Reds 2011

[Redsfan]

I'd love us to sign Robins Tchale-Watchou. He has no media profile, he plays for Cameroon, but he is an absolute beast. He's a very mobile 196cm 124kg lock who plays for Perpignan (admittedly I've only ever watched one or two of his games though). I think he's got a reasonably long contract though.

 

[Doc]

How about a team of Brisbane based Under 20 RWC players? Just for fun, as most of these boys are a long way off s14.

1. PAE (Oz)
2. Matt Ika (Tonga)
3. Dave Feao (Tonga)
4.
5.
6. Quirk (Oz)
7. Gill (Oz)
8. Schatz (Oz)
9.
10. Lance (Oz)
11. Christopher Nasiganiyavi (Nadolo) Fiji
12. Tuua (Samoa)
13. Shipperley (Oz)
14. Situati (Oz)
15. Morahan (Oz)

16. Etuate Lolohea (Tonga) Centre
17. Kirwan Sanday (Fiji) prop
18. Josh Tuquri (Hooker/Prop) Fiji
19. Michale Tunrer (hooker) Fiji
20. Solomoni Rasolea (centre) fiji
21. Ratu Tevita Kurudrini (centre) fiji
22. Teti Tela flyhalf/centre
23. Tom Linde (centre)

A very centre dominated group.

Could slot Grasso or O'Connor in at 9 from the u20 age group though not selected, but short on locks in this age group, as last years u19 merit team showed. Maybe Gorry from easts and the gps lad.

 

[Sully]

Would be good of the Reds to look at the Brisbane Club Comp for some home grown players - Half of the bloody academy are from New Zealand.

Have you been to south-east Queensland lately? I'd say it is a fair representation.

 

[TOCC]

dont quote me but i believe QLD has the second largest population of Kiwis behind New Zealand...

Anyway, in regards to the QLD club competition, IMO i dont think there is really much talent there that hasnt already been identified. Fact of the matter is that QLD arguably has the best junior identification program, In QLD if a player hasnt been identified as super15 material by the time he has leaft school then he probably wont ever be.

Sure there are the odd player or two who slip through the net, but i dont think that many would.

 

[RugbyReg]

odd little article that has popped up on QRU site. Relevant here:

Playing rugby in Queensland has its attractions
Wednesday, 12 May 2010

Whether it’s the great form of the QR Reds or the short sleeves winter weather, playing rugby in Queensland is a popular option for the international rugby fraternity, with players from 24 countries transferring their registration to the Sunshine State so far in 2010.

From Belgium to Zimbabwe and 22 countries in between, a total of 202 overseas registered players have been cleared to play for Queensland clubs since 1 January, with another 13 currently going through the approval process.

Of those already transferred, the three leading nations are New Zealand (79 players), England (44) and Scotland (13). The highest profile transfer is former All Black Caleb Ralph, who turned out last weekend for the Sunshine Coast Stingrays, scoring a try in his Premier Rugby debut.

Some are also Aussies returning home, such as: former Reds and Wallaby great Toutai Kefu, like Caleb Ralph also now with the Sunshine Coast Stingrays after a stint in Japan; former Reds hooker Ole Avei rejoining Sunnybank and Easts 2007 Premier Player of the Year Matt Brandon, also back home from Japan.

Queensland has also attracted 77 players from other states since the beginning of the year, with 37 joining from New South Wales, 15 from ACT, nine from Victoria, six each from the Northern Territory and Western Australia and four from South Australia.

In comparison, 35 players left Queensland in 2010 to play interstate, while a further 23 transferred overseas.

Players from outside Australia registered to play rugby in Queensland since 1 January, 2010:

Belgium - 1
Canada - 6
Cook Islands - 1
England - 44
Fiji - 3
France - 5
Germany - 3
Hong Kong - 2
Ireland - 7
Italy - 1
Japan - 7
Netherlands - 3
New Zealand - 79
Papua New Guinea - 1
Peru - 1
Portugal - 1
Samoa - 1
Scotland - 13
South Africa - 6
Sweden - 1
Tonga - 1
United States of America - 8
Wales - 6
Zimbabwe - 1

Transfers from within Australia:

NSW - 37
NSWSRU - 5
NSWCRU - 21
NSWRU - 11
ACT - 15
NT - 6
SA - 4
VIC - 9
WA - 6

 

[skullring]

Gaven Warren (prop for GPS) was awesome last year.

