Rocky on the way home?

[Biffo]

I'm not going to go back to the thread we started when Rocky was off to Europe discussing whether it would be good for him or not....... :-[

Why not? You don't want to brag?

 

[Biffo]

He is Tahs history now.

Anyone seen confirmation of his signing with QLD?

....until the fat lady sings

Agreed. I read today that he has been offered $700,000 to play for the Reds. $450,000 ARU, $150,000 QRU, $100,000 Sponsor and $3,000 a game match fee. All up not a bad pay day but not anything that any of the other Franchises couldn't put together in a day. If he comes it will be for love not money.

But you would agree that AUD 700 000 per year is still substantial love from the other party?

 

[Lindommer]

Rocky Elsom set to sign for Brumbies

The Daily Telegraph, May 26, 2009 12:00am

THE Brumbies are poised to pull off a major signing coup by picking up star flanker Rocky Elsom on his return to Australia.

Despite being offered as much as $100,000 to join Queensland, it is understood Elsom has agreed to join the Brumbies in the hunt for a Super 14 title to add to the Heineken Cup he won with Leinster at the weekend. The 26 year old was being chased by the Reds and former province NSW, but sources said he got back in touch with ACT officials last week and agreed to terms. Elsom has already done the same with the ARU, and is expected to finalise his future late this week.

The signing of Elsom will see the Brumbies boast a spectacular stable of talent next season, with Matt Giteau, George Smith and the big blindside breakaway ranked the top three rugby stars in Australia. Throw in Wallabies captain Stirling Mortlock and hooker Stephen Moore - and potentially James O'Connor - and the 2010 Brumbies loom as a rugby powerhouse. Since Elsom departed for Europe at the end of the Tri Nations campaign last September, the Wallabies No. 6 has become arguably the best player in the world and has won a stunning 11 man-of-the-match awards in 13 games for Leinster.

Brumbies boss Andrew Fagan was non-committal last night on Elsom's recruitment but he confirmed that contact had been renewed by the flanker recently. "He checked to confirm whether a position was available basically. How our contracting was going. That was it," Fagan said. "We let him know that we'd have a spot available if he was keen to look at us as an option. I wouldn't really know which way he is leaning. Rocky understands he has some choice there."

Fagan still declared the Brumbies "outsiders" to get Elsom's signature on paper, but only one thing could threaten the deal: Phil Waugh. Waugh landed in London last night to link up with Elsom as part of a strong Barbarians side to play England this weekend. The NSW skipper said he would talk with his former Waratahs teammate about returning to the proud sky-blue fold. "Rocky is a mate of mine, I hope he comes back. He knows our players, he understands our culture and he knows we're keen to have him at NSW," Waugh said. Lowly Queensland's desperate bid to sign Elsom appears to have suffered from yet another bottom-half competition finish.

Meanwhile, Jon Geddes reports former Test halfback Chris Whitaker admitted it would be weird lining up for the Barbarians against the Wallabies at the SFS on June 6. Whitaker was called up yesterday. "To be able to play for the Baa-Baas is really special, it was a bit of a shock," he said from Dublin last night after his call-up. "And it will be great returning to the old stomping ground." It will be Whitaker's first match in Australia since 2006, when the Waratahs lost 16-14 to the Hurricanes in the Super 14 semi-final at the SFS. The former NSW skipper showed he still has all the old skills on the weekend with a strong game for Leinster in their Heineken Cup final win over Leincester. The 34-year-old formed a superb combination with Elsom to take the Irish side to its first European crown.

FAAAAAARRRRRRRKKKKKKKK.

Ah well, plenty of game time for Higginkhyber and Tip Top. Shame about Chapman.

I'm beginning to think maybe a draft's not such a bad idea.

 

[Lee Grant]

Doesn't look like a done deal going by that article but if the Rock goes there and the Rabbit does too they will be a formidable force next year. Moreover they will attract more players there for 2011.

Phil Waugh's contributions to the Waratahs have been almost invaluable, but if he can persuade Rocky to come back to where he got his start in professional rugby, we should get Waugh a crown and all the trimmings.

 

[RugbyReg]

Grrrrrrr. I feel an anti-QRU rant coming on!

 

[formeropenside]

all I can say is "monster fuck".

Cant we even catch manna from heaven that falls in our laps?

 

[fatprop]

If anyone has listened to interviews with Elsom, he says nothing about contract negotiations; and surprise surprise, no direct quote from Rocky.

The only person quoted is the brumbie boss

 

[Spook]

Agree with the fat one.

 

[Gagger]

Ditto.

