lets look forward.....

[James]

12 is an issue for us at the moment as I see it, so put gits there and give more time to either rabbit or daruda at 10. It will do their confidence a world of good to know they have gits outside them the help mentor for the rest of the season.

Blindside is also giving a few problems at the moment. Any word on how Pusey and Stanford are travelling?

Given that Deansy seems to want a ball playing full back a la Leon MacDonald I think we should try:

10. Scott Daruda
11. Cam Shepherd
12. Matt Giteau
13. Ryan Cross
14. Drew Mitchell
15. James O'Connor

Fact is that Shep's best season was 2007 when he played on the wing. He'll still be great as a full back when needed though. Spanner can sub in when he is fully fit. Then next year bring back Hilgy! That'll have us in a nice position if we can keep the rest of the players that are off contract.

[James]

12 is an issue for us at the moment as I see it, so put gits there and give more time to either rabbit or daruda at 10. It will do their confidence a world of good to know they have gits outside them the help mentor for the rest of the season.

Blindside is also giving a few problems at the moment. Any word on how Pusey and Stanford are travelling?

Given that Deansy seems to want a ball playing full back a la Leon MacDonald I think we should try:

10. Scott Daruda
11. Cam Shepherd
12. Matt Giteau
13. Ryan Cross
14. Drew Mitchell
15. James O'Connor

Fact is that Shep's best season was 2007 when he played on the wing. He'll still be great as a full back when needed though. Spanner can sub in when he is fully fit. Then next year bring back Hilgy! That'll have us in a nice position if we can keep the rest of the players that are off contract.

[tic]

I am reluctant to post this, and am not trolling, but I believe Giteau's departure and the unrest in the club will almost certainly lead to Drew Mitchell bailing out.

Why? Because he has form in this regard. Take it from a long suffering Reds supporter - he aint got no loyalty.

As they say, when the going gets tough, the tough get going. Drew Mitchell is not tough - he will walk away to seek to ride on someone else's coat tails.

Now this is not a bad thing for you guys because in my view, Drew, AKA "the White Wendell" as he is known up here, is pretty over rated. Has some flair and speed in attack, but is pox in defence and laughable at fullback. He also has a big mouth (remember how his big noting inspired a weak Reds team to towel the Force last year?).

In a word - lazy.

Start setting your sights on a new winger/fullback. He won't stick around.

Oh and I can tell you this for nothing - the Reds won't be remotely interested in him. We will repay his loyalty from 3 years ago.

Sorry if that's a bit harsh, but I believe its true.

Good luck to you guys.

[TOCC]

i agree with most of what you say Tic, but i reckon the Reds would definetly show interest if he came knocking, McLinden is only a stop-gap and Vaalu doesnt seem to be up to S14 standard.

[Lonzy]

Hope 2010 we will see some WA talent, that would be awsome!!! I wouldn't care if that meant we were at the bottom for a few more years!

[robyn <3]

I am reluctant to post this, and am not trolling, but I believe Giteau's departure and the unrest in the club will almost certainly lead to Drew Mitchell bailing out.

Why? Because he has form in this regard. Take it from a long suffering Reds supporter - he aint got no loyalty.

As they say, when the going gets tough, the tough get going. Drew Mitchell is not tough - he will walk away to seek to ride on someone else's coat tails.

Now this is not a bad thing for you guys because in my view, Drew, AKA "the White Wendell" as he is known up here, is pretty over rated. Has some flair and speed in attack, but is pox in defence and laughable at fullback. He also has a big mouth (remember how his big noting inspired a weak Reds team to towel the Force last year?).

In a word - lazy.

Start setting your sights on a new winger/fullback. He won't stick around.

Oh and I can tell you this for nothing - the Reds won't be remotely interested in him. We will repay his loyalty from 3 years ago.

Sorry if that's a bit harsh, but I believe its true.

Good luck to you guys.

By the sounds of that, nothing I can say will convince you otherwise. I think agreeing to disagree is the best idea here...

BUT
Drew is a good player. I don't pick bad favourite players. He is not lazy. He's not unloyal... He was at the reds, his wallaby career going down the drain and saw a chance and took it. Now he's international material, and if Lote wasn't clogging up the works he'd've been starting in a LOT of games at 11 next year.

But I guess we will just have to wait and see. (and I don't think your trolling.)

