7 Super League stars who made NRL moves that failed including Leeds Rhinos legends

Players have been travelling across the globe from Super League to the NRL for donkeys years, and we’ve seen plenty of success stories, but there’s been just as many for whom the move hasn’t worked out.

Here’s a look at seven players – listed alphabetically by surname – whose stints Down Under in the NRL just didn’t go as would’ve been hoped.

For the record, there are plenty of top class Super League stars on this list, as we’ll get on to!

Ryan Hall

No one in Super League history has scored as many tries in the competition as veteran winger Hall, who has rejoined Leeds Rhinos ahead of the 2025 campaign – that’s a fact.

He’s grabbed over 330 career tries and played in three World Cups for England, but his time in the NRL with Sydney Roosters just didn’t go to plan.

Joining the Roosters from Leeds ahead of the 2019 campaign, he was billed as Blake Ferguson’s replacement, but failed to score a single try in the space of two NRL seasons which saw him make 11 first-grade appearances. The 37-year-old returned to the British game in 2021 with Hull KR.

Richie Mathers

Now 41, Mathers also made the move to the NRL from Leeds at the end of the 2006 season having featured 95 times for the Rhinos.

The two-time England international ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) early on in his time with the Gold Coast Titans having played just a handful of games Down Under.

Requiring a full reconstruction of his right nee, Mathers was released in November 2007 to return to Super League with Wigan Warriors. He also went on to play for Warrington, Castleford Tigers, Wakefield Trinity, London Broncos and Bradford Bulls before retiring.

Tyrone McCarthy

Warrington native McCarthy, who represented Ireland 18 times through his family hailing from County Cork, actually had two stints Down Under.

The first – in the Queensland Cup with Northern Pride – was relatively successful, but his move to St George Illawarra Dragons from Hull KR at the end of the 2015 season didn’t work out.

Over two seasons, the 36-year-old played only two first-grade matches, returning to Super League with Salford Red Devils in 2017. Also featuring for Leigh prior to hanging his boots up, McCarthy is now back in Australia as South Sydney Rabbitohs’ Pathways Skill Acquisition Coach.

Dan Sarginson

Three-time England international Sarginson, 31, joined the Titans as his career was on the up and earned a spot in their side at the start of the 2017 campaign following his move from Wigan.

In just his sixth game though, the Perth-born back suffered a season-ending shoulder injury and never took to the field in the NRL again. Also enduring a court case during his time in Australia, he returned to Wigan in 2018.

Sarginson went on to play for Salford before retiring from the sport to ‘pursue a new career’ in March 2023 having departed the Red Devils by mutual consent a few days prior.

Andre Savelio

29-year-old Savelio was born in New Zealand but moved over to England at the age of one when his dad, Lokeni, played in Super League. He is the only player on this list who actually failed to make a single NRL appearance.

In the early days of his career, the forward enjoyed a rapid rise and having played in Super League for St Helens, Castleford and Warrington, he was snapped up on a two-year deal by Brisbane Broncos beginning in 2018.

Savelio suffered an ACL injury during a pre-season game though and missed the entirety of the 2018 campaign before being granted a release early on in the following season to return home. Joining Hull FC, he has since gone on to don a shirt for Huddersfield Giants as well as the Combined Nations All Stars, and has recently joined Championship outfit Doncaster for 2025.

Chris Thorman

Wallsend-born Thorman, who is now the head coach of League 1 side Newcastle Thunder, also spent just a sole season over in the NRL during his playing days.

Like Savelio, he had a rapid rise at the start of his career – earning a move from London Broncos to Parramatta Eels in 2004. The utility back never delivered Down Under though, struggling to ever get into any form and made just 11 appearances for the Eels before being allowed to return to the UK.

Joining Huddersfield, the two-time England international would go on to play for both Hull FC and York prior to retiring. Prior to Thunder, his coaching career saw him at the helm of York, Huddersfield and Workington Town.

Kallum Watkins

Salford captain Watkins is a six-time Super League champion, as is ex-Leeds team-mate Ryan Hall who began this list. But as he rounds off the list, just like Hall, it’s fair to say that Watkins’ time in the NRL didn’t go as planned.

A 30-time England international, the veteran – now 33 – joined the Titans from the Rhinos in 2019. He featured eight times in just under a 12-month spell Down Under before returning home in April 2020 for personal reasons.

Joining Toronto Wolfpack, Watkins never played a game for the Canadian outfit due to their financial demise, so linked up with Salford late on in 2020 and has remained with the Red Devils ever since. He now needs just 13 more games to reach the highly impressive milestone of 400 career appearances.

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