Aussie Player Exodus

[Derpus]

Some of these players were playing quite well before they left and still are, some are doing better, some worse....

probably all earning more though.

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

Leaving Australia does wonders for your career, generally.

Leave it out mate. What a complete load of garbage.

Just like a school or workplace some people perform better in different environments. It is also worth noting there is a substantially higher number of professional opportunities in those markets compared with Australia.

 

[Slim 293]

probably all earning more though.

Most definitely, some while living in far more interesting parts of the world..........

 

[Derpus]

Leave it out mate. What a complete load of garbage.

Just like a school or workplace some people perform better in different environments. It is also worth noting there is a substantially higher number of professional opportunities in those markets compared with Australia.

Your second statement seems at odds with your first.

If i had the choice of sitting around on a bench or moving to Europe, play and earn more i think i know which would benefit my career more. I wasn't specifically saying they all become better players.

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

Your second statement seems at odds with your first.

If i had the choice of sitting around on a bench or moving to Europe, play and earn more i think i know which would benefit my career more. I wasn't specifically saying they all become better players.

But that wasn't your comment and that is not necessarily the choice.

You didn't say "all" but you did say "generally." Do you honestly think (question not a crack) that the top 120 professional players in Australia would be better players if they left Australia and played overseas?

As much as people bag Australia we still play in the premier international and provincial competitions, a developing third tier and some pretty darn good club comps.

 

[Derpus]

But that wasn't your comment and that is not necessarily the choice.

You didn't say "all" but you did say "generally." Do you honestly think (question not a crack) that the top 120 professional players in Australia would be better players if they left Australia and played overseas?

As much as people bag Australia we still play in the premier international and provincial competitions, a developing third tier and some pretty darn good club comps.

No.

My comment was literally to be taken as 'generally speaking, rugby players careers benefit from a move to Europe'.

Not looking for an argument here.

 

[Tomikin]

Some interesting comments there - not surprised about Speight and Godwin but Tomane seems to have gone off the cliff - he was in great form when he left here. I thought Frisby would go well but seems not. Morahan seems a lost talent. Who is 'Smith' in the backs? Has George shifted to the centres?

Possibly Andrew Smith

 

[Bobby Sands]

Am hearing more & more that it’s not just McMahon who hates Cheika, apparently a very unpopular bloke with the players.

 

[Derpus]

Am hearing more & more that it’s not just McMahon who hates Cheika, apparently a very unpopular bloke with the players.

Sauce

 

[RugbyReg]

Am hearing more & more that it’s not just McMahon who hates Cheika, apparently a very unpopular bloke with the players.

and potential assistant coaches...

 

[Tomikin]

Sauce

Im hearing it too some guy on GNGR named Bobby Sands.

 

[Bobby Sands]

Sauce

I’m in Brisbane at the moment, catching up with boys I went to school with.

Many of which are the same age & went to the same schools as the Brisbane lads in the squad.

You join them.

 

[Derpus]

He does seem to be a siege mentality kinda guy.

If you are in, its us against the world. If you arent in, you are part of the world.

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

Sauce

Tomato is my preferred

 

[Brumbieman]

OK - so now I've got a bit of time, I thought it'd be interesting to report back to GAGR the contents of a post I found on Reddit the other day.

Someone asked every NH fan to report back with how the Australian's in their team had been faring over their tenure at their respective clubs, and the results are below:

Forwards:

TPN - 'very disappointing when he first came over', 'tends to trundle around a bit', 'has been better recently', 'lineout throwing has been subpar'.

Butler - club captain in his second season at Connacht, 'magnificent', 'incredible', natural leader, huge number of tackles, good support lines.

Fainga'a - growing into his game, 'started looking like a beast lately', 'really good signing', 'massive amount of work', 'important player for Connacht'.

Fardy - 'cult hero', strictly plays second row, 'puts in massive performances', 'total gent and fantastic player', 'often pops up on the wing and has scored a fair few tries'.

Skelton - 'much better this season', 'brilliant player but needs to stop getting yellows'.

Richie Arnold - 'pretty decent', only played one game.

Gill - playing very well.

Timani - 'playing very well', 'brings a lot of physicality', 'is brilliant at the breakdown'.

Dennis - 'not a super star but usually puts in a solid performance'.

Greg Holmes - 'did pretty well'.

Horwill - 'brings so much leadership to a group of aggressive / young forwards. He really keeps a lid on things and stops them from boiling over', 'brilliant in his gameplay as well', 'underrated', 'none of the headline grabbing stuff'.