Most of that Brothers backline, especially James Harvey, Ant Sauer and Damon Murphy.

Ryan Schultz from Norths, although he's probably too small for pro hooker.

Bugger it, let's throw in Brett Stapleton on the wing from the Gold Coast.

David Feao is getting wraps from Souths as prop

There was some hot backs in the Brothers Team that topped Sydney Uni in the Interstate club chamionship game, I know the Uni team was severely depleted but after watching the highlights video in the top club rugby try thread you'd have to think some of those backs achieving line breaks at will would have to at least be getting monitored by the S15 teams, and not just looking at schoolboys

 

[Aussie D]

Gaven Warren - is he the kid that EJ (Eddie Jones) threw into S14 prematurely at 19yrs old? Is he still in the Academy or has he been dropped?

 

[RugbyReg]

Aussie D, that's the one. I saw him play a few games for GPS last year and he was fantastic. Big as hell too.

Don't know if he is still around.

He aint in the academy and hasn't been for a while.

 

[Doc]

Gaven Warren - is he the kid that EJ (Eddie Jones) threw into S14 prematurely at 19yrs old? Is he still in the Academy or has he been dropped?

Eddie popped him in. The next year he was playing thirds at GPS working his way back.

 

[skullring]

Gaven Warren - is he the kid that EJ (Eddie Jones) threw into S14 prematurely at 19yrs old? Is he still in the Academy or has he been dropped?

Eddie popped him in. The next year he was playing thirds at GPS working his way back.

Super 14 to thirds... wow....
this is testimony to how the super 14 academys think simply going from school to training with them fulltime for an off season is magically going to ready them for the toughness of super 14 football

 

[RugbyReg]

he was used. He was told to take a dive at the first scrum and fake an injury so they could go to uncontested scrums.

Poor lad.

 

[tranquility]

Noddy, be serious mate.

he went off in a stretcher, and had a fairly serious neck injury.

 

[RugbyReg]

mate I'm totally serious. One of the Reds most senior and respected players told me.

Twas a Jones move.

 

[Utility Back]

Yep, heard the same from and equally valid source.

Wouldnt feel to sorry for him though,

allegedly paid quite hansomly for it...

 

[Geeves]

mate I'm totally serious. One of the Reds most senior and respected players told me.

Twas a Jones move.

For years I nicked named EJ (Eddie Jones) as Chucky after that evil little doll for his ability to butcher a side. Looks like another good example of his coaching style

 

[runsonrum]

Yep, heard the same from and equally valid source.

Wouldnt feel to sorry for him though,

allegedly paid quite hansomly for it...

allegedly!!!

I feel very sorry for him, told to take a dive in his S14 debut, thrown to the wolves by media and sledgers calling him weak, lost all confidence in himself and the last I heard had given up on rugby all together.

An absolute sad endictment on rugby in its professional form and the depths some people like Eddie Jones would sink to.

How much would be "handsomely" to have your S14 debut ruined? Not enough at any price.

 

[TOCC]

the irony would have been if he decided to ignore what EJ (Eddie Jones) said and scrummaged properly, and actually held his own

 

[Moses]

Does anyone know how injured Horwill is? Has he got a '10 Spring Tour in him?

Bit of action on his twitter account today

finally walking around the house without my brace!! Feels a bit weird so used to having it on it has been 11 weeks.

then in response to some questions

what you aiming to be back for now..playing wise?

hopefully maybe the spring tour but we will just have to wait to see how it responds over the next while

 

[spectator]

third hooker would be Albert Anae I reckon?

third scrummie Matt Lucas?

I don't think the young Lucas is ready to be in a Super squad just yet. Maybe in a couple of years time. I've seen him play 1 colts game this year and while he was good he wasn't at the level that I would feel comfortable with putting him on the field against some real men in Super rugby.

I reckon people should be looking at the young scrummie from Uni, Prior is his name I think. Looks very handy to me.

 

[tranquility]

I can't wait until Higginbum gets into camp Wallaby and Deans and Co can teach him a few things about playing tight, with his physique it is absolutely essential that he get that part of his game right, both at ruck time and in the set piece - if nothing else but for versatility.

Also, what about Tom Murday of Sunnybank as a Lock development player? He was on an academy contract at the force, is only 20 and is about 2M. Gotta be worth a look right??