The JOC (James O'Connor) Saga

[light]

Why do the Waratahs have a major player announcement scheduled for tomorrow?

Good question. If O'Connor moves to the 'tahs I'm retiring and leaving this country. What a waste of talent

 

[Bruwheresmycar]

Journalists are full of it. It appears he is likely to stay, so they are coming out with these stories again. They have lost all credibility over this issue.

 

[light]

PERHAPS HE'S GOING ON A MORMAN MISSION, I hear him and Will Hopoate are good friends

 

[Godfrey]

Why do the Waratahs have a major player announcement scheduled for tomorrow?

Elsom

 

[rsea]

They're announcing a new tv series about the virtues of kicking

 

[Lee Grant]

He'll be jumping from Gate 4 in the sixth at Flemington.

Gold

 

[Cpt Crow Eater]

Why do the Waratahs have a major player announcement scheduled for tomorrow?

Le Fuse retiring at the end of the season...


http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/baxter-draws-up-retirement-plan-20110607-1fr48.html

 

[Nusadan]

Le Fuse retiring at the end of the season...


http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/baxter-draws-up-retirement-plan-20110607-1fr48.html

Al Baxter has, despite his supposed shortcomings in the scrum department, been a true servant to the Waratahs and to the game...he was thrown into the deep end in the 2003 RWC before he was ready, and since then has been a great role model for how a professional player should conduct himself on and off the field also for showing other players how to prepare for another career before his playing career ends.

I dips me lid to him...

 

[tigerland12]

On the foxsports website they are saying he has signed with the force for one year, but it wont be announced untill he works out his ARU contract

 

[Moses]

Le Fuse retiring at the end of the season...


http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/baxter-draws-up-retirement-plan-20110607-1fr48.html

Great choice of photo for Baxter's retirement story..

 

[MajorlyRagerly]

Agreed, great news if true. He's a true franchise player (to use an American sporting term) and the Force need him.

What does this mean? I'd suggested it means he's committed to his franchise through and through. But given every single aussie teams seems to have had talks with him, pretty hard to make a case for that.

Force need a few proper journeymen on the top of their greats and they'd be a pretty large threat.

 

[Bowside]

Great choice of photo for Baxter's retirement story..

Why do they never pick relevant photo's

 

[Lance Free]

Link said this morning that JOC (James O'Connor) isn't coming to the Reds

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/oconnor-poised-to-resign-with-force-20110608-1frvh.html

Likewise the Brumbies: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/new...or-tells-suitors-hes-staying-put/2188465.aspx

 

[Zinzan]

It's pretty clear based on these latest reports... He's going to sign with the Brumbies... Or not...

Brumbies don't need him.

FFS: Fagan, when will you learn that the Brumbies don't buy Wallabies we Make 'em. Sadly this has not happened for awhile.

 

[Newb]

Great choice of photo for Baxter's retirement story..

should have been him snagging one of his rare meat pies. 1 for the tahs and 1 for the wobs right?

 

[waratahjesus]

Interesting that JOCs management may have played the game to hard. I think even the clubs lost interest in the bidding war for his services and they might have pulled out rather than one emerged as a front runner, twelve month contract and we will see you all again in a year for part two of this thread.

 

[daz]

If the rumours are true, the most obvious question is around the timing. This lines him up quite nicely with QC (Quade Cooper)'s contract, so is there a package deal to be done in 12 months time?

 

[light]

If the rumours are true, the most obvious question is around the timing. This lines him up quite nicely with QC (Quade Cooper)'s contract, so is there a package deal to be done in 12 months time?

Yeah, I hear it involves the Parramatta Eels and SBW

 

[tranquility]

What does this mean? I'd suggested it means he's committed to his franchise through and through. But given every single aussie teams seems to have had talks with him, pretty hard to make a case for that.

Force need a few proper journeymen on the top of their greats and they'd be a pretty large threat.

It means he is a player you can build a franchise around. Both in ability, but also marketability. Layman's terms, he puts bums on seats and sells plenty of force jerseys, local hero etc.

 

[daz]

It means he is a player you can build a franchise around. Both in ability, but also marketability. Layman's terms, he puts bums on seats and sells plenty of force jerseys, local hero etc.

Normally I would agree with you, but what can the Force really do with JOC (James O'Connor) in terms of building a team, selling merchandise and marketing if he is (potentially) giving a clear signal that they have only 12 months and he is (potentially) gone?

Bums on seats? Yes, to a point. I think the Force fan base is pretty well established and I don't recall the franchise losing seats when Gits left. And make no mistake, the Force fans loved Gits. In Perth junior rugby circles atm, JOC (James O'Connor) is a pop star. The kids love him and at training they all imitate him. As they did Gits before that. If JOC (James O'Connor) leaves, the focus will switch to Pocock, or whoever.

The Force will survive due to the fans and it seems to me that the club is very cleverly building a culture around the fanbase, not the players. The level of team performance due to the playing roster is another matter altogether.....