Waratahs 2016

[TOCC]

As pointed out by someone previously, Harry Jones was offered a position by the Rays but the Stars offered a better opportunity for him. Local boys or not, Stars could have offered him guaranteed game time that perhaps the Rays weren't willing to offer.




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[RugbyReg]

Reece Robinson who plays league I think for the Eels apparently?

About to be announced as a new signing for the Tahs.

 

[qwerty51]

Reece Robinson who plays league I think for the Eels apparently?

About to be announced as a new signing for the Tahs.

Payto and Panda mentioned this 2 weeks ago but squashed it saying it wasn't going to happen.

THE signings of Zac Guildford and Matt Carraro by NSW have thwarted a stunning code switch by Parramatta Eels fullback Reece Robinson.
We can reveal that Robinson was in the Waratahs’ sights, and he held meetings with NSW coach Daryl Gibson, but Gibson has managed to convince former All Black Guildford to honour his deal with the Sydney club, while also getting utility Carraro to re-sign.
That left no room for Robinson, who played schoolboy rugby and has been intrigued by a switch to union for a couple of years.

Robinson has been a star performer for Parramatta this year, second only to freak winger Semi Radradra in the club’s tryscoring list.
The Waratahs are losing outside backs Adam Ashley-Cooper, Peter Betham and Taqele Naiyaravoro from the 2015 roster, but with Guildford and Carraro secured, and the game’s next superstar Andrew Kellaway to get a start next year, the Tahs look well served for attacking potency alongside Wallabies Israel Folau, Kurtley Beale, Bernard Foley, Nick Phipps and Rob Horne.

But this kind of makes sense now. With Henry Clunies-Ross serious ankle injury and Taqele off to Glasgow (with confirmation) we probably had to re-consider.

 

[TOCC]

28yrs old with a limited history in rugby union..I'm not a fan


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[gowaratahs]

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...switches-to-nsw-waratahs-20150921-gjrswd.html

If this comes off - for better or worse - we'll struggle to fit Jones, Northam and Clunies-Ross into the squad. In fact, we'd have to sacrifice a loose forward vacancy. Gibson's language in a recent article on the Tahs website suggested the injured HCR is staying, and Jones is on a transition contract (and kicks off both feet!), so I'm struggling to see Northam getting a spot.

So what of this mungo Robinson? Has he played Rugby? I don't watch NRL outside of finals time, so unless he's 50-something and still playing since that golden era of Parramatta RL (and Union, iirc) I haven't seen him. I can tell you Northam is off to La Rochelle as cover for Alofa, so don't expect to see him further progress his claims in the NRC.

Loose forwards and Locks are what we need (noting Dennis and Mumm are loosies dressed up as locks) - Hanigan might end up as a lock but there's still a couple of vacancies through 4 to 8.

For the record, I'm actually expecting Dennis to start at 8 next year with Holloway on the bench - similarly Carraro starting with Kellaway as a reserve. These guys have just minutes of Super Rugby experience between them - and I expect the Tahs coaches to ease them in. Horwitz may also get a bench spot if/when Gibson runs a 5/3 bench.

 

[Bairdy]

In the smatterings of NRC games I've seen, Matt Phillip of the Stars has played well. Has the dimensions of an out-and-out lock forward too. Aditionally, Louisi seems to be coming good.

 

[Lance Free]

More washed-up mungo's jumping on the rugby bandwagon. It's got Blacklock/McGoldrick written all over it. When will they ever learn?

 

[RugbyReg]

In the smatterings of NRC games I've seen, Matt Phillip of the Stars has played well. Has the dimensions of an out-and-out lock forward too. Aditionally, Louisi seems to be coming good.

Agreed, lots of good locks going around in the NRC.

Richie Arnold has plenty of promise I reckon, plus Ben Hyne and Corey Thomas from Brisbane are showing plenty of potential.

