2018 Player Contracts

[Alison]

Where is Kyle Godwin next season? Still at Brumbs?

[Bakkies]

Yep one season left. Knees are a concern. A player that young shouldn't be wearing those braces. He is a player suited to European Rugby if he sorts his body out.

Riley Winter ex Future Force lock has gone to Ballyahinch I believe. He was at Shannon last season and got good reports.

[travelling_gerry]

Next rugby boss to inherit salary cap crisis
The Australian12:00AM November 23, 2017
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WAYNE SMITH
Senior sport writerBrisbane
@WayneKeithSmith

Phil Kearns or one of the other *finalists interviewed yesterday for the position of Rugby Australia chief executive could be handed a ticking time bomb when they take over the job, with the game set to face a huge salary cap blowout.

The closure of the Western Force and the subsequent dispersal of their playing roster around the remaining four Super Rugby franchise — the NSW Waratahs, the Queensland Reds, the Brumbies and the Melbourne Rebels — has triggered the crisis.

It’s estimated that the Rebels are currently $700,000 over their allocated $5 million salary cap and that figure could temporarily blow out even further if, as expected, Test lock Adam Coleman joins the migration of a dozen Force players who have moved to the Rebels to continue playing under coach Dave Wessels.

Eventually, the Rebels will be required to shed some of their contracted players, and while the other Australian provinces are showing little interest in taking them off their hands, those Melbourne players with dual passports could be snapped up by British and European clubs.

While the Waratahs and Reds are understood to be fairly safely under the salary cap, it is believed the Brumbies could also be over, especially after singing Force backrower Isi Naisarini, lock *Richie Arnold and, as of yesterday, champion winger Chance Peni. And with David Pocock returning next season from his sabbatical and Christian Lealiifano set for a full season of Super Rugby after his temporary off-season move to Ulster, the Brumbies’ budget is understood to be at breaking point.

“It won’t only be Melbourne that will be over the caps,” said a Rugby Australia spokesman yesterday. “It’s hard to say until everything materialises at each of those squads whether each team is going to be over. We don’t think every team is going to be over the $5 million but certainly there will be more than one.

“We would have always had to have some relaxation of it (the salary cap) because it wouldn’t have worked otherwise.”

Certainly there does need to be some dispensation given that the Rebels’ recruitment drive was stifled by all the uncertainty of the “five into four” cutback. The club finished last in Super Rugby this year and looked to be facing another grim season in 2018 until the Force were axed and the cream of the WA roster opened up.

Yet the beggars of the 2017 competition now look to be on target to become one of the main title contenders next year. On paper, they are set to field more than half a dozen current Wallabies next year, including Will Genia, Marika Koroibete, Sefa Naivalu, Reece Hodge and Matt Philip, with Coleman likely to make a decision within days. Certainly there has not been an even division of the former WA talent.

The flip side, however, is that those states which adhered to the salary cap — like Queensland, which passed up on Genia and Rob Simmons in order to stay under it — will now be penalised.

All this will be dumped into the lap of whoever is chosen to replace Bill Pulver as Rugby Australia chief executive officer.

Former Wallabies captain Kearns, who is currently managing director of InterRISK Australia, a leading corporate insurance broker, was in the final round of interviews yesterday but he faces a stiff challenge from Raelene Castle, the former Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and Netball New Zealand CEO.

It is understood that there may be as many as five finalists for the position who were also interviewed.

Meanwhile, barely had the Reds come to terms with former Wallabies captain Stephen Moore’s decision not exercise his option to play one last season of Super Rugby next season when they were forced to deal with a dark cloud hangs over their other “elder”, George Smith.

It is understood the Suntory-contracted flanker is returning to Australia from Japan for medical treatment on severe back pain and the 37-year-old might be forced to retire ahead of next season.

The Reds, however, are well placed in the backrow, with Liam Wright currently on the Wallabies tour, while Adam Korczyk surely would have been there too except for injury. Hopefully if Smith, the winner of the Pilecki Medal this year as the Reds’ best-and-fairest player, is not able to play next season, he will join Queensland coaching staff.

[travelling_gerry]

Wallabies lock Adam Coleman is officially heading to Melbourne, ending months of speculation around his future.

