[Uncle Rico]

Re: Widdop’s family : Tue Sep 15, 2020 4:22 pm  

Dita's Slot Meter wrote:

Sydney or Stockton Heath??

Stockton Heath I work in Manchester and it's far handier

Re: Widdop’s family : Tue Sep 15, 2020 5:23 pm  

A lot have opted for SH over Sydney over the years.

Re: Widdop’s family : Tue Sep 15, 2020 5:55 pm  

Asgardian13 wrote:

I think the Covid-19 issue excuses this one 100% if true. All the things that the Aussies like when they live here: travelling around UK, weekends and holidays in so many different continental European countries, the kids making new friends at school, experiencing Brit culture like pubs, bars, restaurants - they've all gone. Instead they've been stuck at home in an unfamiliar environment with little to do and home educating kids in a curriculum that's entirely new to them.

This. It's much harder to make it work in a strange country with family since Covid19 broke out.

Re: Widdop’s family : Tue Sep 15, 2020 6:11 pm  

Something like 50% of Brits who emigrate to Australia return within the first few years and in a rugby context, John Bateman has chosen to return quite soon so certainly the grass isn't always greener.

It is something that seems to happen more with the modern player though; many of our overseas signings of the 80s and 90s were here for 5 years or more. I don't think the weather was any more tropical back then, or Bridge Foot resembled Sydney Harbour more closely but I might be wrong.

Re: Widdop’s family : Tue Sep 15, 2020 6:18 pm  

morrisseyisawire wrote:

Something like 50% of Brits who emigrate to Australia return within the first few years and in a rugby context, John Bateman has chosen to return quite soon so certainly the grass isn't always greener.

It is something that seems to happen more with the modern player though; many of our overseas signings of the 80s and 90s were here for 5 years or more. I don't think the weather was any more tropical back then, or Bridge Foot resembled Sydney Harbour more closely but I might be wrong.

That would depend on how much HBC was imbibed.

Re: Widdop’s family : Tue Sep 15, 2020 6:58 pm  

But the major difference is that widdop family would NOT be in a unfamiliar environment. Surely they would come to England regularly as Widdop has in the position of having family over here and he is. You know. ENGLISH. So it would be at least more familiar than say ashton sims for example. Who relocated his family and moved his life to warrington for what was it 3 or 4 years. With no one here. Then you have people like toa, who havent fone back home since coming to england.

Re: Widdop’s family : Tue Sep 15, 2020 7:51 pm  

Not about the player it's about their family. If the partners can't hack it that's it game over.Blake Austin has an extremely supportive partner and his 4 kids are a credit to them both. They also had the benefit of friends already here and it wasn't lock down so were able to travel around a fair bit. Very different for Widdops partner who i believe really struggled from day 1.

Re: Widdop’s family : Tue Sep 15, 2020 7:53 pm  

If he goes he goes, hope he sees the season out well and finishes with the big trophy without hurting his troublesome shoulder.

Re: Widdop’s family : Wed Sep 16, 2020 5:28 pm  

Is his wife British or Australian?

Re: Widdop’s family : Wed Sep 16, 2020 6:31 pm  

He has to do what's right for him and his family. It would be better if he sees the season out at least.