Backs:

Alofa - covers 11-15, 'strong runner and defender', 'great to have around'.

Tapuai - playing understudy to Saili, 'does a good job when called upon'.

Kellaway - 'looked sharp whenever he's played', very versatile, great support lines.

Naiyaravoro - 'suspect defensively but a monster if you can get him moving at speed', 'starting working off his wing', 'always looking for offloads so he's set up a few decent tries'.

Morahan - 'absolute gem', 'brings out the best in other players', 'one of the best wingers in the premiership at the moment', shown real speed in gassing Johnny May.

White - 'class', 'Wing Commander White'.

Smith - 'a delight to watch', 'papa bear to the youngins', 'gets slapped with an awful lot of penalties'.

Stirzacker - 'not much of a look in yet', 'good leader in the famous La Rochelle victory', 'wasn't impressed'.

Godwin - quite good, has been pushed to the wing due to depth at centre, good footwork, decent kicking, makes yards after contact.

Betham - 'playing out of his mind this season', score 11 tries in 12 games, super versatile (plays centre, wing and fullback).

Frisby - 'pure shite', 'you can have him back'.

Sam Johnson - 'in great form at 12'.

McIntyre - starting at Agen.

To'omua - 'excellent as a backup 10', 'spectacular on attack this season', 'his no look passes are deadly'.

Horwitz - undecided (not enough appearances to judge - 'has been good from what we've seen of him').

Asquith - 'most underrated player in the Scarlets squad', 'can play flyhalf, centre, wing, and fullback and excels in each position'.

Zach Holmes - 'pure class since he arrived 2 years ago'

Tomane - 'abysmal', 'biggest waste of money in years', 'shite', 'looks soft in the carry and the tackle', 'a total wet blanket', 'its almost like hes rolling out of bed and turning up half stoned', 'needs to work on his s&c and intensity more', has played a number of games at inside centre.

Speight - 'played quite well', 'never that impressive', 'slightly weak link when it came to defence', 'solid signing', 'hard to believe he played test matches'.

Fuck that's depressing reading that.

 

[Joe Blow]

I think its OK but we need to relax our test requirements and allow some of our young players to continue their development OS and still be available for national selection.
It seems to do them good having stints in other countries, particularly tight five players.

Trying to protect our local provincial comp which is a product that does not deserve the effort makes no sense. We need to put in place a local comp which is worth protecting and which will attract local and foreign talent alike, much like they have in Europe.

 

[upthereds#!]

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 and healthy in Australian Rugby

Let the 'middle tier' or 'journeymen' take the short term contracts. This may be for
* higher level development (like a prop doing 7 months in the premiership)
* giving a player more game time so they are in a better position to take the starting reigns if needed in Super Rugby. Like Mason if Foley falls over or needs to be rested, as Mason gets stuff all game time.
* get a non national interest player more money so he is still doing Super Rugby and not heading overseas permanently.

I wonder how many players overseas, that could potentially add depth to the National environment, or definitely add strength to the Super Rugby sides, could we have back if they were supported to take the cash, game time, live at home mostly and still available for national selection incentives of short term contacts, in between Super Rugby seasons.

I would rather have players like DP, Naiyaravoro, Tomane, Timani, Skelton, Tapuai, lealiafano, doing Japanese or Injury Joker stints and still player Super Rugby but not NRC, than lose them to Australian Rugby completely.

Plenty of useful Super Rugby kiwis (not all blacks) doing it.

 

[The Honey Badger]

Sauce

Tomato

 

[kamel3000]

It's a catch 22. FMovies YesMovies SolarMovie You either create a situation where players can be bought and sold anywhere on the world based on where they are currently contracted or you leave it in the players' hands as it currently is.

Teams get a reward for developing players because most of the players will stay and they get the use of the players for as long as they are playing for them.

Teams also get players who have developed their game elsewhere (possibly including overseas).

I truly don't see that event. I think the craving of players to play for the Wallabies is as yet incredible paying little respect to whether it is RWC time or not.

I simply believe we will see an increasingly liquid market of players going back and forth from Europe and Japan.

I think there is still enough cash in Australia to give enough impetus to players to play here both similarly as Super Rugby players and with the objective of playing for the Wallabies.

 

[Bobby Sands]

Im hearing it too some guy on GNGR named Bobby Sands.

We will see what comes out in the wash, but I stand by this very confidently.