Rebels want Slater- $1 millon a year

[Epi]

You sure you're not Stephen Hawking?

 

[RugbyFuture]

never know epi, but i am looking forward to the gradual demise of league and especially a subtraction in leagues effect on rugby in australia.

 

[en_force_er]

What do you mean he'll break? Rugby is not more physically demanding than league and the fact that the 'size of his frame' is the same as Rogers doesn't mean he's 'brittle'. How many rugby players are running around with the same sized frame and they're not 'breaking'. Do you see some of the hits they try and put on him? No arms either...

I personally think there are better options but if it is designed as a crowd puller they could do worse.

Players are put in more situations where they can be injured though, and matt rogers is the most apparent example of this, so to use him as a control is the most viable to judge the future performance of a player with similar background and skills set, although i think slater is a better person than rogers ever came across as being, this also means that some might be more loyal to league than those previous converts too.

Very impressive piece of bullshitting there, RugbyFuture!

not bullshit, science

I wouldn't say complete BS but I wouldn't exactly call your points science.

There are lots of factors in injuries that aren't necessarily correlated with size. You could be huge and have inherited weak ligaments for example. On the flip side a small person could be strong ligaments.

I wouldn't be citing Slater's size as a reason no to hire him. There are many union backs his size doing quite well and not getting injured very often. For example, JOC (James O'Connor).

 

[Lance Free]

Folau played Union for Marsden College.

Marsden College is a rugby league school - they have a Rugby League Excellence Program there.

The only contact with union is a few midweek Ballymore Cup games (State School comp). This competition is very ad hoc and nothing at all to write home about.

If he played in it I doubt that would have given him much of an insight - it more often than not ends up as a ten-a-side run around.

 

[Sully]

What do you mean he'll break? Rugby is not more physically demanding than league and the fact that the 'size of his frame' is the same as Rogers doesn't mean he's 'brittle'. How many rugby players are running around with the same sized frame and they're not 'breaking'. Do you see some of the hits they try and put on him? No arms either...

I personally think there are better options but if it is designed as a crowd puller they could do worse.

Players are put in more situations where they can be injured though, and matt rogers is the most apparent example of this, so to use him as a control is the most viable to judge the future performance of a player with similar background and skills set, although i think slater is a better person than rogers ever came across as being, this also means that some might be more loyal to league than those previous converts too.

Very impressive piece of bullshitting there, RugbyFuture!

not bullshit, science

I wouldn't say complete BS but I wouldn't exactly call your points science.

There are lots of factors in injuries that aren't necessarily correlated with size. You could be huge and have inherited weak ligaments for example. On the flip side a small person could be strong ligaments.

I wouldn't be citing Slater's size as a reason no to hire him. There are many union backs his size doing quite well and not getting injured very often. For example, JOC (James O'Connor).

Not a good idea to use a player who is out injured as a example of players not getting injured.

 

[TheRiddler]

Not sure why some people think signing these leaguies would be good for the Melbourne crowd. I travel to Melbourne generally once a week for work and have yet to meet anyone who is genuinely passionate about league - or could even name a couple of players. Its easy for us in league oriented cities to believe that high profile players MUST be famous in Melbourne but I simply dont believe this is the case.

If the rumours turn out to be true, I will despise the Rebels. If they can justify the development of the game and their newly formed franchise by pissing a couple of mill against the wall with players who will fail dramatically then it will have proved that the ghost of a certain CEOs business ethics lingers large - allegedly.

Signing a highly rated AFL player on the other hand would prove a good PR coup - however it would ultimately be the same waste of money.

What happened to developing the youth and colts who want to play the game? And looking after dedicated players who live and love the game of rugby?

Edit : bad typos

 

[TOCC]

Not sure why some people think signing these leaguies would be good for the Melbourne crowd. I travel to Melbourne generally once a week for work and have yet to meet anyone who is genuinely passionate about league - or could even name a couple of players. Its easy for us in league oriented cities to believe that high profile players MUST be famous in Melbourne but I simply dont believe this is the case.

If the rumours turn out to be true, I will despise the Rebels. If they can justify the development of the game and their newly formed franchise by pissing a couple of mill against the wall with players who will fail dramatically then it will have proved that the ghost of a certain CEOs business ethics lingers large - allegedly.

Signing a highly rated AFL player on the other hand would prove a good PR coup - however it would ultimately be the same waste of money.

