“I can understand and respect his decision to try another sport. He’s done a lot in our game, he’s been great for our game. He’s moving on to another challenge and another sport, but he still has another year in the NRL.
“But if he can produce what he did last year … that was probably the best football he has played in his career.”
There is nothing in Crichton’s rugby deal that requires him to make himself available for the Wallabies’ spring tour. Wallabies players are paid $10,000 for every Test appearance on tour, while Kangaroos players pocketed $3000 for each Ashes Test, but money will have no bearing on Crichton’s final call.
Penrith’s Liam Martin will return for the Kangaroos after sitting out the Ashes for the birth of his first child, while Canberra’s Hudson Young, Canterbury’s Jacob Preston, North Queensland’s Reuben Cotter, and Gold Coast’s Beau Fermor are other second-row options. Even South Sydney’s Keaon Koloamatangi can play on an edge.
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Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh made it known last week Crichton would be considered for an immediate call-up for the spring tour. “I think there’s a sensible transition to hit the markers that we want to hit and our aspirations at the Rugby World Cup, the longer the team’s together and we’re building cohesion and combinations, then the better prepared we’re going to be,” he said.
Meanwhile, Walters said he had started planning for the World Cup, despite his contract expiring in July – three months before the event kicks off on home soil. Sources with knowledge of Walters’ contract situation not authorised to speak publicly confirmed Walters would remain in the top post.
“I’m not in a rush,” Walters said. “We’ve had some meetings already and some discussions around planning for the Cup.”
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