Waratahs 2013

[Intruder]

Mumm is off contract as well, so keeping Dennis (which should be priority) might not be that hard. If Palu stays in Oz I can't see him leaving the Tahs. TPN cooks for him, guys can't take care of himself poor fella, would be hard for him to move on.

Out of Alcock and cutch, based on the injury you would have t let cutch go at this point. It's a gamble, I've never lersonnaly seen enough from him to think he is a great 7 and I'm not sure he covers anywhere else as effectively as others.

Question, If we don't resign Mumm what other second row options do we have ?

Other than Timani being able to fill the void. Peterson hasn't been able to grab an opportunity yet and are there any off-contract second rowers after 2012

 

[waratahjesus]

Douglas/timani/Vickerman/Peterson are on the books. You would think letting mumm go to shore up money for Dennis and investing in a younger lock would be the go.

Also if Vickerman needs to retire, it surely frees up some Capitol as well.

 

[Lee Grant]

So how does the arrival of Hooper affect the Tahs re-signing strategy?

According to my posts on this thread (# 91 and 108):

15 are definitely signed until 2013.

3 are thought to be signed to 2013 but it is not certain if they are:
S. Timani, G.Peterson, and B. Foley - if any of these players aren't re-signed for 2013, they should be.

The contracts of the following 12 end in 2013:

J.Tilse, D.Halangahu, BKH, P.McCutcheon, B.McKibbin, P.Ryan, K.Douglas, D.Mumm, D.Dennis, W.Palu, T.Carter and A.Pakalani.

The first 2 players listed in the 12 should be let go, and the 3rd, BKH, is going offshore. Tilse should be replaced by a LHP. Of the other two spots remaining one should be offered to L.Timani to give an 18/12 split.

It looks like Hooper will take McCutcheon's spot, and McKibbin, who is not going to Scotland after all, has expressed an interest in staying. Assuming he is given an offer and the others thought to be re-signed to 2013 actually are, that leaves the following to be re-signed:

P.Ryan, K.Douglas, D.Mumm, D.Dennis, W.Palu, T.Carter and A.Pakalani.

If anybody in this group is not re-signed they should be replaced with another who plays in the same position though arguably one of the lock spots could be assigned elsewhere if Vickerman is thought to be ready to go in 2013. If he isn't, then another spot is opened up

I don't think that the Tahs can feel too smug about getting Hooper if they lose too many of the other forwards.
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[Joe Mac]

This is terrible for Oz Rugby.

I hardly think it is bad for Australian rugby to have an Australian team with a roster capable of winning the comp next year. No 7 is a huge weakness for the Tah's current squad.

Bad for the Brumbies yes, bad for Australia no.

 

[Slim 293]

I don't think that the Tahs can feel too smug about getting Hooper if they lose too many of the other forwards.
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Indeed.

I would think trying to hang onto the likes of Dennis and Palu would be more important with 3 other opensides already floating around.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Tahs lost Dennis while hanging onto a broken Rocky...

 

[Braveheart81]

I wouldn't be surprised if the Tahs lost Dennis while hanging onto a broken Rocky...

Who is going to model the Waratahs suit at every match if we get rid of Rocky?

 

[waratahjesus]

I think the Tahs recognize Dennis, they hav held off QLD a couple years back in a signing race and I think they will be all over it now. Only a massive offer from elsewhere can change that. While think Dennis is fantastic and will be quite upset if the Tahs lose him, I'm nit sure he plays the type of high profile game that will cause him to get that sort of money anywhere.

 

[jay-c]

i just read that tilse has played 10 games in 7 seasons at the tahs
id be very interested in what his contract has been worth those last 7 seasons... thats gotta be the best per game taking in the comp?
why arnt people being held accountable for crap like this at the tahs? whos managing this organisation?

 

[Paradox]

I hardly think it is bad for Australian rugby to have an Australian team with a roster capable of winning the comp next year.

Problem is, that has generally been the case with the Tahs. Stop being so NSW-centric. If rugby is to grow in Oz, each Aussie Super rugby teams needs a fighting chance.

 

[Richo]

Problem is, that has generally been the case with the Tahs. Stop being so NSW-centric. If rugby is to grow in Oz, each Aussie Super rugby teams needs a fighting chance.

It will never be the case that every team in a country has a fighting chance. There is a salary cap and squad size cap that restricts contract size and availability. After that, it comes down to coaching, desirability of the team, and living conditions/personal connections to the city. It has and always will be thus in professional sport.

