Big Al looking overseas - ARU says walk

[disco]

[/qThese assholes ? These assholes ? Wow, I can feel the love. And that's pretty much the message the ARU sent to Baxter by lowballing him and taking their sweet time getting back to him. This isn't the amateur era anymore - I'd like to see the ARU acting with more professionalism and class.

Who exactly do we value ? And what message does this send to young players about how much the ARU values tight forwards ? uote]

Well the ARU may value outside backs but that's not me I personally wouldn't have Tahu or Tuqiri on more money than Baxter but that's another story.

OK Al Baxter shouldn't have to take a paycut on his salary as every wallaby has already had the bonus pay dropped but he shouldn't be demanding more than at least a 3-5% wage increase.

If he is asking more money based on one season then thats a cop out.

 

[Pfitzy]

Baxter can see us out this year. Shepherdson is till about. Weekes and Palmer and Edwards are next on the cards.

Shepherdson has not visibly improved in the last two years - though he IS hamstrung by plying his trade at the Brumbies. Weekes and Edwards still seem to be struggling with the pace of the game at this level. Palmer is a rookie no matter how good a scrummager he is. You'd try any of them against Tony Woodcock with an All Black second row? Uh-huh. :nta: Guards - seize him...

I agree that he is at last starting to come good, but he's off chasing the money which is fine.

Sort of like Blake... no wait - Blake wasn't ever starting to come good and chased the money before he was found out as just another one of those big fat kids Red Beard was talking about; the bully at schoolboys rugby because he was the biggest and never learned the mental side of the game.

Baxter is the best THP in the country by far. Everyone panned shit out of him for years for one Test at Twickenham, despite acknowledging the utter pants second row he was given. Where Nathan Sharpe is not pushing, Baxter has rarely been beaten by any loosehead, and had to carry the stigma of being an Aussie prop; getting the shitty end of the stick every time a scrum collapses even if the slowmo proves he's not responsible.

He has been part of one of the top scrums every year for the past four years at Super Rugby level, which goes to show what happens when you get a forward pack that can operate as a unit with the best brand of no-nonsense scrummaging locks available - guys like Caldwell and Mumm who are prepared to do the hard work.

I don't necessarily agree that props these days come into their own in their 30s. That said, I agree that the longer a prop stays fit and at the top level, the better he'll be. This is the case with Baxter who has been in Test ranks for 5 years now (2003 debut in NZ) and is always improving.

Finally he vindicates his selection history by dispelling the myth of Andy Sheridan and a heap of idiots still reckon he's not worth the effort. Turn it up.

 

[naza]

It pains me to admit it but everything NTA said there is spot on (as long as he doesn't edit the post to say Palu is shit or something).

Weekes, Palmer, Edwards...those are just victims in waiting. As fatprop said earlier, this just puts us back to square one and it'll be deja vu all over again.

 

[Pfitzy]

(as long as he doesn't edit the post to say Palu is shit or something).

Can't. I'm in shock

 

[Spook]

You'd think Baxter was world class listening to NTA :lmao:. Truth be told, Baxter was outplayed by all opposition on tour except England. He ain't that much better that other Aussie THs and has arguably has been behind Sheperdson this season.

 

[Gagger]

Spook, I'm hoping you just forgot to put the :fishing or flamthrower icon on the end of that

 

[fatprop]

You'd think Baxter was world class listening to NTA :lmao:. Truth be told, Baxter was outplayed by all opposition on tour except England. He ain't that much better that other Aussie THs and has arguably has been behind Sheperdson this season.

The only thing Sheperdson is better at is kneeing defenceless opposition players in the head

 

[Pfitzy]

Truth be told, Baxter was outplayed by all opposition on tour except England. He ain't that much better that other Aussie THs and has arguably has been behind Sheperdson this season.

Use of "arguably" implies that there is a situation in which you could argue that Shepherdson is ahead of Baxter. There isn't, unless you are a Brumbies fan and think its perfectly legal for your openside to scrum as an extra prop on the TH side to try and disrupt Benn Robinson while he's busy giving Shep grief at the set piece.

