Quote Originally Posted by James View Post
Toby Lynn was average. Phoenix Battye was average. Sam Wykes also fairly average. Not having a crack at them as people mind. None of them had the grunt Jake Ball displayed.

It is frustrating no-one saw the potential and instead we persisted with guys who weren't up to that level (Lynn, Battye). He didn't necessarily have to be rushed into the side but offered a contract and/or looked at options for getting him game time while staying in the fold (loaned to Japan maybe?).
Trouble is if some had recognised Jake Ball's potential back then and offered him a Force contract to stay. He then would likely have gone to earn a Wallaby top-up contract, and the ARU would have transferred him to Melbourne like they did to DHP and most of our best players. Question is then, would we still be getting him back in 3 months time, as an international player with 49 caps with several good playing years still left in him? And would the RA, in that hypothetical situation, object to the Force poaching a contracted Rebels star player?