Results 1 to 2 of 2

Thread: Brumbies shore up squad

  1. #1
    Immortal Contributor
    Moderator
    Burgs's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Country WA
    Posts
    22,644
    vCash
    334000

    Brumbies shore up squad

    Brumbies shore up squad

    By Peter Kogoy, The Australian
    April 04, 2007

    LAURIE Fisher's squad is taking a strong shape with the Brumbies set to sign Josh Holmes and three Australia players to long-term deals.
    And with Australia halfback George Gregan poised to see out his playing days at Toulon in the south of France, the Canberra-based team has grabbed Josh Holmes, one of the stars to have emerged from the Waratahs Academy.

    Holmes is expected to be named today and earn his first run-on start for New South Wales Waratahs against his future employer on Sunday.

    Brumbies chief executive Andrew Fagan yesterday confirmed the club had also tabled vastly improved, ARU-backed offers to Clyde Rathbone, Mark Gerrard and Mark Chisholm that will keep the trio in Canberra until 2010.

    "Holmes has agreed in principle to a contract to play in Canberra for two years from next season," Fagan said.

    As for Holmes, he said he's not looking further in his career than the Easter Sunday match at Canberra Stadium.

    Holmes gets his chance at the expense of injured halfback Brett Sheehan, who is set to miss three weeks with a rib injury he aggravated against the Crusaders last Saturday.

    "All I'm looking forward to is the opportunity to get some game time," Holmes said.

    He conceded the lack of game time at the Waratahs, playing behind Sheehan and Josh Valentine, was frustrating.

    Fagan will talk to Chisholm and his manager Peter Rogers today about the offer.

    "Chisholm has provided every indication to us that he's very comfortable here and all things being equal he isn't looking to go anywhere," Fagan said.

    "I'm working to ensure that we can keep the apples to apples comparison on the table."

    Fearful of a Western Force raid like the one that lured Wallabies star Matt Giteau from the Brumbies last year, using lucrative third-party sponsorship to capture his signature, Fagan said he was confident all three established players would stay put.

    Fagan said it was essential the Australian Rugby Union policed any potential breaches of the rule that bans provinces from seeking out third-party agreements for marquee players, leaving it to the players' managers.

    "We've got some protocols in place and they strictly forbid provinces using third-party support to induce a player to either remain with a province or to move from one province to another," Fagan said.

    With Chisholm expected to sign as early as today, Fagan said talks with the managers of Wallabies wingers Gerrard and Rathbone were progressing nicely.

    Fagan said he expected Gerrard to sign a three-year deal by the end of the week after the ARU had tabled him a new offer.

    Gerrard had voiced his displeasure at an earlier downgraded offer from the ARU.

    "We're certainly nearing the final stages of that negotiation," Fagan said.

    "There's just a few small details that we're trying to sort out out and I'd expect that we should be able to do before the Waratahs game on Sunday."

    Fagan was also confident of Rathbone accepting a new deal.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    "Bloody oath we did!"

    Nathan Sharpe, Legend.

  2. #2
    Legend Contributor
    Moderator
    Happy's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    JB O'Reilly's
    Posts
    8,172
    vCash
    5000000
    why Rathbone ?? They should trade him for someone else!

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    Chuck Norris has the greatest Poker-Face of all time. He won the 1983 World Series of Poker, despite holding only a Joker, a Get out of Jail Free Monopoly card, a 2 of clubs, 7 of spades and a green #4 card from the game Uno.

Similar Threads

  1. Brumbies to focus on bonus points
    By Jehna in forum ACT Brumbies
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 01-02-08, 08:58
  2. Looking ahead to the Under 21 WC
    By Burgs in forum Wallabies
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 23-04-07, 10:55
  3. New Faces for the Brumbies
    By Burgs in forum ACT Brumbies
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 01-03-07, 11:34
  4. Brumbies name trial squad for Tahs fixture
    By Burgs in forum ACT Brumbies
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 16-01-07, 16:02

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •