Reds 2020

[SouthernX]

From a reds perspective - I don’t want anything to do ever again with Rodda, Hockings or Lucas.

There’s other piconne players still at the reds. These guys need to live with their decisions they’ve made and unfortunately that’s the bridge they have burned.

I will support those 3 in Wallabies colours but seeing them back at ballymore. No thanks. Not interested in players who wouldn’t buy into the reds program during the covid era where all their teammates were taking paycuts.

 

[upthereds#!]

Not according to The Australian which suggests Rodda signed for less then what his pre-COVID contract was worth.
Understand they had taken a 60% pay reduction so now this French contract might be worth twice as much as his Australian one, but that 60% reduction is supposed to be reviewed in July?

Long story short, at best the contract is worth twice as much as what he could have earned in Australia after the 60% pay cut and that’s assuming that pay cut isn’t reduced or lifted in coming months.

It was until September unless they went back to playing earlier, hence an earlier review. Assuming a 60% cut will be maintained is just silly. The contract Rodda is on in France is worth less, full stop. He played a game and lost. Also his agent seemed to have extremely over valued his client on the foreign market. 650k Aus $ is tough to beat, especially for a 23 year old who isn't exactly a dominant force in the 2nd row world.

 

[PhilClinton]

Lets not forget Picone strongly inferred that RA needed to lift the Giteau rule and let all overseas based players play as part of this process.

I assume this was a selling point of his to these blokes - walk away from the contact, sign for mega bucks overseas and we're going to try and hold RA hostage to still let you be Wallaby qualified.

Well if those contract figures are correct, they've already lost one of those battles. And I can't see the eligibility rule backflip coming right away either.

 

[Sully]

I wonder what Dave Rennie thinks of overseas players?

 

[upthereds#!]

I wonder what Dave Rennie thinks of overseas players?

I think any coach thinks highly of a player that in their view would make their team stronger. Taylor for example could not have made it any more clear that Skelton is one of those players in his view.

 

[Wilson]

Up to 10,000 in stadiums from the next weekend

 

[PhilClinton]

I think any coach thinks highly of a player that in their view would make their team stronger. Taylor for example could not have made it any more clear that Skelton is one of those players in his view.

Before Rennie even gets a say I'm sure the details of any upcoming broadcast agreement will be a factor. As a broadcaster, why would I pay big money for a product if a bulk of the best players aren't playing?

For the record I'm not totally against allowing overseas players play, but even if the Wallabies do want them to play, I don't think it would be that simple.

 

[PhilClinton]

Will be interesting to see if the whole player agent profession in Australia gets a bit of a shake up with Isaac Moses being de-registered by the NRL for some alleged dodgy dealings. Moses has vowed to 'take others down with him' as he fights the charges and he commands a much higher profile book (by NRL standards) than Picone does with rugby players.

I would definitely support some more clarity and boundaries being put in place, for the younger players sake more than anything. Over the years a number of people I know had dealings with 'agents' especially in their younger years and its easy to see why the agents names are appearing more and more in the media. They can rope you in early and it ends up being very hard to legally distance yourself.

 

[dru]

We had reached a point where the entire pack was very promising, more to the point our depth in the row had become a current and future strength. And then, Picone-esque, it fell apart.

It adds a layer of additional challenge for sure, but surely with Brad we have the right bloke to deal with it. Not just because of who he is and what he has done - as a player. But ALSO because of who he is and what he has done as a coach.

I still think it needs more time to see how he manages coaching the game making roles, but there is little doubt he is a better coach now than when he started.

There is every reason to get on board Reds 2020.

 

[Jets]

I disagree with you dru about him being the right guy for the job but he does seems to be getting better. The thing is there isn't anyone else who could take over so hopefully he gets things going for the Super AU. This will hopefully be the making of him and the team.

 

[liquor box]

From a reds perspective - I don’t want anything to do ever again with Rodda, Hockings or Lucas.

There’s other piconne players still at the reds. These guys need to live with their decisions they’ve made and unfortunately that’s the bridge they have burned.

