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They are all existing contracts that had one year left to run. I fully expect some of them won't re-sign with the Waratahs but the suggestion that they would only agree to a one year contract isn't accurate.

He had reached that point last year though that he was also our best LHP at scrum time. Early in his Super Rugby and test career that was absolutely true. Scrummaging was a shortfall.

1/17 but you raise a good point as to why the reserve loosehead isn't 16, and the reserve hooker 17. It probably made more sense when we only had one bench prop but now that we have a whole front row they should be 16/17/18 across the scrum.

And he's in the squad. This is essentially an argument between Slipper and Hodgman because Bell was always going to come straight back into the squad as soon as he is healthy. It's insane to suggest that Kailea is a better player than Angus Bell. Now he might be ahead of Bell until Bell has...

He came back from injury last year straight into the Wallabies, won the GAGR Player of the Year voting for 2023 and was second in the John Eales Medal.

How much? He was actively trying to get out of his current contract and accepted a contract elsewhere for less dollars than what he was being offered by Rugby Australia. To me it seems insane to fight for players who don't want to be there.

I am not sure I would say he could do those things at an elite level relative to other options. I agree he was better at those things than the other Australian options but we are also very much at a low point. He certainly couldn't do those things to a high enough level that it made him a...

No. A couple of others have also made that argument, notably capalba who started this discussion.

I don't think anyone thinks that, particularly Rugby Australia. That's why he was offered a one year contract only and it only happened at the point where they knew they were losing Gordon.

They hadn't reached that conclusion. Donaldson was offered a two year contract in 2023 for 2024 and 2025. Noah Lolesio was offered a one year contract for 2025 which happened at the same time as Carter Gordon was announced as leaving. I don't think it is a stretch to suggest that there was a...

Rugby Australia very clearly tried to direct already contracted players from the Rebels to the Tahs. I don't think there is any mystery there. They cleared the decks at the Tahs because they were financially liable for the contracted Rebels players and had control over the Waratahs contracting...

Everyone has a price, they obviously needed to offer him more. It's another data point to suggest that RA made the right decision not to secure his signature.

What would you have done? Gordon was contracted for 2024 only and was seeking a release. Presumably RA would have needed to make a very large offer for 2025 onwards (let's say at least 2025 and 2026) to convince him to stay. I wouldn't have done it. Letting him walk was the right decision. I...

Ben Donaldson?

Likewise, I don't think Rugby Australia could reasonably pay top dollar to a guy who at this point wasn't the obvious first choice, wasn't overly keen to re-sign and couldn't be selected at 10 without another goal kicker. We could be a year or two away from deciding that Harry...

Would be great to get some sort of update on Porecki. A chronic Achilles issue in your 30s doesn't sound ideal.

He clearly can't be match fit because he hasn't played. That said he's probably got the biggest motor out of any of our props by some distance. I'm not a doctor but I'm guessing that the mechanism of his injury is such that once he's cleared fit to return there's not really any benefit in terms...

Pretty sure Vunipola Fifita played some junior rugby with Easts.

We are unlikely to see more than a couple of players who haven't been in the squad together for close to a month in the matchday 23 for next weekend. Bell is our best LHP when healthy and showed how good he was soon after returning from injury last year. Whether or not he goes straight into...

I would have also taken lambasts if you want to get a bit fancy.