I must admit I wasn't surprised when I heard that Mark Gasnier was contemplating a switch to France. I met Mark a couple of years ago when he was considering a switch to rugby and my first impression was that he was genuine about his desire to change codes.

I have no doubt that Mark would be playing rugby union if our game didn't have such a convoluted system for signing rugby league players. The longer the negotiations went on, the less chance we had of signing him. Mark was genuinely interested, but as the weeks rolled on, issues like his family ties to rugby league and third-party sponsorships all came into play, and he decided to stay.

If we moved quickly and sharply - and we didn't have to go through the process of states bidding for him - I believe Mark could be a Wallaby already.

In the time I spent with Mark, he impressed me and was the sort of person I wanted on board. From our discussions, the change of lifestyle was what appealed to him most. In all of my meetings with him, he didn't once mention money. A couple of times I attempted to broach the subject to see what his real motivation was, but he left all of that to his manager and ARU officials.

There is no doubt the challenge of rugby appealed to him. He wanted to know how he would go and had endless questions about the lifestyle - what it was like touring South Africa, the different cultures around the world and what it was like being on the road for long periods.

At no stage did I ever think it was a league v union issue. In fact, if the AFL had been an international game, I reckon he would have looked at that. Mark has achieved almost everything that league has to offer. For him, I believe he was looking for a change of direction in his life.

In many ways, league is like rugby union in that the players feel they are going along on an endless merry-go-round. One week, Mark is at Brookvale Oval, then Suncorp Stadium the next. And, while rugby is the same, the advantage is the chance to tour different international destinations. It's something that keeps them motivated but, generally, most finish off their careers in Europe. There is so much to see and do.

Mark is probably the best rugby league centre in the world and could well be at the top of the tree if he becomes a rugby union centre. His strength and speed would be a great asset to any side. He would also be very suited to playing in southern France, where the weather is generally good for most of the year and the grounds are hard and fast.

It's a different situation in England, where grounds can become very heavy and games become tight as the weather sets in. Even in Paris, the weather can change and you get more of a London winter, as opposed to a southern France winter. And when you talk about lifestyle, Craig Gower, who is playing for Bayonne, recently had a weekend off to play golf in Morocco. Now that's a lifestyle.

It appears Mark is now at a stage in his life where he wants to take advantage of what rugby can give him. And the fact his girlfriend is French makes the move even more appealing.

Rugby league will have to get used to the idea of players moving to rugby at some stage of their careers. As much as I am an avid league fan and like turning on the TV and watching Monday night football, the top rugby league players will increasingly look towards the international experience of rugby if the money is right. The transition from one game to the other is becoming easier following the new ELVs, particularly for the backs. The game is more flowing now than it was for the likes of Willie Carne, who came across in 1996. Now, there is more time and space, with players back five metres from the scrum and more open-field opportunities.

Eric Grothe jnr was another interested in making the switch, but the powers that be decided against it. In my opinion, he'd be a great rugby player. He is just so big and fast. In fact, any of the State of Origin backs would go very well. Darren Lockyer is almost a carbon copy of Dan Carter. The transition for halves is trickier than for the outside backs, but, again, the ELVs will help. I also believe Timana Tahu will be a huge success.

Domestically, the budgets are getting tighter and in England they only allow two foreign players. But in France, there is more money and opportunity. More players will go there.

Still on rugby league, I'd like to wish Wendell Sailor the best in his return to the game. He put his hand up about doing the wrong thing and has shown a lot of determination to return after two years on the sideline. It's a big task for a 33-year-old to come back, but I hope he can do it.