Updating the previous list:
Melbourne signings by position, not including Luke Rooney.
Players signed by position are: 26
1 Nic Henderson
1/2 Heath Tessman
1/3 Greg Somerville, **
2 Adam Freier,
3 Laurie Weeks,
3 Rodney Blake
4/5 Adam Byrnes,
4/5 Alister Campbell,
4/5 Kevin O'Neil **
4/5/6 Hoani Macdonald, **
6 Jarrod Saffy,
6/8 4/5 Luke Jones,
7 Michael Lipman **
7 Tom Chamberlain **
8/6 Tim Davidson,
8 Gareth Delve, **
9 Sam Cordingley,
9 Richard Kingi,
10/15 Danny Cipriani, **
10/12/15 James Hilgendorf,
13/11/14 Lachlan Mitchell,
13 Stirling Mortlock,
11/14/15 Peter Betham,
11/14 Cooper Vuna
15 Mark Gerrard
15 Julian Huxley
**[Foreign players not eligible to play for Oz.]
Still needed in the squad:
• Props - 2 for the academy (one experienced in senior rugby)
• Hookers - 1 more plus 1 academy (experienced);
• 2nd row - 1 academy
• 7 - 1 academy backrower
• 9 - 1 experienced academy plus a 2nd academy.
• 10 - 1 experienced academy
• 12 - 1 more, preferably a marquee player who can play more than one position plus 1 academy midfielder
• Wingers - 2 more plus 1 wing/fullback for the academy
That makes 30 in the squad and 10 professional academy players.
Note that Melbourne must pick 3 rookie players; so assuming Tessman is one, there have to be two others. Since the Brumbies and Reds have stitched up the 3 young gun 7s in the country and there are only 4 spots left, it is likely that the other two rookies will be in the backs - in the midfield and/or on the wing.
The last article mentioned 27 players and I've come up with 26 - anybody know who I missed?
