Waratahs 2026

[Adam84]

My reference to where Potter finished the season last year is that he had been given an opportunity in the Wallabies 23 and played well and looked like he belonged at that level. If you were looking at that group you would have easily included Potter as a likely player for the Wallabies in 2025. It's worth mentioning that Pietsch got injured at the start of the tour and went home which is partly what created that opportunity. On a side note, I'd take Pietsch every day of the week because I love the way he plays but that's not what this discussion is about.

Potter played very well in Super Rugby this year and was also a pretty obvious choice to be in the Wallabies at the start of the test season.

I disagree with Lancaster showing more in 2024. Potter returned to Australia last season and was in that basket of players who had done well in the UK but we had limited comparison to see whether that would translate to Super Rugby and the Wallabies when he was up against the players he was competing for selection with. When the EOYT squad was selected I don't think Potter was a surprising selection at all.

I don't mind Lancaster as a player and think he has plenty of promise because he has the speed and physical attributes that make him a really enticing prospect. I also don't think the two of them are close right now and for the next two years Potter is a safe bet.

Ok, i'm just disagreeing with your claim he "was very clearly a starting Wallabies winger", this would imply he is starting a larger number of the test matches, but he only started one test match last year. Jorgensen and Kellaway started most of the test matches, and like you say Pietsch was there also until injured. But it's also because Koroibete couldn't tour due to Japanese club commitments, he was preferred during the TRC last year when available.

 

[Braveheart81]

Ok, i'm just disagreeing with your claim he "was very clearly a starting Wallabies winger", this would imply he is starting a larger number of the test matches, but he only started one test match last year. Jorgensen and Kellaway started most of the test matches, and like you say Pietsch was there also until injured. But it's also because Koroibete couldn't tour due to Japanese club commitments, he was preferred during the TRC last year when available.

I agree that I over-egged the pudding with my phrasing.

The point I was trying to convey is that he was a player that after getting an opportunity for the Wallabies you would have struggled to find a Wallabies fan thinking that we were unlikely to see him selected again.

I definitely don't think you could say the same about Lancaster after he played his only test. It's a moot point because the decisions have obviously been made but I think it was a fairly obvious one for the Waratahs to make.

 

[Agent]

Jeez... it's handbags at 10 paces on here this morning!

 

[fatprop]

Simple question, do you think Kailea, Tupou, Lancaster performed better at the Tahs this year than they did at the Rebels the year prior? heck could throw in Kellaway, Leota and Gleeson to this question also. Or Pietsch played better at the Tahs then he did the Force this year?

I think quite a few of the Rebels cohort were just phoning it in this season, they didn't look like they wanted to be at the Tahs and appeared to be just fulfilling a contractual obligation before they could f*ck off

Now whether that was because the Tahs were so shit in 2024 - that there wasn't enough residual culture to get them on board, I don't know, but the effort wasn't there

 

[Braveheart81]

Jeez... it's handbags at 10 paces on here this morning!

Two forum regulars trying to have a slightly nuanced conversation about a couple of players?!?

 

[Adam84]

I think quite a few of the Rebels cohort were just phoning it in this season, they didn't look like they wanted to be at the Tahs and appeared to be just fulfilling a contractual obligation before they could f*ck off

Now whether that was because the Tahs were so shit in 2024 - that there wasn't enough residual culture to get them on board, I don't know, but the effort wasn't there

Yeah potentially, i think Dan Mckellar is the right person for fixing some of these cultural things and ensuring he only has players who want to be there going forward. In the case of young pups like Lancaster and Kailea, hopefully it's another team within Australia that can find that drive, and we dont lose them OS.

 

[Adam84]

I agree that I over-egged the pudding with my phrasing.

The point I was trying to convey is that he was a player that after getting an opportunity for the Wallabies you would have struggled to find a Wallabies fan thinking that we were unlikely to see him selected again.

I definitely don't think you could say the same about Lancaster after he played his only test. It's a moot point because the decisions have obviously been made but I think it was a fairly obvious one for the Waratahs to make.

Yeah clearly Potter is the better performing player this season, in the broader context of salary caps and recruitment, I'm not sold that it was still the right decision or a priority for the Tahs to recruit another Wallaby winger though.

 

[Crashy]

Can someone who is less lazy than me post the first pick forwards that we have contractually with the Tahs in 2026?
Havent heard any rumours of signings just yet but assume there will be a couple of big names.

christ we have lost some names. Tupou, Bell, Sinclair, FLW (Fergus Lee-Warner), Heaven, Leota, Gleeson.....

1. Botha
2. Vallanu
3. Kallea
4. Amatosero
5
6
7. Gamble
8. Samu

 

[Braveheart81]

Yeah clearly Potter is the better performing player this season, in the broader context of salary caps and recruitment, I'm not sold that it was still the right decision or a priority for the Tahs to recruit another Wallaby winger though.

I don't think it was a priority at all. I think it eventuated because Potter wanted to move back to the East Coast and Lancaster was the unlucky one who was off contract who would make way for that to happen.

