Waratahs 2020

[Rebels3]

The SMH is saying Latrell Mitchell is considering a code switch. Does anybody follow league closely enough to tell if he'd be any good at the most sophisticated game?

He’d be a weapon if given time. Isn’t just all tuck it under the arm and bash. Can pass, kick, etc. very well. Problem would be attitude, however he’s very young so maybe time will solve that.

 

[Adam84]

I will add, only reason he has sounded out rugby union is because he went to market in the NRL and all the clubs went cold on signing him except the Gold Coast Titans, manager is trying to induce a bit of demand to inflate his salary and likely has no actual intention of swapping codes.

 

[cyclopath]

Who plays fullback if Beale is 10?

I'd still play Beale at 15. I just was answering as to whether he could play 10. Makes more sense at 15, I think.

 

[Silverado]

I will add, only reason he has sounded out rugby union is because he went to market in the NRL and all the clubs went cold on signing him except the Gold Coast Titans, manager is trying to induce a bit of demand to inflate his salary and likely has no actual intention of swapping codes.

You're probably right, but if the Titans deal doesn't accentuate, his NRL options are bleak. He would be a real coup talent wise though if true He's only 22, kicks goals and can set up and score tries. He'd have to work on defence in union but could be a good fullback. His petulant negotiations with the Roosters worry me, and the other thing is that the last time we recruited a 6 foot 4, 100 kg fullback from NRL he thought he was bigger than the game, so his attitude needs work

 

[KOB1987]

Who plays fullback if Beale is 10?

two dads?

I'd prefer him on the bench as a super sub but if we could sign someone like Jason Little it could work.

 

[upthereds#!]

Hunt probably back to 15 if Beale is 10. Harrison on bench. Hopefulyl they keep AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) for a Foketi/AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) 12/13 combo

Not ideal but can't see much else. Newsome isn't all that and the new inside is a question mark.

 

[Froggy]

Would like to see both Harrison and Mason given a chance to establish themselves at 10, I think Beale is a bit of a second-best option at 10, and we certainly lose a lot of his ability to spark attack and counter-attack from there. I think 15 is the best spot for him with Hunt at 12, although swapping those two also works. Either way you have an experienced player alongside the youngsters at 10.

I disagree with the above comment about Newsome, as the season went on both he and Clarke grew into pretty good Super level players (although unlikely any more than that), and Newsome has played a fair bit of 15 and isn't the worst back-up. With the young winger with the name I'm not on top of yet, and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) as a back-up for just about anywhere, we're not looking too dusty for the back three.

 

[eastman]

Mason was a good young quality player, and had a few good games for the Reds at 5/8 before he went to the Tahs, at the time I would comfortably say he was one of the best young fly-half options in the country at that time. 3 years later and a few scraps of Super Rugby match experience, and he now isn’t up to it. Masons development or lack of is a direct result do the way he was handled by Gibson and the Tahs IMO, they invested too little in his development when the had the chance, and then dropped him when he didn’t perform in the one game he was given.

Disagree completely- Mason has played plenty of rugby over the years in the Shute Shield and hasn't really stood out at all. If the guy was playing well and training the house down, he'd demand selection. It's probably pretty obvious that he wasn't doing that.

 

[eastman]

Would like to see both Harrison and Mason given a chance to establish themselves at 10, I think Beale is a bit of a second-best option at 10, and we certainly lose a lot of his ability to spark attack and counter-attack from there. I think 15 is the best spot for him with Hunt at 12, although swapping those two also works. Either way you have an experienced player alongside the youngsters at 10.

I disagree with the above comment about Newsome, as the season went on both he and Clarke grew into pretty good Super level players (although unlikely any more than that), and Newsome has played a fair bit of 15 and isn't the worst back-up. With the young winger with the name I'm not on top of yet, and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) as a back-up for just about anywhere, we're not looking too dusty for the back three.

I think Newsome and Clark have turned into serviceable Super players rather than 'good'. Would many other teams, especially overseas Super rugby clubs, want them?