 

[fatprop]

28yrs old with a limited history in rugby union..I'm not a fan


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My brother is a tragic eels fans

His take on Robinson? Fast, elusive, kicks goals, a pro footballer, not a dick head and durable

It will be interesting to see why Robinson jumped (eels are in trouble with their cap and in court over a questionable contract with hopoate - and can't sign anyone) and the logic of why the Tahs picked him up

 

[Hugh Jarse]

<snip> I can tell you Northam is off to La Rochelle as cover for Alofa, so don't expect to see him further progress his claims in the NRC.
<snip>

Good on him. He will come back much richer (in the most holistic sense of the word) for his experience.

How good is Rugby? A young bloke shows some good form and he's off on a working holiday to Europe.

In Mungoland, a young bloke shows some promise in the Car Makers Cup and he might be able to jet off to Canberra or Townsville or some other exotic location on the Australian Eastern Seaboard.

 

[gowaratahs]

In Mungoland, a young bloke shows some promise in the Car Makers Cup and he might be able to jet off to Canberra or Townsville or some other exotic location on the Australian Eastern Seaboard.

To be fair Hugh, in mungoland you can get photographed putting your old fella in a dog's mouth or even pissing in your own to get a European working holiday too...

 

[Braveheart81]

More washed-up mungo's jumping on the rugby bandwagon. It's got Blacklock/McGoldrick written all over it. When will they ever learn?

I think the difference now is that the signings aren't middle of the road players on marquee sized contracts.

The recent signings of people like Lousi, Naiyaravoro at the Tahs and Nabuli at the Reds seem more like bargain options that are worthwhile to take a punt on at the price.

 

[fatprop]

I think the difference now is that the signings aren't middle of the road players on marquee sized contracts.

The recent signings of people like Lousi, Naiyaravoro at the Tahs and Nabuli at the Reds seem more like bargain options that are worthwhile to take a punt on at the price.

Yeah, the big money in the NRL is now pretty well going to key players only with the rest on bugger all to fit within the salary cap

 

[Hugh Jarse]

^^^ Isn't that the same in Rugby?

 

[fatprop]

^^^ Isn't that the same in Rugby?

Not to the same extent, but yeah the trend is there.

I don't think Foley would be having a Japanese sabbatical if the Tahs could offer him Kieran Foran type wages; and I understand Folau makes his big cash via 3rd party deals

 

[Braveheart81]

I definitely think the gap between a base level contract, a median contract and the top few contracts for each team is widening.

Increases in the salary cap are making the top players richer whilst only leading to marginal increases for the average player.

 

[gowaratahs]

I don't think Foley would be having a Japanese sabbatical if the Tahs could offer him Kieran Foran type wages

Possibly not, but I think the point made by Hugh earlier was that if you can't quite reach that goal (contract, $$, or both) there may be something equally as rewarding around the corner (eg. a stint of playing rugby in a culturally diverse and enriching environment).

I once heard that League offers more money (and more chicks) for kids just out of school, whereas Rugby offers a world of opportunities down the track - not limited to ill-prepared coaching gigs, or 1 in 100 getting a plum media job. I lament the day Jared W-H left our junior development squad for the Sea Eagles, it's a battle we'll probably never win as an EPS contract can hardly compete with the dazzling lights of a base-level NRL contract.

So do we ignore the NRL discards at the expense of our development players, or do we want the (short-term) best at any cost? Sounds like our political cycle. Time will tell if Northam might have been a better investment than Reece Robertson, I just hope he doesn't get in the way of the development of Kellaway and Jones who have 10 years of footy ahead of them.

Maybe Reece is contracted as cover for Guildford

 

[Tahtrajic]

I amy have missed it but how long is Reece's contract is he just using the switch as a way to get a bigger contract out of an o's rugby club like Alphabet did.Or am I being hard on them

 

[Groucho]

You're being hard on them. Alphabet genuinely tried to get out of his overseas contract. He wasn't angling for a larger offer. But hey ho. The Internet is a place to pour malice and scorn on players and officials from the comfort of our couches.

 

[Tahtrajic]

You're being hard on them. Alphabet genuinely tried to get out of his overseas contract. He wasn't angling for a larger offer. But hey ho. The Internet is a place to pour malice and scorn on players and officials from the comfort of our couches.

I suppose on reflection I am being a bit rough. But i really want to see more young men coming up through colts and club rugby getting what little money rugby has to spend compared to that other code.