hifflepiff
Charlie Fox (21)
Lol, Mark already did RA a favour by choosing Union over NRL out of highschool.
He honestly owes us nothing.
Australian Rugby / RA
- Thread starter Dave Beat
- Start date
He honestly owes us nothing.
hifflepiff
Charlie Fox (21)
Definitely a better financial decision too.
He'll have seen how much we're willing to pay for unproven NRL wingers, imagine how much he could ask for to return to Union as a former Wallaby
Tomthumb
Peter Fenwicke (45)
Sorry Fam, I’ll try to be more apathetic in future
Rob42
Nicholas Shehadie (39)
He wanted a longer contract last year, but RA would only give him 1 year. But it's up to him to show the loyalty now?
Tomthumb
Peter Fenwicke (45)
If he really wanted a longer contract last year, surely he would have signed the multi year deal he was just offered by RA?
Brumby Runner
Jason Little (69)
Is this an example of what centralisation looks like in the real world?
Sir Arthur Higgins
Dick Tooth (41)
Glad he’s not there end of the day anymore as I can kind of see why states wouldn’t trust his bombastic blow hard nature.
Hell of a year
Good player and seems a decent guy. But I wouldn’t pick him for the wallabies unless there is a massive injury issue.
The Lions is massive for us from a respect perspective as much as a commercial one. So the Grand Slam tour becomes vital too. The new coach will need every minute with his team to prepare for that.
Mark won’t be part of the 2025 team so I don’t see them point of including him next year. He’s got such a unique style he’s hard to replace so we need to get ready to playing without him quickly.
The Lions is massive for us from a respect perspective as much as a commercial one. So the Grand Slam tour becomes vital too. The new coach will need every minute with his team to prepare for that.
Mark won’t be part of the 2025 team so I don’t see them point of including him next year. He’s got such a unique style he’s hard to replace so we need to get ready to playing without him quickly.
Wilson
Phil Kearns (64)
I'm in two minds about it but I don't think we can afford to be too picky at the moment, particularly for our home test matches. As it stands I'd probably be picking him up until the EOYT at which point I'd leave him at home and focus on the future. Gives a bit of a chance to ease any new options in and build some sort of base confidence for the team as a whole.
That is all dependent on him maintaining his form though, there's every chance that last years campaign and this decision leave him in a place where either his head or heart aren't in the game and he has an off year. In that situation I would be quicker to drop him than another player hanging around with a bit of a form dip.
Doritos Day
Johnnie Wallace (23)
"First chance he gets"
It's on record that the guy wanted a multi-year deal last season, and was boxed into signing only a one year extension lol
dusk
Vay Wilson (31)
You would be a horrible boss if this is how you react to a player switching rugby codes after the Rugby Australia disaster.
Did he, or did league just not come knocking? My understanding is that he wasn't in the junior rep teams, either league or Union, and first major break was Aust under 20's. Happy to be corrected, because it influences the second part of my comment, yet to come.
Tomthumb
Peter Fenwicke (45)
That’s not what happened, but don’t let the truth get in the way of your story
Derpus
Nathan Sharpe (72)
I thought Ireland and NZ were on a centralised contracting model?
Wallaby Man
Nev Cottrell (35)
Yep pretty sure he was an elite basketball junior that only started to take rugby seriously in his last couple of years. It’s funny how we think anyone near a rugby ball is automatically a ‘rugby’ kid growing up.
Some might be shocked to find so many of our players have different sporting backgrounds. Tim Horan for example was a leaguie
stillmissit
Peter Johnson (47)
I agree with this in the Wallabies but we still need to pick players who are not international standard as we have no one else. We must pick only those with the best strength in their position, with the proviso that many of our top players need some basic training.
I supported C. Gordon and I will again this season if he plays well. I thought Jones would have had the sense to take QC (Quade Cooper) and let CG play the lesser games and be the backup.
Dan54
David Wilson (68)
What is meant ny centralised contracting? Players in NZ are actually contracted to super teams etc and through them to NZR. Isn't that how RA works? Players are contracted Brumbies, Reds etc, but wages are basically paid bt RA I thought, well they were a few years ago because RA cut everyones wages during covid etc for Western Force who were paid privately.
I genuinely thought that central contracting in Aus that was been talked about was so they can steer players where they want them? I could of misunderstood what was meant, wouldn't be first time it happened.
Brumby Runner
Jason Little (69)
Dan, I think few of us here know exactly what centralisation means in the context of contracting (me more than most), but my understanding is that presently, the Super teams contract the standard Super players while AR has a supplementary contract with those who are deemed to be of national interest worthy of a top up to play for the Wallabies. The concept of Centralised contracting has not been defined by RA but most seem to think that all Super players will be contracted directly by RA (in consultation, whatever that means, with the Super clubs) in which case RA would seem to have the final word (maybe the only word) on how long, how much and where.
I think the current situation with Mark Nawaqanitawase is a cautionary tale. Why was he offered a single year contract only for 2024? Was that a decision made by RA? What was the Tahs' preferred contract term? Did MN then decide to accept a League offer because there were strings attached to any longer term contract with RA? Maybe none of this occurred, but it could explain why Mark has opted to go elsewhere. And, presumably, such a chain of events could very well occur, time after time perhaps, with RA being solely responsible for player contracting (and recruiting?).
I think the current situation with Mark Nawaqanitawase is a cautionary tale. Why was he offered a single year contract only for 2024? Was that a decision made by RA? What was the Tahs' preferred contract term? Did MN then decide to accept a League offer because there were strings attached to any longer term contract with RA? Maybe none of this occurred, but it could explain why Mark has opted to go elsewhere. And, presumably, such a chain of events could very well occur, time after time perhaps, with RA being solely responsible for player contracting (and recruiting?).
Derpus
Nathan Sharpe (72)
I'm pretty sure that all contracts currently being negotiated or that were recently negotiated have only been one year long? Except that one big exception (which will look increasingly idiotic as time goes by IMO - just as hiring Eddie did).
I think because RA are barely a going concern. Given the Waratahs are even broker than RA i doubt it would have made much difference if they were in the drivers seat.
Flavio
Ward Prentice (10)
They are professionals. If you look at it from a business viewpoint, imagine you are a sales rep in a company that have had shit sales results even though yours were the best, the management are all leaving and all they can offer is a few overseas business trips and in a field that is not booming. Along comes another company that is doing well, stable management, business trips only up and down the east coast, organised management for a bit more money - what would you do !!!
Also say to you current now ex company - get your shit together and we can talk in a few years
PS Business travel is a shit pastime
Also say to you current now ex company - get your shit together and we can talk in a few years
PS Business travel is a shit pastime