Players to watch in 2014 - The Goal of the NRC

[Jets]

Now that the 3rd tier is becoming a reality I thought we should move the conversation away from how the competition should be run to the actual goal of the thing.

Who are the players who will benefit from the competition?

It would be great if people could write a little bio on guys we should be looking out for and even post a clip of them playing.

 

[boyo]

I thought that it said "The Goat of the NPC".

 

[RugbyReg]

Now that the 3rd tier is becoming a reality I thought we should move the conversation away from how the competition should be run to the actual goal of the thing.

Who are the players who will benefit from the competition?

It would be great if people could write a little bio on guys we should be looking out for and even post a clip of them playing.

is there no end to this Sunnybank poaching?

 

[Jets]

I'll start with one. Henry Taefu.

He played 12 for Aust U20's this year after returning to rugby in 2012 and performing well in the Sunnybank Premier team.

He spent some time with Parra and the Broncos in the League U20's comp after leaving school.

He had a shoulder op on his return from the JRWC and a tumour was discovered and removed. He has had a good off season and will be back to full fitness by Feb next year.

He will be 21 in 2014 and would be well worth a look at in the NRC.

 

[tigerland12]

I'll go for some of the Tigers I think will really shine.

Michael Gunn (18) Openside Flanker
Jonah Placid (19) Fullback/Wing

I also think Norths winger Mataitini will get a good chance to show his ability.

All three are in the Reds wider training group from my knowledge.

 

[Dave Beat]

TEN members of the Manly Marlins 2013 grand final Colts side have been earmarked as potential NSW Waratahs.
The group has been selected to train with the NSW Colts Academy squad.
The 10 will be vying for selection in the NSW side to play in the Australian Rugby Union’s new national Under-20 tournament, which will take place in February and March.
The Marlins players are Reece Hodge, Fabian Natoli, Matthew Phillip, Karel Lloyd, Vinny Baranyi, Benson Fakai, Ellis Abrahams, Rory O’Connor, Siotame Kavapalu and Ethan Uili.
That gives the Marlins by far the biggest representation of any premiership club.
Manly Colts coach Jono Harvey said it was a great initiative which resulted in the players working with Waratahs coaches Michael Cheika, Nathan Grey and Daryl Gibson.
Star players including Kurtley Beale have also been working with the young Marlins.
“Our boys are absolutely loving it — they are training three times a week in a semiprofessional environment,” Harvey said.
Waratahs head coach Cheika said he was looking for young guys with a passion to one day play for the Waratahs.
Another Manly grand final player, Lalakai Foketi, has been recruited to the Melbourne Colts squad.

 

[rugbywatch]

From the QLD premier comp I think these 3-5 players from each club could come into to their own:

Easts: Michael Gunn, Jonah Placid, UJ Suetini, Toby White, Pettowa Paraka
GPS: Phil Kite, Samu Kerevi, Sam Grasso
Norths: Veresa Mataitini, Brett Goodin, Tonga Maafu, Sebastian Felipe
Brothers: Lachlan Creighton, Michael Bond, Ryan Schultz
Sunnybank: Henry Taefu, Nigel Ah Wong, Ryan Tongia, Maile Ngauamo, Rex Tapuai
Uni: Curtis Browning, JJ Taulagi, Adam Korczyk, Connor Mitchell
Wests: Sam Greene, Brett Gillespie, Waita Setu
Souths: Andrew muirhead, Gerard O'Hare, Dom Lespierre
Gold Coast: Martin Collins, Luke Evans

Thoughts?? Anyone I have missed?

 

[Jets]

Nigel Ah Wong is now playing in Japan so don't think he'll be involved.

Rex is probably too old now days. He might be worth a shot and would no doubt do well but I think an investment in youth might be better.

 

[Cat_A]

And Jets I thought I read that Henry Taefu has been forced into retirement. Is that true?

 

[Jets]

No he's training and keen to get back into playing next year. I spoke to his girlfriend this morning about him. The conversation was the reason I started the thread.

