Aussie Player Exodus

[Wilson]

Nathan Lawson is set to leave the 7s program for rugby league:

https://www.theroar.com.au/2024/11/12/exclusive-aussie-sevens-star-signs-with-nrl-club-in-huge-blow-weeks-after-taking-out-games-top-award/

Looks like a flow on from the Rebels demise with none of the super sides willing to pick him up:

It’s understood Lawson, who played alongside South Sydney and NSW star Cameron Murray at school, was floated to several Super Rugby franchises but couldn’t get someone to sign a contract to get him on their books.

Any other year I'm sure there would've been at least one willing to take a punt on someone of Lawson's quality.

 

[Sword of Justice]

Nathan Lawson is set to leave the 7s program for rugby league:

https://www.theroar.com.au/2024/11/12/exclusive-aussie-sevens-star-signs-with-nrl-club-in-huge-blow-weeks-after-taking-out-games-top-award/

Looks like a flow on from the Rebels demise with none of the super sides willing to pick him up:


Any other year I'm sure there would've been at least one willing to take a punt on someone of Lawson's quality.

At the risk of remindling some of the most dire arguments re the optimal number of super teams, this is not what was supposed to happen - we were supposed to be in a position where the strongest players survived the full and the weaker players were subject to attrition. We’ve lost our starting wallabies flyhalf and now our best 7s player to League, to go with Nawaqanitawase also leaving for League.

 

[Dctarget]

At the risk of remindling some of the most dire arguments re the optimal number of super teams, this is not what was supposed to happen - we were supposed to be in a position where the strongest players survived the full and the weaker players were subject to attrition. We’ve lost our starting wallabies flyhalf and now our best 7s player to League, to go with Nawaqanitawase also leaving for League.

Is Lawson better than any recently signed super player?

 

[Sword of Justice]

Is Lawson better than any recently signed super player?

That is the weakness of my supposition above and I can’t say one way or the other. The shocking number of schoolboys having signed with League from our national u18s team is perhaps a stronger indicator that there’s not enough opportunity between club Super starters presently.

 

[Wilson]

Is Lawson better than any recently signed super player?

It's hard to know with guys coming over from 7s, but it's not unrealistic to suggest he fits somewhere in a spectrum from Tristan Reilly through Lachie Anderson to Dylan Pietsch in super rugby. That's not to say he should've been signed over any of those guys, but he's got something to offer as fast, powerful winger.

Generally, he's probably the type of guy we want more of in the squads as a 25 year old experienced professional. It's not the end of the world to lose him but it does sting just after he's picked up the award as our best 7s player.

 

[WoodysRFC]

That is the weakness of my supposition above and I can’t say one way or the other. The shocking number of schoolboys having signed with League from our national u18s team is perhaps a stronger indicator that there’s not enough opportunity between club Super starters presently.

How many were signed from the U18s?

 

[Dctarget]

How many were signed from the U18s?

two that I know so far, and they were two of the top players from the team.

edit: 3, I was thinking of the winger and the fullback but I think the 8 has gone too yeah?

 

[Slim 293]

We’ve lost our starting wallabies flyhalf

We have?!

 

[Slim 293]

That is the weakness of my supposition above and I can’t say one way or the other. The shocking number of schoolboys having signed with League from our national u18s team is perhaps a stronger indicator that there’s not enough opportunity between club Super starters presently.

It's been discussed before, but many of these schoolboys already play both codes, and likely already have deals in place with NRL teams who are paying their tuition... as was the case with JAS.

 

[Sword of Justice]

It's been discussed before, but many of these schoolboys already play both codes, and likely already have deals in place with NRL teams who are paying their tuition... as was the case with JAS.

Yes but my understanding is that many of the players who have signed with League in the last few months are not of that camp. Indeed those players who had their fees paid were not part of the schoolboys team for the most part is again, my understanding.

 

[Rob42]

At the risk of remindling some of the most dire arguments re the optimal number of super teams, this is not what was supposed to happen - we were supposed to be in a position where the strongest players survived the full and the weaker players were subject to attrition. We’ve lost our starting wallabies flyhalf and now our best 7s player to League, to go with Nawaqanitawase also leaving for League.

Remindling...I assume you meant rekindling, but I like remindling.

 

[Sword of Justice]

We have?!

If your point is that he didn’t start the last couple of matches last year then I can only applaud you for your dedication to semantics but respectfully I stand by my point.

 

[Sword of Justice]

Remindling...I assume you meant rekindling, but I like remindling.

Yes sorry. I type faster than I think (very slowly).

 

[Slim 293]

If your point is that he didn’t start the last couple of matches last year then I can only applaud you for your dedication to semantics but respectfully I stand by my point.

We've also lost starting Wallabies winger Suliasi Vunivalu...

 

[Sword of Justice]

I doubt he would've started many tests this year either...

I doubt your doubt that he would not have started at some point this year or in the future. Regardless…

 

[Slim 293]

I doubt your doubt that he would not have started at some point this year or in the future. Regardless…

Maybe, if he had made significant improvements in form and his overall kicking game...

But it's quite disingenuous to suggest the Wallabies have lost their "starting flyhalf" when he was neither the incumbent, or likely to hold that position this year.

 

[Sword of Justice]

Maybe, if he had made significant improvements in form and his overall kicking game...

But it's quite disingenuous to suggest the Wallabies have lost their "starting flyhalf" when he was neither the incumbent, or likely to hold that position this year.

I have already applauded your dedication to semantics and what may have happened after his exit is unknowable. Clearly you don’t rate him as highly as I do which is subjective and I’m not interested in that debate.

Have it your way though. It’s still undoubtedly a weaker pool of 10s, which is the suggestion I was making.

 

[Slim 293]

I have already applauded your dedication to semantics and what may have happened after his exit is unknowable. Clearly you don’t rate him as highly as I do which is subjective and I’m not interested in that debate.

Have it your way though. It’s still undoubtedly a weaker pool of 10s, which is the suggestion I was making.

I applaud myself too...

And yes, losing any talent weakens the pool... and who knows, maybe he could've played at inside centre when Paisami was injured?

 

[Sword of Justice]

I applaud myself too...

And yes, losing any talent weakens the pool... and who knows, maybe he could've played at inside centre when Paisami was injured?

Very possible. He definitely would have gotten a chance at 10 at the time Schmidt tried Donaldson and then went back to Lolesio, if not earlier, in my view.

 

[Dctarget]

Apparently Vunivalu is off to La Rochelle as a medical joker. Good luck to him, happy to see him remain in the rugby ecosystem.