Tahs broke and can't go shopping.

[travelling_gerry]

Strapped Waratahs shop close to home

Greg Growden Chief Rugby Correspondent | April 28, 2009


WHILE Al Baxter and Kurtley Beale are set to remain with the Waratahs next year, the NSW Rugby Union is unlikely to chase a marquee overseas player because of financial concerns.

NSW Rugby Union chief executive Jim L'Estrange yesterday said Baxter and Beale had agreed to remain in the Australian Rugby ranks, and that the Waratahs were still negotiating with Tatafu Polota-Nau, Matt Dunning, Brett Sheehan and Will Caldwell.

The Waratahs were also awaiting news as to whether Test forwards Rocky Elsom and Dan Vickerman, who are both overseas, were interested in playing for NSW next year. Elsom is scheduled to join either the Waratahs or the Reds, but Vickerman is unlikely to return to NSW.

Of Baxter and Beale, L'Estrange said: "We have to still get pen on paper. You are not going to get any signings while they are in South Africa, but it was important to try to get some of them to actually agree to terms.

"We'll try to move towards paperwork from our side with Kurtley and Al, because our understanding is that the managers have agreed to final terms. They still have to be agreed to by myself and the ARU."

Baxter, Australia's most-capped prop, had been contemplating heading overseas after his contract renegotiations with the ARU broke down recently, while Beale had been tempted by a move to rugby league.

Beale had been in the sights of several NRL clubs, including South Sydney, who had known that the Waratahs five-eighth had become disenchanted with his demotion to the NSW bench.

However, the pair is not expected to be joined next year by a high-profile overseas player. Due to a financial squeeze at the NSWRU, Waratahs scouts will focus on local talent.

Each Australian province is allowed two marquee players - a non-capped player who could qualify for the Wallabies after three years of residency, and a capped player who could not qualify for Australia because he had represented another country.

If the province wants a capped overseas player it cannot rely on ARU financial assistance.

"At the moment, we are not in the overseas marquee market, because you've got to be able to afford the player," L'Estrange said. "As your capped marquee player falls outside your [ARU] allowances, you actually have to pay for him from outside your funding basis. You have to be able to fund it from your coffers.

"We've tried very hard to hold on to key players like Phil Waugh, and to some extent we've used up a little bit of our bank there to ensure that he remains with us. So our intention with the Waratahs squad is to go local. And we feel the talent is very good locally.

"Also you can't spend what you haven't got, and I'm not sure the marquee players are going to come here cheaply."

Queensland was the first Australian province to lure a marquee player, signing All Black back-rower Daniel Braid this season.

"The international player market might be more robust this year, because last year it happened quite quickly, and while one or two provinces got players, you were chasing a little bit," L'Estrange said. "This year the whole world knows you have a potential market in Australia for marquee players."

http://www.rugbyheaven.com.au/news/n...684400445.html

[The Man]

A disiplinced attitude by Jim...must work harder in the marketing and promotions end especiallY with Mazda and HSBC

[mudskipper]

No window shopping in the Republic?

[lara93]

devs

[laura]

So they're not forking their money out for TPN then? It says they're shopping closer to home but focussing the story on Baxter and Beale suggests they (or maybe just Growden) don't think TPN is an integral signing. He'd be a good signing for the Force if we can lure him over.

[The Man]

Frier is back in 6 weeks , with Fitzpatrick in tow , the door is open for the Force to sign TPN

[TommyM]

If we get him, he should be escused from normal training 3 days a week in order to spend all the time practising throwing straight. If he could simply manage this, he may well be the world's best hooker.

[mudskipper]

Tahs out of cash... Did they pay too much to retain Waugh? And wont be able to get Rocky back?

Additionally does this mean their pitch for James O'Connor is dead?

One last thing, has Drew Mitchell sunk HMAS Waratahs budget for 2010-11?

[tic]

Yep sounds like Drew broke the bank Oh well.

I don't think the Tahs were ever in the race for JOC - I think its a Brumbies v. Force thing now.

[GIGS20]

Tahs were mentioned, but I think it was all SMH speculation, you know the typical SMH "everybody who's any good in Aussie rugby does, or should belong to the Tahs" bullshit.

It's interesting that they blew the bank on a great winger who'll never be used at wing, who's a shit fullback, and will play fullback, in a team where he'll never get the chance to do what he's best at, which is run the ball.....That's gotta be worth a helluva lot doesn't it?

[blueandblack]

The Tahs winger spot is taken by an expensive, useless tahd. Free that spot up and maybe something might happen. Of course, they could always swap the two, since Lote has been practising kicking.

[jargan83]

Isn't it standard ARU policy to bail the tahs out in times of financial hardship?

[rahrahgirl]

i dont think it says TPN isnt an important signing, it says there still in negotiations with him while baxter and beale are expected to sign.

i think the money will go on rocky and hopefully vickerman(who australia could really do with if he stays fit)

i dont really understand the import player system anyway. its fine if they stay a few years but will Ben Castle or Daniel Braid at the end of the day actually provide there moneys worth in on field or training ability?

how are qld and the brumbies doing anyway, both nsw and the force have posted losses this year, is it every team or just the two that are stuggling?

[Big Boots]

Living in Sydney must be rattling your brain rahrahgirl.

The Force haven't posted a loss as yet. For the last completed financial year they posted a profit of approx $800,000 while the Tahs made approx $200,000 (even with a home semi) the Reds posted a $4m loss but a lot of that was write downs on Ballymore.

The Force are merely saying to government that if you dont front with the promised money for a rectangular stadium we project a loss.

[rahrahgirl]

RUGBYWa posted a profit, not the force, the tahs lost 300 grand last year and have cut costs accordingly and limited player spending in order to brake even and cut down on overheads in the economic crisis.

i think you will find that the forces move is a financial one and while the pr department has done a good job of selling it as "for the fans" there cutting down on costs just like any other organisation. to claim your broke so that the government builds a new stadium is a very risky bussiness when there are other towns and backers wanting teams in there backyards.