Joc finished at the rebels

[SNOB]

I agree that we need someone like him and I would be happy if he came back but if it comes down to money wil we be able to compete with Europe or Japan?
One has to wonder what hs gone on behind closed door that the Rebels won't renew his contract because love him or hate him he has talent.

[Herbasimplex]

Read the blurb on the rebels page about not renewing his contract. Bit of a come down for O'connor that they announce they cut him without him already signed or close to signing with another team. That will hurt his contract negotiations. They referenced his injuries as well. Definitely felt that they were taking a dump on him.

We've signed holmes as a specialist 10. Godwin is settled in 12. Morahan has been signed as a 15 and I think this is his best position. If they know Cummins is off to the reds I would sign him as a winger/utility, otherwise I would leave him to realise his dream of pursuing the professional rooftop spa circuit along the eastern seaboard.

[AndyS]

Love him or hate him - the fact is he can score points. And one thing is certain - we need points scorers. Desperately.

And the Rebels don't? They still let him go though....

We went down this path with Giteau et al and they won us enough games to be mid-table. So, how's the development base and foundation for ongoing success that established working out for us? We just keep buying in and we have to rebuild the team each year. It is what we've done since day one and it just doesn't work.

[Hoolly Doolly]

I think with digby gone there will be enuff space for him to go to the Reds.

[rugby_lover]

Not to put much stock into what Greg Martin says, but he did mention post-game that J O'C needs to play in a more 'selfish' position as he "thinks about himself first". We also need a fullback. Why not? History aside, its not like we couldn't use him.

[.X.]

And the Rebels don't? They still let him go though....

We went down this path with Giteau et al and they won us enough games to be mid-table. So, how's the development base and foundation for ongoing success that established working out for us? We just keep buying in and we have to rebuild the team each year. It is what we've done since day one and it just doesn't work.

I get the impression that Kurtley and JOC together is some kind of toxic environment. Perhaps and this is a stretch the Rebels have had enough and made a call to either split them up or dump them both. Either way one thing is certain - we are not the Rebels - and their loss could be our gain.

[Pacman]

You do. O'Connor is a player who can help make the difference between our 7 point or less losses and a win. He is a better goal kicker than anyone we have. The questions is where to play him.

I am not a big fan of either SNK or Ebersohn at 10. Zac Holmes could be good. I really think that Godwin moving to 10 and O'Connor at 12 could be a really good move. Godwin has a great long pass and all of the attributes of a great 10 (except the goal kicking). Sure he is a fantastic 12, but what if he was even better at 10.

The other option would be O'Connor at 15. If he plays for the Wallabies again, it will be as an outside back. That would definitely mean Zac Holmes to 10.

Think of the potential:

9. Alby Mathewson
10. Zac Holmes
11. Luke Morahan
12. Kyle Godwin
13. Junior Rasolea
14. Nick Cummins (if he re-signs)
15. O'Connor

That backline would be a lot more dangerous than the one we rolled out this season.

14. DHP is better than NC

[Ralto]

http://www.melbournerebels.com.au/Ne...7/Default.aspx

"for his contribution to the Club over the last two years which unfortunately was somewhat limited due to a string of injuries."

I wouldn't be surprised if the Lions matches were the first time he's put three matches together on the trot. Unless you can pay him per match, I wouldn't bother.

[Macattack]

I am still pissed at him for the way he left the EWF. However, some of that would have been due to his youth and some dickhead advice - as well as his ego convincing him he was the next Beckham.

When I step back from it now it is interesting to consider that he and his two amigo mates have each had very public kicks in the arse which, hopefully, must have blunted the ego. More importantly our team just hasn't performed and still isn't, so our supporter base and financial viability continue to decline.

He has a very long way to go before I'll forgive the wanker and consider him a good bloke, but if he can put the ego away and deliver on the field, I have no option but to want him back at EWF.

[chibi]

Let him take a year off overseas to get himself sorted. Toulon beckons...

[KenyaQuin]

Water under the bridge..come home Jimmy..

[James]

And the Rebels don't? They still let him go though....

We went down this path with Giteau et al and they won us enough games to be mid-table. So, how's the development base and foundation for ongoing success that established working out for us? We just keep buying in and we have to rebuild the team each year. It is what we've done since day one and it just doesn't work.

To be fair, we did develop O'Connor. It's just that he developed and then priced himself out of the reasonable market. I reckon the Rebels are pissed off that they paid big, big money for a player who managed about 50% of their games, did not significantly increase the number of games won, contributed to team discord (along with Beale) and probably didn't impress sponsors either. If what the media are reporting is true, the Rebels are also struggling for cash and third party sponsorship options. That's most likely why they let him go. I'm not suggesting we throw the kitchen sink at him but he would be worth having at the right price.

We have a good set up going with our local players. We will have a lot more in the team next year than last year and the year before that, etc. Hopefully that will jump up even more in 2015. But that will be for nothing if people stop coming to games because we are constantly losing. Crowds looked pretty stable for a while there since moving to NIB but they are definitely down this year.

[Happy]

Un-named sauces have said none of the players at the rebels wanted him to stay, bear in mind that is probably the same sentiment across all teams, so while you might have gotten over the way he left EWF, the team members may have not!

[GIGS20]

Yeah, but this might be an opportunity for him to step up and become a man. That's the only condition under which I'd sign him. One year, low money, lots of exit clauses and no guarantees. Make him earn a spot, which he did last time around at the force and limit his ability to live the playboy life.

[GAFFA]

Un-named sauces have said none of the players at the rebels wanted him to stay, bear in mind that is probably the same sentiment across all teams, so while you might have gotten over the way he left EWF, the team members may have not!

to be fair off the players who will be here next year only about 8 of them were here when JOC was around.