What happened to developing the youth and colts who want to play the game? And looking after dedicated players who live and love the game of rugby?

Edit : bad typos

you are right, Slater and Folau are hardly superstars when it comes to the Melbourne sporting landscape, however, they do still have a profile, a profile which has taken years of hard work to develop. Whilst it may be limited, and potentially only 300'000 melbournites actually know who he is, its still 290'000 peoplemore who know him as opposed to Cipriani, Betham or Delve

 

[Epi]

Not sure why some people think signing these leaguies would be good for the Melbourne crowd. I travel to Melbourne generally once a week for work and have yet to meet anyone who is genuinely passionate about league - or could even name a couple of players. Its easy for us in league oriented cities to believe that high profile players MUST be famous in Melbourne but I simply dont believe this is the case.

If the rumours turn out to be true, I will despise the Rebels. If they can justify the development of the game and their newly formed franchise by pissing a couple of mill against the wall with players who will fail dramatically then it will have proved that the ghost of a certain CEOs business ethics lingers large - allegedly.

Signing a highly rated AFL player on the other hand would prove a good PR coup - however it would ultimately be the same waste of money.

What happened to developing the youth and colts who want to play the game? And looking after dedicated players who live and love the game of rugby?

Edit : bad typos

I don't know Riddler. I go to grass-roots games down here and while it's in a pretty healthy state - and certainly better supported than league - there aren't many Super 15 players running around each weekend.

I hope that Rugby makes inroads and that talented players are attracted to the sport and developed at some stage in the future because at the moment any kid with talent will be playing AFL. This will of course be dependent on a successful franchise down here.

High profile league converts do pull crowds - and rest assured that most sports fans down here know exactly who Slater, Inglis and Folau are.

 

[Spook]

I'd take Inglis over 3 of anyone else in league

 

[RugbyFuture]

Melbourne Rebels deny Billy Slater deal
By GUY HAND and JIM MORTON - AAP

Melbourne Rebels coach Rod Macqueen denies the fledgling rugby club is chasing Billy Slater, but admits they're closing in on ex-international Mark Gasnier.

Slater has been linked to the Rebels on a possible $1 million deal as his embattled NRL club Melbourne Storm faces the prospect of disbanding a team built by creative accounting.

Test and State of Origin player Slater is sure to be in demand should stars have to be shed, though Macqueen denies the Storm fullback is in the Rebels' sights.

"It's (speculation about signing Slater) definitely wide of the mark. It's definitely wrong. Especially when things are tough, we gave our assurances early on to the Storm and we still feel the same way," Macqueen said.

"We made a point when we came down here that we wouldn't be targeting any of the Storm players in anything we did, and nothing's changed.

"The reality is we've targeted only a certain amount of players (for the Rebels) and I would say the majority of players we've targeted we've got, and there certainly are some players we've spoken to that have wanted to remain with their current franchise.

"We've said from day one we don't want to be enticing people to this franchise with money. It's very important money isn't their motivation to come to the Rebels."

But one player who could be a Rebel within a fortnight is ex-St George Illawarra back Gasnier.

The 28-year-old, who quit league for French union club Stade Francais two years ago, is set for a move back to Australia in an attempt to win selection for next year's rugby World Cup.

While also on the Queensland hit-list, Reds coach Ewen McKenzie admitted he'd much rather see starting Wallabies duo Quade Cooper and Peter Hynes re-sign than snare the versatile Gasnier who'd played under him at Stade.

"He's got some pretty good skills and is a good student of the game,"McKenzie said.

"(But) there's no point getting stressed about it because it's all theory.

"I'm more interested in getting sorted out Cooper and Hynes.

"You have to look after your backyard."

Gasnier certainly fits Macqueen's "no mercenaries" profile - facing a hefty pay cut from his lucrative European deal if he wants to return to Australia to chase a Wallabies jersey.

"He's got a decision to make - whether to come back to Australian rugby or whether to stay - obviously he's going to get more money if he stays in France," Macqueen said.

"We've said that we would like if Mark came to Australia we'd certainly like him to be with the Rebels."

 

[en_force_er]

What happened to developing the youth and colts who want to play the game? And looking after dedicated players who live and love the game of rugby?

I play Colts in Melbourne and our league is up 3 teams from last year. One club is even fielding an A and B Colts side. Also, more teams look competitive than usual.

My club, along with a surprising amount of others, are fielding an additional senior side this year.

