Slim 293
Stirling Mortlock (74)
To be fair, is Liverpool even in the Waratahs catchment?
Or is that Brumbies territory now?
Melbourne Rebels Players - where are they going?
- Thread starter stillmissit
- Start date
To be fair, is Liverpool even in the Waratahs catchment?
Or is that Brumbies territory now?
Jimmy_Crouch
Ken Catchpole (46)
It has always been a flexible soft cap due to the fact that the super teams aren't always the only people paying their salary. People just seem to think it is like the NRL which it isn't.
The salary cap was more about the team not spending outside their means (RA were sick of bailing the states out - guess it didn't really work) rather than an equalisation measure.
Strewthcobber
Steve Williams (59)
I think the Brumbies have the Gold Coast don't they?
Strewthcobber
Steve Williams (59)
We should probably call it a spending cap, not a salary cap.
Either way, nobody will be checking it next year
Slim 293
Stirling Mortlock (74)
Now that the Brumbies are run by Rugby Australia, everywhere is now officially a Brumbies’ catchment…
I’ll allow Lord Laurie to explain…
Liverpool? That’s in the ACT.
Gold Coast? That’s in the ACT.
Bathurst? That’s in the ACT.
Melbourne? Oh, you’d better believe that’s in the ACT.
LeCheese
Jim Lenehan (48)
Adam84
Phil Kearns (64)
I'm sure there's a bit of a domino effect going on here.
Teams are still negotiating to retain certain players. Some Rebels players were waiting to see who was coaching and where their teammates were going.
I certainly don't believe the Waratahs were 'purged' to allow the recruitment of Rebels players; that was just a reflection of a club struggling at various levels. I'd rate players like Perese, Swinton, Hanigan and Holloway above or at par with the Rebels players in their equivalent positions anyway.
Teams are still negotiating to retain certain players. Some Rebels players were waiting to see who was coaching and where their teammates were going.
I certainly don't believe the Waratahs were 'purged' to allow the recruitment of Rebels players; that was just a reflection of a club struggling at various levels. I'd rate players like Perese, Swinton, Hanigan and Holloway above or at par with the Rebels players in their equivalent positions anyway.
I think we're only dealing with players who are already contracted for 2025 and beyond as the cost is a RA is a budgeting issue regardless of where they end up.
I'm not sure if purged is fair but I definitely think the uncertainty regarding the Rebels and their contracted players combined with RA being in control of the Waratahs meant that a bunch of 2024 Waratahs weren't made offers or were made low ball offers on the basis that there were less spots available for next year than there would be ordinarily.
Hard to imagine this level of departures from the Waratahs if they were making their contracting decisions in a vacuum.
Highlander35
Steve Williams (59)
For all the schadenfreude, I think it's a bit of a beat up. It would frustrate RA that LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto), Leota & Tupou (probably Pone too as a consequential effect) wouldn't want to be coming across, but the rest of the contracted group consists of:
Ethan Dobbins
Matt Gibbon
IAK
Angelo Smith
Vaiolini Ekuasi
David Feliuai
Matt Proctor
Lukas Ripley
Lachie Anderson
Darby Lancaster
Joe Pincus
Ekuasi and Proctor I would imagine are looking to negotiate releases, either back to NZ or to Japan.
Gibbon and IAK won't want to go to the Tahs because, presuming fitness, loosehead is meant to be a position of strength for the Tahs. I'd reckon this would also hold for Anderson and Lancaster, who'd want a clear run at starters jerseys rather than having to compete with the current Tahs back 3: again, a position of strength.
The rumours have the Brumbies happy to take Feliuai and Feliuai happy to go there: so I'm not sure why he's an issue.
That leaves Smith & Pincus (not listed as objecting to Tahs), and Ripley & Dobbins (would have to put in some serious performances to be anything but 3rd string at relevant sides).
Ethan Dobbins
Matt Gibbon
IAK
Angelo Smith
Vaiolini Ekuasi
David Feliuai
Matt Proctor
Lukas Ripley
Lachie Anderson
Darby Lancaster
Joe Pincus
Ekuasi and Proctor I would imagine are looking to negotiate releases, either back to NZ or to Japan.