[wasmute]

I hope the Tards & Reds tank this season if they are the only ones to meet the salary cap, they might start to change there tune about the ineptitude of the Rats Arse board and the shambles they created not only for the Force but for ALL of Aussie rugby.

[Bakkies]

Next rugby boss to inherit salary cap crisis
The Australian12:00AM November 23, 2017
Save
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10
WAYNE SMITH
Senior sport writerBrisbane
@WayneKeithSmith

Phil Kearns or one of the other *finalists interviewed yesterday for the position of Rugby Australia chief executive could be handed a ticking time bomb when they take over the job, with the game set to face a huge salary cap blowout.

The closure of the Western Force and the subsequent dispersal of their playing roster around the remaining four Super Rugby franchise — the NSW Waratahs, the Queensland Reds, the Brumbies and the Melbourne Rebels — has triggered the crisis.

It’s estimated that the Rebels are currently $700,000 over their allocated $5 million salary cap and that figure could temporarily blow out even further if, as expected, Test lock Adam Coleman joins the migration of a dozen Force players who have moved to the Rebels to continue playing under coach Dave Wessels.

Eventually, the Rebels will be required to shed some of their contracted players, and while the other Australian provinces are showing little interest in taking them off their hands, those Melbourne players with dual passports could be snapped up by British and European clubs.

While the Waratahs and Reds are understood to be fairly safely under the salary cap, it is believed the Brumbies could also be over, especially after singing Force backrower Isi Naisarini, lock *Richie Arnold and, as of yesterday, champion winger Chance Peni. And with David Pocock returning next season from his sabbatical and Christian Lealiifano set for a full season of Super Rugby after his temporary off-season move to Ulster, the Brumbies’ budget is understood to be at breaking point.

“It won’t only be Melbourne that will be over the caps,” said a Rugby Australia spokesman yesterday. “It’s hard to say until everything materialises at each of those squads whether each team is going to be over. We don’t think every team is going to be over the $5 million but certainly there will be more than one.

“We would have always had to have some relaxation of it (the salary cap) because it wouldn’t have worked otherwise.”

Certainly there does need to be some dispensation given that the Rebels’ recruitment drive was stifled by all the uncertainty of the “five into four” cutback. The club finished last in Super Rugby this year and looked to be facing another grim season in 2018 until the Force were axed and the cream of the WA roster opened up.

Yet the beggars of the 2017 competition now look to be on target to become one of the main title contenders next year. On paper, they are set to field more than half a dozen current Wallabies next year, including Will Genia, Marika Koroibete, Sefa Naivalu, Reece Hodge and Matt Philip, with Coleman likely to make a decision within days. Certainly there has not been an even division of the former WA talent.

The flip side, however, is that those states which adhered to the salary cap — like Queensland, which passed up on Genia and Rob Simmons in order to stay under it — will now be penalised.

All this will be dumped into the lap of whoever is chosen to replace Bill Pulver as Rugby Australia chief executive officer.

Former Wallabies captain Kearns, who is currently managing director of InterRISK Australia, a leading corporate insurance broker, was in the final round of interviews yesterday but he faces a stiff challenge from Raelene Castle, the former Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and Netball New Zealand CEO.

It is understood that there may be as many as five finalists for the position who were also interviewed.

Meanwhile, barely had the Reds come to terms with former Wallabies captain Stephen Moore’s decision not exercise his option to play one last season of Super Rugby next season when they were forced to deal with a dark cloud hangs over their other “elder”, George Smith.

It is understood the Suntory-contracted flanker is returning to Australia from Japan for medical treatment on severe back pain and the 37-year-old might be forced to retire ahead of next season.

The Reds, however, are well placed in the backrow, with Liam Wright currently on the Wallabies tour, while Adam Korczyk surely would have been there too except for injury. Hopefully if Smith, the winner of the Pilecki Medal this year as the Reds’ best-and-fairest player, is not able to play next season, he will join Queensland coaching staff.

Castle has good experience of treating people like crap. Particularly Des Hasler who is looking to sue the Bulldogs for 2.4 million.

TWAS and John R need reminding that the Rebels are over the salary cap.

[Bakkies]

I hope the Tards & Reds tank this season if they are the only ones to meet the salary cap, they might start to change there tune about the ineptitude of the Rats Arse board and the shambles they created not only for the Force but for ALL of Aussie rugby.

