Reds 2013

[Ash]

Delve had to go regardless, his two years as a marquee player is almost over...

Nope, I don't think that's right. The Rebels had special clauses for marquee players, remember? Along the lines of, 6 first year, 5 second year, 4 third, and so on, until they are down to two (well, one "marquee" and one developmental) like everyone else (ok, I guess at the starting number, but it was around 6 - 8 foreign players initially). This meant they also had temporary exclusion on the 2 year rule too, I thought - and you will see this if they re-sign Lipman and Ged Robinson.

I think that the Rebels should have bent over backwards to keep Delve - he's their captain, their best forward (followed by Ged Robinson, in my book) and he's been the heart and soul of their pack for the first two years. Not to mention that the biggest problem for the Rebels next year appears to be their pack, when they have a stellar back line. Delve is the Rebels' biggest loss by far, and a shame he's lost to Super rugby.

If the Rebels lose Saffy, Lipman, Delve, Robinson this year, that's a lot of class from what is already a mid-table pack. The bright spot is Davidson appears to finally be stepping up from a great club player to a good Super rugby player.

Sorry for the digression to the Rebels...

 

[Forcefield]

Delve had to go regardless, his two years as a marquee player is almost over...

That fully sucks. You've got a very good player who the fans love and who presumably wants to stay but the ARU won't let him. Who cares about the 2 year rule. We don't have great depth at the moment and we still have four other starting 8s and a handful of very good options serving as back ups.

 

[Slim 293]

Let's not forget that Delve is off to France next year...

 

[armatt]

I had a brief chat with Quade last night. He was pretty cagey about his thoughts re: signature but also dropped something along the lines of 'I need to get more games under my belt' - so he's possibly realised that he may need another season with the Reds in good form to again warrant top dollars.

 

[redstragic]

I had a brief chat with Quade last night. He was pretty cagey about his thoughts re: signature but also dropped something along the lines of 'I need to get more games under my belt' - so he's possibly realised that he may need another season with the Reds in good form to again warrant top dollars.

Leaving is such a big call with Sanchez at the Reds for another 3 years. Those 2 good will be up there with our greatest halves if they stick together.

 

[RedsHappy]

Hear a whisper that Higgers HAS signed and Delve getting the shove to make room. Horrible if true (re Higgers I mean).

Reckon Beale, JOC (James O'Connor), QC (Quade Cooper) and Pocock would be in the top 4 - don't know about the order of them

As I've said elsewhere, if due to this mad salary cap scheme, a player of Higgers' evolving calibre and value to the Reds, and after years of mutual loyalty and development, cannot be 'afforded' by the Reds and thus has to leave, this is a travesty of exceptional proportions and gravely so in the cause of building Aus franchises that can hold onto hard-won champion teams and players that can win repetitively, not just once every 10-15 years.

 

[tranquility]

Losing Higgers as he hits his peak form would be a travesty, as so much work has gone into his development from an athletic club rugby player to dominant super rugby player and whatever else comes from here. It would be a damn shame.

 

[Sully]

There has been some talk in the media about the huge crowd turn out for Sunday Rugby. I love a bit of Sunday arvo footy as much as the next guy but is a few thousand extra punters a HUGE improvement? You be the judge.
Rd 2 = 33,563
Rd 3 = 34,126
Rd 7 = 31,479
Rd 9 = 31,548
Rd 12 = 36,479

 

[Roundawhile]

Sorry Sully but I must disagree. First two games was boilover from last year. Next two dropped off and were showing signs of the wagoneers departing.
Given the extra number of kiwi's who wanted to see the reds lose (or a proportion of actual chiefs supporters) there was still an increase of reds supporters who turned up because of our performance against the saders.
This is a rebuilding of Qld rugby IMHO, and I think it is wonderful.
It was after all the biggest attendance at an australian match this year.

 

[tigerland12]

There has been some talk in the media about the huge crowd turn out for Sunday Rugby. I love a bit of Sunday arvo footy as much as the next guy but is a few thousand extra punters a HUGE improvement? You be the judge.
Rd 2 = 33,563
Rd 3 = 34,126
Rd 7 = 31,479
Rd 9 = 31,548
Rd 12 = 36,479

You make it sound like having crowds above 30,000 for every home game is a bad thing?

 

[RedsHappy]

In fairness, this is not at all what Sully is saying. He's saying: there's no hard trend evidence that 'arvo' scheduling has driven up the 2012 Reds last crowd very materially, and I'd agree.

Especially as we know vs Kiwi matches adds '000s to the base Reds crowd as local and tour group Kiwis join in.

 

[Sully]

Exactly mate. It's not a lot more than normal. And Of course, as a supporter, I'm happy with the crowds.

 

[ChargerWA]

Seriously....WTF. How can 4 teams in the competition be governed by a salary cap and one not. What a fucking joke.

 

[Caputo]

What should the Reds do about Props. Release Shepherdson. Is Davis up to Super 15 standard. Would he or Anae be bought into the 30.

Search for a new prop from the Under 20 or Academies. Maybe Pettowa Paraka or weren't they trying to convert to LHP Curtis Browning.

 

[Lee Grant]

Maybe Pettowa Paraka or weren't they trying to convert to LHP Curtis Browning.

Steady on; these blokes are 18 years old.

I heard the talk about Curtis being trained as a LHP but he's 193cms tall and one of the jobs of the LHP is to get into the chest of the THP.
.

 

[tigerland12]

Davis isn't up to it, but Anae is good enough for a full contract. We are looking at Jeremy Tilse as a 4th choice aswell.

 

[TheBigDog]

I caught a quick glimpse of a headline on Sunrise this morning as I was going out the door. Looks like it said 'Scott Higginbotham signs with Rebels'. I haven't been able to find any other news articles to back this up though.

 

[TheBigDog]

Davis isn't up to it, but Anae is good enough for a full contract. We are looking at Jeremy Tilse as a 4th choice aswell.

One of the SA Smith brothers from GPS probably wouldn't be a bad choice either, I believe they are both in the wider academy program that the ARU setup.

 

[Jets]

Anae would be a good option as the 4th prop, as he showed against the Crusaders. Unfortunately he broke his arm on Saturday and is going into surgery today. With Daley injured too and Shepherdson still out someone will be getting a chance to show if they are up to it for next year.

 

[No4918]

I caught a quick glimpse of a headline on Sunrise this morning as I was going out the door. Looks like it said 'Scott Higginbotham signs with Rebels'. I haven't been able to find any other news articles to back this up though.

It was: Higginbotham set to sign with Rebels.

Not a done deal yet. My wife started having a go at him and i said it was basically him or Cooper. She said they should lose Cooper.