EXCLUSIVE: Phil Gould Dismisses American Players, Claims They ‘Couldn’t Cope’ with NRL Training Demands

Phil Gould has expressed scepticism regarding the NRL’s initiative to recruit American athletes, stating that the transition would be “too challenging” for those involved.

The veteran rugby league figure, who is currently overseeing the Bulldogs, attended the NRL combine as part of the sport’s promotional weekend in Las Vegas.

A variety of athletes took part in the testing and demonstration programme, with four individuals — two men and two women — declared as the “winners”.

The male winners, Adam Channel and Marcus D’Acre, both boast rugby union backgrounds, which might ease their potential transition into the 13-man code.

However, Gould points out that pursuing athletes who miss out on NFL contracts may not yield the desired benefits for rugby league.

“There was extensive physical testing, and I sat and observed it,” he mentioned on Wide World of Sports’ Six Tackles With Gus.

“I wasn’t familiar with a lot of the players’ backgrounds. While it was a positive exercise and many athletes showed great determination, the testing metrics for our code differ significantly … so it’s unlikely they’d be recruited based on testing alone.

“Years ago, at the Roosters, we brought over a couple of college athletes who had just missed the NFL draft. They were phenomenal athletes, but the intricacies of our game posed too great a challenge. If we’d been able to recruit them at 15 years of age, it could have been a different scenario.

“The games are just too dissimilar … even the man I chatted with who is a pro [in Vegas] and has had a professional career wouldn’t manage a training session that our players undergo. The standard is too high in the NRL.”

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There had been speculation that Gould was scouting for talent in the United States; however, his remarks suggest that Canterbury won’t be adding anyone from the combine to their roster.

Gould also praised Jarryd Hayne, who made a brief yet successful transition to the NFL during his prime, securing a spot on the 53-man roster for the San Francisco 49ers.

“It makes Jarryd Hayne’s achievements all the more remarkable, as he managed to step in and compete in an NFL game,” he remarked.

“I believe there are greater opportunities for our players to continue excelling in their own league.”

More recently, Jordan Mailata, who played junior rugby league for the Rabbitohs, became the first Australian to be part of a victorious Super Bowl team, securing the title with the Philadelphia Eagles.

The 27-year-old has made a name for himself as one of the league’s top offensive linemen and is earning a salary that surpasses the combined caps of several NRL clubs.