From a salary cap perspective I wouldn't think it makes much difference to the Waratahs.

 

[Red Runner]

Can someone who is less lazy than me post the first pick forwards that we have contractually with the Tahs in 2026?
Havent heard any rumours of signings just yet but assume there will be a couple of big names.

christ we have lost some names. Tupou, Bell, Sinclair, FLW (Fergus Lee-Warner) (Fergus Lee-Warner), Heaven, Leota, Gleeson.....

1. Botha
2. Vallanu
3. Kallea
4. Amatosero
5
6
7. Gamble
8. Samu

1 Kailea
2 Moananu
3 Botha
4 Grant
5 Blyth
6 Philip
7 Gamble
8 Samu

I think. No way Philip can play backrow but don't think there is another backrower confirmed yet?

 

[teamsport]

And Tahs finished last in 2024, but i don't think that should prevent us from discussing those players who individually performed well and deserved selection that year..

Simple question, do you think Kailea, Tupou, Lancaster performed better at the Tahs this year than they did at the Rebels the year prior? heck could throw in Kellaway, Leota and Gleeson to this question also. Or Pietsch played better at the Tahs then he did the Force this year?

Could you not say that Teddy Wilson, Triston Reilly, Sifa Amone (Moved from Force to Waratahs), Max Jorgensen, Henry O'Donnell (Moved from Force to Waratahs), Ethan Dobbins (Moved from Rebels to Waratahs), Dan Botha , Ben Grant all made strides forward from the previous iterations of themselves.

 

[Crashy]

1 Kailea
2 Moananu
3 Botha
4 Grant
5 Blyth
6 Philip
7 Gamble
8 Samu

I think. No way Philip can play backrow but don't think there is another backrower confirmed yet?

thanks - helpful. Need 2 players who can bend the line.

 

[Adam84]

Could you not say that Teddy Wilson, Triston Reilly, Sifa Amone (Moved from Force to Waratahs), Max Jorgensen, Henry O'Donnell (Moved from Force to Waratahs), Ethan Dobbins (Moved from Rebels to Waratahs), Dan Botha , Ben Grant all made strides forward from the previous iterations of themselves.

It was a straightforward question about Wallaby capped players form year on year as they shifted from one professional environment to another, not the development of 18-year-olds who joined the Tahs 4 seasons ago like Teddy Wilson.

But I'll take the deflection as you agree, those Wallabies I mentioned didn't perform as well at NSW

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

1 Kailea
2 Moananu
3 Botha
4 Grant
5 Blyth
6 Philip
7 Gamble
8 Samu

I think. No way Philip can play backrow but don't think there is another backrower confirmed yet?

Talataina will be someone they hope to get good minutes from next year. He'd be my 8 with Samu at 6.

 

[Adam84]

I'd say you need someone like Talataina for the ball running.... that forward pack is very workman like and not really one which is going to get you hard running metres up the middle.

Blyth, Grant and Phillip aren't renowned ball runners, so you're then relying on Gamble and Samu. Samu is a good support runner, but you need a big popper to get over the advantage line first.

 

[Agent]

Can someone who is less lazy than me post the first pick forwards that we have contractually with the Tahs in 2026?
Havent heard any rumours of signings just yet but assume there will be a couple of big names.

christ we have lost some names. Tupou, Bell, Sinclair, FLW (Fergus Lee-Warner) (Fergus Lee-Warner), Heaven, Leota, Gleeson.....

1. Botha
2. Vallanu
3. Kallea
4. Amatosero
5
6
7. Gamble
8. Samu

Refer to page 1 of this thread for the squad so far.....

 

[Crashy]

a few aussies running around in Welsh teams. Sadly may they become available if the welsh rugby decides to cut 2 teams. Astonishing to think this is the case when they pull in 100 million pounds a year..

 

[Major Tom]

Talataina will be someone they hope to get good minutes from next year. He'd be my 8 with Samu at 6.

100% agree with this. About the only positive with Leota and Gleeson moving OS is we'll get a real good look at him.

 

[fatprop]

I'd say you need someone like Talataina for the ball running.... that forward pack is very workman like and not really one which is going to get you hard running metres up the middle.

Blyth, Grant and Phillip aren't renowned ball runners, so you're then relying on Gamble and Samu. Samu is a good support runner, but you need a big popper to get over the advantage line first.

Amatosero was doing TH lock work very effectively and grew as the season went on, I would be surprised if he doesn't continue to improve, he has the size to damage the line (and players) just by falling on them, a key strength of the TH lock

I can't see a world where Phillip has the legs to still play 6 or playing both Samu & Gamble, but we now have 4 real locks and fewer quality 6/8s

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Yeah it's the big flaw in the squad. A Swinton, Kemeny type guy would be great. Like that the Force did getting CDC.

Won't be surprised if they get a guy from the ITM cup on a 1 year deal.

Michael Icely is a guy running around in SS with Super Rugby and Aus 7s experience. Can do worse than a 28 year old whos been around the game whilst guys like Doyle continue to develop.