Really need some important re-signing announcements early this week!
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Really need some important re-signing announcements early this week!
Personally I think we need a big signing from outside the club. A statement of intent. What's Sean McMahon doing after the Japanese season. ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Transiting
Agree your thinking BLR but not McMahon, and not because he isn't good. But he wouldn't make the run on side!Quote:
Originally Posted by BLR
If we get Coleman, TPN, RHP, Philip, and Lowrens, what is needed is a star outside Back.
And I would get Jooste back to learn from Lance and Grant.
A quality outside back would have to come from os. Nobody in Oz is capable at the moment. Koroibete or naivalu would be good pick ups, but both need developing into hard ass team men, at the moment, there are too many in it for easy dollars.
Has anybody heard anything about the future status of:
Ian Prior
Alex Newsome
James Verity-Am?
For different reasons these players have been important members of the squad and have made significant contributions.
Are they part of the picture going forward?
Or are they tied up in the 4-team v 5-team alternatives?
Andrew, agree all three should be signed. Was expecting some announcements last week. Certainly should be this week. Need to make a statement re the future!Quote:
Originally Posted by andrewg
Can only be the ARU slowing down the process!!!
Very much agree on Prior. 9 & 10 - conducts himself at the highest level on and off the field.Quote:
Originally Posted by andrewg
Alex and James have impressed this season.
Who is moving on from the Force? Van Wyk, Burton and Morahan are off to Europe. Hodgson is retiring. Carmichael is returning to Glasgow, Mitch Short to Sydney and it's been mentioned that Scoble won't be returning next year.
Has Masirewa been let go? I don't recall seeing him this year.
Is Peter Grant staying around, with Jono Lance probably the first choice 10 if fully fit and Prior covering 9-10?
If not, do we keep Brache, who'll be a marquee next year?
Lock is a slight worry, as only Arnold has a contract; Coleman, Phillips and Matwijow are all up for renew.
I think we have cover for Hodgson (our back-rowers are: McCalman, Cottrell, Naisarani, Hardwick, plus RHP, Koteka, Stander & Havili if they re-sign).
But as a minimum we'll need a prop, an outside back or two, maybe a lock (unless they all re-sign).
But will we be able to attract players to let us kick on to a finals place? If the Rebels do get cut, I'd take Parling, Hodge and one of Koroibete/Naivalu/English. I'd take Timani, too, but he'd only slightly upgrade us.
Yeah, if we get to raid the rebels, I'd be starting with hodge, naivalu and koroibete in that order. I wouldn't waste money on pearling, think our current locks show more promise than what's currently out there and he'd be a short term answer. Maybe if we lose somebody unexpectedly
English might be versatile, but I've never been really impressed and timani wouldn't add enough for us to get into a bidding war. I'd prefer mafi, and even he brings problems to solve (if we're going to burn a marquee, I'd go for a prop or someone speedy with a great step)
Id also like to see us less reliant on heath, not that he's a mug, but we need to get some succession planning happening, neither heath or taffeta are incredibly young.
Yeah, the only reason I'd have Parling would be to mentor Arnold, Phillips and Matwijow (I don't think Coleman needs it!), but it would burn a marquee spot and it'd be a luxury pick.
Mafi isn't sufficiently better than Naisirani to waste a marquee spot on either, but Timani is slightly better than Nai, and McCalman now looks injury prone.
The Rebels wingers (Korobete and Naivalu) look good, but are they looking good in a poor Rebels side? Newsome and Verity-Amm are certainly not the finished product, but another season in the NRC and a full pre-season will only make them better. The Rebels wingers would be an improvement, but I'd rather keep our local players and give them the opportunity to improve.
Hodge would walk onto any of the other Australian SR teams, so I'm sure the Waratahs would have first pick. Actually, if the Rebels do get cut, I wonder if there will be an AFL style draft of the Rebels side, or just a free-for-all. The Waratahs finishing 4th in the conference would give them the first pick in the draft!
Guaranteed if the tahs don't win the free for all they will be arranging a draft where the top 3 picks will go to the team in forth spot (or third spot if we are the ones cut)
Masirewa left earlier in the season I think to go to Japan.
Grant told us on Sat night that he was staying.
Would love for Matwijow to get some game time with us after that horrific neck injury.
Grant is a great back up option to Lance, who is injury prone. Definitely need to be grooming someone for 2019 and beyond.
I asked Ben about getting some minutes next season and he looked like he was ready to kit up then and there.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alison
It appears he's as frustrated as us about not getting any time. Probably also pretty blue about letting Matty Phillip, RHP and Lewis Carmichael have such a wealth of opportunity to get ahead of him in the race.
Well, Carmichael will be off back to Glasgow, and Coleman will be in the Wallaby squad, so he'll have a good chance to form a partnership with Phillip in the NRC.Quote:
Originally Posted by GIGS20