what is happening with ryan cross

[matty n]

Whats happening with ryan cross, the coach sees him as a prioritory signing do you guys think we really need him given the backs we have already recruited i just cant see him fitting into the team with giteau, mitchell, ioane, staniforth, mackay, shepherd and pelesasa

[Burgs]

I agree matty, I think we are now well served for outside backs and would be better concentrating on Locks or Academy/Apprentice Player development.
That said, if we do recruit him, I think he would be a very useful addition and I am told he was an excellent Schoolboys Union player.
My understanding is that the Force are still looking to recruit him.
With the withdrawal of the Gasnier offer, unless a bluff, there should be no problems in freeing up enough ARU monies for him and Willie Tonga.
For the ARU I think it would be money better spent for them both to head to Brisbane.

[Dramoth]

I reckon that Cross should come here to the Force and Tonga should go to the Reds.

But I doubt if the ARU will put up the money for Cross to come here to Perth.

[shasta]

I saw Flowers and Knuckles on the news last night and to be honest the "withdrawal" of the offer to Gasnier seemed a little iffy in that they said they are still willing to talk. I know withdrawing offers is a normal part of negotiations, when deadlines are past but I think the ARU should just move on and forget him. Draw a line in the sand with these RL players.

[matty n]

yeh i heard that cross was a fair union player before he started league, it just doesnt make sense to be chasing him compared to some of the bigger name league stars and also arent the force having a crack at trying to get tonga or have they changed there mind

[.X.]

I am with Burgs on this one - we have backs covered, and then some. We need some forwards, we need lots of forwards.

[Shaun]

I agee with burgs and Exile we got back comming outta our back sides! We need sum quality forwards!

[frontrow]

I agree we may need some more top shelf forwards, but you have to admit that the Force boys (forwards) have played a great season this year, and more often than not have been let down by the backs.....But , as a team, they have all played extremely well in their first year, backs included, as you do have to expect teething issues

[Burgs]

I'll play the devils advocate for a moment though, watching Inside Rugby last night it became obvious that pretty much every team in the comp has a hard luck story as to the player/s they lost this year and the teams at the top of the tree are the ones with the best fortune with injury lay off/severity and more importantly the best depth.
If Cross does come to Perth he will most likely be a second pick player for Round 1 but by mid season it is inevitable that we will again one of our top players and that is when we need another top line player such as him to be able to call upon.
The oft used example being the Crusaders who had/have (not sure if still the case now?) sixteen All Blacks in the first pick 22. Most of their six non AB's would have got a start for the other 13 S14 teams. That is the kind of depth required to be competative for the title and, in the short term we are still a little way off that with the current Squad.

[Burgs]

An update on the recruiting situation concerning Ryan Cross:

Cross 'Wildcard' for the West

By Peter Jenkins
May 12, 2006

SYDNEY Roosters centre Ryan Cross has emerged as a likely "wild card" buy for Western Force next season.

The Perth franchise has already snared Matt Giteau and Drew Mitchell, and it is now hoping to add a rugby league name to the line-up.

But it wants to do so without the need for the Australian Rugby Union to take over negotiations, and inside centre Scott Staniforth is the key figure in its plans.

Each of the four Australian provinces is allowed a "wildcard" recruit - a player they can nominate for an ARU top-up with no questions asked from the national body.

The player does not have to be of interest to Wallabies selectors, only to the province involved, and it was under this system that Force lured Staniforth back from the UK.

Force had to buy out his contract to do so, but the recruitment proved a masterstroke.

So well has Staniforth played that he seems certain to win a spot in the extended Wallabies squad to be named at the end of Super 14 - and that could see the ARU topping up his contract by choice.

Should that happen, Force will be able to send their "wildcard" money elsewhere.

Cross is the most likely recipient, even though Force has also expressed interest in another NRL star - Bulldogs centre Willie Tonga.

But incoming Queensland coach Eddie Jones plans to meet Tonga early next week.

"I want to make sure he's genuine before we take it any further," said Jones.

Even so, Wallabies coach John Connolly could beat Jones to the punch.

After the ARU pulled its contract offer for Mark Gasnier, Connolly suggested he was likely to make contact with Tonga before the weekend.

Queensland is desperate to secure Tonga, especially after losing Mitchell to Force, and the Reds have made all the running.

Jones spoke to Tonga's agent, David Riolo, in the UK, and the Queensland Rugby Union has made an official request for the ARU to negotiate with the 22 year old.

The Daily Telegraph

[shasta]

Well I said very early in the piece that The Force should target Ryan Cross. But I've changed my opinion since they recruited Mitchell and Giteau. For the moment, at least, I reckon we need some forwards. Reason being we had a reasonably good run with injuries up front this year. If the engine room has a crook run like backs have this season we could be struggling to come out on top in the posession stakes.