Former Wallabies full-back Mat Rogers believes Rugby Australia (RA) are on the right track with their efforts to lure code hopper Carter Gordon back to the 15-a-side game.
Gordon made the switch from rugby union to rugby league last year when he joined NRL outfit the Gold Coast Titans on a two-year contract but has been battling a neck injury which has halted his progression in the 13-a-side game.
And although dual code international Rogers feels RA are doing the right thing to try and re-sign former Wallabies fly-half Gordon, he said the 24-year-old could become an “elite” player in the NRL if he decides to stay with the Titans.
Earlier this week, a report in the Sydney Morning Herald revealed that Gordon received permission from the Titans to hold talks with RA, with the Queensland Reds his preferred destination.
Made just for the Titans in the NRL
Gordon made just one first team appearance for the Titans in the NRL with his injury which consisted of a spinal fluid leak eventually requiring surgery.
Despite that setback, Rogers, who is a player agent based on the Gold Coast, revealed that the Titans still rate Gordon highly.
“Gold Coast are in a rebuilding phase and Carter is a big part of it. I know that,” he told Nine’s Wide World of Sports.
“But if he has ambitions to go back to rugby in a couple of years’ time, well, he’s not going to be a part of it. So I can imagine the Titans saying if you want to go back, go now, because we need to get the pieces of the puzzle in order.”
Gordon has made a full recovery from his neck injury and if he could agree terms with RA, he could be a surprise inclusion in Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt’s squad for their upcoming end-of-year tour to Europe.
The fly-half role is a position which the Wallabies have been struggling with this year, with Schmidt’s first choice number 10 Noah Lolesio sidelined with a season-ending neck injury which he sustained in their opening Test against Fiji in Newcastle in July.
Since then, Tom Lynagh, James O’Connor and Tane Edmed have all made starts at fly-half for the Wallabies while Ben Donaldson has also made cameos in the position off the replacements bench.
Former Wallabies fly-half Quade Cooper is a big fan of Gordon’s and also urged RA to make an attempt to bring the playmaker back to the union code.
‘He is an out and out talent’
“It’d be sad for the Titans because he is an out and out talent and we saw some glimpses of it in the last round this year when he played against the Tigers,” said Rogers, who made 45 Test appearances for Australia in union and 11 in league.
“Defensively, he got caught once in the first half. That happens to the best of us but I thought he was fantastic for his first game, and I can see a real future for him in league if he stuck it out.
“But the beauty of Carter Gordon and many athletes nowadays is that they can be considered dual code athletes and they can go wherever, league or union.
“I would certainly vouch for Carter Gordon in league from what I’ve seen of him and the conversations I’ve had with him.
“I certainly think he could make it as a first grade footballer and I think he could get to the elite level.”