Even if it's only by proxy, the Rebels are certainly drumming up interest for the game down here. Next year when their players start getting involved in the club scene I'm sure it'll really help with interest.

 

[Gagger]

I'd take Inglis over 3 of anyone else in league

Ditto

Thankfully I don't get saturated with the Aussie mungo bullshit up here, so looking at FPs videos;

• in Folau saw a kid who's good in the air and can dive in the corner. Saw nothing else.
• Slater is JO'C at the end of his career, but smaller.

Inglis is the only Mungo to sit me up and make me think 'wow', plus he's big enough. No idea about off field stuff.

And who the fuck is Cronk?

 

[chief]

I'd take Inglis over 3 of anyone else in league

And who the fuck is Cronk?

I've been wondering the same thing, I think he's just a good NRL player from the Storm. I'm guilty of avoiding RL at all costs.

 

[TOCC]

Cronk is Berrick Barnes of the NRL..

He does nothing flashy but he is a good leader, excellent kicking game, decent passing game and reads the play well

 

[DPK]

Cronk is Berrick Barnes of the NRL.. *

He does nothing flashy but he is a good leader, excellent kicking game, decent passing game and reads the play well

*In form Berrick Barnes.

 

[RugbyReg]

Cronk is also a former Aussie Schoolboy rugby player in 2001.

 

[wobbly]

The bottom line is that the ARU management are mindful that Sailor, Rogers, Tuqiri & Tahu were all established Mungo stars and Barnes, Elsom, Palu and Chambers were converted as young players with rugby backgrounds and significantly they did not require ARU top-ups and had to (will have to for Chambers) earn they're Wallaby jumpers.

I'd be happy to see Ingliss, Folau or Cronk come across but they need to understand that ARU top-ups need to be earnt.

I think it's incredibly important to remain consistent in this policy. The 4 franchises are already developing young talent at a faster rate than NZ & SA. We'r eon the verge of another great era for he Wallabies, why go and risk that with a startegy that didn't work in the noughties?

I suspect the Storm academy is probably were Macqueen is focussing his attention.

 

[Scarfman]

So far, the Rebels have been making smart picks. All this talk of flashing the cash doesn't sound like Macqueen to me. If one of these blokes comes across for reasonable money, then it's a smart pick. We don't need more than one, so it's a buyer's market.

 

[Groucho]

What do you mean he'll break? Rugby is not more physically demanding than league and the fact that the 'size of his frame' is the same as Rogers doesn't mean he's 'brittle'. How many rugby players are running around with the same sized frame and they're not 'breaking'. Do you see some of the hits they try and put on him? No arms either...

I personally think there are better options but if it is designed as a crowd puller they could do worse.

Players are put in more situations where they can be injured though, and matt rogers is the most apparent example of this, so to use him as a control is the most viable to judge the future performance of a player with similar background and skills set, although i think slater is a better person than rogers ever came across as being, this also means that some might be more loyal to league than those previous converts too.

Very impressive piece of bullshitting there, RugbyFuture!

not bullshit, sceince

Hardly science. In terms of injuries, Mat Rogers is what is know in statistics as an outlier. You would never use an outlier as a control: you'd use the median player of the same size as Slater. Secondly, skillset isn't an issue here, only size, unless you are asserting that skilled players get hurt more. If you're asserting that skilled players get hurt less, then you're arguing against your own position!

 

[Godfrey]

What do you mean he'll break? Rugby is not more physically demanding than league and the fact that the 'size of his frame' is the same as Rogers doesn't mean he's 'brittle'. How many rugby players are running around with the same sized frame and they're not 'breaking'. Do you see some of the hits they try and put on him? No arms either...

I personally think there are better options but if it is designed as a crowd puller they could do worse.

Players are put in more situations where they can be injured though, and matt rogers is the most apparent example of this, so to use him as a control is the most viable to judge the future performance of a player with similar background and skills set, although i think slater is a better person than rogers ever came across as being, this also means that some might be more loyal to league than those previous converts too.

Very impressive piece of bullshitting there, RugbyFuture!

not bullshit, sceince

Hardly science. In terms of injuries, Mat Rogers is what is know in statistics as an outlier. You would never use an outlier as a control: you'd use the median player of the same size as Slater. Secondly, skillset isn't an issue here, only size, unless you are asserting that skilled players get hurt more. If you're asserting that skilled players get hurt less, then you're arguing against your own position!

You'd also never use a sample set of one and claim to be being scientific either.