Answers to the exodus

[The Ethicist]

So Valentine is off to the Brumbies to follow Gits. You can expect then that JOC will follow suit. Drew Mitchell is gone (hooray)

Should we panic? No

Justin Turner could be anything at 9

I still think that Ben Lucas is the most under rated young fly half in Australia. That kid is seriously good. He has been playing out of position at 9 for the Reds because of Barnes and Cooper. Lucas needs an opportunity to play 10. In my opinion he is better than Cooper and is seriously wasted at 9 and at the Reds who don't seem to value his talent.

When does Lucas' contract with the Reds expire?

The Force should sign him.

The Force scouts should hang around the NSW combined high schools carnival. The waratahs only ever bother with the GPS system. The NSW CHS system has some seriously good players that never get a look in for old school tie politics.

Rugby in the south west is growing

We had a sign on day yesterday. Kids came out of the woodwork. We're bringing our own on.

For all the repatriating east coast wimps, get a mullet up ya

[TommyM]

He'd be fantastic. If he is off contract, he might be keen as Genia has been outplaying everyonein Oz in the number 9 I reckon, so Lucas is unlikely to have a regular start at 9 for the Reds next season

[prop53]

Where does it say Valentine is gone?

[blueandblack]

inside info. nothing in media anywhere (at least that I can find on media internet sites or news.google.com.au)

[slomo]

info like this can only be found @ TWF.COM, first in breaking stories about all things EWF!!....

[.X.]

A wishful thinking article published in the Australian suggested that Valo was heading to the Brumbies next season. The article contained no quotes or facts for that matter. That article, just like this thread looks and smells like bullshit.

[prop53]

Yeah i think your right there Exile

[GIGS20]

Answers to the exodus.

From the mouth of Gigs, direct to the public. The exodus is not something to slash wrists about, it gives us the opportunity to blood more young superstars. If there's one thing that the WF has done better than anything else, it has been to find fringe players and young non-starters and turn them into Wallabies. Based upon averages, our success with established superstars hasn't been great, we have had a team full of them in 2007, 2008 and 2009 and still haven't made the finals, but our young guys and guys who weren't gettign a game elsewhere have become the core of a team that's knocking on the door.

If they don't want to play here, they won't play well, let's just see what we come up with next year and make predictions then!

[Swee_82]

Answers to the exodus.

From the mouth of Gigs, direct to the public. The exodus is not something to slash wrists about, it gives us the opportunity to blood more young superstars. If there's one thing that the WF has done better than anything else, it has been to find fringe players and young non-starters and turn them into Wallabies. Based upon averages, our success with established superstars hasn't been great, we have had a team full of them in 2007, 2008 and 2009 and still haven't made the finals, but our young guys and guys who weren't gettign a game elsewhere have become the core of a team that's knocking on the door.

If they don't want to play here, they won't play well, let's just see what we come up with next year and make predictions then!

I pretty much agree with you Gigs, but it's starting to feel like the Force is a place these 'superstars' are going to get their foot in the door, only to dissapear back into the 'proper' rugby fold once they've made a name for themselves. It's be real nice one day to see this 'development' work actually come to something for the Force, rather than constantly 'unearthing' great players for the other 3 franchises.

It's not so much the likes of Gits/Mitchell I'm referring to here, since they came chasing $$ and were hardly 'developed' by coming over, but if Valo does follow, I personally think that's a bit crap- the man still wouldn't be getting games if he were at Tah-land.

[shasta]

but if Valo does follow, I personally think that's a bit crap- the man still wouldn't be getting games if he were at Tah-land.

It's a bit hard to tell what's going on there. Has RWA made him a decent offer or are they still chasing Sheehan? Has he been offered a Wallaby top-up yet? It would be disappointing if off-contract players based in the Eastern States were having their Wallaby conditions dealt with before the EWF boys. It's a lot easier to commit when you have an idea where you'll spend the second half of the season.

[Darren]

re: Valentine - it goes both ways, and without knowing the ins and outs of the contracting process you can't really give him too hard a time.

Perhaps he originally wanted a longer contract, and was told "no - you're on your own after a year" In this scenario you can't blame him for looking elsewhere.

The other possibility is he told them that he only wanted a year on the original - again, you can't blame him for looking elsewhere.

[mudskipper]

Without anything official yet just that post last night by "QLD Supporter"... It might just be gibberish... Until its official I wouldn't worry... But Brumbies coach Friend did hint a few weeks ago that they wouldn't retain all their halfbacks... However I do suspect Phibbsy is going to the Northern Hemisphere for a few years... And James Stannard likely won't stay on with the Brumbies...

[Darren]

But Bret Harris said it was so too ....

[.X.]

It is a pretty safe bet that we - the fans - will never know the in's and out's of contract negotiations.

Its also going to be a laydown mesire (spelling?) that the Western Force isnt as an attractive proposition as it was in the first couple of years. The additional money as third party sponsorship from the mining and the "fuel additive industry" would be a trickle in comparrison to what it once was.

Whilst for some it may appeal to their adventurous nature to join a newish franchise and help develop history, for the younger players it will be all about the money. And if RugbyWA cant attract them like they used to - then its going to be all about the family and friends card.

Perhaps this is the exodous we have to have.

I got a funny feeling that history will show that 2009 will be the year of lost opportunities and that 2010 - 2015 will be a period of local youth development.

Or - its a good chance I forgot to take my medication last night.

But one thing is for sure - I sure am glad I am a fully paid up (out-of-town)member of the Western Force.

[GIGS20]

I think we've made our best moves with the fringes, and undeveloped talent. Look at Bam, he was a junior when we signed him. We developed him, he's pretty much ours...That mightn't stop him gettign poached, but he'll repay the loyalty. I want more of that. Shep, the same....maybe we need to look at the quality of the man before giving spots to gouys who aren't getting game time.....Maybe we need to start looking in our own backyard earlier than is wise and put up with some lean seasons