 

[Jets]

Another player to watch out for is Ben Adams. Ben has been around the Aust 7's squad for the past 2-3 seasons but has had a shocking run of knee injuries. His contract wasn't renewed for 2014 but I think it will allow him to focus on playing 15's again.

 

[howyagoin]

Sydney: Kotoni Ale (Manly), Micheal Adams (Warringah), Ben Matwijow (Norths), Penrith halfback, Peter Samu (was Randwick)
And probably Sydney Uni 1st XV

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Won't the players to watch be those in the Soup Franchise Wider Training Squads (as opposed to the Extended Training Squad)?

Is Wider Training Squad a Waratah thing, or do the other franchises run a similar concept for fringe professional/semi-pro players?

 

[SouthernX]

Won't the players to watch be those in the Soup Franchise Wider Training Squads (as opposed to the Extended Training Squad)?

Is Wider Training Squad a Waratah thing, or do the other franchises run a similar concept for fringe professional/semi-pro players?

The Reds have got it. So to I imagine the Brumbies.

Unfortunately the Rebels & Western Force don't quite have the local club rugby teams to feed in the remaining gaps of each provinces 3rd tier teams.

My money is on the Rebels & Force scouts eyes to be at all Premier Rugby & Shute Shield fixtures this year to see where they can plug gap positions for the national 3rd tier competition.

 

[Pete King]

Kotone Ale (manly), David Horwitz & William Munro (randwick), Pete Samu (easts)

 

[Iluvmyfooty]

I think it is very difficult to accurately suggest players that will be involved at this stage. Certainly those nominated above had good yeasr last yearb and have the runs on the board in previous years. There will be players that will stand up in the early months of the SS competition that will catch the eyes of those involved. I reckon by about June we will have a fair idea of who these players are.

I also hope that, as the competition is supposed to be a development pathway for Super Rugby, players involved are on the right side of 25 years old.

 

[Dave Beat]

The Reds have got it. So to I imagine the Brumbies.

Unfortunately the Rebels & Western Force don't quite have the local club rugby teams to feed in the remaining gaps of each provinces 3rd tier teams.

My money is on the Rebels & Force scouts eyes to be at all Premier Rugby & Shute Shield fixtures this year to see where they can plug gap positions for the national 3rd tier competition.

Given they have less than a handful of Wallabies want they be fielding basically a Super 15 team?
Why shouldn't they look to replace the couple of Wallabies from their local comp?
Given it appears WA and VIC are simply extending their Super Season whilst the other teams need to develop a team I think they should be just be concentrating on their local comp rather than looking at NSW and QLD.

 

[Iluvmyfooty]

If the Force and Rebels can field basically there Super 15 sides how is that assisting developing players for the step up into Super Rugby. If they don't put some age restriction on it then there should be a restriction on how many full contract players can play

 

[Dave Beat]

If the Force and Rebels can field basically there Super 15 sides how is that assisting developing players for the step up into Super Rugby. If they don't put some age restriction on it then there should be a restriction on how many full contract players can play

Agreed.

 

[Forcefield]

If the Force and Rebels can field basically there Super 15 sides how is that assisting developing players for the step up into Super Rugby. If they don't put some age restriction on it then there should be a restriction on how many full contract players can play

Sure there will be a bit of sameness but I don't think it will be the same sides. In the Force's case, we'll hopefully have a couple of players with the Wallabies (Cummins, maybe Godwin, maybe McCalman, maybe McMeniman), we'll have a couple that will probably be released to play in their home country competitions (Mathewson, Steenkamp), we'll have a handful of players out injured and we'll have a handful of players that will be released because they are not signed for the following year and Foley has no interest in them (Chris Tuatara-Morrison?).

I'm pretty hopeful that we will have 50% main squad players from the Force and 50% Wider Training group players. You guys have to remember that the Force and the Rebels have far less depth than the Tahs and the Reds. Our main squads need as much experience as your wider training groups.