All Blacks duo hint at potential cross-code moves to NRL and AFL

All Blacks stars Will Jordan and Jordie Barrett have revealed they are eager to explore opportunities in rival codes rugby league and Australian football.

Both players were standouts for the All Blacks this season, as reflected by their nominations for All Blacks Player of the Year at the upcoming New Zealand Rugby Awards.

Jordan enjoyed a particularly successful year as he won World Rugby’s Breakthrough Player of the Year award and selection in World Rugby’s Men’s 15s Dream Team of the Year after crossing for 15 tries, the second-most scored by any player in a single international season.

RugbyPass Offload | Episode 13

RugbyPass Offload | Episode 13

As such, the 23-year-old has made a name for himself as one of the hottest properties in the sport, and he may look to continue his rapid development by spending some in another sport in Australia.

Speaking on the What A Lad podcast, hosted by former Hurricanes fullback James Marshall, Jordan said that while he has no serious intention of crossing codes, he is interested by the prospect of spending a pre-season training with an AFL club.

The 13-test international said the motive behind such a switch would be to help improve his skillset as an outside back, a position of which he sees plenty of similarities with in Australian football.

Jordan described the AFL as “a cool game to watch” and added that he and Barrett have floated the idea of honing their craft in an Australian football environment in the lead-up to a rugby union campaign.

“The one sport, actually, where I would like to do a bit of pre-season or just get into the environment would be AFL,” Jordan told What A Lad.

“I’ve always found that a cool game to watch, and I think a lot of the stuff they do with kicking and the high-ball work and that would have quite a lot of correlation with a back three player, so that’s something that Jordie and I have actually talked about a little bit.

“It’d be cool to be able to head into one of their environments and pick up a few things that they do with those skill sets because there probably are similarities between that and players in the back three or playing 10.”

In saying that, Jordan downplayed the prospect of a full-fledged switch to the AFL with no prior playing experience in Australian football.

“I don’t know if it ever would actually happen going to do a season. It would be a pretty big plunge,” he said.

Former All Blacks star Ngani Laumape has gone on record saying that he intends to switch international allegiance from New Zealand to Tonga. #AllBlacks #IkaleTahi https://t.co/BjmwrjnGke

— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) December 11, 2021

“I wouldn’t say it’s something that would realistically happen, but, like I say, the opportunity to, maybe just for a week or two, go and train with them would be something that would be fun. I actually do seriously enjoy watching AFL. I reckon it’s a cool sport.”

In a separate What A Lad episode, Barrett said there was “no chance” that he would commit himself to an AFL move, but echoed Jordan’s sentiments that he would be keen to spend some time learning the fundamentals of the sport at an elite level.

“No chance. I’m not running around a circle pitch all day,” Barrett said of the possibility of becoming an AFL player.

“Mind you, I actually love the game of AFL, too. I sat there last year when I was at the cricket, I think the AFL guys were in their pre-season, sort of training and whatnot. It’d be good to go over there and learn how to kick a ball properly for a couple of weeks.”

However, while Barrett categorically ruled out any notion of a code-switch to the AFL, he laid bare his desire to one day play rugby league.

The 24-year-old, who had a stellar All Blacks season where he established himself as New Zealand’s first-choice fullback, revealed he “might” try his hand at rugby league for a season after developing an interest in the NRL as a spectator.

“To be honest, every off-season or every time I’m sitting there watching a rugby league game, I think, ‘I’d love to go over there and play some league’,” Barrett told What A Lad.

“Just for a season, and who knows? I might. Like I said before, it crosses my mind a lot. I’m not sure what position I’d play. I’d love to just go over there and just give it a crack. Who knows?”

Although he is a fullback who can cover multiple other backline positions in rugby union, the 36-test international fancies himself as a five-eighth in rugby league due to the kicking responsibilities and defensive duties associated with the position.

Just as Damian McKenzie says he’s thinking of changing positions, Jordie Barrett comes out and says he’s also thinking of making a switch ? #AllBlackshttps://t.co/1O5wARk1yi

— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) December 10, 2021

“I wouldn’t mind kicking the skin a few times on the fourth or fifth tackle, a few 40/20s, putting up some floater bombs, and just defending in the frontline, trying to put some shots on. You’re allowed to be a grub in that game, so I’d love it,” Barrett said.

The same can’t be said for Jordan, as he told What A Lad that, with limited exposure to the sport, a move to rugby league is unlikely.

“In terms of a serious change, not really. I’ve watched the NRL a little bit. Growing up, I never played league or anything like that,” Jordan said.

“It’s not that big in the South Island, or Christchurch, probably as much as it is up north, so I never really played league.

“Growing up, I watched the Warriors play and stuff, and I watch the NRL kind of casually a bit now, but it’s never something that’s kind of popped up for me.”

Any chance of Barrett moving to the NRL may not come for a few years yet, though, as he said that he is likely to extend his stay with the Hurricanes when he comes off-contract with New Zealand Rugby at the end of next year.

“With my next contract, I’d like to sign a longer one and lock in New Zealand for a lot longer. I’m enjoying my time at the Hurricanes,” Barrett told What A Lad as he suggested a potential sabbatical deal abroad could also be in the offing.

“Who knows, I might try and go away for a stint somewhere in between. Hopefully I can tie that into a contract somewhere. Who knows, potentially I could try and dip my nose into Japan or somewhere.

“We’ll see how we go, but I’m signed in New Zealand for another year, obviously with the goal of winning the World Cup and, ideally, playing for the All Blacks, so I just want to keep moving forward.”