Aussie Player Exodus

[upthereds#!]

RA need to up their 1 yr topup offer for Paisami. A vital retention target. Far more important then Jorgensen who they seriosuly overpaid for. Can't lose Perese AND Paisami, then have Kerevi ageing overseas, Aumua rejecting wallaby overtures, leaving foketi as the only average 12. Tua and Feliuali arent eligible and Stewart is not what the wallabies need.

 

[Adam84]

Seems relevant

https://www.reddit.com/r/RugbyAustralia/s/tnGxrYhNOj

 

[Braveheart81]

RA need to up their 1 yr topup offer for Paisami. A vital retention target.

I would say the fact that he hasn't been a clear first choice for the Wallabies is the reason they're not willing to commit significant dollars to him for more than 1 year.

We're not even sure he's Schmidt's first choice this year.

 

[Derpus]

RA need to up their 1 yr topup offer for Paisami. A vital retention target. Far more important then Jorgensen who they seriosuly overpaid for. Can't lose Perese AND Paisami, then have Kerevi ageing overseas, Aumua rejecting wallaby overtures, leaving foketi as the only average 12. Tua and Feliuali arent eligible and Stewart is not what the wallabies need.

I would argue that neither Paisami nor Jorgensen are worth much of a top-up in our current pauper state. Paisami hasn't had 12 nailed down in recent years and Jorgo is a gamble based on potential I am not really seeing.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Realistically Jorgo is still a couple years from being a dominant player. He’s 19 years old. He’s been paid on potential and the fact he was a wanted commodity by other codes

I want Hunter to stay but I also think Schmidt would have input on the player pool topped up by RA.

We have a lot of players up in the air right now and a lot could come down to what Petaia does as well as the Rebels. His injury probably slowed things down

 

[Derpus]

Realistically Jorgo is still a couple years from being a dominant player. He’s 19 years old. He’s been pod on potential and the fact he was a wanted commodity by other codes

I want Hunter to stay but I also think Schmidt would have input on the player pool topped up by RA.

We have a lot of players up in the air right now and a lot could come down to what Petaia does as well as the Rebels. His injury probably slowed things down

This is obviously right but what are the raw talents that he displays that warrant such an investment? I remember when Drew Mitchell first hit the game and he absolutely tore up broken field play. I don't see what Jorgo brings? He's small, kind of agile and isn't even really particularly fast.

Anyway - Petaia would be worth more than both combined if not for the continual injuries.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

I did watch quite a bit of him coming through the ages and he definitely tore up the field and is more of an X factor in a backline move than broken field runner. I agree atm he’s undersized but I feel confident he’ll end up built like Halfpenny.

His skills with in field kicking will get better (he has a big boot) but will become more astute with time.

 

[upthereds#!]

I would argue that neither Paisami nor Jorgensen are worth much of a top-up in our current pauper state. Paisami hasn't had 12 nailed down in recent years and Jorgo is a gamble based on potential I am not really seeing.

Who is the best wallaby eligible 12 in australia in your opinion? Please note 3/5 teams have australian eligible starting 12's.

Whoever you think that is, should be on good money, because like it or not, they are all we have, and if they leave, we have NOTHING.

 

[upthereds#!]

Realistically Jorgo is still a couple years from being a dominant player. He’s 19 years old. He’s been pod on potential and the fact he was a wanted commodity by other codes

I want Hunter to stay but I also think Schmidt would have input on the player pool topped up by RA.

We have a lot of players up in the air right now and a lot could come down to what Petaia does as well as the Rebels. His injury probably slowed things down

The top up amount isn't the issue in contention, it's the time period. It's a 1 year topup.

 

[Ignoto]

I would argue that neither Paisami nor Jorgensen are worth much of a top-up in our current pauper state. Paisami hasn't had 12 nailed down in recent years and Jorgo is a gamble based on potential I am not really seeing.