 

[fatprop]

Hunt probably back to 15 if Beale is 10. Harrison on bench. Hopefulyl they keep AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) for a Foketi/AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) 12/13 combo

Not ideal but can't see much else. Newsome isn't all that and the new inside is a question mark.

I think it is who will be 12.

Being a big fan of a 12 who can get over the gain line, I would prefer either Moeroa or Hunt

I think Beale could work at 10 with someone he can hand off to and get over the advantage line

9 Gordon
10 Beale
11 Clarke/Newsome
12 Moeroa
13 AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
14 Alphabet man
15 Hunt

Would be far better than I thought we could put out whilst blooding the babies for the future

 

[TSR]

I’m keen to see Nawaqanitawase on the end of that sort of backline. It’s a bit hard to judge until you really see them against men, but he has been very good at u20s and looks to me capable transitioning without a lot of problems. Young guys need to be managed carefully and there is a wasteland of young guys whose talent has been squandered - but in the last 2-3 years Australian rugby seems to be doing that a lot better and these guys are coming through and settling into senior rugby without issue.

Harrison is the really interesting one for me. If they can bring him through to seniors quickly with the likes of Hunt, Beale & Gordon around him then the Tahs have a pretty handy backline as soon as 2020.

 

[Adam84]

Disagree completely- Mason has played plenty of rugby over the years in the Shute Shield and hasn't really stood out at all. If the guy was playing well and training the house down, he'd demand selection. It's probably pretty obvious that he wasn't doing that.

So why’d they re-sign him then...

 

[wamberal]

So why’d they re-sign him then.

No other options available, I imagine. He is serviceable, in a pinch, although I agree with what others have said, he is really only SS standard, and not a star even in clubland.

 

[Adam84]

What i will say is thathe he displayed a lot of talent and potential when he was in Queensland in juniors and the handful of games he played at Super Rugby level for the Reds... I really dont know what occurred, or how it has happened to him since he went to NSW, but his development plateaued and confidence has regressed. Especially after that debacle last season

 

[Silverado]

What i will say is thathe he displayed a lot of talent and potential when he was in Queensland in juniors and the handful of games he played at Super Rugby level for the Reds. I really dont know what occurred, or how it has happened to him since he went to NSW, but his development plateaued and confidence has regressed. Especially after that debacle last season

Are you sure that he played for the Reds? I know he played NRC for QLD Country and was in the Reds squad, but I didn't think he got capped

 

[Adam84]

I remember watching him at Ballymore in the trial match for the Reds and the U20s, can’t remember how many he played that year. Point is, I though he had clear potential and really stood out. Can’t figure out what happened to him since.

 

[Silverado]

I remember watching him at Ballymore in the trial match for the Reds and the U20s, can’t remember how many he played that year. Point is, I though he had clear potential and really stood out. Can’t figure out what happened to him since.

There's a lot of Schoolboys and under 20s stars that have shown great potential but don't make the cut at the next level

 

[Rob42]

Just reading that Beale is the front runner for flyhalf. Can he oull it off?

Don't forget he took the Tahs to the Super Rugby final in 2008 as fly-half, and the Crusaders only got on top in that game when KB (Kurtley Beale) went off with injury. So he's OK as fly-half. Whilst 12 or 15 are better options for him, I've always thought it a shame that the Tahs and Wallabies didn't keep developing him as a fly-haly option.

 

[RugbyReg]

I remember watching him at Ballymore in the trial match for the Reds and the U20s, can’t remember how many he played that year. Point is, I though he had clear potential and really stood out. Can’t figure out what happened to him since.

was never capped for the Reds. Came over in 2015 late and played 3 games off the bench for QLD Country in NRC (behind Sam Greene). Played QLD 20s in 2016 (all star team) and started 4 times for QLD Country in NRC. Then said he was off to the Force, Force balked, then he said he'd come back to the Reds, Reds offered him a lessor spot (as they'd signed others in the meantime) and then he went to the Tahs.

 

[Rebels3]

Hunt is another option at 10, played there numerous times when he was at Biarritz. Not ideal but a stop gap fill in that could do a job. Pretty confident Harrison is their man and they are just looking to work him into the role as the season goes on