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Super Rugby General Chat

GTPIH

Ted Thorn (20)
That’s good news.

Speaking of which, have any of the Aussie teams announced captains yet?

assume Wright at the Reds with McReight a chance.

Gordon at the Tahs?? I wonder if Porecki might be a stronger case given he is the incumbent wallaby skipper and perhaps young Teddy Wilson might get more game time. Maybe Hanigan??

AAA I assume the the Brumby one but does Slipper fill in while he is injured ? Or perhaps Ryan Lonergan gets the gig given the hype around him.

Leota at the Rebels I assume? Maybe Wilkin?

Not sure about the Force. Kaitu’u ? Rodda? White? Rodda just has too many injury concerns right? The other two aren’t guaranteed starters I don’t think. Is Williams a dark horse?
Was at the Waratahs/STAN content shoot on Tuesday and FWIW Gordon was sitting in the captain's chair for the team photo
 

Wilson

Phil Kearns (64)
I assume the ben Grant for the Canes is the former 'Red' and Force squad member?
And here's some confirmation well after the fact that it is:

It'll be good to see how he goes, he could be a good candidate to bring home once the cane's have put a bit of polish on his game. He's still only 25, pretty much a baby in lock terms.
 

Fergo

Allen Oxlade (6)
That’s good news.

Speaking of which, have any of the Aussie teams announced captains yet?

assume Wright at the Reds with McReight a chance.

Gordon at the Tahs?? I wonder if Porecki might be a stronger case given he is the incumbent wallaby skipper and perhaps young Teddy Wilson might get more game time. Maybe Hanigan??

AAA I assume the the Brumby one but does Slipper fill in while he is injured ? Or perhaps Ryan Lonergan gets the gig given the hype around him.

Leota at the Rebels I assume? Maybe Wilkin?

Not sure about the Force. Kaitu’u ? Rodda? White? Rodda just has too many injury concerns right? The other two aren’t guaranteed starters I don’t think. Is Williams a dark horse?
Rebel’s - Rob Leota (C) Brad Wilkin (VC) and Carter Gordon (VC)
 

Adam84

Rod McCall (65)
And here's some confirmation well after the fact that it is:

It'll be good to see how he goes, he could be a good candidate to bring home once the cane's have put a bit of polish on his game. He's still only 25, pretty much a baby in lock terms.
Besides his height, he never really stood out for me even at QPR level. Be interesting to see whether NZ system can turn him into Super Rugby level player.
 

Dan54

David Wilson (68)
@Adam84 yep mate, seems to be feeling from a few over here, wondering why he was picked up. But as pointed out only 25 so maybe someone sees some potential, though I suspect it's more about wanting some height , as Canes locks are all fairly short, especially now Dom Bird has retaired.
 

The Ghost of Raelene

David Codey (61)
Besides his height, he never really stood out for me even at QPR level. Be interesting to see whether NZ system can turn him into Super Rugby level player.
Felt like Greg Peterson 2.0

Good on him. He's had to work for it. Teams are willing to take a chance on someone with attributes like that.
 

Wilson

Phil Kearns (64)
I agree that Grant didn't look like much when he was in Australia, but he was young and in that awkward squad fringe where you're not good enough to get game time in super but missing out on club game time to be part of a super squad - he played maybe 10 games of Super/NRC/GRR in 4 years with the Force and I don't think was getting the high level club exposure during that time he might've gotten if he'd stayed in Brisbane.

The last 2 years have seen him string almost 40 games together in MLR and NPC, so I'm hoping he's taken a big step forward. He absolutely still needs to prove it on the field, but the way our development pathways were during that period it won't surprise me at all to find he has a lot more potential than what we've previously seen.
 

Adam84

Rod McCall (65)
IMG_4783.jpeg
 

Adam84

Rod McCall (65)
'union fans in Australia'. As opposed to Australian citizens who are union fans'. Edit: I've just realised this is the SU\uper Rugby thread so I assume you're pointing out the dominance of Reds supporters.
No not particularly, all teams stats are represented. It seems relevant enough especially if people are talking about cutting a 3rd most supported team, by a significant margin.
 