Plus where would he go? The Brumbies? If the reds don't want him, the tahs (eww) so that leaves the Brumbies... I guess they'd want him instead of Gerrad at 15. Hm.

[TOCC]

By the sounds of that, nothing I can say will convince you otherwise. I think agreeing to disagree is the best idea here...

BUT
Drew is a good player. I don't pick bad favourite players. He is not lazy. He's not unloyal... He was at the reds, his wallaby career going down the drain and saw a chance and took it. Now he's international material, and if Lote wasn't clogging up the works he'd've been starting in a LOT of games at 11 next year.

But I guess we will just have to wait and see. (and I don't think your trolling.)

Plus where would he go? The Brumbies? If the reds don't want him, the tahs (eww) so that leaves the Brumbies... I guess they'd want him instead of Gerrad at 15. Hm.

this is something which continually irks me, i hear people on this forum constantly say that they turned around the careers of certain players, im still not sure who?

Drew Mitchell's wallaby career was hardly going down the drain, it was just taking off?

[BDAVEY]

Pat Oconner is playing well, I agree with u PB 100% god help us if Browny and Pocock get injuryed

Put Gits out at 12 and get him to open up some gaps (make him earn his $) for Crossy he has no room to move Baines and Mortlock open up gaps for Crossy he is our weapon of mass destruction.

Brumbies will be the test I feel get flogged her and we are in for a long season but they will rebound u watch...!@

[robyn <3]

this is something which continually irks me, i hear people on this forum constantly say that they turned around the careers of certain players, im still not sure who?

Drew Mitchell's wallaby career was hardly going down the drain, it was just taking off?

Or did I get the year wrong? He made his debut then he had that crap year and got dropped completely... can't I count!? No in 2006 he was dropped from the Wallabies squad but came back to play against 2 A-teams at the end of the year, signed with the force and got back into the Trinations/Beldisloe and RWC squads...

http://www.rugby.com.au/players/wall...rew,96039.html

[BDAVEY]

Or did I get the year wrong? He made his debut then he had that crap year and got dropped completely... can't I count!? No in 2006 he was dropped from the Wallabies squad but came back to play against 2 A-teams at the end of the year, signed with the force and got back into the Trinations/Beldisloe and RWC squads...

http://www.rugby.com.au/players/wall...rew,96039.html

U are spot on there Drew I think has become alot better over the years he is a better fullback than winger however..... i think Sheps will struggle to reagin his position in the coming few weeks esp againist good sides like the Crusaders
Waht about Crossy on the wing for Sare and pout Junior in as our battering ram Crossy need s room to move and he is not getting that under the current structure

A backline that would run straight could be: Drew/Cummins/Crossy/Jun/gits/JOC/Josh

[jargan83]

Cross was tried on the wing last year against either the Cheetahs or the Lions (I think it was the Cheetahs) and didn't do very well. I dont think Crossy has much of a kicking game either
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[slomo]

U are spot on there Drew I think has become alot better over the years he is a better fullback than winger however.....

its not april fools day is it? did you see his kicking on friday?....

[blueandblack]

....

Plus where would he go? The Brumbies? If the reds don't want him, the tahs (eww) so that leaves the Brumbies... I guess they'd want him instead of Gerrad at 15. Hm.

http://www.rugbyheaven.com.au/news/n...237452120.html

"Mitchell may follow Giteau out the door"

Of course this had to start sometime. I am and at the same time.

[robyn <3]

http://www.rugbyheaven.com.au/news/n...237452120.html

"Mitchell may follow Giteau out the door"

Of course this had to start sometime. I am and at the same time.

There are only so many times I can say I really don't think Drew will leave.

Luckily, I am nowhere near that amount

Aww B&B you'd miss Drew too

Mitchell has confided to colleagues that he is uncertain whether to stay or go.

How would the SMH know that? Seeing as they never speak to any of the players?

Mitchell is among 17 Force players whose contract ends this season, and the Herald has been told that the Reds, Brumbies and Waratahs are pursuing the 29-Test utility back. ACT are the favourites to snare him.

Oh. Well Drew's pretty popular. So the reds do want him back after all? I'm suprised if they do, Digby is coming out and about at the moment and Hynes is also pretty swishy.

[oxleymoron]

its not april fools day is it? did you see his kicking on friday?....

I still remember his debut against the highlanders in 2007