time="1464747802">
<div>
<p>Muntz?</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p>Well he was springfields star quarterback until Homer dropped him for Bart :)</p>

[Rancid Schnitzel]

Tana was a leagie wasn't he? When did he first play union?

[Baron Silas Greenback]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MN5" data-cid="584469" data-time="1464745126">
<div>
<p>Well Robinson was a better stepper and much faster. Thorn was better at every single facet of forward play.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But of course, that means nothing up against SBW. You win.</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Are you being intentionally dim?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The skill step he bought was the off load, that whilst used in rugby before was a truly a leap above what union had seen before.</p>
<p>People had stepped like Robinson before. And BBBT bought what skill that rugby had never seen before? BBBT was a excellent AB with many fine characteristics.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>You can disagree as much as you like, but at least try and follow other peoples points before making dumb comments.</p>

[MN5]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Baron Silas Greenback" data-cid="584496" data-time="1464753240">
<div>
<p>Are you being intentionally dim?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The skill <strike>step</strike>  set he <strike>bought</strike> brought was the off load, that whilst used in rugby before was <strike>a</strike> truly a leap above what union had seen before.</p>
<p>People had stepped like Robinson before. And BBBT bought what skill that rugby had never seen before? BBBT was a excellent AB with many fine characteristics.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>You can disagree as much as you like, but at least try and follow other peoples points before making dumb comments.</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p>No, I'm disagreeing with you and you're going on the offensive and being insulting. What a massive surprise.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Until SBW achieves what those two did year upon year I might save the jizz fest for you if that's ok. I'm sure I remember Jonah being a terrific offloader when he wasn't trampling or running around guys but I guess I imagined that.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I corrected your post for you as well. Hope you don't mind.</p>

[canefan]

Michael O'Connor had a very good league career for a rugby convert