Aussie Player Exodus

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Scott-Young has been playing well but not that much of a needle mover for a side. If you went for him it’d be until your kids are ready to take over from him. I’d rather have a fit Lee-Warner with Talataina and bring through Doyle and work out how to get Gleeson back in a couple of years.

The other guy out there is Brial at the Reds. He’s off contract right? Reds have Bryant for another year. He’s a Sydney kid and his Brother is likely to break through in the next couple of years as well.

 

[Derpus]

I'd take ASY (Angus Scott-Young) at the Tahs in a heartbeat. The kind of workrate guys like Gleeson and Leota distinctly lack.

 

[Mick The Munch]

Why might they come back - playing on European cups up north in full housese - or 5k odd in Canberra?

 

[Slim 293]

Why might they come back - playing on European cups up north in full housese - or 5k odd in Canberra?

For Kemeny at least, that would be a significant increase from his former home ground….

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

For a guy like Kemeny you are trying to sell him on the push for a home WC berth. He's 26 so can go back to it if he wants.

ASY (Angus Scott-Young) is probably more achievable as a singing as he's coming off the bench half the time while Kemeny is the Saints first choice 6 and siged through 2026.

You have to think/hope the Super Rugby sides are way more across it than just playing remember this Aus guy? What's he up to... Could see a Pomy want to come over...

I'll throw another name out there. Jack Dempsey. Bring the boy home. Would depend of the SRU and where they see him and he did play in 6 Tests this season so unlikely but if I was the Tahs I see how he feels about it.

 

[Strewthcobber]

I'll throw another name out there. Jack Dempsey. Bring the boy home. Would depend of the SRU and where they see him and he did play in 6 Tests this season so unlikely but if I was the Tahs I see how he feels about it.

Pure speculation, but I reckon a Scottish international playing URC and Champions Cup is probably earning at least 3× what the Tahs could afford to pay him. Maybe more

 

[Cole]

i said he was, but if you know more about him than me, then feel to comment..

I like Callum, but hes got a pretty blocked path at the Reds, and would be 4th or 5th choice for Aus 20s. Good player though. So can understand him looking for opportunity.
Finlay King is going to Ireland , Ulster, Ive heard. Has Irish heritage i believe. He would have played Aus 20s this year but has shoulder injury currently. Quality young hooker.
Jack Hocking left Australia for Scotland first year out of school a couple of years ago, wasnt getting a look in with Reds, played Scotland U20s last year but havent seen him this year, not sure if hes injured or not

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

I like Callum, but hes got a pretty blocked path at the Reds, and would be 4th or 5th choice for Aus 20s. Good player though. So can understand him looking for opportunity.
Finlay King is going to Ireland , Ulster, Ive heard. Has Irish heritage i believe. He would have played Aus 20s this year but has shoulder injury currently. Quality young hooker.
Jack Hocking left Australia for Scotland first year out of school a couple of years ago, wasnt getting a look in with Reds, played Scotland U20s last year but havent seen him this year, not sure if hes injured or not

These guys really don't bother me when they are making a personal career advancing decision. I know the same could be said about a 16 year old but it's not the same as the French vacuuming up kids on potential only who don't even currently qualify for France.

A guy going to Scotland like this feels like Dan Parks who saw the landscape here wasn't going to work for him and had another legitimate option.

Good luck to him. We may see him back but if not, so be it...

 

[wamberal99]

yeah this Bears WA thing is a big worry. Massive handbrake on the good momentum the code has made this year.
Need a properly supported and funded Melbourne team.

A "properly supported Melbourne team". The Storm?

 

[Wilson]

I'll throw another name out there. Jack Dempsey. Bring the boy home. Would depend of the SRU and where they see him and he did play in 6 Tests this season so unlikely but if I was the Tahs I see how he feels about it.

He can't ever play for the wallabies again so it would have to be funded entirely by a super side. I reckon the only chance of that will be when he's looking for a final contract to see out his career (assuming he wants to settle back in Australia), but even then you're competing with what he could get in Japan.

