After rugby union star Henry Pollock’s representative Eddie Hearn claimed that the Northampton Saints star should be commanding a salary of £1 million, one Super League chief has spoken on the huge profile that a cross-code switch for a star of Pollock’s calibre could bring to the sport.
Henry Pollock, 21, is widely considered one of the greatest talents in rugby union but perhaps more so, at least for his representative Eddie Hearn, he’s also one of the game’s most marketable players.
As such, it was no surprise when Hearn’s Matchroom Sports agency, best known for boxing, snooker, and darts, made Pollock their first ever rugby union recruit and the noise in recent weeks from Hearn has been that Pollock is worthy of a huge pay bump.
It’s unlikely that the move to a salary of £1 million will come in rugby union and whilst that is also an astronomical figure in rugby league, salary cap exemptions could make it possible for a club with a wealthy benefactor.
One such exemption is signing players from other codes with Wigan Warriors doing so last year when recruiting Christian Wade and a Super League chief executive has now made that point to CityAM, who have reported that several clubs have shown interest in a splash move for Pollock.
The Wheels Have Fallen Off At Castleford! Huddersfield Giants Leaving Town In £10M Stadium Move?! – Click here to watch the latest episode of the Serious About Rugby League Show!
Super League chief notes Henry Pollock admiration
The report from CityAM opens by stating that Pollock could be at the heart of a bidding war, adding that ‘top flight league clubs [are] monitoring the rugby union star’.
The chief executive of one unnamed Super League club reportedly holds a long-standing relationship with the Hearn family, who have been involved in sports promotion for decades, with Pollock’s ‘off-field profile’ something that the club chief is a particular fan of.
As one of the stars of rugby union, as evidenced by the fact he has already represented his nation 13 times, Pollock commands huge attention and a move to rugby league would bring eyeballs to Super League.
Speaking to CityAM, the unnamed Super League chief noted: “We’d get a free hit on the salary cap due to dispensations for union players,” meaning that Pollock’s raw salary would not be a major blow to the £2.1 million salary cap that clubs are tied to.
Were he to make the move, it would be the most extraordinary cross-code switch of all time given just what a prodigal talent Pollock is seen to be.
Previous success stories when crossing codes have typically seen league players fare better in union than the other way round, whilst the coaching landscape in rugby union is now littered with former league stars, with Kevin Sinfield, Sean Long and Shaun Edwards just a handful.
Current St Helens interim coach Eamon O’Carroll will join that list when he departs at the end of the year to make the move to rugby union.
Eric T Cat
August 14, 2026 at 4:46 pm
Having had to look him up, I have nothing to do with Union, my first impression is hahahahaha, yeah right, there’s a truly inspired bright idea, not. He’d last 10 minutes, five sets of six he’d be puking his guts up, receiving a good fair tackle would put him off, trying to make a tackle he’d be a liability, defensively he’d need additional training to stand in the right place, he may be fit enough to play Union, he isn’t fit enough to play League, doubling the amount of time the ball is in play in a match for hi, would leave him with jelly legs. Loose forward? Nooooooooo. If any club has £1m burning a hole in their pocket then invest in youth development, open a school of excellence, bring on talent who already play the game. If he comes to League let an NRL club invest in him. I’m sure he’s a nice guy, I”m sure he’s great at his chosen sport, but he plays a different sport, similar, but significantly different. Invite him to a trial in their off season, whichever club it is with money to burn versus the best top flight reserve team. See how he goes. ‘I’d give him 20 minutes game time before he commits his entire life to Union. Thanks for the laugh! How much would Julian Nsemba, Jez Litten, and Matty Ashton, command a year? Less than this lad, combined? They’re worth every last penny of the money! Julian Nsemba has a younger brother doesn’t he? Put the money there if his brother is the benchmark!