Gibbon and IAK won't want to go to the Tahs because, presuming fitness, loosehead is meant to be a position of strength for the Tahs. I'd reckon this would also hold for Anderson and Lancaster, who'd want a clear run at starters jerseys rather than having to compete with the current Tahs back 3: again, a position of strength.
The rumours have the Brumbies happy to take Feliuai and Feliuai happy to go there: so I'm not sure why he's an issue.
That leaves Smith & Pincus (not listed as objecting to Tahs), and Ripley & Dobbins (would have to put in some serious performances to be anything but 3rd string at relevant sides).
Jimmy_Crouch
Ken Catchpole (46)
Agree. See my comments on the previous page
I actually rate Ripley very highly and think he has huge potential. If I was the Force I'd be looking him for their 13 jersey now that Spink is going back to UK.
Reds Rick
Allen Oxlade (6)
I listened to the Inside Line podcast this morning with Atko and Iain Payten- got to say this is one of the most informative podcasts going around if you’re interested in some of the behind the scenes movements in aus rugby. Their latest mail on rebels player movements - stressing that this info was unofficial and not finalised deals but from reliable sources etc as follows:
Reds
Gibbon (strong chance)
LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) (strong chance, noting he has moved back to QLD already so would be the guy mentioned in the pandaram piece yesterday)
Lachie Anderson
Tahs
Tupou (formality)
Leota (more likely as Mackellar has been in his ear)
Kailea
Wilkin
Lancaster (linked)
Angelo Smith
Dobbins
Force
Pone (linked)
Proctor
Vaihu
Palu
HJH (Harry Johnson-Holmes) (linked from Waratahs)
Louwrens (possibly)
No mention made of the Brumbies
Reds
Gibbon (strong chance)
LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) (strong chance, noting he has moved back to QLD already so would be the guy mentioned in the pandaram piece yesterday)
Lachie Anderson
Tahs
Tupou (formality)
Leota (more likely as Mackellar has been in his ear)
Kailea
Wilkin
Lancaster (linked)
Angelo Smith
Dobbins
Force
Pone (linked)
Proctor
Vaihu
Palu
HJH (Harry Johnson-Holmes) (linked from Waratahs)
Louwrens (possibly)
No mention made of the Brumbies
Wilson
Michael Lynagh (62)
That does leave Feliuai to the Brumbies, which has been rumoured for some time now.
Actually from Auckland. And everyone knows that's in Queensland.
Strewthcobber
Steve Williams (59)
Have also heard from an unofficial source (rumour) that he is also the guy who has said he will play club rugby in Queensland rather than move to the Tahs (or anywhere except Qld)
The Ghost of Raelene
Steve Williams (59)
There's also a number of players who won't get a job at all and wouldn't be sought after. Happens every year with a few guys who come off contract.
Any player wanting to have a longer career should also be thinking about where do I get minutes to show my skills? Bit of ego now might mean your first cut next year at the Brumbies when you've had three off the bench stints all year.
Any player wanting to have a longer career should also be thinking about where do I get minutes to show my skills? Bit of ego now might mean your first cut next year at the Brumbies when you've had three off the bench stints all year.
Sounds like someone might get low-balled then by the place he wants to go.
Strewthcobber
Steve Williams (59)
He has a guaranteed contract with RA. Will get paid at least the same for next year no matter what he does.
Maybe he's holding out for a longer contract or similar, or maybe the Reds don't see a spot for him in the roster
The Ghost of Raelene
Steve Williams (59)
Fair enough. Good point. Reds are going to have to start offloading players soon if everyone wants in? Blyth is now somehow a Test Second Rower, Smith should be and Cannham will be...
I'd love to know Schmidts thoughts on a current Wallaby just wanting to play Club Rugby because he can. Do you want to play the Lions games?
Strewthcobber
Steve Williams (59)
I'm pretty sympathetic to LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto).
Remember he was released early from Northampton for "family reasons" - a homesick wife, and now he has had to pack up sticks and move again.
He has a wife and two young kids, and it sounds like they have had enough of moving around.
How that works in the context of a career in professional sport remains to be seen.