Reds 2023

[Jimmy_Crouch]

George Francis is a player I'd love to see take the step up, but it just doesn't look likely does it? Heaps of potential but the way he's bounced around clubs and professional programs the last few years you just get the feeling it's never going to happen. Could be an absolute weapon if he got serious though.

Doesn't even need to be. Just drop 20kgs get some fitness and earn $200k a season in Japan for the next 10 years.

 

[DELETE ACCOUNT]

Doesn't even need to be. Just drop 20kgs get some fitness and earn $200k a season in Japan for the next 10 years.

Must admit he is probably the best scrummage loose head I have seen in a while, pity that is all he brings to his team at the moment. Just not getting around the field enough to be effective in other facets.

 

[liquor box]

Doesn't even need to be. Just drop 20kgs get some fitness and earn $200k a season in Japan for the next 10 years.

He is a big unit, what would he weigh?

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

He is a big unit, what would he weigh?

He'd have to be nudging 140kg at least. Not the tallest guy either.

Might go down as a great 'what could have been'. Been treating opposing Props like camping chairs for years.

Rae Rae

 

[Wilson]

He is only 23, so there's every chance he could pull it together, but he just has that look of a guy like Nadolo who had to use up most of his chances and go overseas before getting serious.

That said if Fotuaika is going it could be a great time to take a chance on him as a project player. Might be that a bit of backing and a sniff of the big time is all he needs. Certainly looks competitive as all hell when he is packing scrums.

 

[liquor box]

He'd have to be nudging 140kg at least. Not the tallest guy either.

Might go down as a great 'what could have been'. Been treating opposing Props like camping chairs for years.

Rae Rae

I think he could be more, I know fat weighs less than muscle but he is surely more than 5kg more than Tupou.

 

[liquor box]

He is only 23, so there's every chance he could pull it together, but he just has that look of a guy like Nadolo who had to use up most of his chances and go overseas before getting serious.

That said if Fotuaika is going it could be a great time to take a chance on him as a project player. Might be that a bit of backing and a sniff of the big time is all he needs. Certainly looks competitive as all hell when he is packing scrums.

Be a good project for a Coach who has a reputation for S&C.

I think we should aim for a 400kg front row!!

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

Be a good project for a Coach who has a reputation for S&C.

I think we should aim for a 400kg front row!!

I'm sure it was easily exceeded when I played against Sunnybank in the 6th grade Friday night comp for a few years.

 

[Adam84]

Rhys Van Nek and Emosi Tuqiri would look good In the squad I think.

George Francis, perhaps, a lot of work to make him Super Rugby ready. Maybe a train and trail contract during pre-season, see if he is dedicated enough to get a contract.

 

[RugbyReg]

I fear Tuqiri is still considering his international future. Don’t know if he’s worth investing anything further in if he’s going to go with Fiji.

 

[Mug Punter]

Yep, I'd be getting Van Nek and one of Francis/Tuqiri in there next year

 

[DELETE ACCOUNT]

Yep, I'd be getting Van Nek and one of Francis/Tuqiri in there next year

leave Van Nek in Melbourne

 

[SouthernX]

leave Van Nek in Melbourne

the big fella is a free agent.

reds need to look at couple more props. Who else would you kick the tires on TF?

 

[Ignoto]

leave Van Nek in Melbourne

 

[DELETE ACCOUNT]

the big fella is a free agent.

reds need to look at couple more props. Who else would you kick the tires on TF?

while Rhys is a powerful man and very good scrummager my basic belief is he is too small / short to be playing at the next levels up.

If you look at all of the world class level props they are in the 5'11"to 6'3" (179cm to 190cm) range. Forgive me if I am guessing RVN is lucky to be 5'6".

Common conversation is how the Reds have been out muscled in both set piece and breakdowns so my thought is to bring in more muscle, find some bigger players that also have the skillset or can be coached to have the skill sets needed.

 

[RugbyReg]

while Rhys is a powerful man and very good scrummager my basic belief is he is too small / short to be playing at the next levels up.

If you look at all of the world class level props they are in the 5'11"to 6'3" (179cm to 190cm) range. Forgive me if I am guessing RVN is lucky to be 5'6".

Common conversation is how the Reds have been out muscled in both set piece and breakdowns so my thought is to bring in more muscle, find some bigger players that also have the skillset or can be coached to have the skill sets needed.

like a tall hooker?

 

[Wilson]

while Rhys is a powerful man and very good scrummager my basic belief is he is too small / short to be playing at the next levels up.

If you look at all of the world class level props they are in the 5'11"to 6'3" (179cm to 190cm) range. Forgive me if I am guessing RVN is lucky to be 5'6".

Common conversation is how the Reds have been out muscled in both set piece and breakdowns so my thought is to bring in more muscle, find some bigger players that also have the skillset or can be coached to have the skill sets needed.

Rhys Van Nek is listed at 5'10"/177cm, maybe an inch shorter than George Francis (5'11"/180) and a centimetre shorter than Tupou(178cm). Other international props around that height or shorter include Ox Nche (~176cm), Javan Sebastian (~177cm), Beka Gigashvili (~177cm) and Giorgi Melikidze (~178cm). Height/weight listing has always been a bit variable, but I'd guarantee you that inch difference between Francis and Van Nek is accurate given they were packing down in the same front row at Easts alongside Richie Asiata (5'11"/180cm) a couple of years ago and did not look lopsided when they were folding their opposition.

Either way I definitely wouldn't say he's too short as prop, particularly not in set piece - the issue a lot of modern props are seeing is that they're too tall and it can allow their opposition to get underneath them and pop them up in the scrum.

 

[Adam84]

while Rhys is a powerful man and very good scrummager my basic belief is he is too small / short to be playing at the next levels up.

If you look at all of the world class level props they are in the 5'11"to 6'3" (179cm to 190cm) range. Forgive me if I am guessing RVN is lucky to be 5'6".

Rhys is 5’10”, and Springboks might disagree, none over 5’10”. But what do they know about scrummaging...

 

[DELETE ACCOUNT]

Rhys Van Nek is listed at 5'10"/177cm, maybe an inch shorter than George Francis (5'11"/180) and a centimetre shorter than Tupou(178cm). Other international props around that height or shorter include Ox Nche (~176cm), Javan Sebastian (~177cm), Beka Gigashvili (~177cm) and Giorgi Melikidze (~178cm). Height/weight listing has always been a bit variable, but I'd guarantee you that inch difference between Francis and Van Nek is accurate given they were packing down in the same front row at Easts alongside Richie Asiata (5'11"/180cm) a couple of years ago and did not look lopsided when they were folding their opposition.

Either way I definitely wouldn't say he's too short as prop, particularly not in set piece - the issue a lot of modern props are seeing is that they're too tall and it can allow their opposition to get underneath them and pop them up in the scrum.

popping an opposing prop is an infringement , if the referee knows what he is doing.

I take the listed height and weights of some players with a grain of salt. I know my height and I have stood next to Rhys on more than one occasion.

 

[DELETE ACCOUNT]

like a tall hooker?

why not? Malcolm Marx is well over 6 foot and regarded as the best in the world for a period.