I will support those 3 in Wallabies colours but seeing them back at ballymore. No thanks. Not interested in players who wouldn’t buy into the reds program during the covid era where all their teammates were taking paycuts.

What were your thoughts on O'Connor coming back to Australia and Reds given his past?

Time heals all wounds, especially if you are a talented sportsman

 

[Derpus]

What were your thoughts on O'Connor coming back to Australia and Reds given his past?

Time heals all wounds, especially if you are a talented sportsman

Different circumstances generally, plus he clearly demonstrated that he had matured and had put a lot of work into maturing.

It also took him years to get to that point.

 

[Silverado]

Different circumstances generally, plus he clearly demonstrated that he had matured and had put a lot of work into maturing.

It also took him years to get to that point.

The 3 players mentioned are very young. They may mature over time

 

[Derpus]

The 3 players mentioned are very young. They may mature over time

Yeah - i think they would be welcomed back in 5 years or so, generally. I think people are saying in the short term they shouldn't be offered shit. We have limited financial resources, are under pressure and they've shown they aren't team players.

 

[PhilClinton]

Very different circumstances.

JOC (James O'Connor) was essentially the prototype for the young Australian athlete with the world at their feet who let it go to his head. Professional 'superstar' at 17 and Wallaby at 18 with a fat Western Force contract, had a camera crew following him around at high school parties, all that stuff was very toxic. He was a goose and he paid for it by having his contract torn up.

The Picone three have walked away from their teammates in probably the biggest crisis to the sport they'll face in their life as a professional athlete. Similarly to JOC (James O'Connor) they've obviously let their inflated sense of worth determine their course of action, but the path they took to get there is very different.

 

[redstragic]

Just got the email for Festival of Hate tickets!! Can't wait, I hope we overcome the euphoria of rugby being back and show no mercy.

 

[pnut]

Reds by plentY 30+ Especially with injuries and bone head selections.

 

[Ignoto]

The 3 players mentioned are very young. They may mature over time

Hard to tell if they'll mature with Piccone in their ear. Here's what Rennie had to say yesterday;

"He's signed a 12-month deal, so it doesn't mean the door is shut on him to come back. It was very messy, but if you do right by your players some of those guys come back because they know they've been looked after in the past."
Rennie's sentiment might raise eyebrows in Queensland and among fans, who read stories about young players refusing to take pay cuts at the height of the coronavirus crisis. A version closer to the truth would note that the Brumbies and Force both wanted to sign Rodda but all parties - the Reds, Rodda, his management and RA - had taken positions that effectively made it impossible for RA to be seen to 'reward' him with another contract.
"What’s been portrayed lacks accuracy," he says. "He's a good man and he wants to be a Wallaby. I’m not going to go into all the issues around the contract and the tactics that were used to potentially get him out of this contract, but you query whether that was the best way of doing it.
"Izack had a sabbatical in his contract that meant he could have gone away and still been available this year and next year for the Wallabies. I certainly haven't closed the door on him."

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-...ennie-s-wallabies-agenda-20200621-p554p8.html

 

[Jets]

Very different circumstances.

JOC (James O'Connor) was essentially the prototype for the young Australian athlete with the world at their feet who let it go to his head. Professional 'superstar' at 17 and Wallaby at 18 with a fat Western Force contract, had a camera crew following him around at high school parties, all that stuff was very toxic. He was a goose and he paid for it by having his contract torn up.

The Picone three have walked away from their teammates in probably the biggest crisis to the sport they'll face in their life as a professional athlete. Similarly to JOC (James O'Connor) they've obviously let their inflated sense of worth determine their course of action, but the path they took to get there is very different.

The comparison with Pocock, who could have done the same thing, is stark.

 

[upthereds#!]

The comparison with Pocock, who could have done the same thing, is stark.

Pocock is an extreme comparison. Opposite end of the spectrum. I'd say a greater % of teen stars would lean towards more the Quade/JOC (James O'Connor) route then the Pocock route. Eating disorders, religious fervor, environmental activism, much of which started early teens.