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Aussie Player Exodus

kaze33

Stan Wickham (3)
Hello :)

According to the "Midol" of today, Mike Harris will join Lyon the next season.
Actually in Pro D2, Lyon is nearly sure to play in Top 14 next year.
 

Highlander35

Steve Williams (59)
Wasps are going big though. They're losing Piatau to the Ulstermen, despite trying to buy out his contract with them, and they're bringing in Cipriani, which will probably see Jackson squeezed out as Gopparth is contracted for next Season and he isn't. There's more, but I can't think of them off the top of my head.
 

Hugh Jarse

Rocky Elsom (76)
Plenty on here would be glad to see the back of KB (Kurtley Beale), based on the tone of their posts from The Beale/Patston "incident" Thread.
 

Highlander35

Steve Williams (59)
Lilo and Foley is still a nice 10-12 combo. Depth is the big issue though. Still, Beale will remain eligible, the rules will get bent for Quade. Jack D should get some quality gametime under his belt, then maybe a game or two off the bench in June, depending on how results fall and how Chieka treats the series.
 

No4918

John Hipwell (52)
Plenty on here would be glad to see the back of KB (Kurtley Beale), based on the tone of their posts from The Beale/Patston "incident" Thread.

Yep, you are prob right but think this is a stupid point to bring up. I may not be alone in disliking him but that doesn't mean i can't see the bigger picture and don't hold big concerns for the future of the game here. I will dislike him playing here or overseas, the game suffers without him here though so it is a big loss. We keep losing our best players and it's pretty easy to see what will happen to the game. It can't survive on the Wallabies alone and needs strong franchises. I think the game is a lot better, competitive and far better too watch with all the 'bad boys' back in Aus.

So please don't try play the poor Kurtley card.
 
T

TOCC

Guest
I'm baffled as to what the ARU are spending their new broadcast right windfall on...

Folau and Foley are on fools-gold flexi contracts. To'omua, Quade, Harris and now Kurtley will all be overseas. We've lost the countries 2 best THP's in Kepu and Holmes; but the ARU did re-sign 3 LHP's in Slipper, Sio and Alaatoa.

They don't offer Gill a top-up but then the following week It's leaked that Pocock probably won't be in the country in 2017 either. Luke Jones is gone as well, but that's ok because the ARU helped in bringing Mumm home :/

In struggling to understand how the ARU are managing their negotiations and identifying which players need retention.


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fatprop

George Gregan (70)
Staff member
I'm baffled as to what the ARU are spending their new broadcast right windfall on.

Folau and Foley are on fools-gold flexi contracts. To'omua, Quade, Harris and now Kurtley will all be overseas. We've lost the countries 2 best THP's in Kepu and Holmes; but the ARU did re-sign 3 LHP's in Slipper, Sio and Alaatoa.

They don't offer Gill a top-up but then the following week It's leaked that Pocock probably won't be in the country in 2017 either. Luke Jones is gone as well, but that's ok because the ARU helped in bringing Mumm home :/

In struggling to understand how the ARU are managing their negotiations and identifying which players need retention.


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The ARU can't win, "if" the numbers are right and Beale will get $1,432,327 AUD per year then to get close to matching that would lead to just as many complaints of Tahs bias o_O in paying that much for a test bench option

Flexi contracts are a compromise to keep players

The reality is the only players I have major concerns over them leaving are\were To'omua, Kepu and Holmes (and To'omua appears to be more about relationships than $$$)

Quade? watched the highlights of the 7s, best of luck in France, Foley, Lilo & Debracini look far better options

Gill? 3rd choice 7s don't get offered big contracts

Jones, best of luck, but he ain't a test lock, solid S15 unit, so as concerned about his leaving as much as I am Dave Dennis.

