THERE'S been a lot of talk surrounding players switching from union to league lately.

From a Knights point of view, Neil Law is going to be an asset to the team. He's been playing rugby union at Otley but wasn't getting the game time he wanted there.

He was talking about coming over at the end of the union season but the way things have gone, he's joined us now. He slotted straight into the starting line-up on Sunday and didn't look out of place.

Somebody like Andy Farrell, who has earned every honour he can in the rugby league world, could see union as a new avenue to go down.

It is a new challenge that not a lot of players can take on. Jason Robinson turned codes and did very well although it took him time to make the transition.

The most recent one was of course Iestyn Harris, who didn't make the impression he might have hoped for in what was always going to be a difficult area having had the influence he did in league.

Obviously I don't know Farrell's feelings on the matter, but he may get more money in union, and it will also prolong his career a little bit.

He's played a lot of games at the highest domestic and international levels and taken a lot of hits in that time. So, depending on where he plays in union, he might not get the same sort of physical punishment.

I have never considered the switch as a player, mainly because I wasn't brought up in a school that played dual codes. We only played league.

It is very rare that the Tykes and Rhinos would train together, although a few weeks ago the England rugby union coaches and players came and took the Rhinos for a session.

I think players and coaches of both codes have got things to offer each other.

Union is probably a bit more technical, with the line-outs, and skilful in some areas. They have very successful kickers and the backs have got a good passing game.

But I think the forwards would struggle in league, where they are expected to use a lot more handling skills and really get involved in passing and offloading it.

If I could see any one union player in league, it would have to be Jonny Wilkinson. He's obviously made his mark on the union world and it would be good to see a few of them have a go.

It's difficult to know how they would adjust because it is very different with the constant up-and-backs in defence and it would take them time to adapt to the defensive aspects of league because it uses a different energy system.

But I know people who have worked with Wilkinson and they say he is extremely strong and very fit so it would just be a case of adapting to the game.

If the league blokes were getting involved in rucks and mauls they would find the same sort of difficulties as the union players would with our defensive aspects.

LOOKING back at the Hunslet game, I thought it was a good performance, particularly the first half.

I felt we got more control in our game and the end of our sets were better as we built more pressure.

But the weather had a deciding factor when it turned a bit nasty. There wasn't going to be a lot of quality rugby after that.

I would just like to give the crowd a pat on the back for turning out in such awful conditions.

To get more than 1,300 in that weather was really great and helped the players on.

Updated: 10:09 Wednesday, February 23, 2005