KOB1987

John Eales (66)
No not particularly, all teams stats are represented. It seems relevant enough especially if people are talking about cutting a 3rd most supported team, by a significant margin.
I agree, I can't see the Brumbies being cut. From what we have seen so far (financially), it would more likely be the Rebels......and it would then make more sense for Victoria to be absorbed into the Brumbies catchment rather than some half baked JV with the 6th NZ team.
 

Dan54

David Wilson (68)
Interesting to see among the Highlanders 3 young 10s is a Byron Smith, a young fella who grew up in Qld, think he was a Nudgee boy. Someone from Reds may enlighten us on him? Been over here a couple of years I think, he was running with Blues U20s last year, and I think travelled to SA with NZ U19. Must admit too not knowing much about him, only ever recall seeing a picture of him as a youngster in Reds gear etc. Not sure is he bron over Briisy to kiwi parents etc.
 

Slim 293

Stirling Mortlock (74)
Looking at that chart, a Rebels-Force merger makes the most sense, absorbing South Australia to bridge the literal gap and I present you…

The Combined AFL States team.
 

KOB1987

John Eales (66)
Looking at that chart, a Rebels-Force merger makes the most sense, absorbing South Australia to bridge the literal gap and I present you…

The Combined AFL States team.
Keep their future possibilities open between the AFL state consortium, or Sydney to Hobart WaraTAS...
I would understand your cynicism if the ACT/SIRU catchment produced more than a handful of its own professional standard rugby union football players per 4 year cycle. Edit: produced = played junior rugby there.
 

Slim 293

Stirling Mortlock (74)
I would understand your cynicism if the ACT/SIRU catchment produced more than a handful of its own professional standard rugby union football players per 4 year cycle. Edit: produced = played junior rugby there.

These boys look junior enough...

r0_288_5090_3265_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg
 

LeCheese

Greg Davis (50)
These boys look junior enough...

r0_288_5090_3265_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg
The question is how many will kick on. I ran the numbers back in August - only 7 (or 8) of 38 players in the Brums' 2023 squad came through the ACT junior pathway (I'm not sure I'd call U19s junior tbh).

ACT (8)
Tom Hooper Canberra / ID'd while still in Bathurst per Qwerty
Fred Kaihea NZ but developed Canberra / Country NSW
Nos Lonergan Canberra
Ryan Lonergan Canberra
Connal McInerney Canberra / Country NSW
Tom Ross Canberra
Rory Scott Canberra
Corey Toole
Country NSW / Canberra

NSW (13)
7As (Allan Ala'alatoa) (Allan Ala'alatoa) (Allan Ala'alatoa) Sydney
Charlie Cale Dubbo
Jack Debreczeni Sydney
Nick Frost Sydney
Ed Kennedy Sydney

Cadeyrn Neville Sydney
Ben O’Donnell Sydney
Billy Pollard Sydney
Luke Reimer Sydney

Blake Schoupp NSW/QLD
Klayton Thorn Sydney
Nic White NSW
Tom Wright
Sydney

QLD (11)
Nathan Carroll Brisbane
Hudson Creighton Brisbane
CFS Brisbane
Len Ikitau Brisbane
Noah Lolesio Gold Coast
Declan Meredith Brisbane
Jesse Mogg Brisbane
Andrew Muirhead Brisbane
James Slipper Gold Coast
Darcy Swain Brisbane

Rhys Van Nek Brisbane

VIC (2)
Pete Samu Melbourne
Rob Valetini
Melbourne

NZ (4)
Jahrome Brown NZ
Sefo Kautai NZ
Ollie Sapsford NZ
Tamati Tua NZ
 

KOB1987

John Eales (66)
These boys look junior enough...

r0_288_5090_3265_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg
No. Hooper went to school in Bathurst and Staniforth in Orange then Parramatta for a start. I'm sure there are a few Canberrans in there. That doesn't alleviate what I am getting at - I'm not being at all critical of either their pathway or their player development. What I am being critical of your absolute dismissal of the Brumbies potentially having an opportunity to expand their catchment in terms of both 'homegrown' players and their supporter base. Like Pfitzy I am a bit skeptical of the sample used in that report. It's no secret that a lot of NSW supporters prefer to support the Brumbies at the moment, however I wouldn't bank on the longevity of that dynamic if NSW get their arses into gear.

EDIT: I was writing while Le Cheese's post came through, saved me some work.
 
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