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Having Tuala and Sauni as developing backups (both local product and foreign) to the classic journeyman Fitz, and the Wallaby Latu is a great position and should be a standard model. However, as in all positions, losing the top tier does throw the lowertiers into the deep end in which they will...

Can definitely see the Brumbies bringing back the other Arnold once his brother leaves, or even getting staniforth back from Tahs - which has NOT worked out for him.

31 Players - assuming they'll take 3 Hookers and 3 Halfbacks. (Though this could easily not happen, which would make hard decisions around lock/backrow and outside backs easier. Note that this is the squad I think Cheika would pick (I'd take Arnold over Simmons any day for example) Hooker...

Slipper, Sio, Thor, Kepu, Ala'alatoa Smith and Smith have taken over from Faulkner/Ainsley as the existing 'backups', and I'd shaft Faulkner and Ainsley behind Saaga and Pona as development players aswell. I'd take LHP Smith over Robertson when fit also.

Well he is behind Rangi, and now behind Abel. And that is without Uelese coming back from injury. Pretty sure he's stuffed down there as well. In Hooker - surely the Rebels have the best quality of depth.

Is Higs injured?

Perhaps by giving a profit making space to a charity, instead of collecting an income, the Rebels will be afforded tax relief as it may be considered a type of donation, and a big one. Goodwill and potentially still a positive financial outcome

Wow. You know what else works well for team culture? not being a bad team.

For a season as a suitable bench prop? Faagase, Longbottom, ......Ryan....... I'm sure there are a number of Mitre 10 props or PI players who could fill the bench gap nicely. Can't just go from Starters to novices - gotta have the middle ground covered, the reliable but unspectacular...

Last year, it was clear that a bash brothers centre pairing wasn't going to work. Kerevi may have some skill, but he doesn't have the decision making and tactical nous to play 12. When to pass, when not to, etc. Especially not without a brainiac 13 outside him, like a C.Smith or AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper). Put DP...

Keeps the door open for Larkhams Wallaby Head Coach anointment. IF the Wallabies continue to be crap - he has successfully distanced himself from the existing structure and the results by basically saying he couldn't do what he wanted to do. Gotta be more pressure on Cheika. Laying the blame...

Interesting keeping him on - but noticed it's as they support him back to the Head Coach gig. So instead of paying him out and forcing him away, they will just....keep paying him to do a backroom job / hang around with 7s/women/juniors until an opening comes up. Shame we delayed this so we...

Kerevis management probably pushing for a big contract with cash freeing up by RA top up players moving overseas or not getting redone. Eg, "how bout swinging me the extra cash you are putting at Hunt in 2019, then I'll stay". All a standard ploy in the negotiation most likely.

Ccoleman will probably go for 2 years, then come back for 2 years for the next WC.

Surely RA will throw the cash at coleman - so many other guys on RA topups are going to be leaving/not getting topped up. Poey, quade, hunt, phipps, kepu, arnold.

I find it concerning how much quality and experience either hasn't been replaced, or been replaced by more rookies. Slipper replaced by Luka, Douglas by noone, Smith by noone, Quade by Mcgahan, Hunt by Hardy, Nabuli by Eadie and Perese by Campbell. No way we have come out stronger after that.

The only thing working against DP at 12 (apart from Thorns early season preference for Kerevi @ 12 - which was found out tactically) is the introduction of an actual 2nd playmaker at 15 (Hegarty). If Hegarty can effectively be the 2nd play maker/ wider channel decision maker/ tactical kicker -...

Read he was just chilling with his fam in Queensland. He was one of the top candidates for the Wallabies Forwards job - which went to the no-name random Fijian coz Cheika liked 'his attitude'. Hoping that Bakarat will be the man post WC when they flick that coach.

Parling replaced Bakarat

I'm a fan of the 'middle tier' of players, being given leave to take up short term contracts in europe and japan, essentially instead of NRC and preseason. Let NRC being the development pathway - expose more youngsters and clubman to the next step Pay the top dogs more to keep them around...