Rugby League has scored another point in the endless battle against rugby union, with the Canterbury Bulldogs landing another up-and-coming star of the 15-a-side game in Patrick Young, son of former Wallaby Bill.
Young has penned a two-year development deal with the Bulldogs starting in 2023, after impressing as a ball-playing lock forward for Balmain Tigers in the Harold Matthews Competition.
The former Union schoolboy's playing style is similar to that of South Sydney Rabbitohs gun Cameron Murray.
It is not the first time this year that the Bulldogs have sniffed around rugby union for young talent.
Earlier this year Canterbury recruited 23-year-old rugby sevens star Jeral Skelton, who has since made six appearances in the Bulldogs NSW cup side, scoring three tries and making a phenomenal 43 tackle breaks.
Max Jorgenson, the son of another former Wallaby Peter Jorgensen (who also played over 100 NRL games for the Sydney Roosters and Penrith Panthers) is also lighting up on NRL club's radars.
The St Joesph's fullback is currently touted as one of the best players in schoolboy rugby.
The news comes amid reports that Rugby Australia was preparing a big-money bid for a number of NRL stars including Joseph Suaali'i and Matt Burton.
But if the likes of Jorgensen are worried about heading the other way, they have plenty of examples of success to bear in mind, with a list of players including Kalyn Ponga, Luke Keary, Angus Crichton and Nelson Asofa-Solomona trying their hand at union in their younger years.
