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Pretorius gone

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Andrew Slack (58)
Not even vaguely surprised. He has a career highlighted by injury.

He was a big risk and sad to see it end like this. Force in deep doo-doo.
 

louie

Desmond Connor (43)
tranquility said:
this really is shocking news, brumbies should do the right thing and allow lealifano to go to the wild wild west.

the brumbies shouldn't do anything to help the force? why should they?

Lealifano is most likely going to play 12 most of the year with Matt To'omua. The Brumbies smart enough to have and develop players as back ups. When Larkham left they stuff with no one but develop another player through. the force have been in the game long enough to have their academy working. This is their own fault. no one should help them out.
 

James Buchanan

Trevor Allan (34)
louie said:
the brumbies shouldn't do anything to help the force? why should they?

Lealifano is most likely going to play 12 most of the year with Matt To'omua. The Brumbies smart enough to have and develop players as back ups. When Larkham left they stuff with no one but develop another player through. the force have been in the game long enough to have their academy working. This is their own fault. no one should help them out.

I hear there's this new bloke they signed. Git-something. I think he plays 10 or 12 or something too.
 
T

tranquility

Guest
haha, your so ruthless louie. kudos.

i was saying it tongue in cheek. perhaps it's selfish of me, but I would like all our young flyhalfs to be playing flyhalf instead of being stuffed into backlines (ie 12 and 15 or even 9). Leaflifano is probably not even a 10, his running game lends itself equally to both 12 and 15. However, it is a nice thought that all out super sides could have a good developing flyhalf if the talent is available. And if not for the wallabies sake, for the sake of running rugby.
 

Pfitzy

Nathan Sharpe (72)
James Buchanan said:
I hear there's this new bloke they signed. Git-something. I think he plays 10 or 12 or something too.

Definitely a French name of some kind. A few people rate him.

Anyway, the WA Anchors always seem to have some kind of strife going on. But if, with that forward pack, a dirt-tracker flyhalf can't get them through the season, well they don't deserve it anyway.
 

fatprop

George Gregan (70)
Staff member
The one thing I wonder about the Force is who they thought would be the long term option at 10?.

They purchased Pretorious, Bartholomeusz and Harris, one 10 of quality and two stop gaps.

Would it be Hunt?
 

spectator

Bob Davidson (42)
fatprop said:
The one thing I wonder about the Force is who they thought would be the long term option at 10?.

They purchased Pretorious, Bartholomeusz and Harris, one 10 of quality and two stop gaps.

Would it be Hunt?
Maybe they have O'Connor as their long term 10 prospect? He and Hunt played the 10-12 combo at Nudgee College together, so they could be interchangeable as well.
 

Lee Grant

John Eales (66)
spectator

I don't think they should play the Rabbit at 10 even if he played there at Nudgee. And it's not because I saw him at flyhalf for Qld Schools in a non-competition game and he overplayed his hand: Giteau is making a career out of it.

It's because playing him there will take him away from positions where his elusive talents give his team more of a premium - 12, his favourite position (away from the ruck but close enough to get a lot of ball) and fullback for open play, (but realistically only when Shepherd is injured, which has been a lot.)

Bartho played well last night against the Reds and it would not have surprised anybody who saw him play in utility positions throughout his career. ''Good footie player" is the tag I give to him and every team needs some of them because you know they can use their brain and experience on most occasions.

The Force need somebody to replace Pretorius though. If you don't want to use JOC (James O'Connor) you shouldn't want to rely on Sam Harris who started club rugby in 2009 with a hiss and a roar but became hot and cold, or more accurately, warm, when he returned from an injury.

Next cab off the rank would be little Stephano Hunt. Yeah JOC (James O'Connor) is little too but he's got a few things going for him. I can't remember anybody reporting on how Hunt played in club rugby in 2009. Can anybody help out there?


Refabit said:
The Brumbies and Tahs have 5/8's to burn. For the good of Aussie rugby they should lend their spare. Beale or To'omua would appreciate the game time and less splinters.

It doesn't work like that in the real world though Academy players have been put on loan. I remember that Brett Sheehan was borrowed from the Tahs pro Academy by the Reds yonks ago with the proviso that he would return if the Tahs had an injury. He ended up staying there after the season as his Academy contract expired and Whitaker was still at the Tahs.

