With talk of key players jumping ship from HMAS Ballymore, the announcement of James Horwill’s re-signing for two years was a cause for celebration among long suffering Reds’ supporters.
Although Horwill had strongly hinted a few weeks ago that a deal was all but done, the recent machinations with Rocky’s future, MMM pulling the pin and speculation about Digby Ioane, had made plenty nervous that key people like Horwill may also look to ply their trade elsewhere.
Despite the upbeat mood today, there are still massive questions that need answering in terms of the Reds ability to retain key players. Critically, both Diggers and Berrick Barnes remain un-signed for next year and if they left, the Reds may as well not bother hanging out their shingle for the 2010 season.
This cause must be supported by the ARU who, as yet, have failed dismally in terms of helping the Reds keep their Wallabies.
On this point ARU’s High Performance head-honcho David Nucifora, taking time out from his coaching stint with the U/20 squad, said.
“James’s decision to recommit, continues the process we are going through to lock up a core group of players who should serve their provinces and Australian Rugby well in the coming years,”
Hopefully Nucci will expedite this process before more key Reds players are tempted by the bucket loads of cash on offer overseas.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="3258 https://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/?p=3258">6 Comments
Good.
Barnes on the verge of resigning so I’ve heard. Tahs and Force tried to have a flirt but I think he told them where to put it. a real queenslander.
You can only lose so many players – if things don’t change then players like Horwill will have to leave before it affects their game too much to be playing for a shite team. I think the ARU should take over, or otherwise extend the new ‘franchise’ model to QLD or sth.
In fact, since QLD is a basket case which surely costs the ARU money, they should just sell the Reds under ridiculously favorable terms and hope that a private owner can work out how to win :(
I mean, ffs, something!
The queenslanders should be left to sort out their administration – they’re supposed to be proud (and they’ve had plenty of experience in what not to do). The best thing that the ARU can do to make the franchise more appealing is to announce that Robbie Deans and Trevor Woodman/Jim Williams are going to be consultant coaches to Queensland in the leadup to the next S 14 season. That will provide an incentive for guys like Dan Palmer (who would otherwise be behind Baxter/Dunning/Kepu) to head north. It would also be attractive to salvi and chapman. As for the talk about only chasing Salvi if Braid doesn’t commit: it should be no-brainer, Salvi is a better player and he can play for the Wallabies. Qld should be chasing Chapman and Salvi equally hard.
Australian rugby can only benefit from a strong qld culture.
Your last sentence is a truism.
What do you do about the fact that Australian rugby very plainly does not have a strong QLD culture to benefit from? I don’t think making Robbie et al consultant coaches is going to help nearly enough!
true on QLD culture. same for everywhere. its QLD who are response for that tho, not the ARU
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