Graham concerned for international game

England prop James Graham is worried about the future of international rugby league with Fijian Semi Radradra set to play for Australia.

Radradra qualifies for the Kangaroos on residency grounds and is expected to be selected for the upcoming Anzac Test.

Graham said he is concerned about the international game with growing competition from rugby union around the world.

“I’m just not sure where we’re at as an international game at the minute,” he told radio station Triple M.

“I think form-wise Semi definitely deserves to be picked for Australia. He’s probably the best winger in the competition at the minute.

“But I just look where we are as an international game, and the room for growth in the international game and I just don’t think we’re helping ourselves at the minute.

“The way rugby union’s going, they’re just growing and growing on the international scene. You look at the competition’s in Japan, in Argentina, in Italy, how strong they’re getting.

“I just worry about the game internationally and where we’re going. We need to grow, we need to get behind it.

“At the minute there’s three teams that are playing internationally that are going to be competitive. At the minute Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, people choosing to play for New Zealand and Australia first and then that.

“I think we need to get to a position where the international game is really strong and people want to represent where they’re from.”

Rugby union sevens will be played in the Summer Olympics for the first time this year in Rio, while a professional union competition is soon to be launched in the United States.

The southern hemisphere Super Rugby competition has been expanded this year to include teams from Japan and Argentina.

“If they keep going the way they’re going, expanding into places like America, Canada, the Olympics, they’re going to be able to dwarf the pay cheques of what the rugby league can do,” the Bulldogs front-rower said.

“We have very short foresight. Looking to the next 50 to 100 years, if they grow the way they’re growing than the NRL and rugby league would just become a feeder.

“All the best athletes will have their heads turned by these powers at rugby union because they’re growing at a phenomenal rate. It’s ridiculous.”