Melbourne Rebels winger Luke Rooney says he's not swayed by the swag of league players returning to their original code after a stint in rugby.

After spending eight years in the NRL with Penrith, where he was born and bred, and winning six Australian Test caps, Rooney walked away from league in 2008 to try his hand at rugby union.

High-profile stars Wendell Sailor, Lote Tuqiri, Mat Rogers and Mark Gasnier have all rejoined the league ranks after playing rugby union.

But Rooney, who started his new career in the French Top 14 competition with Toulon, said his was a different scenario.

With the exception of Gasnier, who also played in France, the others managed successful careers with the Wallabies, including a World Cup campaign.

"They've achieved everything in the game," Rooney said.

"I guess when you've played league all your life and you switch over, then you might want to give it another try.

"I miss it a bit because it's the game I grew up with and a lot of my friends still play.

"(But) at the moment I'm not even thinking about going back there, I'm enjoying rugby too much."

Rooney once harboured ambitions of playing rugby for England, for which he qualified through his English parents, however his return to Australia to test himself in the Super arena put an end to that.

He has pledged his allegiance to the Wallabies, although felt any Test selection was some time off.

"I've got a lot of learning to do, I need to get Super 15 rugby under my belt at the moment, but maybe in the long term," the 27-year-old said.

"I've only played union for two years, and it's different rugby over there (France)."

Rooney, who won a NRL premiership with Penrith in 2003, scoring two tries in the grand final against the Sydney Roosters, said rugby was something he always wanted to play.

He felt France was an ideal place to start his new career, out of the spotlight as he learnt the new rules alongside teammate and fellow league convert Sonny Bill Williams, who is now attempting to forge an All Blacks career.

"It took me a while to get my bearings, but I think I've been going alright," Rooney said.

"I'm understanding the game, and enjoying it a lot and that's the main thing."

Before starting with the Rebels, who join the expanded Super competition next February, he intended furthering his rugby education in New Zealand in the ITM Cup with Hawke's Bay.

But that hit a snag when he was injured two games in.

"I did my groin, pulled a bit of bone off," Rooney said.

"They said six weeks and it happened nine weeks ago but we're just taking it slowly as a precaution."

He hoped to cement a berth in the Rebels starting line-up, either on the wing or at fullback, and set himself a simple short-term goal - to feel like a rugby player.

"I still feel like a league player playing rugby so hopefully before too long I won't," he said.

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