Things are that bad I would rather the Tarts finish above the Rabble. They are no longer the most hated team in the country

[Alison]

Phil Kearns as Rat’s Arse CEO? God help us!!!

[GIGS20]

Sorry, but every force player who signs for the underperforming, broke and currently illegal rebels feels like another knife in the heart of WA Rugby.

Why were the force cut?... Finance, no, because virtually the entire squad has found a place and the other teams are spending big to get them.

Was it performance? No, again every player has a contract, most of our starters will start for other franchises.

Was it legality? No, the ARU had to step in to save the rebels from insolvency during the fiasco of a process. Not to mention the forgotten second put.

It's just fkn depressing

[Bakkies]

Phil Kearns as Rat’s Arse CEO? God help us!!!

We will see if Georgina Robinson is right as she said the next CEO is not from Mosman where Phil lives.

[terrycobner]

Sorry, but every force player who signs for the underperforming, broke and currently illegal rebels feels like another knife in the heart of WA Rugby.

Why were the force cut?... Finance, no, because virtually the entire squad has found a place and the other teams are spending big to get them.

Was it performance? No, again every player has a contract, most of our starters will start for other franchises.

Was it legality? No, the ARU had to step in to save the rebels from insolvency during the fiasco of a process. Not to mention the forgotten second put.

It's just fkn depressing

Day by day it doesnt get better it gets worse.sad to say. I'm gonna have to avoid all rugby news once the season starts. That will be the kicker

[Jules]

It's like the final nail in the coffin! That and putting my collection of line breaks away so I couldn't see them and be reminded I won't be seeing any new ones next year. I'm just worried there won't be any players for the IPRC at this rate...

[Bakkies]

I am about to write an email to the NSWRU tell em to man up and take down the RA. Admit that they got it wrong about the Force and that de Clyne and the Rebels are the real enemy.

[Bakkies]

Email finished

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to express my concerns in to the governance of Rugby in this country. I will put this to the Waratahs too as I am not sure who is responsible for what these days given the entity changes.

In the recent Senate Inquiry it was unveiled that the Western Force didn't receive significant money from the so called Australian Rugby Union, they were also under funded like other unions outside of Victoria so it is wrong for Roger Davis to target the Western Force as receiving money hand over fist to the detriment of New South Wales Rugby. The target should be the reckless governing body for Rugby in this country and the Melbourne Rebels who have wasted tens of millions of dollars that should have gone to the actual grassroots of the game. Particularly Country Rugby clubs who have to travel long distances to games and for that matter training.

There was an article put out by Wayne Smith in The Australian stating that the Rebels are most likely to be $700,000 over the salary cap. That is disgraceful as it is affecting your recruitment and we still don't know who is funding their contracts as the Victorian Rugby Union certainly don't have the money.

I have recently read so far as yesterday that the clubs have been informed by yourselves that they will have to pay a state levy per player to cover debts and I have no reason to doubt it; that is utterly shameful. It is time to man up against the governing body who have destroyed the game in Australia for the sake of putting money down a bottomless pit in Melbourne. Push another vote of no confidence against the board at an EGM and in particularly their embarrassing Chairman so they could be rid of. I have no faith in them whatsoever of appointing a competent Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer positions still remain vacant.

This time you should get the support of the Queensland Rugby Union as you hold the voting power to vote out the Chairman and his board. You have to also support RugbyWA (I don't mean financially as you have your own issues) who are now in voluntary administration due to the incompetency of Mr Pulver and Mr Clyne at board level. The ASIC investigation also has to be backed as you need to know where the money has gone to the detriment of grassroots and schools Rugby and also to throw the book at the people responsible for the financial mismanagement.

The governing body is certainly not your friend so fight against them.

Regards

[JSJ]

Phil Kearns as Rat’s Arse CEO? God help us!!!

He is a hopeless annoying TV commentator. However he played a big part 12 years ago in WA getting a Super licence over the Vics. And he always is/was a big fan of the Sea of Blue on Kick&Chase.

I have no idea on his ability as a CEO.

Apparently he also lives in Mosman and is a former teammate of John Eales, so he ticks those boxes.