Other than Len, what centres in Australia over the last 1-2 years have locked down their spot in the Wallabies.

It sure hasn't been Foketi or Perese as they've been busted most of the time. Hodge is the only other centre (outside of Hunter and Kerevi) that comes to mind.

 

[Derpus]

None of them. Why throw a load of money at Foketi or Paisami when the next cab of the rank isn't much of a drop off. Just focus money on players who will actually make a difference right now.

 

[Hogie]

Who is the best wallaby eligible 12 in australia in your opinion? Please note 3/5 teams have australian eligible starting 12's.

Whoever you think that is, should be on good money, because like it or not, they are all we have, and if they leave, we have NOTHING.

Carter Gordon at 12 could really add something. He would complement a Lolesio or Lynagh at fly half and adds a big boot in open play and is defensively sound. Drawback is that with Ikitau at 13 it is a small back line.

 

[RebelYell]

None of them. Why throw a load of money at Foketi or Paisami when the next cab of the rank isn't much of a drop off. Just focus money on players who will actually make a difference right now.

Paisami has been outstanding this year. Streets ahead

 

[griffins]

Who is the best wallaby eligible 12 in australia in your opinion? Please note 3/5 teams have australian eligible starting 12's.

Whoever you think that is, should be on good money, because like it or not, they are all we have, and if they leave, we have NOTHING.

I reckon Kuenzle has a lot about him but the Force play the reliable low ceiling Stewart in front of him.

 

[griffins]

Paisami has been outstanding this year. Streets ahead

Agree he's the form Aus 12, but any test team will eat that exaggerated dummy for breakfast and his ball carrying will be nowhere near as effective as at super level. Good defender in heavy traffic though.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Kuenzle is limited with too much to do when in the Centres. He can sit on a Wing and inject himself pretty effectively.

What is the offer from Exeter? Around the 400k mark? (Aus). He’s above average but not elite. About what we are in general. Ikitau is the only world class Centre in the country.

No idea how Kerevi is playing and I don’t hold much care for the Japanese comp and how the players come back in regard to preparedness for Tests.

 

[PhilClinton]

Kerevi is also 5yrs older than Hunter which in oversimplified terms means we would get an additional RWC out of Hunter.

I’ve read through the comments and I wonder if this is not so much RA devaluing him but instead starting to look at what a different model looks like where our best players are mostly offshore. It lines up with the rumours of the Giteau law being scrapped.

Start offloading the top tier salaries out of Super Rugby.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Good point. I hope we do go down a path of not overpaying or chasing for anyone. Good luck to the guys that got in early with the hammer and got a deal but RA need to build something sustainable and build past 2027.

Could Exeter be offering a deal that is above his general value? Can never blame a player for wanting that. 1 year deals right now aren’t surprising with the Rugby landscape potentially shifting within 12 months locally.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Kerevi is also 5yrs older than Hunter which in oversimplified terms means we would get an additional RWC out of Hunter.

I’ve read through the comments and I wonder if this is not so much RA devaluing him but instead starting to look at what a different model looks like where our best players are mostly offshore. It lines up with the rumours of the Giteau law being scrapped.

Start offloading the top tier salaries out of Super Rugby.

Is Hunter P really a top-tier salary? I would have thought he'd be on whatever fringe Wallaby/squad members are on.
I don't think you could say he would definitely be selected for the Wallabies this year, let alone in 2026, which is what you would be paying for.

Probably why he's looking OS

 

[fatprop]

Good point. I hope we do go down a path of not overpaying or chasing for anyone. Good luck to the guys that got in early with the hammer and got a deal but RA need to build something sustainable and build past 2027.

Could Exeter be offering a deal that is above his general value? Can never blame a player for wanting that. 1 year deals right now aren’t surprising with the Rugby landscape potentially shifting within 12 months locally.

Wages lag in pro rugby, Hunter P hasn't been great for a couple years, a few games this year aren't going to immediately turn into mega wages