There's a young Academy fellow at the Brumbies that could be of interest - Robbie Coleman. In 2008 he was the Oz Schools 1st XV flyhalf but he has an old head and is arguably the best flyhalf in Oz who doesn't have a Super14 contract. I'm not saying he's a world beater, but I saw him play for the Brumby Runners on Thursday night and he had a cracking game, albeit in a massacre.

He could be borrowed by the Force to back up Bartho and it would be win, win. They get a backup and he may get some S14 experience. Then when they get a replacement for Petoors he could go home and keep playing for the Runners.


As for Beale and To'omua: I don't think KB (Kurtley Beale) will be getting splinters after his performance at Viking Park on Thursday - and To'omua was my MOTM. Friend won't be releasing either of his young guns, but he's going to have a difficult time to keep them both happy this year. I'm picking that whomever of them is marginalised would be looking at the Force or Rebels for steadier work.

Ironically, Friend would have a better shot of keeping them both happy in the bigger schedule that commences in 2011.
 

unsub god

Herbert Moran (7)
I saw Stephano play for Sunnybank in colts last year. Looked more of a 12 with a good step and a nice turn of pace.
 

Lee Grant

John Eales (66)
Thanks - do you know if he ever played grade during the season?

And you say he looked like a 12 - as I remember from his play there for Qld Schools - but in what spot did he play in Colts - or grade if he played there?
 

louie

Desmond Connor (43)
James Buchanan said:
I hear there's this new bloke they signed. Git-something. I think he plays 10 or 12 or something too.

Gits will play 10, i was talking about 12.
 

RugbyReg

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
I wonder if Tim Walsh is checking out property in the west?

Also, I wonder if JOC (James O'Connor) is checking out clauses in his contract? I thought there was something alluding to the 4s signing an international to play 10?
 

Lee Grant

John Eales (66)
Yeah Tim Walsh will go OK. I forgot about him. Randwick had to play in a few crunch games last year and he looked the goods against some strong teams.

I can't imagine JOC (James O'Connor) pulling the pin at this late stage if that thingo is in his contract; but he could have an out for 2011.
 

louie

Desmond Connor (43)
Lee Grant said:
There's a young Academy fellow at the Brumbies that could be of interest - Robbie Coleman. In 2008 he was the Oz Schools 1st XV flyhalf but he has an old head and is arguably the best flyhalf in Oz who doesn't have a Super14 contract. I'm not saying he's a world beater, but I saw him play for the Brumby Runners on Thursday night and he had a cracking game, albeit in a massacre.

Lee,
What'd you think about the Burmby Runners?
It was hard game to tell but i was very impressed with their counter attacking nature.
Also 6-8 really really impressed me. good signs for the future.
 

Lee Grant

John Eales (66)
Agree on both counts - they looked good but yes, it was hard to assess them. Most of them would have been at least in the amateur Academy and a majority of the run on team would have been professionals.

It was a bit like men against boys as Bruce Ross indicated would happen with a lot of Colts playing for Uni. Some of the Uni lads were good players but their backs didn't have a good platform in front of them and the forwards played like the amateurs they were. Put some of those Uni lads in the same programme the Runners have had and they would have done better. There was some talent. I liked their no.8.

I'd never heard of the Runners 8 Ita Vaea before but he's a real goer, a pity he didn't have some stronger defenders to run against to judge him better.

I'd seen 6. Colby Fainga'a a few times - he actually looked better in that one game than 7. Michael Hooper who I have been giving a few wraps too. Of course he is a couple of years older - but Hooper did OK. Looks a tough young bugger for 18.

They didn't play openside and blindside - they played left and right as though they played for France.

I thought 12 Ed Stubbs was very useful too.
 

unsub god

Herbert Moran (7)
Hunt played his 1st part of the season in grade - mainly as a 12. For the the last few rounds and colts finals he dropped back, alternating between 10 & 12. Got really outplayed in the Colts prelim final by J.Lance.
 

Lindommer

Simon Poidevin (60)
Staff member
Noddy said:
I wonder if Tim Walsh is checking out property in the west?

Or Daniel Halangahu? Looks like he won't get much time in the 10 jumper at the Tahs this year. The Force could do worse than encourage this pair, and Daruda, to front up this year.
 

RugbyReg

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
Dan H is on contract though. Why would the tahs give him up?

Walsh isn't on contract.
 
C

chief

Guest
Hunt is no Force #10. He has a nice turn of pace, but he won't last with the big guys, in Colts he failed to dominate.
 
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