 

[Tazzmania]

Not sure the effect, if any on the player exodus to Japan, however rules concerning the amount of local players being fielded due to increase to give more Japanese born players a chance to get game time. Also legibility rules to change in this regard as well.

 

[John S]

Billy Pollard linked to Perth Bears

Not sure how tenuous this link is, or if it's just agents trying to push up his salary as his current contract is nearly up. But with "wallaby star" in the headline after only coming off the bench a handful of times it might be a bit of the latter?

 

[oztimmay]

Billy Pollard linked to Perth Bears

Not sure how tenuous this link is, or if it's just agents trying to push up his salary as his current contract is nearly up. But with "wallaby star" in the headline after only coming off the bench a handful of times it might be a bit of the latter?

Does he even have a League background? What position would you play him in? If it's not a player agent planting a story, it sounds like horse guy doing some ol' fashioned shit stirring.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Does he even have a League background? What position would you play him in? If it's not a player agent planting a story, it sounds like horse guy doing some ol' fashioned shit stirring.

He played for the North Sydney Bears in SG Ball and Bennett tried to sign him to Souths when he was at Barker.

He was playing League & Rugby while at St Leos before Barker snapped him up. Grandfather players for the Bears as well.

Hard for forwards to make the change mid career with the physical demands of each being different but the guys with history will get a mention like Pollard and Will Harris.

Position wise it'd be back row. Doesn't have the height or sheer size for Prop and Hooker needs passing and the ability to kick. He does have great leg speed and I think the ideal hypothetical would be a guy like Hudson Young who can hit gaps between tired boppers. He'd likely need 18 months to shift some weight and get his legs under him.

 

[HogansHeros]

Hopefully just a bit of hype. Hes looking good at the moment and would love to see him around the wallabies.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Does he even have a League background? What position would you play him in? If it's not a player agent planting a story, it sounds like horse guy doing some ol' fashioned shit stirring.

\"I don't regret it one bit\": Brumbies rookie Pollard happy in the 15-man game

"I don't regret it one bit": Brumbies rookie Pollard happy in the 15-man game

www.rugby.com.au

In his first year with the Brumbies, Pollard has had to throw himself into adapting to set piece, something he admitted hasn't always been something he loved.

"Well coming from a league background, ball goes out, you have a bit of a rest before a scrum, you don't have to throw a lineout," he said.

His grandfather played for the Bears and his father Paul is head coach of the league team at Asquith. I'd say there's a fair chance he would go to be part of the Bears team, probably as a (league) lock.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

I'd think he's fairly high on a retain list for RA. Good form and 23....

This is the headline they would have been searching for being a Bears Junior. They'll trot out the pics of JAS in Bears gear soon.

I reckon Pollard is as big a chance of moving to Sydney as this.

 

[PhilClinton]

A couple of people here are going to have to lose the tin foil hats every time a rugby player gets linked with the Bears or PNG side over the coming months/year.

Yes, no doubt there will be agents beating the drums but there will also be a legitimate market for rugby players to get poached and paid well.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Absolutely. Any big fast back will be approached. I put on the League targets thread but guys like Lancaster, Goldsbrough, JAS are really prime targets.

The Aus U18s, SR19s and U20s are going to have a few new guys in Polos watching their games as well.

 

[Strewthcobber]

More details coming out about the new Japan League One eligibility rules

Japan rugby tightens eligibility rules on foreign-born players

Japanese rugby chiefs on Tuesday announced a shake-up of eligibility rules aiming to give local players more time on the pitch but casting doubt over the future of naturalized internationals. Foreign-born players have played a prominent role for Japan's national team, who stunned South Africa at...

japantoday.com

Under the current rules, Japanese clubs must field at least 11 players eligible to be selected for the country's national team.

This group can include foreign-born players who have been continuously registered with a Japanese club for four years.

Under the new rules, a new category will be created for players who spent at least six years in the Japanese education system before going to high school.

Teams must field at least eight of these players at any one time, squeezing out foreign-born Japan internationals who do not meet the criteria.

Will be interesting to see the impact of this. Suspect our good players who go over there will still be in demand, it will be the fringe guys who are pushed out