Pocock? If he leaves for the reasons stated, money and the ARU isn't the issue

Mumm? wanted to come back, when some of these do the same, if they do, then the ARU will provide the support.
 

mst

Peter Johnson (47)
I think the reality is that if players want to leave they will contact or not and then come back for RWC2019 if they desire. The ARU is better served by making sure that players know the welcome mat will be out when they return. Flexible and other contacts are IMHO waste money. The exception should be for those who want to stay rather than go O/S.

The advantage to this for me is the ARU can spend the dollars saved on player development and the departures opens the door for new talent to get s shot.

Marketing is key to this by ensuring that the potential performance drop is offset by Wallaby supporters getting behind the next- gen while the incumbents are away, and it's building to RWC2019.
 
T

TOCC

Guest
The ARU can't win, "if" the numbers are right and Beale will get $1,432,327 AUD per year then to get close to matching that would lead to just as many complaints of Tahs bias o_O in paying that much for a test bench option

Flexi contracts are a compromise to keep players

The reality is the only players I have major concerns over them leaving are\were To'omua, Kepu and Holmes (and To'omua appears to be more about relationships than $$$)

Quade? watched the highlights of the 7s, best of luck in France, Foley, Lilo & Debracini look far better options

Gill? 3rd choice 7s don't get offered big contracts

Jones, best of luck, but he ain't a test lock, solid S15 unit, so as concerned about his leaving as much as I am Dave Dennis.

Pocock? If he leaves for the reasons stated, money and the ARU isn't the issue

Mumm? wanted to come back, when some of these do the same, if they do, then the ARU will provide the support.

Flexi contracts are fools gold and I'm yet to see a player play better or even close to the same level as before he left...

Quade, yep let's write him off because of the Seven's GF... Debricini hasn't even played test rugby yet, and Lilo will probably have to play inside centre because To'omua and Kurtley have gone. So who's left, Foley? Let's wait and see how the bloke goes after no off-season/pre-season 2 years In a row.

Gill, you missed the point, Pocock is gone in 2017, Hodgson will likely retire. Gill is suddenly the the second ranked open side in the country by a country mile. Now, if Hooper is injured then Colby Fainga'a our next best openside.

Defend the ARU all you like, they're making a mess of the Wallabies 2017-2018 seasons by lack of forward planning.. The Giteau Law has lead to open slather on players moving to Europe, I objected to the rule to start with and even when it was introduced it should have only ever been for the RWC. These Flexi-contracts are as bad as the Giteau law..

Compare the ARU to NZRU who are at the mercy of the same market forces, NZRU select a core group of current and future test and prioritise their retention as the backbone of the All Blacks, it's why they never go through cycles and are always a world force... How many All Blacks are on Flexi contracts? It's ironic that the NZRU actively promotes a reduction in the number of games played by their test stars whilst the ARU is supporting their top players play more games.



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T

TOCC

Guest
How are our halfback stocks?
Nic White... Gone
Will Genia.. Gone

2 of our franchises have foreign halfbacks who are ineligible for the Wallabies, which leaves Stirzaker, Frisby and Phipps... So the Wallabies are one injury away from having two halfbacks on debut for the rugby championship. Even then Frisby is playing like shit and Stirzaker is yet to play in 2016...


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fatprop

George Gregan (70)
Staff member
There are always new players coming through mate and who is going to take these opportunities in 2017, well I see some massive opportunities

Flexi contracts? Not a fan, but if the choice is losing a player or a flexi, then flexi wins

And I ain't writing Cooper off for only the 7s gf, that was just the icing on the cake, he has been average too often for a couple of years
 

BDA

Jim Lenehan (48)
Plenty on here would be glad to see the back of KB (Kurtley Beale), based on the tone of their posts from The Beale/Patston "incident" Thread.

I'm hardy going to shed a tear. He was at the heart of the cultural problems in our national squad for a long time. He was in some cracking form at the world cup, but overall he hasn't done much in Gold and hasn't been a regular starter in recent years. I imagine Cheika will continue to select him from time to time.

