Melbourne Storm icon Billy Slater has praised Wigan Warriors five-eighth Bevan French as a “fantastic player” who would bring great “value” to any NRL club looking to entice him back to Australia.
However, the swift playmaker is tied to his Super League club until 2028, with Slater noting that the 29-year-old is “quite established” in England.
The buzz surrounding French’s potential return to the NRL has reignited following his dazzling man-of-the-match performance against Sam Burgess’ Warrington Wolves in Las Vegas on Sunday (AEDT).
In that match, the 29-year-old scored a try, assisted another, made three line breaks, and accumulated an impressive 209 run metres, leading Wigan to a 48-24 victory at Allegiant Stadium.
“He started with Parramatta, then moved to Wigan in the Super League, and he has really thrived since,” Slater shared on The Billy Slater Podcast on Wide World of Sports.
Bevan French of the Wigan Warriors runs the ball at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Getty
“He isn’t the first player who has drifted around the NRL before heading to the Super League and really excelling.
“The style of play over there is somewhat different—it’s more attack-focused and may not have the same quality teams throughout the league.
“But he’s a fantastic player, and it isn’t just about yesterday’s performance. He has truly shone in recent World Club Challenges, particularly against the Penrith Panthers.”
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French was named man of the match last year when the Warriors narrowly defeated the Panthers 16-12 in the World Club Challenge held in Wigan.
In 2023, he was awarded the prestigious Man of Steel, the Super League’s counterpart to the NRL’s Dally M Medal, joining the ranks of former NRL greats including Jamie Lyon, Brett Hodgson, Ben Barba, and James Graham.
During the 2022 season, he scored an impressive 31 tries in just 24 Super League matches.
Across the 2016, 2017, and 2018 seasons, he played 47 games for the Eels in the NRL, primarily as a winger or fullback, before carving out a role as a standout playmaker in the Super League.
“No doubt, he’d be an asset for NRL clubs looking to recruit him,” Slater mentioned.
“But he seems quite content over there; he’s really settled at the Wigan Warriors.
“… He’s an entertainer, and he certainly delivered [in Las Vegas].”
Originating from the small town of Tingha in the Northern Tablelands of NSW, French is a cousin of the 2001 Dally M Medal winner Preston Campbell and a nephew of former NRL star Nathan Blacklock, known for his scoring prowess.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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