Wallabies 2024

[Ignoto]

The Brumbies had Henry Speight, Chance Peni, Toni Pulu, Solomone Kata, Andrew Muirhead, and Tom Wright on the roster through the years Hansen was with the squad.

This is probably highlighting that by allowing RA to have more of say through centralization could help prevent a backlog and stop another Hansen slipping through.

The Reds in 2019/2020 had a set locks that were really coming along and could be argued created a backlog. This is probably now happening at Hooker with the Reds having Matt, Josh and Richie all competing for two spots.

We got lucky with the Tahs backlog at 10 and while players have moved to different teams, they are still part of the Aus rugby system.

 

[rugbyAU]

Y’er a Wallaby Harry

 

[Derpus]

This is probably highlighting that by allowing RA to have more of say through centralization could help prevent a backlog and stop another Hansen slipping through.

The Reds in 2019/2020 had a set locks that were really coming along and could be argued created a backlog. This is probably now happening at Hooker with the Reds having Matt, Josh and Richie all competing for two spots.

We got lucky with the Tahs backlog at 10 and while players have moved to different teams, they are still part of the Aus rugby system.

Harrison is gone and was the best of the three - though obviously injuries are the main culprit there.

 

[Linerunner2023]

Tough call on the player situation
While I’ll agree there are many players who struggle to kick on locally or don’t seem to get better until the head overseas I think it’s more the lack of opportunities locally that stop players of being able to show their talent! 5 now 4 super rugby squads only the top 8 centres and playing and starting each week in the country and only around 16 contracted as professionals
So the other 8 are only playing club rugby each week! Someone like tuipulotu was behind wallabies and Aus a guys and this wouldn’t have changed next year

compare this to the nrl who has 16 sides so 32 centres playing every week and around 64 contracted centres it’s 4 x the professionals

a little surprised tuipulotu is straight in the Scotland squad but maybe they don’t have as much depth either!
can’t keep them all but it’s hard seeing players shine for other nations
We somehow just need more professional opportunities for players

 

[Adam84]

Most these guys play in essentially semi professional MLR, which is basically a group of guys discarded by all major leagues as not good enough.

Kind of the point

 

[Tomikin]

So the Rebels were broke when they bought TT et al for a lot of dough?

They were 20 million in debt ya numpty

 

[eastman]

This is my fault for getting so into the past but he could've easily taken Kuenzle's bench spot and be ready for Tevita's immediate permanent form slump. I'm not lumping this at the Brumbies feet, Aus super players sign mediocre foreigners for cheap, I really hope the Rebels' demise allows teams to consolidate their wealth and focus it on Aus prospects.

Hodge stole a wage from the Rebels and Australian Rugby for years- using some of that cash for Sione probably would have been a better option.

 

[eastman]

A bit different scenario with Moese who by my judgement has more potential than any of the current Tahs' centres including Perese and Foketi, and already better than Walton.

What is this based on BR? He got some opportunities at Super Rugby and was mediocre, and he hardly set the world on fire in Shute Shield.

How has he demonstrated his value as a key signing for Australian rugby?

 

[Joe Blow]

This and all the other McReight love is strange. How do you know that he inspires his team mates, and leads by example at training? I doubt you've played with him - you can't even spell his name correctly. That said, if you were in fact a Queensland Red then I suppose some mis-spellings are to be expected, so play on.

He's great. What a player. But the willingness of a few here to crown him is a bit much. I haven't seen anything on field that screams to me he's some amazing leader. The fact Schmidt hasn't crowned him either is also somewhat telling.

Was he not the captain of a lot of theses young blokes in the U20s?

 

[JRugby2]

Which dead horse are we flogging today?

 

[Braveheart81]

Which dead horse are we flogging today?

Brumby Runner?

I kid, I kid. Love you BR. The forum wouldn't be the same without him.

 

[Linerunner2023]

Opeti Helu
2016 Aus schoolboys - 6”2 and 127kg debut for Japan v all blacks this weekend

 

[Strewthcobber]

Opeti Helu
2016 Aus schoolboys - 6”2 and 127kg debut for Japan v all blacks this weekend

Going to start being a bit of a procession of this I suspect. Hockings and Lucas are eligible next year

 

[JRugby2]

It's never great to lose players - but from the little JRL1 I've seen neither are monumental losses. I'm feel is neither would be the secret sauce we needed nor particularly better than our current options at 10/ lock or our emerging ones.

 

[stillmissit]

They were 20 million in debt ya numpty

What the - are you going on about? This has to be one of the most inane comments I have seen here. Being broke versus owing 20m strikes me as somewhat similar assessments. When the rebels paid out for all that talent I thought it was stupid but didn't know then that they owed 20m and neither did you!
What the fuck is a Numpty or is that another inane statement?

 

[whitefalcon]

the squads must be gathering from sunday/monday yeah?

A week or so of training before heading to the UK?

 

[Tomthumb]

What the fuck is a Numpty

What have I missed?

 

[Derpus]

What the - are you going on about? This has to be one of the most inane comments I have seen here. Being broke versus owing 20m strikes me as somewhat similar assessments. When the rebels paid out for all that talent I thought it was stupid but didn't know then that they owed 20m and neither did you!
What the fuck is a Numpty or is that another inane statement?

 

[Slim 293]

Harrison is gone and was the best of the three - though obviously injuries are the main culprit there.

Was he?

 

[Slim 293]

Nah, not right. In Mack's case, he should have been higher in the pecking order for a Brumbies wing spot than he was. It is not usually the case that these players are in competition with current Wallabies.

The Brumbies had Henry Speight, Chance Peni, Toni Pulu, Solomone Kata, Andrew Muirhead, and Tom Wright on the roster through the years Hansen was with the squad.

Henry is one of my all time favourite players and would make my all time best Brumbies side. But by 2021 he was not the same player he was when with the Wallabies, or in earlier days with the Brumbies. Peni and Kata were just ordinary at Super level while Andrew Muirhead (the man has some longevity and tenacity doesn't he?) was probably on par with Hansen. Tom Wright was probably the only one who was better. It is arguable, and actually clear to me, that the Brumbies retention program fell down badly in this case. And it seems that Mack left for overseas because no other franchise wanted to offer him a contract after they were all approached. Beats me why the Tahs (or was it the Reds?) at the time didn't see his worth after he was instrumental in causing a last minute loss for them in an earlier game.

Not saying that every situation is similar to Mack's, but there is something drastically wrong with our systems and competitions in this country when we see so many of our next wave of players opting to go overseas and play for other countries.

Henry Speight left the Brumbies at the end of 2019, was with the Reds in 2020 but left during the start of Covid...

Mack Hansen debuted in 2020, and only started to show his worth in 2021 when he began to get some starts, but was largely a bench player when the Brumbies back three was Banks, Wright and Muirhead.

If he had re-signed there's no doubt he would've progressed to becoming a starting player, particularly with Banks leaving and his ceiling being above Muirhead, but he took the Irish offer when it came... and honestly, who wouldn't?