Waratahs 2025

[Wilson]

Barrett is a loose head prop and still working his way into super rugby. With Bell, Lambert and Kailea all fit and available there hasn't been much reason to call him in. I guess they could look at shifting him across to tight head next year, but I think that would take even longer than Lambert to pay off.

 

[upthereds#!]

Reds had to get JTA (Jeffery Toomaga-Allen), Brumbies Fotuaika, Force Moli.

Chances are Tahs (barring Talakai coming home) will need to bring a big lump of a lad struggling to crack real game time from a NZ team.

 

[Major Tom]

Also believe he’s been injured or is currently injured.
Wilson is right - tahs need a TH that can handle a scrum for at min a year to allow time for the ones that Ghost talks about. Would love them to bring back Moses Alo Emile or Paul but I suggest they’re probably very happy and would cost too much. Talakai would be the ideal bloke for the job but deffs under contract.

 

[Wilson]

The Alo-Emiles are both contracted with Stade through to 2028

 

[Agent]

Barrett did debut last year when the prop stocks were down and got absolutely monstered. I think he might even playing 2nd grade for Randwick this year which is a massive step from being a Tahs regular. Not saying he won't make it one day but certainly think he has some development to go yet.

 

[HogansHeros]

Im sure theres some heavy 35yr old playing 2nd grade subbies that could hold up the scrum for us next season.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

He's just got to worry about putting on mass. Wasn't he a junior backrower that was turned into a Prop? He plays like it in the loose.

Looking at it, he should have been tapped on the shoulder to shift into Hooker but at the same time he's 20 years old in the Front Row. I know S&C and contract pressure have got guys debuting earlier but even guys like Andrew Blades weren't debuting until 23-24 in those positions. If Barrett end up being ready at 22 so be it. He can't cost much to keep in the system

 

[Raytah]

I think Brad Amatauanai is promising. Always impresses when playing for Uni.

Will Goddard is a few years away but worth developing as is a strong scrummager from what I have seen at U20 and for the Woods.

Wonder if Michael Ala'alatoa or Ollie Hoskins could be tempted. Ala'alatoa is world class and may be looking to bring his family back to Syd at some point...

 

[Wilson]

Amatauanai and Goddard are fine as prospects but they aren't going to offer you anymore than Botha and Amone.

Michael Ala'alatoa would be great, but he's got another year left on his deal with Clermont. If the Tahs were certain of getting him for 2027 they might bite the bullet and wait it out, but that's far from ideal. Hoskins is off contract and has been on loan to Ealing so he's probably available, but given he didn't pop up at the Force with their crop of injuries he might want to stay in London where he's built a life.

Either way it looks like the tahs are already in the market looking as I suggested:

https://www.theroar.com.au/2025/04/17/wallaby-set-for-french-move-and-the-tahs-are-already-looking-for-tupous-replacement-as-top-14-club-circles-prop/

Some talk of them looking at Kemeny to replace Leota/Gleeson too, but that feels more like Christy's speculation than anything he's heard from the organization.

 

[Dctarget]

Leota & Gleeson (and Hanigan & Holloway) are big losses tough to fill.

Happy Leota is going to Bayonne and not some Japanese club. Bayonne is becoming a fun club to support: Leota, Hodge, Manu Tuilagi and punching well above their weight.

 

[Raytah]

Havn't been watching them, but Archer Holz and Max Douglas are coming into the right age bracket if we can get them back from Wales.

 

[Raytah]

And hopefully they now have enough cash to throw the kitchen sink at Lemoto. Should be valued at double Jorgensen. Will be the wallabies 8 for a decade if we can keep him.

 

[Adam84]

Probably accurate reflection of where Wallabies test ranking trends are going

 

[Major Tom]

And hopefully they now have enough cash to throw the kitchen sink at Lemoto. Should be valued at double Jorgensen. Will be the wallabies 8 for a decade if we can keep him.

How tall is he though? I’m not throwing the cheque book at a bloke who’s only just cracking 6ft and isn’t a jackaling threat.

 

[Raytah]

How tall is he though? I’m not throwing the cheque book at a bloke who’s only just cracking 6ft and isn’t a jackaling threat.

He's 6'4 and jackals. And carries. And hits.

Most I've seen of him was Aus U18s so not monster sample, but blind Freddy could tell he was generational talent and suited to rugby. Was best player on the park. Next best were Uys & Ross (Reds), Makasini (Tigers), and Bassingthwaite (Roosters).

Got to find a way!

 

[Derpus]

And hopefully they now have enough cash to throw the kitchen sink at Lemoto. Should be valued at double Jorgensen. Will be the wallabies 8 for a decade if we can keep him.

We don't even have double Jorgo money for established Wallabies.

 

[Pass it to Dunning!]

He's 6'4 and jackals. And carries. And hits.

Most I've seen of him was Aus U18s so not monster sample, but blind Freddy could tell he was generational talent and suited to rugby. Was best player on the park. Next best were Uys & Ross (Reds), Makasini (Tigers), and Bassingthwaite (Roosters).

Got to find a way!

Speaking of which, Uys will be a monster player if he continues on his current trajectory.

 

[Major Tom]

He's 6'4 and jackals. And carries. And hits.

Most I've seen of him was Aus U18s so not monster sample, but blind Freddy could tell he was generational talent and suited to rugby. Was best player on the park. Next best were Uys & Ross (Reds), Makasini (Tigers), and Bassingthwaite (Roosters).

Got to find a way!

Yeah I’ve seen him hit and carry. If he’s 6’4 he’s basically Rob Valetini (very handy). If he can get on the ball then I can picture him as an Ardie Savea type player. Which would be incredible. We seems to to struggle a lil bit to get that type of player. Good at disrupting their ball and dominate with the ball in hand. We have a lot of good 7s but struggle to get that real class player that can play across the back row. I do hope we can convince him to stay.

 

[Raytah]

We don't even have double Jorgo money for established Wallabies.

Exchange rate also unhelpful atm. I guess the trade off is probably:

A) Keep established wallaby outside back playing in super (say Tom Wright)

or

B) Pay a truckload to secure/develop best young talent in Aus rugby.

In (B), super rugby suffers, but atleast both would remain eligible for the Wallabies.

 

[Derpus]

How long on Vailanu and Porecki?

The combination of some pretty uninspiring locks with Heaven and Dobbins is hobbling us rather dramatically.