Editorial: The loss of Wallabies star Carter Gordon should be Australia’s wake-up call

Carter Gordon, pictured during the Bledisloe Cup match against New Zealand in 2023, is leaving Australian rugby and the Wallabies. Photo / Getty Images

Editorial

EDITORIAL

Carter Gordon’s decision to trade Wallabies gold for the embrace of the Gold Coast Titans and the NRL reverberates through the halls of Australian rugby like a clap of thunder. Beyond a mere player’s choice to change codes lies a stark indictment of the sport’s present plight Downunder and the repercussions of mishandled talent.

Gordon’s decision to join a struggling NRL team like the Titans suggests a disillusionment or dissatisfaction within the structure and opportunities of rugby union locally. Despite his potential to secure substantial contracts abroad, Gordon’s preference for the NRL hints at a deeper aspiration or affinity for rugby league football, perhaps reflecting broader issues within Australian rugby.

The 23-year-old’s journey from rising Wallabies star to NRL prospect is marred by setbacks and disappointments, resonating deeply with sympathisers across social media.

Criticism isn’t solely directed at Gordon’s departure; it’s a collective outcry against rugby’s leadership, deemed inept at nurturing and retaining top-tier talent. “Eddie Jones really screwed the pooch on Gordon. Left him pissing in the wind and exposed,” laments one voice, citing the Wallabies’ woeful World Cup campaign last year. Jones swung the axe on the rookie first five-eighths after he was substituted with more than 30 minutes to go in their upset loss to Fiji. Gordon was Jones’ only specialist first five in Australia’s World Cup squad.

Rugby Australia’s failure to anchor Gordon’s allegiance underscores the sport’s ongoing crisis. The Titans’ gain isn’t just the loss of a skilled up-and-coming Wallaby but a symbolic defeat for Australian rugby’s capacity to compete and retain its stars. “I think I’d have preferred to see him go to the Crusaders than Titans,” another fan mourned.

Across the Tasman, New Zealand Rugby will be watching with a mix of apprehension and a sense of opportunity. Gordon’s departure raises doubts about the competitive balance in transtasman rugby and the sport’s future in the Southern Hemisphere. As Australia grapples with internal disarray, the All Blacks may face diluted competition, jeopardising the calibre of regional contests that define the rugby landscape.

Gordon’s move to the Titans isn’t a quest for change; it’s a stark indictment of Rugby Australia’s inability to envision a compelling future for its players. The absence of decisive action and strategic foresight allowed another promising talent, the Waratahs and Wallabies outside back Mark Nawaqanitawase – who signed with the Sydney Roosters in December – to slip through the cracks, lost to the allure of greener pastures.

In the aftermath of Gordon’s exit, rugby’s powerbrokers everywhere must heed these lessons with urgency. It’s time to reassess priorities, invest in talent development and, in Australia, restore faith in the Wallabies jersey. Only then can Australian rugby reclaim its stature on the global stage and ensure that future Gordons don’t succumb to neglect, seeking refuge elsewhere.

As fans voice their disappointment and concern, their outcry should serve as a rallying cry for rugby to recalibrate, refocus, and rebuild from within. The sport’s future in Australia hinges on the ability of its leadership to learn from past mistakes and forge a path forward that honours its heritage and secures its place among the world’s rugby elite.