Top Super League signings good for growth, says Gareth Widdop

Drew Darbyshire

Gareth Widdop believes the big names swapping the NRL for Super League can only be a good thing.

The 30-year-old will join Warrington from St George Illawarra Dragons on a three-year deal from 2020.

He isn’t the only high-profile star swapping the NRL for Super League though, with the likes of George Burgess (Wigan), Manu Ma’u (Hull FC), Sosaia Feki (Castleford), Bevan French (Wigan), James Maloney (Catalans) and Brock Lamb (London) deciding to ply their trade in Super League.

Widdop told NRL.com: “They have got some good quality players over there and there are still good quality players going over there.

“We want both competitions to be strong because it is going to help rugby league in general so hopefully we can get a few more going over to the Super League.

“My path is a little bit different to most of the boys, I obviously started out in the NRL and now I want to go over there and experience it.”

Widdop – who last week returned from nearly four months out with a shoulder injury – has confirmed he will be available to play for the Great Britain Lions on their tour of the southern hemisphere this autumn.

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