Advertisement

Kris Radlinski responds to Nathan Cleary's World Club Challenge proposal

-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)
-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)


Kris Radlinski has backed Nathan Cleary's idea to take the World Club Challenge to the NRL's Magic Round, insisting the Warriors are willing to come to the party.

The world's best player was in attendance at last weekend's Grand Final, won by Wigan Warriors, and suggested soon after that the annual clash between the best teams from the Super League and the NRL should be moved mid-season to make it a reality.

Penrith CEO Brian Fletcher has said there isn't a chance of the Panthers playing in the traditional pre-season time slot due to concerns over player welfare, but Wigan are determined to make sure the game goes ahead. Radlinski told Rugby League Live last week that the Warriors were willing to go anywhere to make it happen.

Radlinski has now confirmed the Warriors would go down under mid-season to compete at the NRL's big event, despite the logistical challenges. The NRL currently has 17 teams, meaning one club has a bye round, but it has been suggested that Penrith could take that spot, allowing them to play the Warriors.

"No matter where in the world it is, we'll take it," Radlinski said on The Run Home with Joel and Fletch. "Will it be difficult? Flights, recovery time etcetera? You could come up with 100 reasons why it shouldn't happen. But if you ask every single player or my head coach if they'd want to potentially fly to the other side of the world, every single one of them would snap your hand off.

"Rugby league is a short career and you get opportunities that nobody else does. It's a great privilege. Of course, it will be tiring and of course, there will be logistical challenges. But bloody hell, they put a man on the moon, if we can't go to Australia to play rugby, or America, whatever, we'll do whatever it takes to get another crack."

Radlinski believes Super League and its clubs would also support it.

"To have Super League represented on the world stage and to have the globe watching it is what they want anyway. I'm not saying we're doing their job for them but I think they would be daft not to support it.

"I've no doubt there's loads of work being done behind the scenes on both competitions' fixture lists at this moment in time. We'd always planned Vegas with the game in mind the week before and we had conversations with the NRL about that, so the change came as a surprise to us. There's nothing we can do about that, however, if it means we need to go Magic Round, we'd 100 per cent do it.

"I went to Magic Round a couple of years ago and I loved that there was loads of merchandise with every club's badge on and it was a real festival. I had a hell of a time there and to add to it with a World Club Challenge, I think it would be really wonderful."

Click here - Get the latest news on our Rugby League Live WhatsApp channel