I could see how Tah fans would be sad to see him go though. He's been a very positive influence for them. It's where he's played his best footy.
 

fatprop

George Gregan (70)
Staff member
How are our halfback stocks?
Nic White. Gone
Will Genia.. Gone

2 of our franchises have foreign halfbacks who are ineligible for the Wallabies, which leaves Stirzaker, Frisby and Phipps. So the Wallabies are one injury away from having two halfbacks on debut for the rugby championship. Even then Frisby is playing like shit and Stirzaker is yet to play in 2016.


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You see, I see that as an ARU issue in allowing two different teams to import 9s, I would have the same issue if two teams had imported two starting 10s or hookers.
 

BDA

Jim Lenehan (48)
The cupboard looks a bit bare right now, but it'll quickly fill up.

I'm honestly really excited to see how this year plays out in terms of the national squad. A lot of the younger guys are likely to cut their teeth in the June Test Series and then some of the big players from overseas will join the squad for the Rugby Championship.

It's actually a great model for us moving forward. It really allows you to build a bit of depth in the June Test Series, where previously you would have simply played your most experienced.

If Genia was still in the country, I doubt Stirzacker would get a run in the June Test Series. With Cooper gone someone like JD is more likely to join the squad. No Kepu means an up and coming THP gets to cut his teeth, etc. This creates opportunities to create depth that might not have otherwise existed.

Come Rugby Championship time, Cheika will presumably bolster our squad with the likes of Kepu, Genia, Giteau, etc. We saw at the world cup the positive influence it has on a squad to bring in experience from outside the squad to help young players mature and create serious competition for spots. I love it.
 
T

TOCC

Guest
Kepu and Giteau won't play in the Rugby Championship, Cheika has already said that due to the long season they have had rolling from the RWC to European Rugby with little break.
 

Brumby Runner

Jason Little (69)
The cupboard looks a bit bare right now, but it'll quickly fill up.

I'm honestly really excited to see how this year plays out in terms of the national squad. A lot of the younger guys are likely to cut their teeth in the June Test Series and then some of the big players from overseas will join the squad for the Rugby Championship.

It's actually a great model for us moving forward. It really allows you to build a bit of depth in the June Test Series, where previously you would have simply played your most experienced.

If Genia was still in the country, I doubt Stirzacker would get a run in the June Test Series. With Cooper gone someone like JD is more likely to join the squad. No Kepu means an up and coming THP gets to cut his teeth, etc. This creates opportunities to create depth that might not have otherwise existed.

Come Rugby Championship time, Cheika will presumably bolster our squad with the likes of Kepu, Genia, Giteau, etc. We saw at the world cup the positive influence it has on a squad to bring in experience from outside the squad to help young players mature and create serious competition for spots. I love it.

Makes a whole lot of sense BDA. Like you, I think the June tests will provide a golden opportunity for some new, fringe players to get some experience, and I'd be looking at Stirzaker, Arnold, perhaps Talakai or Makin, Vaea and DHP.

I also think the squad will be boosted by o/s based players for TRC, but don't see the need for Matt Giteau to be brought back again. At the end of the year, injuries permitting, we'll have four top class 10/12s in Beale, To'omua, Lealiifano and Foley, and another with potential knocking on the door in Debreczini. It is their time to shine, even allowing that To'omua and Beale won't be around next year - but neither will Giteau so he doesn't help to fill next year's gaps.

In a sense, 2017 will be (or should be) a re-building year in some areas like Nos 3, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13 and wing. 3 is the main problem area, because the other spots will be pretty well covered by one player with considerable test experience. But the next in line in those spots will need to be identified and given opportunities.

We should see the likes of Talakai, Makin, Ruan Smith, Colby Fainga'a, Stirzaker, Frisby, Powell, Debreczini, Kerevi, Sefa, DHP and Toua all come into consideration. The long game is the 2019 RWC and all eyes should be directed there from the end of this year onwards.
 
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