Digby played for Melbourne.
Qld Premier Rugby 2023
- Thread starter RugbyReg
- Start date
Digby played for Melbourne.
SouthernX
John Thornett (49)
He was at the reds wasnt he?
there was some QRU players propping up the Melbourne franchise.
PhilClinton
Mark Loane (55)
He debuted for the Force, signed with the Reds from 2008 onwards, didn't really crack the Reds team as a consistent player though until 2009.
Possibly was a Reds signing during the ARC but hadn't played a game yet.
SouthernX
John Thornett (49)
I remember the rebels ARC being propped up a lot by qld players.
they had the gps hooker at the time chirven & think the Shaw brothers and Donnelley from brothers were turning out for the Melbourne team.
PhilClinton
Mark Loane (55)
Yep there were a number of QLD based players and also plenty of Shute players.
Chibba Hansen, Churven, Liam Shaw, Damon Murphy, Matt Cockbain to name a few and Crofty was the captain.
Adam84
Rod McCall (65)
From the archives:
Beale finished with 10 points from his eight regular season appearances, receiving the maximum three votes on two occasions – Round Two against the Central Coast Rays and Round Three against the Melbourne Rebels.
Melbourne Rebels captain and Super 14 flanker with the Reds David Croft finished second on eight points, while three players, Luke Burgess (Rebels), Gavin Debartolo (Sydney Fleet) and Ben Alexander (Western Sydney Rams) finished equal third on seven points.
Jimmy_Crouch
Ken Catchpole (46)
He had one just lost it drink driving
PhilClinton
Mark Loane (55)
Had coffee this morning with a mate who coaches in QPR,
He mentioned there have been some rumblings about a cross-competition player loan pool happening, even as early as this season. Something about trying to ensure 1st grade players are playing 1st grade standard footy and not being stuck at clubs where the depth means they don't get a shot and then get lost to the game. Sounds like it's mostly the Shute guys who are pushing for it as there is still a big player drain on their best front rowers leaving for MLR.
I thought it was topical to this thread for a few reasons, one being he mentioned he's heard a few players being shopped around by their agents during the offseason (read: Werchon) and they think if there was a more transparent pool of players looking for new opportunities, it could lessen the impact the agents are having.
Didn't have much else to say about it. If I were to guess, it could possibly be something Pup McCormack trying to get off the ground with his Filth and Randwick relationships as a starting point. I know he brought Faessler down to Randwick last year, but I assume he's back at the Filth this year now that he's a fully contracted Reds player.
He mentioned there have been some rumblings about a cross-competition player loan pool happening, even as early as this season. Something about trying to ensure 1st grade players are playing 1st grade standard footy and not being stuck at clubs where the depth means they don't get a shot and then get lost to the game. Sounds like it's mostly the Shute guys who are pushing for it as there is still a big player drain on their best front rowers leaving for MLR.
I thought it was topical to this thread for a few reasons, one being he mentioned he's heard a few players being shopped around by their agents during the offseason (read: Werchon) and they think if there was a more transparent pool of players looking for new opportunities, it could lessen the impact the agents are having.
Didn't have much else to say about it. If I were to guess, it could possibly be something Pup McCormack trying to get off the ground with his Filth and Randwick relationships as a starting point. I know he brought Faessler down to Randwick last year, but I assume he's back at the Filth this year now that he's a fully contracted Reds player.
SouthernX
John Thornett (49)
Check wests socials (instagram) they posted wests draw and then qpr draw too
Sir Charles
Fred Wood (13)
We know all clubs target each other's 1st Grade prospects as part of their recruit strategy - however agents shopping around for guarantees at club level is a little different and I fail to see how a transparent player pool mitigates this issue?
Either way you look at it you are still robbing Peter to pay Paul - you just want to make sure you are West I mean Paul and not Brothers I mean Peter haha
Either way you look at it you are still robbing Peter to pay Paul - you just want to make sure you are West I mean Paul and not Brothers I mean Peter haha
PhilClinton
Mark Loane (55)
I guess having a transparent pool of ‘excess’ players lessens the impact an agent has on making them move. If all clubs are aware that player x is available, it means the player doesn’t rely on the agents going shopping behind the scenes, leaves the decision more in the players hands as clubs can pitch to them directly.
Anyway, I don’t think it sounds like something that can really work in an amateur comp. If QPR and SS moved towards more professional standards, I can see how this might work as a loan system. Similar to Harry Grant heading to the Wests Tigers on a 12 month deal when Cam Smith was around at the Storm. If a club has three 1st grade standard halves, put the youngest on the loan market for a year, give them a season change down in Sydney and then bring them back.
Hard to see it working anytime soon though.
Anyway, I don’t think it sounds like something that can really work in an amateur comp. If QPR and SS moved towards more professional standards, I can see how this might work as a loan system. Similar to Harry Grant heading to the Wests Tigers on a 12 month deal when Cam Smith was around at the Storm. If a club has three 1st grade standard halves, put the youngest on the loan market for a year, give them a season change down in Sydney and then bring them back.
Hard to see it working anytime soon though.
SouthernX
John Thornett (49)
There’s only so many available positions in a premier grade team. It was absolutely the right call for the careers of Liam Usher and Ethan Dobbins to come over to wests and play premier grade.
Dont forget Richie Skelton. When he was at brothers he had some handy backrowers he was behind before he went to Japan.
maybe Brothers should enter a second team into premier grade. They could play their 3pm games at an over near by - Shaw Road.
I suspect Wests is going to lose some players in coming seasons if they can build on continued success/depth (maybe this year) just due to limited positions available.
Oldschool
Jim Clark (26)
Players need to move if they want to play Prem grade and they see their pathway blocked.
Giving the NZ example. Wayne Smith moved from Putaruru Waikato to Belfast Canterbury because the Waikato coach at the time said he had no hope of making the provincial team. When he rocked up in Christchurch the club that he thought he would play for were having trials with so many players Smithy didn't get his boots out of the car and drove down the road to Belfast.
Billy Bush the Belfast and Canterbury prop at the time told the Canterbury coach about this scrawny kid playing at Belfast and the rest they say is history.
Giving the NZ example. Wayne Smith moved from Putaruru Waikato to Belfast Canterbury because the Waikato coach at the time said he had no hope of making the provincial team. When he rocked up in Christchurch the club that he thought he would play for were having trials with so many players Smithy didn't get his boots out of the car and drove down the road to Belfast.
Billy Bush the Belfast and Canterbury prop at the time told the Canterbury coach about this scrawny kid playing at Belfast and the rest they say is history.
CreepyJoe
Allen Oxlade (6)
Spot on. Brad Kuhn the perfect example. And let's be honest......he is really only a genuine 2nd Grade standard player. He started what? 2 games in 1st Grade at Norths. Leaves to go to UQ last year where he started a max 2 more in 1st Grade where he got dusted. But boom, picks up a deal at Suntory for this year..........
Oh to be a current day front rower!
Sir Charles
Fred Wood (13)
Whats happen to Cullin Cooper Jones is he still at West?
TheGhostWhoWalks
Allen Oxlade (6)
Now that Werchon has gone to the dogs it will be interesting to see if the Christian brothers return to Crosby. Word is they themselves were looking to go to the doggies
PhilClinton
Mark Loane (55)
Are the Christian brothers involved in an ongoing capacity with the Rebels? That may be the deciding factor.