Besides, it wasn't long ago that the Brumbies were the Real Madrid of Oz rugby, crowing about all their big name signings. Swings and roundabouts, I reckon.

 

[Lee Grant]

i just read that tilse has played 10 games in 7 seasons at the tahs
id be very interested in what his contract has been worth those last 7 seasons... thats gotta be the best per game taking in the comp?
why arnt people being held accountable for crap like this at the tahs? whos managing this organisation?

The fault started with, of all people, McKenzie, one of the country's great props and who was the Tahs' coach in 2006. He hired Tilse for 2007/8 then re-signed him for 2009/10. Hickey, who was the coach in 2010, re-signed him for 2011/12. That's only 6 seasons; so he could have played some non-Super games in 2006.

Both McKenzie and Hickey have been let go and so should Foley if he re-signs him again.

We Waratahs fans were already doubting Tilse's quality when Link renewed his contract back in 2008 for 2009/10

Without looking things up, I can remember only one game that Tilse played in and that was in the 2010 debacle in Invercargill. Contrarily, playing from the bench, he was the only Tah to play well in that game.

I was hoping that the Tahs could get back Faulkner from the Force or Sio from the Brumbies to be the understudy to Fat Cat, but although Sio has no Brumbies' 2013 contract signed at the time of writing this, Faulkner is signed by the Force for 2013.

Being the understudy to Fat Cat is no great gig on the face of it because if he is injured Kepu is likely to be switched to LHP and Ryan promoted to start at THP.
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[qwerty51]

Tilse had a big game on the weekend, snapped up two meat pies. There was an article he was in line to come off the bench this week instead of Ryan.

 

[Paradox]

It will never be the case that every team in a country has a fighting chance. There is a salary cap and squad size cap that restricts contract size and availability. After that, it comes down to coaching, desirability of the team, and living conditions/personal connections to the city. It has and always will be thus in professional sport.

Besides, it wasn't long ago that the Brumbies were the Real Madrid of Oz rugby, crowing about all their big name signings. Swings and roundabouts, I reckon.

Ironically at the time NSW had a far stronger squad. Crowing was only done by Sydney press.

 

[waratahjesus]

Ironically at the time NSW had a far stronger squad. Crowing was only done by Sydney press.

And who crows about the Tahs? Sydney press.
Who turns on the Tahs? Sydney press.

 

[Paradox]

WJ, totally agree mate. For the record, I felt bad for the Tahs when Beale left.

 

[Lee Grant]

Tilse had a big game on the weekend, snapped up two meat pies. There was an article he was in line to come off the bench this week instead of Ryan.

Not on merit, that's for sure; Paddy has been going OK and came of age against the Sharks IMO. Actually, I thought Ryan should have been given a start in the Rebels game and either Kepu or Fat Cat rested - probably Kepu because Cat is captain. It's not that the Rebels scrum has been distinguishing itself of late.
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[Intruder]

Tilse had a big game on the weekend, snapped up two meat pies. There was an article he was in line to come off the bench this week instead of Ryan.

Qwerty is correct, After the last month of strong training performances (recovering from calf and ankle injuries in the pre-season) and his standout performance for Uni his not far from a spot on the bench soon.

Also reports are that Sio will stay in Canberra with Owen released to the Rebels and Yanuyanutawa overlooked by White.

 

[waratahjesus]

According to the Tele, Dennis is staying put, rejecting an offer from the rebels.

 

[fatprop]

Tilse had a big game on the weekend, snapped up two meat pies. There was an article he was in line to come off the bench this week instead of Ryan.

Tilse has looked pretty good each time he has got a run for the Tahs. I wouldn't be surprised if he gets picked up, the guy is a solid high workrate LHP in the mould of Wyatt Crockett. Athletic, but can can be found out due to his height by short powerful THPs (he ain't on his own there)

 

[Joe Mac]

Problem is, that has generally been the case with the Tahs. Stop being so NSW-centric. If rugby is to grow in Oz, each Aussie Super rugby teams needs a fighting chance.

Im not being NSW centric. My point is that an Australian team winning the comp does more for rugby in the country then having a strong conference. The Brums and the Reds in the past are perfect examples of that...

I don't really care which Aussie team wins the Super XV so long as it is an Aussie team... With Hooper at the Tah's I think they are one step closer to a squad that could do that