Rebels 2014

[Proud Pig]

Well where is he going to go then?
He can't go back to Perth after the somewhat acrimonious departure.
The ARU will not want both he and KB (Kurtley Beale) at the Tahs plus with the salary cap there is no way they can fit both and keep Izzy.
I can't imagine they will be happy with him at the Reds with QC (Quade Cooper) either.
That leaves staying where he is, the Brumbies or he goes overseas. I think I am correct in saying that the Brumbies said they are not in the market for him and the ARU would be loath to let him go OS.

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

with richard graham gone from the force, i think the door is wide open on the basis he signs a 3 year contract.
they've got a backline now that looks very sharp. the only question is what position would JOC (James O'Connor) play? kyle godwin is a must starter, presumably at 12, but he could easily (i think) be a superb 10 and maybe JOC (James O'Connor) at 12 with holmes as the back up 10 and morahan at 15.

i'll be surprised if he re-signs with the rebels. everything i have heard is that he does not fit in.

 

[GaffaCHinO]

with richard graham gone from the force, i think the door is wide open on the basis he signs a 3 year contract.
they've got a backline now that looks very sharp. the only question is what position would JOC (James O'Connor) play? kyle godwin is a must starter, presumably at 12, but he could easily (i think) be a superb 10 and maybe JOC (James O'Connor) at 12 with holmes as the back up 10 and morahan at 15.

i'll be surprised if he re-signs with the rebels. everything i have heard is that he does not fit in.

I think the Force would welcome him back but on there own terms. i would love for JOC (James O'Connor) to be Tried at 13. He would be a BOD clone.

 

[Tex]

I won't cry if he goes. Hopefully a pay cut and some KPIs are attached to his next contract, wherever it may be.

Makes me all the more disappointed about missing out on Foley, but as the Force are showing with Godwin, it's always better to develop your own talent through grassroots and a solid culture.

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

i don't care if he goes. he insists on playing 10 or 12 and after this saturday i am in the camp that he is not a 10.

trouble is - with foley not coming we are short a playmaker. hegarty is good, but he's not super 15 standard yet.
maybe we will poach karmichael hunt who was great for biarritz at 10 and whose career in afl looks well and truly over.
alternatively - i think we should look to poach nathan hirayama from canada. he plays flyhalf for our XV's and led the 7s world cup in try scoring and nearly took the world series points title.
he would have to be up there as one of the best 7's players in the game, has great hands, great boot and pace.

 

[Train Without a Station]

maybe we will poach karmichael hunt who was great for biarritz at 10 and whose career in afl looks well and truly over.

Where is this info from? He was in the team until injury. He may have had a couple of hit outs for the reserves as he spent something like 6 weeks on the sideline.

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

he's been horrible all year for them and and looks out of it. i watch a lot of afl, as does everyone i know down here, and all agree. he looks out of sorts. the young players in the suns roster are improving at a rate far greater than hunt is and he's getting pushed out. it was ok last year when the competition wasn't as strong for spots, but now he's out of it.

matthew lloyd feels the same.

he had two disposals on the weekend and was subbed off.

 

[en_force_er]

I know he does some big hits and technically is a national representative but id like to think the rebels would aim a bit higher if they were to recruit a NRL "star".

He's a solid NRL starter with a future. That's where Vuna and Saffy were when we got them.

People like to talk about Saffy being an NRL champion but he was a bench man. Vuna on the other hand was a starter for a middle of the table (or sometimes worse) team and couldn't crack the Kiwi side.

I'm not saying they were bad pick-ups, just that you have to look at the player more than his situation.

 

[oztimmay]

i don't care if he goes. he insists on playing 10 or 12 and after this saturday i am in the camp that he is not a 10.

trouble is - with foley not coming we are short a playmaker. hegarty is good, but he's not super 15 standard yet.
maybe we will poach karmichael hunt who was great for biarritz at 10 and whose career in afl looks well and truly over.
alternatively - i think we should look to poach nathan hirayama from canada. he plays flyhalf for our XV's and led the 7s world cup in try scoring and nearly took the world series points title.
he would have to be up there as one of the best 7's players in the game, has great hands, great boot and pace.

