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Wallabies 2025

Wilson

Wilson

John Eales (66)
whitefalcon said:
Has any league-ie ever moved to union as a playmaker
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As in into a playmaking role or from one?

Benji Marshal is maybe the most recent one, in what was an ultimately unsuccessful shift, but it was also well after his peak in league and he was in particularly poor form before he left. Other than that, Karmichael Hunt was a secondary playmaker in both games, and had a reasonably succesful transition (via AFL). There are more if you go back further, particularly in the amateur era.

It is less common than some other positions in the Modern game, but I'd bet a big part of that is because play makers in league are very well values, where as some of the more common change over positions (wing and lock in particular) aren't.
 
TSR

TSR

Steve Williams (59)
Well, if we thought coaching in Australian rugby was tough, imagine guiding your English Premier League Club to their first trophy to their first trophy in 17 years and then getting sacked.
I know Spurs performed badly in the EPL and I don’t pretend I know anything really about soccer - but gee that seems hard line.
 
Tomthumb

Tomthumb

Ken Catchpole (46)
TSR said:
Well, if we thought coaching in Australian rugby was tough, imagine guiding your English Premier League Club to their first trophy to their first trophy in 17 years and then getting sacked.
I know Spurs performed badly in the EPL and I don’t pretend I know anything really about soccer - but gee that seems hard line.
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They finished 17th out of 20 teams in the Premier League
 
TSR

TSR

Steve Williams (59)
Yes - I’m aware of that. They also finished first in the Europa League. My understanding is that their low finish in EPL was due largely to Ange managing an injury hit squad without significant depth and prioritising winning the Eurpoa league at the expense of the EPL. He made it clear publicly that was their priority.

Happy to be corrected if my understanding (based predominantly on what I’ve heard on the radio and read online in the last 3 weeks) is wrong.
 
Tomthumb

Tomthumb

Ken Catchpole (46)
TSR said:
Yes - I’m aware of that. They also finished first in the Europa League. My understanding is that their low finish in EPL was due largely to Ange managing an injury hit squad without significant depth and prioritising winning the Eurpoa league at the expense of the EPL. He made it clear publicly that was their priority.

Happy to be corrected if my understanding (based predominantly on what I’ve heard on the radio and read online in the last 3 weeks) is wrong.
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Yeah but the Europa league is a secondary level trophy and they got very lucky with the draw. The final was between 2 really out of form teams and was pretty dross

There's finishing low and then there is finishing 1 spot above relegation. All teams that finished below them were relegated, and Spurs have one of the most expensive squads in the Premier league
 
Ignoto

Ignoto

John Hipwell (52)
Tomthumb said:
Yeah but the Europa league is a secondary level trophy and they got very lucky with the draw. The final was between 2 really out of form teams and was pretty dross
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There were some pretty solid teams in the Europa league this season; Lyon, Lazio, Rangers, Ajax, Roma and Porto. It's a cup competition so on any given day any team can cause a major upset, just look at PSG and how on paper they've had strong teams that have been garbage.

Tomthumb said:
There's finishing low and then there is finishing 1 spot above relegation. All teams that finished below them were relegated, and Spurs have one of the most expensive squads in the Premier league
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Spurs went all in on Europa and it paid off, much like Chelsea did in 2012 to win the Champions league. Even a mid-table finish would probably have gotten Ange sacked by Levy. The bloke does everything bar invest in the squad when required. Now Spurs have half a squad that's set up to play Ange ball only to get a new coach who will want to play a certain style.

This path forward will cost Levy more than letting Ange go into CL and aim for top 6 next season.
 
The Ghost of Raelene

The Ghost of Raelene

Rod McCall (65)
Wilson said:
As in into a playmaking role or from one?

Benji Marshal is maybe the most recent one, in what was an ultimately unsuccessful shift, but it was also well after his peak in league and he was in particularly poor form before he left. Other than that, Karmichael Hunt was a secondary playmaker in both games, and had a reasonably succesful transition (via AFL). There are more if you go back further, particularly in the amateur era.

It is less common than some other positions in the Modern game, but I'd bet a big part of that is because play makers in league are very well values, where as some of the more common change over positions (wing and lock in particular) aren't.
Click to expand...
You could make the argument Matt Rogers was a creative attack type player that can be considered a playmaker even though he played at Fullback mostly.

The issue with getting RL halves is the money they are paid would have to be so extraordinary to get them we likely won't see it. I have full confidence Johns, Fittler, Lockyer, Daley etc could have come into Rugby and done well. Argument for another thread though.
 
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