News 21/1: Hagan hunts NZers for NRL

[jamesgould]

Coach hunts NZers for NRL

Newcastle Knights league coach Michael Hagan is on the hunt for more New Zealanders to take back across the Tasman for the NRL.

Hagan sees New Zealand as a wealth of untapped talent and he is spending a few days at clubs like Wainuiomata keeping a keen eye out.

He says the elevation of a number of kiwis to the top level recently is an increasing trend.

Hagan says it is reflected in the Kiwis' successful test performances last year with most players playing week in, week out at the top level.

Michael Hagan says it is also a way of getting players who will not be subjected to the demands of the State of Origin competition.

From: http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/newsdetail1.asp?storyID=88131

I hope Hagan is hunting for players to come back to the Knights, and not Parramatta in 2007! How gutted would he be if he brings a youngster back to Newcastle, and the player then carves up Parramatta left, right and centre ...

Another little piece of news I came across is that Mark Hughes has a niggling injury and will not play in his new French club Catalans Dragons first game, a friendly against London Harlequins. I guess some things never change!