What about Gus Roberts in the playmaker role? Before he got injured I thought he was doing a good job. Like Bryce he needs a little more time to develop, but with those two competing for a starting 10 jersey it can only be good for the team.

If it doesn't work out for Bryce at 10 you have a handy cover for 15 of woody gets injured.

 

[Dave Beat]

Jason Woodward to 10, I think he has some good history there?

 

[Train Without a Station]

He's a solid NRL starter with a future. That's where Vuna and Saffy were when we got them.

People like to talk about Saffy being an NRL champion but he was a bench man. Vuna on the other hand was a starter for a middle of the table (or sometimes worse) team and couldn't crack the Kiwi side.

I'm not saying they were bad pick-ups, just that you have to look at the player more than his situation.

Probably undersells Vuna a bit. Wasn't he the leading try scorer? Saffy wasn't quite "just a bench man" but he was no out and out starter either.

Saffy did have a bit of rugby pedigree though didn't he? I know he played Sydney Uni at some level but was he also Aus Schoolboys?

 

[Athilnaur]

While I have no doubt Woodward could make a fist of ten I think it would be a complete cock up to put him there, leave him be I say.

 

[oztimmay]

While I have no doubt Woodward could make a fist of ten I think it would be a complete cock up to put him there, leave him be I say.

Agreed. He's shown this season that with some space he can be very damaging from 15. We already have two 10s and we should give them the experience there to develop.

 

[Bruce Ross]

Saffy did have a bit of rugby pedigree though didn't he? I know he played Sydney Uni at some level but was he also Aus Schoolboys?

Australian Schools; Australian Under-21s and Australian Sevens. You're right, TWaS, he does "have a bit of rugby pedigree".
.

 

[southsider]

He's a solid NRL starter with a future. That's where Vuna and Saffy were when we got them.

People like to talk about Saffy being an NRL champion but he was a bench man. Vuna on the other hand was a starter for a middle of the table (or sometimes worse) team and couldn't crack the Kiwi side.

I'm not saying they were bad pick-ups, just that you have to look at the player more than his situation.

like other have said saffy had a pretty good union background, vuna was average at nrl level despite being the youngest ever player to debut for the warriors (at the time) but I honestly think vuna is a average rugby player too

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

woodward needs to work on not kicking one restart out on the full each game
that is getting annoying.

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

What about Gus Roberts in the playmaker role? Before he got injured I thought he was doing a good job. Like Bryce he needs a little more time to develop, but with those two competing for a starting 10 jersey it can only be good for the team.

If it doesn't work out for Bryce at 10 you have a handy cover for 15 of woody gets injured.

i really thought angus roberts looked horrible as a 10. completely out of his depth and lost. he looked better at fullback where he had more time.
but i think he's quite a ways off. a good year or two.

 

[en_force_er]

i really thought angus roberts looked horrible as a 10. completely out of his depth and lost. he looked better at fullback where he had more time.
but i think he's quite a ways off. a good year or two.

His first game was good but I don't think anything since has been too flash.

 

[daz]

Well where is he going to go then?
He can't go back to Perth after the somewhat acrimonious departure.

Sure he can. The Force have moved on significantly, with a new CEO and Coach. This "acrimonious" stuff is ancient history and is only dusted off by the fans when the Rebels and the Force play each other.

I promise you, if JOC (James O'Connor) goes back to Perth, the fans and the club will welcome him back with open arms. I think he fits the Force anyway; every kid in Perth junior rugby had his number on their backs and I suspect JOC (James O'Connor) likes being the big wheel. In Perth, he can be.

Personally, I am thrilled with the young team the Rebels have got, and would back them to develop rather than throw the kitchen sink to keep JOC (James O'Connor).

 

[blues recovery]

Word from the camp on the coaching situation is it's down to two candidates , both Macs.
Also apparently not keen at all on re signing JOC (James O'Connor).