If Shepherdson's form had continued the upward climb that got him into Wallaby colours, you'd have no argument from me. He hasn't. He got up there and simply stopped getting better - for which several people could cop the blame, because its not all Shep's fault. The Brumbies aren't historically a forwards-oriented club and he is propping with wet noodles like Henderson and soft locks like AWH here and there during his time there. Hopefully he and Alexander learn a lot from Moore, but I LeeGrant...

People may blow a load over Shep and Alexander running with the ball in the open - and I'm a big supporter of forwards making sure the backs don't screw it up too badly by making a bit of territory for themselves. But he's a THP - running the ball isn't what he's there for.

Not in this universe, or any other, is Shepherdson ahead of Baxter as a Tight Head Prop, which is the job you want them to do. A THP's jobs in order are:

- scrum
- lift at lineout
- hit the tackle situations hard

Anything after that is a bonus.

 

[Red Beard]

Not in this universe, or any other, is Shepherdson ahead of Baxter as a Tight Head Prop, which is the job you want them to do. A THP's jobs in order are:

- scrum
- lift at lineout
- hit the tackle situations hard

Anything after that is a bonus.

Music to my ears brutha!

 

[Pfitzy]

Amen! Testify!

I'm really pissed that I missed this weekend. I had a lot of angst to release :angryfire: and it looks like our reserves got done in part due to lack of set piece...

 

[Gagger]

From the Telegraph

THE Wallabies are set to welcome star flanker Rocky Elsom back on deck in June, with ARU boss John O'Neill revealing he's confident the World XV forward will sign a new contract this week.

But O'Neill's joy at recapturing Elsom was yesterday in stark contrast to his irritation over other Wallabies stars playing out contract talks in the public domain recently - slamming their actions as "disappointing" and "unnecessary".

Elsom missed the Wallabies' spring tour last year after being released on compassionate grounds by the ARU and signing a one-year deal with Irish side Leinster.

The outstanding loose forward met Wallabies coach Robbie Deans and O'Neill two weeks ago in London to discuss his return, and the ARU CEO believes a deal - presumably through to the 2011 World Cup - is imminent.

"I am very confident in the next couple of days Rocky Elsom will announce he is coming back in June," O'Neill said.

Elsom said recently he would not decide whether to play for the Waratahs until he returned.

O'Neill also expressed confidence that agreement could soon be reached with two of Elsom's former NSW teammates, Phil Waugh and Al Baxter, despite the ARU coming under fire for playing hardball with the veteran pair.

Baxter was the subject of reports last week in which the Wallabies' most-capped prop revealed his difficult contract negotiations with the ARU had "broken down" and he would probably have to move overseas to secure his family's future.

The 32-year-old said the ARU had all but told him they would not increase an original offer he was unhappy with, given it is probably his last contract.

"It was really unfortunate that Al Baxter chose to go public, talking about a mortgage to pay etcetera," O'Neill said.

"It was most unnecessary. He might be frustrated the negotiation is not happening faster, but you don't accelerate it by talking to the media.

"I am sure he wouldn't like it if we went public, and said this is what is on the table. It is just not the way to negotiate."

The ARU has recently been accused of being tight-fisted at the contract table with other players as well, including Waugh and Matt Dunning - with the prop saying star backs were getting the lion's share of big ARU pay cheques.

O'Neill bristled at the suggestion.

"There is a lot of misinformation out there. Some of the dollar figures being bandied about, $150,000 and things like that. You could multiply that by two or three," O'Neill said.

"Of the top 20 highest-paid players in Australia in 2008, 13 were forwards and six were front-rowers.

"We are not going to go down the path of breaching confidentiality about what players get, but pound for pound Australian players are very well rewarded."

Players and the ARU are often at odds over whether Test match fees should be included in their overall contract offer. If a player plays every Test in a year at $11,000 a game, they can earn an extra $150,000.

Funny, he's happy to let everyone know Rocky's on the way back......

Unreasonable prick - exactly what you need in a CEO.

 

[RugbyReg]

Don't worry Rocky. We'll take you back. In fact you can bring your mates Al and Phil as well. They're obviously not enjoying Sydney anymore.

 

[Pfitzy]

Funny how JON talks about misinformation and not going public, then starts spouting off about which players are in the top pay brackets and shit those 6 front rowers would be pretty obvious :