Wallabies 2024

[Omar Comin']

Shrinking to greatness off to a good start.

 

[SouthernX]

RA is such a reactive organization. I would of thought there would of been a plethora of signings this week for off contract rebels players… nope let’s go extend Noah Lolesio this week (who was no chance of changing scenery in the week of semi final hit out)

I hope this CG to league signing is the wake up call RA needs to wake TF up and get into action signing rebels to new teams.

 

[Dctarget]

The timing with Lolesio is interesting. Are they unrelated?

 

[Wallaby Man]

The timing with Lolesio is interesting. Are they unrelated?

I think it’s more RA trying to push some good news knowing this was coming.

 

[LeCheese]

RA is such a reactive organization. I would of thought there would of been a plethora of signings this week for off contract rebels players… nope let’s go extend Noah Lolesio this week (who was no chance of changing scenery in the week of semi final hit out)

I hope this CG to league signing is the wake up call RA needs to wake TF up and get into action signing rebels to new teams.

The absence of evidence is not evidence of absence..... Unless you have actual insight into what conversations have/haven't been had, and what deals have/haven't been made, I don't think this is a fair comment.

 

[SouthernX]

The absence of evidence is not evidence of absence..... Unless you have actual insight into what conversations have/haven't been had, and what deals have/haven't been made, I don't think this is a fair comment.

RA met the week before they announced rebels were being cut from the comp. They know where the players wanted to go.

the ball has been rolling for some time now for the transition of these unemployed rugby players

 

[Strewthcobber]

The timing with Lolesio is interesting. Are they unrelated?

I'd say they were very related. One player is getting a decent Wallaby top-up and first crack at the position, and they other is off to the Gold Coast

 

[LeCheese]

RA met the week before they announced rebels were being cut from the comp. They know where the players wanted to go.

the ball has been rolling for some time now for the transition of these unemployed rugby players

2-3 weeks (hell, add a few more on if you want) is a totally normal and not-at-all unrealistic amount of time to negotiate the future contracts of 30-odd players, managing their undoubtedly set-in-stone and completely manageable wants and needs with those of the other clubs around the country!

 

[Derpus]

2-3 weeks (hell, add a few more on if you want) is a totally normal and not-at-all unrealistic amount of time to negotiate the future contracts of 30-odd players, managing their undoubtedly set-in-stone and completely manageable wants and needs with those of the other clubs around the country!

To play devils advocate.... RA would have known this was coming, what, six months ago?

 

[LeCheese]

To play devils advocate.... RA would have known this was coming, what, six months ago?

Whether or not RA had already made a decision about the Rebels that long ago, regardless of the viability of the Tarneit proposal, they wouldn't have been able to actually do anything formally with contracts (incl. serious discussions) until recently.

 

[Highlander35]

No but much like "wtf is happening to Rebels Womens, Rebels U17-U20, and Rebels Shield in 2025 and any end of season Junior carnival" these are things for which plans could have been developed and explored over the past 4 months, even if that answer was literally nothing.

 

[Highlander35]

Not suggesting the final outcome was not the correct one, but the death of the Mens Professional side always left a lot of these things hanging that better preparations could have been made (or deliberately NOT made as the case may be) some time ago.

 

[Ignoto]

Bloody hell, that's a big loss of development time and money for Australian rugby.

 

[Sword of Justice]

Moving for the same money and missing a BIL tour and essentially making himself last in line for the World Cup if he were to decide to return is not a good look for us as Rugby enjoyers.

Yes, it is 2024 but there is an element of love for the game that must be missing here and I don’t think that’s nothing when it comes to weighing up how much of a loss this is for us.

 

[LeCheese]

Moving for the same money and missing a BIL tour and essentially making himself last in line for the World Cup if he were to decide to return is not a good look for us as Rugby enjoyers.

Yes, it is 2024 but there is an element of love for the game that must be missing here and I don’t think that’s nothing when it comes to weighing up how much of a loss this is for us.

Fuck basing your employment decisions around love for the game when your employer's just gone tits up, you were made a scapegoat when prematurely thrown into the deep end on the biggest stage, have seemingly fallen out of favour as a result, and have a limited earnings window in the profession.

 

[KOB1987]

I'd say they were very related. One player is getting a decent Wallaby top-up and first crack at the position, and they other is off to the Gold Coast

I'm with you here. The timing doesn't make any sense otherwise. Joe Schmidt is about to announce his Lions Series hopefuls and you announce you're off to spec one of the worst clubs in the NRL. I don't know the reason, maybe Eddie totally cooked him but it sounds like he's not part of the plan.

 

[Highlander35]

I think he was super underdone for the Quarter as well, but particularly with Strachany out we just couldn't make it work any other way,

 

[Braveheart81]

It would seem pretty likely that given he had to leave Melbourne, his only option to move back to Queensland was with the Titans.

I imagine the offer from Rugby Australia was based on moving to Sydney and involved a reasonable chunk of his income being incentive based (on playing for the Wallabies).

I would be very surprised if Joe Schmidt wasn't involved in the decision making around what Rugby Australia did in the negotiations.

 

[Sword of Justice]

Fuck basing your employment decisions around love for the game when your employer's just gone tits up, you were made a scapegoat when prematurely thrown into the deep end on the biggest stage, have seemingly fallen out of favour as a result, and have a limited earnings window in the profession.

Compelling. Still, there are other rugby markets that would have him and keep him a lot closer to the two biggest things in our sport. Both of which are bigger than anything the titans have done or will ever do.

Maybe I just can’t fathom why someone would want to take qantas flights around the burbs of Australia when you could play in Japan or France and maintain some international relevance.

 

[John S]

Compelling. Still, there are other rugby markets that would have him and keep him a lot closer to the two biggest things in our sport. Both of which are bigger than anything the titans have done or will ever do.

Maybe I just can’t fathom why someone would want to take qantas flights around the burbs of Australia when you could play in Japan or France and maintain some international relevance.

Maybe those clubs in Japan/France weren't actually offering an positions