He's shopping

 

[louie]

where there is smoke there is fire gentlemen

 

[fatprop]

where there is smoke there is fire gentlemen

and sometimes there is a journo with a blank screen

 

[louie]

http://newsletters.fairfax.com.au/cgi-bin16/DM/y/hBtMn0dBAat0Bnm0RwUp0ER

 

[cyclopath]

Well, if it means Salvi or to a lesser degree Chapman piss off OS as a result, it is a shame, as both these guys are more than useful players. Would other Aus franchises look at them?
Gee, if the Ponies could lose Hoiles for someone useful, what a back row they'd have! :fishing

 

[Ash]

Reds would no doubt be interested in Salvi, as they were before.

Chapman should generate interate from the Force, Tahs and Reds as he would really boost depth for all three, especially as he could play lock in a pinch too.

But I suspect that with decent offers overseas, we'd lose both - which is a real shame. Salvi is one player I liked to watch play, Chapman not so much since his disastrous year last year.

 

[Scarfman]

Bone Hoiles. Gits might end up being captain anyway.

 

[Biffo]

Has anyone thought what the clashes of the Tahs and Brumbies packs might be like if Rocky goes to the latter?

 

[Blue]

Has anyone thought what the clashes of the Tahs and brumbies packs might be like if Rocky goes to the latter?

Handbags. Lots of. Worth some money.

 

[Biffo]

Has anyone thought what the clashes of the Tahs and brumbies packs might be like if Rocky goes to the latter?

Lead-lined, large handbags. Lots of. Worth some money.

Fixed

 

[formeropenside]

Phil Lutton
May 26, 2009 - 6:49PM
A shining ray of hope may have pierced the gloomy clouds circling Ballymore, with the Queensland Reds refusing to concede defeat in the race to sign backline ace Digby Ioane.


Ioane, 23, was rumoured to be intent on following teammate Hugh McMeniman to the riches of rugby in Japan after receiving an offer from the ARU he considered to be on the verge of insulting.


Reds high performance manager Ben Whitaker, however, says rumblings of Ioane's departure are premature, with the franchise working overtime to keep him in a Reds jersey and in the frame for the 2011 World Cup.


Whitaker said Ioane, who has advisors but chooses to represent himself in contractual matters, was still in dialogue with the Reds and the ARU and was yet to make a final call on his future.


"That continues. That's one we're involved in quite heavily at the moment. I'd like to think that if all parties go about it the right way, he can have all the information and then do what he needs to do," Whitaker said.


"He's got advisors but he's doing a lot of the communication himself. That's ongoing and I'd like to think we can get to a good position where he's got something down that he can really consider. At the moment, I think that probably hasn't been done effectively.


"We're working very very hard to make sure he's got all the right information in front of him."


While the door remains ajar for Ioane, Whitaker said the hunt for Rocky Elsom had all but been called off, admitting: "I'm not holding my breath at this stage."


Elsom looked destined for the Reds but the gazump appears to have come from the Brumbies, who have come from the clouds to add the powerful flanker to their stable of star signings, including Matt Giteau.


"We haven't been officially notified but it would be pretty fair to say what's coming out on the weekend may be true," Whitaker said.


"I'm not holding my breath at this stage. I don't want to close it off but that chance (of signing Elsom) is very small at this stage."


With McMeniman packing his bags and Ioane threatening to follow suit, it hasn't been the brightest of weeks for the Reds after another ordinary season. But Whitaker says good news may be on the horizon.


Daniel Braid, the All Black flanker who had elected to take up a contract in Europe before an Achilles injury cancelled his trip, has indicated he may play another season at Ballymore, while Berrick Barnes and captain James Horwill have given strong indications they are intent on remaining in the sunshine state.


"As soon as we knew and he (Braid) knew that the deal overseas was not going to eventuate, we were speaking pretty quickly. We are in a position now where there is a good chance that he might come back and do his second year. He's got other options, mind you, but he's looking very seriously at ours," Whitaker said.


As for Wallaby stars Barnes and Horwill: "At this stage, there's strong signs that they are both not far off in their dealings with the ARU.


"They've made it very clear they want to remain in Queensland. We're pretty confident their dealings with the ARU have been positive in the last couple of weeks

 

[TOCC]

this is bullshit, honestly how the hell can this be right..


Something needs to be done, some kind of points system or salary cap style system to even out the playing field amongst provinces....

Otherwise, how they hell are the Reds ever supposed to get out of the rut they are in, players dont want to stay because they arent winning, but they wont win unless the players stay. Salary caps work fantastic in the NRL and AFL to avoid these types of issues.


Yeah the QRU are at fault for all this, if they didnt screw up so badly back in 2003-2007 then we wouldnt be in the situation they are in now, but i honestly believe they have turned there operations around and are now on the right path, but they need some help from the ARU to get out ot the rut they are in...


Otherwise, the Reds poor performances is going to lead to a decline in support for the code in the state, losing teams dont get exposure, without exposure there is less money for the game. Something needs to be done