2024 Squad - Speculation Thread

[Tazzmania]

No Kane Koteka either

Sadly I think he has retired due to concussions

[brokendown gunfighter]

correct

[Burgs]

Notable missing names:
Bo Abra
Winston Rebolo
Henry Robertson

Isi Naisarani

[shasta]

Sadly I think he has retired due to concussions

Very sad alright. That's two of our best local products now AFAIK.

I think we'll see an upswing in people choosing a better long term health outcome over love for contact sport.

Even more sadly the news on cumulative non-concussive brain trauma is getting more dire every day.

[Tazzmania]

Isi Naisarani

He was let go at the end of the season

Up until a week ago he was training with the Tahs to try get a late contract with them.

I suspect that has not materialised and one must suspect there are injury or other concerns.

I am sad for him as he was an alround nice guy with lots of potential, who knows what may have happened had we not been cut.

[chiraag]

Sadly I think he has retired due to concussions

You would think the Force would release some sort of statement advising of this, listing his achievements, thanking him for his service and stating how they're supporting him going forward. Currently fans are in the dark and it would appear that one of our best has just disappeared into thin air

Back rower Papillon Sevele has been upgraded to a Super Rugby contract but will miss the 2024 season due to an ACL injury.

And what's going on here? Seems very strange, although I guess / hope he was signed before getting that injury.

The squad does seem a little worrying with the lack of depth at hooker and wings. Think we might have problems at scrum time if we have an injury or two also...

[Garry Owen]

Surely Force are talking to this guy, we need a hooker and played for us before. This article said he was going back to rebels but then he wasn’t named in their squad yesterday

https://melbournerebels.rugby/news/a...d-2024-2022623

[SNOB]

Surely Force are talking to this guy, we need a hooker and played for us before. This article said he was going back to rebels but then he wasn’t named in their squad yesterday

https://melbournerebels.rugby/news/a...d-2024-2022623

Definitely bring him back. He would be fantastic. We definitely need some one off his calibre Horton is going to be great but they are going to need to mange him.

[todd4]

Canerra Times reporting Western Force make bid to sign Darcy Swain. Story behind a paywall

Brumbies rival launches audacious bid to poach star Wallaby
Cameron Mee
By Cameron Mee
Updated November 28 2023 - 8:36am, first published November 27 2023 - 11:00pm
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The Western Force have launched an audacious bid to poach ACT Brumbies lock Darcy Swain.

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/sto...k-darcy-swain/

[Sheikh]

Canerra Times reporting Western Force make bid to sign Darcy Swain. Story behind a paywall

Brumbies rival launches audacious bid to poach star Wallaby
Cameron Mee
By Cameron Mee
Updated November 28 2023 - 8:36am, first published November 27 2023 - 11:00pm
0
Comments
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Twitter
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The Western Force have launched an audacious bid to poach ACT Brumbies lock Darcy Swain.

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/sto...k-darcy-swain/

The Brumbies have 4 Wallaby locks, the Tahs have 2 (Hanigan & Holloway, so maybe that should be 0), the Reds have none, the Rebels only have LSL and we have 1 (Rodda). It's great that the Brumbies produce decent locks, but trying to keep 4 on their books does look rather like stockpiling!

[Burgs]

Would love to know why it is "audacious". Takes two to tango.

Didn't realise how old Cadeyrn Neville is (35), I guess it does (potentially) bugger up their succession plans, but still don't think "audacious" is appropriate?

Swain himself, I could get around that.
With a new Coach, environment and the learning experiences around his ban, you would think he might have pulled his head in.
Would be putting all sorts of conditions around availability for selection though.

[andrewg]

Can't be audacious if Swain is off-contract.

[shasta]

I really rate Darcy Swain. He's been a liability, sure. But it seems to me, unlike Swinton, his problems are a combination poor technique and clumsiness rather than a dickhead mentality. I might have a hard time arguing that defence in the Quin Tupaia incident, though.

[Burgs]

...his problems are a combination poor technique and clumsiness rather than a dickhead mentality...

Agreed.
I would definitely be putting it differently if Swinton!

[GIGS20]

It would be interesting to see swain after a couple of seasons in a different team.

The brumbies are expediently cynical as an organisation and that wouldn't help a guy prone to red mist brain parts, but a couple of seasons playing with a club that isn't forcing him to decide when to be a grub might change him for the better