Reds 2014

[No4918]

Is Toua off contract this year? Going to be hard to keep him around if so. Obviously he is very talented and looks a million dollars with ball in hand. Nothing else I have seen so far suggests he has what it takes and there are lots of options out there. The Brumbies are going to struggle to keep players and Mogg could be available. It looks less and less likely that home grown talent will get us back to the top.

The NRC is going to be excellent for guys like Toua. Maybe the Reds should see how he goes there before making a decision on his future. Tough call.

 

[Braveheart81]

I agree. He's played about 10 games in 4 years while on contract. Regardless of his potential, it's hard to keep a player like that around who is available so infrequently.

 

[Tip]

The NRC is going to be excellent for guys like Toua. Maybe the Reds should see how he goes there before making a decision on his future. Tough call.

Nah cut him loose.

Replace him with O'Connor.

 

[Scoey]

I don't reckon they would've kept him on as long as they have if he didn't figure in the long term plans of the team. Toua will stay.


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[Tip]

However, when you consider our current crop of wingers: Dom Shipperly, Rod Davies, Lachie Turner - I wouldn't give any of them the flick.
James O'Connor & Toua are both 24 this year...
One has 44 Wallaby caps & 59 Super Rugby caps.
The other has 6 super rugby caps.

It's such a no brainer considering O'Connor would be bought for the same contract price.

 

[Scoey]

Dom hasn't played up to his 2011 standard since but we're not talking about wingers.
As for Toua and O'Connor you forgot to add that one is a dedicated club man and the other one is a completely self absorbed destroyer of team harmony. You're right, it is a no brainer! ;-)


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[No4918]

JOC (James O'Connor) for the same price as Toua? Not likely.

 

[Scoey]

Bingo. He says he wants to play RWC2015 but I am certain that when push comes to shove he wants $$$ more.


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[Tip]

O'Connor haters are always going to hate. Yet where is the same hatred for Beale.
The difference is Beale has been given a third / fourth/ fifth chance, where O'Connor hasn't.
One has a criminal record, the other hasn't...

 

[No4918]

Not a hater and would have him on several conditions. One of which would be that it is at least a 2 year contract. Am happy for him to get another chance, he has had more than you seem to believe though.

He has always been a big fish in his sides. Having Horwill, Genia and Coopers around may help keep his ego in check. Both are risks for very different reasons.

 

[Tip]

I agree that they are both big risks. However one of them was the best winger in the world before things went sour.

I hope for the good of AUS rugby that he's able to return to Australia, knuckle down and help the Reds win back to back titles in 2015...

 

[Scoey]

Chalk and cheese Tip. I think Beale would and should be on similarly thin ice as O'Connor should be but that's where the similarities end.
One has identified that he has a problem and worked hard to address his issues and is doing well as a result. The other one refuses to believe that the common denominator in all of his issues is himself and fucked off overseas because eventually everyone here got sick of him and his ego.
As No4918 says, I would also consider him at the Reds on a number of conditions. But why we got onto this topic was your suggestion that we should get him in at the expense of Toua. I can't get on board with that.


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[qwerty51]

O'Connor haters are always going to hate. Yet where is the same hatred for Beale.
The difference is Beale has been given a third / fourth/ fifth chance, where O'Connor hasn't.
One has a criminal record, the other hasn't.

The simple difference is Beale has never gone elsewhere. He stayed in Australia and has shown a commitment to the country.

 

[Tip]

Well instead of stating their differences, lets state their similarities.
Both aren't going to play for the Reds in the next three months.

 

[Scoey]

So Toua had a bit of a freak injury. That happens when you play rugby. How many games did O'Conner manage to string together at the Rebels?
I seem to remember him being injured more than he was fit for some time there.
That is about the only similarity too by the way. Toua will be at the Reds, attending training, working with the squad, adding to the team however he can and probably doing some public appearances. James will be in his French villa stroking his ego with large denomination euros.

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[Braveheart81]

My prediction is that both of them will be at the Reds next season.

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[USARugger]

I'm drooling.. don't even..

 

[TOCC]

JOC (James O'Connor) for the same price as Toua? Not likely.

Yep, this isn't the Waratahs

 

[TOCC]

I don't think James O'Connor was ever one of the best wingers in the world let alone one of the best is in Australia. For all his attributes I'm not entirely sure what he brings to the team is what the reds are looking for, the Reds really need some power and size in the backline.

That being said he's an obvious talent and would be a bonus to any backline in Australia regardless of what you think of off field antics I guess you just need to weigh up the risk.

 

[Braveheart81]

JOC (James O'Connor) would certainly demand more for Toua but I think people are overestimating his earning potential in Australia next year.

If he's genuinely keen to come back to Australia, he'll largely have to take what he's offered. The fact that he's played a lot of tests and previously demanded a huge salary won't have much meaning in 2015.

The only way I can see him getting a sizable contract is if he agrees to sign with the Super Rugby side for several seasons. If he's looking for a one year contract it will be at bargain basement prices.

It all depends on how much JOC (James O'Connor) wants to have a chance to make the RWC squad.