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Aussie Player Exodus

Sir Arthur Higgins

Sir Arthur Higgins

Dick Tooth (41)
i'm well aware people move for more than just money, but the dollar figures help provide context as to what they have to match - whether that is through salary, sponsorships or other. i think there is a dose of reality here in that if he's offered - let's say it's $1.5M which i reckon is probably accurateish given the list above, i don't care what post career perks you talk about, if the ARU can't give him a million, it's unlikely he'd stay. the question is how do they get him over that 500k difference gap. what does he like outside of rugby and what does he want to do after rugby? they need to focus here in conjunction with the world cup. wallaby selection and the olympics.
he loves his church and he's pretty charitable. does he have a charity of his own? does he want to start one? how about some charitable work in tonga tied to rugby and the rest of Team Tonga - ARU find a way to get exposure and funds to his charity or a charity of his choice/for which he is an ambassador.
 
T

Train Without a Station

Guest
Other factors. Doesn't he have an endorsement deal with Addidas Australia? Pretty sure that will go away if he goes to France. Will he be as big to Addidas Europe/France? There's 14 div 1 teams in France alone. That cuts your profile down.
 
ShtinaTina

ShtinaTina

Alex Ross (28)
I wonder if he'd have the same interest by fans over there. I mean sure he's well loved & admired here, but is he there? They might just not like him, not sure why, but maybe just maybe.
 
Bullrush

Bullrush

Geoff Shaw (53)
OK....outsiders view.....

I dunno what you guys are getting so worked up about. None of the guys who have opted to leave Australia are first-class Wallabies. It's not like Moore or Hooper or To'omua are leaving. The names off the top of my head are Kimlin, Pyle,Te'o, Davies etc.....none are even in the top 40-odd players in the country. They can and will be replaced.

Japan is a great option I reckon. I think it's a great strategic move for someone like Genia who can go make big dollars while getting a LOT of conditioning and fitness and getting his body right AND still play 12-odd games of rugby. This is why I think Kaino went to Japan. Gave his body time to heal fully and come good but stayed in really good shape. He backed himself to be able to make the step back up when he wanted to come back and I think it's done wonders for him. Leon MacDonald was another who went to Japan to come back and still be good enough for the ABs.

IMO, very few players go to the NH and come back better....not NZ ones anyway.
 
qwerty51

qwerty51

Stirling Mortlock (74)
Douglas has been the best lock in the country this year. He's definitely a loss to the 23. When Kimlin left he was a certainty for the 23 as well. Ioane and Mitchell would walk into the current Wallabies based on wing stocks atm. Dan Palmer before he got injured would've likely have been 1st choice TH. Then there's Burgess and Barnes.. so yes plenty of first-class Wallabies have left.

But Australia doesn't have the player depth of NZ and SA so you don't get it, those players are critical to the depth of our Super Rugby sides.
 
Dave Beat

Dave Beat

Paul McLean (56)
My concern is player depth, as that impacts strength in our conditions, examples of this
Lala Foketi U20 Aust Centre > Manly > Rebels > offshore.
Fabian Natoli > Manly Colt & Grade > Bordeaux.
 
T

Train Without a Station

Guest
qwerty51 said:
Douglas has been the best lock in the country this year. He's definitely a loss to the 23. When Kimlin left he was a certainty for the 23 as well. Ioane and Mitchell would walk into the current Wallabies based on wing stocks atm. Dan Palmer before he got injured would've likely have been 1st choice TH. Then there's Burgess and Barnes.. so yes plenty of first-class Wallabies have left.

But Australia doesn't have the player depth of NZ and SA so you don't get it, those players are critical to the depth of our Super Rugby sides.
Click to expand...

What can the ARU in these case? They weren't regular wallabies because they failed to display consistent form of that nature earlier and then signed to leave basically as soon as they did.

Also, take off the blue glasses. Not saying Kane isn't playing well but there's a few locks playing well this year, to say he is definitely in best form is a little biased.
 
cyclopath

cyclopath

George Smith (75)
Staff member
RugbyReg said:
Agree I reckon Luke Jones has been the form Aussie lock in the comp this year.
Click to expand...
Probably has been. I think it's a shame Douglas is going (not only for Waratah reasons, but Wallaby as well), but I guess he had an idea he was not high in McKenzie's reckoning, although I'm surprised he would not be. He does a lot of heavy work, isn't particularly flashy and has made a big difference for the Tahs to allow Potgeiter / Skelton being used strategically. With Horwill being a bit off the boil, Jones tailing off slightly after a great season start, and now Carter unluckily getting injured, Douglas might have found himself back in the mix. I hope he comes back in 2 years even better and kicks on.
 
T

Train Without a Station

Guest
Has been better this year than last year. His position in the pecking order likely would have improved
 
wamberal

wamberal

Phil Kearns (64)
ShtinaTina said:
I wonder if he'd have the same interest by fans over there. I mean sure he's well loved & admired here, but is he there? They might just not like him, not sure why, but maybe just maybe.
Click to expand...


The question is not whether they will like him, but will he win games?


That's all that matters to the rich buggers who own these teams.
 
wamberal

wamberal

Phil Kearns (64)
Dave Beat said:
My concern is player depth, as that impacts strength in our conditions, examples of this
Lala Foketi U20 Aust Centre > Manly > Rebels > offshore.
Fabian Natoli > Manly Colt & Grade > Bordeaux.
Click to expand...

Gee, that's tough, Dave. Pardon me while I shed a few crocodile tears.


Are other clubs losing good players too? One minute you are telling us how fantastic Manly are, the next you are whinging about losing players, maybe you should have developed them a bit more effectively, if they had the talent.
 
Pfitzy

Pfitzy

Nathan Sharpe (72)
wamberal said:
Gee, that's tough, Dave. Pardon me while I shed a few crocodile tears.


Are other clubs losing good players too? One minute you are telling us how fantastic Manly are, the next you are whinging about losing players, maybe you should have developed them a bit more effectively, if they had the talent.
Click to expand...


Uh. Maybe Dave is quoting those examples because they're close to his club. I'm sure there are others. No need to be a grumpy old cuss about it :)
 
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