Western Force 2010

[farva]

Re: Comings and goings at the Force

Caldwell coming to the Force lends weight to Sharpe being the bloke in the rumour that the smh ran with that a senior Wallaby was grumpy in Australia and looking to go overseas after being told he would not be captain material.

If it is Sharpe and he is off, a Caldwell/Hocking or Caldwell/Wykes 2nd row would be very nice.

Im not sure Im keen on a Hocking/Wykes 2nd row. They are both immensly talented individuals but both very green and I dont see them leading the lineout at all well. And given Hodgson doesnt get involved in the lineout it limits the options.

 

[Grandmaster Flash]

Re: Comings and goings at the Force

Forgot Stanford too, but Pusey is probably sure to be gone at the end of the season. Wykes and Stanford are both locks/blindsides, though.

The Force tight 5 could be tight handy next year, if they manage to sign some of their targets.

Dunning, ??? (TPN?) Frier, Fairbrother, Sharpe, Caldwell. Not bad.

Agree with the Sheehan move, would be crazy to lose Valentine who has been the best Aus scrummie throughout the season.

 

[PhucNgo]

Re: Comings and goings at the Force

With Hockings, Sharpe and Weekes, why do they need another lock?

Insurance. If Pocock becomes captain and Deans doesn't want Sharpe. Mr Sharpre will no doubt be entertaining offers from abroad.

 

[RugbyReg]

Re: Comings and goings at the Force

Just hearing that Valentine is heading to the Brumbies to finalise his jersey collection.

Force are being decimated. Brumbies are going crazy.

 

[PhucNgo]

Re: Comings and goings at the Force

Just hearing that Valentine is heading to the Brumbies to finalise his jersey collection.

Force are being decimated. Brumbies are going crazy.

Good point. Just who's bankrolling this? Smith wouldn't have been cheap; Gateau, even less so. Maybe explains the departure of Gerard. And maybe they just couldn't stretch to afford Mitchell.

 

[Spook]

Re: Comings and goings at the Force

Just hearing that Valentine is heading to the Brumbies to finalise his jersey collection.

Force are being decimated. Brumbies are going crazy.

Good point. Just who's bankrolling this? Smith wouldn't have been cheap; Gateau, even less so. Maybe explains the departure of Gerard. And maybe they just couldn't stretch to afford Mitchell.

Nobody, these guys have standard S14 contracts. Gits is the only one getting any serious 3rd party money. I'd suggest there is far more 3rd party money in the other franchises. Who other than Gits and Valentine have the ACT got anyway? :nta: Not sure why Valentine was pursued to be honest. Is he much better than Stannard or Phibbs, etc?

 

[RugbyReg]

Re: Comings and goings at the Force

you are right Spook about the contracts. The Brumbies still have this 'aura' about them I reckon, in which players want to play in that environment.

They have ditched Gerrard, and likely to do the same with Rathbone, so that should free up dough.

Having Gits back would've been enticing to Valentine I imagine. And they reckon they'll have JOC (James O'Connor)'s sig as well...who knows?

 

[Lindommer]

Re: Comings and goings at the Force

If Valentine signs for the ponies he'll join Fava as the only two players to turn out for all four Oz Super sides. I worry about blokes who reckon the grass is greener at another team; why doesn't he produce at his current side the level of play he reckons he can bring to his future team? Valentine's been at the Force for only this year and has played well. Some old lag should get in his ear and tell him to stay put and continue improving.

 

[Ash]

Re: Comings and goings at the Force

If Valentine signs for the ponies he'll join Fava as the only two players to turn out for all four Oz Super sides. I worry about blokes who reckon the grass is greener at another team; why doesn't he produce at his current side the level of play he reckons he can bring to his future team? Valentine's been at the Force for only this year and has played well. Some old lag should get in his ear and tell him to stay put and continue improving.

In this instance of Valentine, I can understand. He left the Reds to go home to NSW. He left the Tahs to go to the Force because he was stuck behind Sheehan and Burgess after initially being a first choice scrummie. At the Force, they chase Sheehan instead of doing the obvious thing and trying hard to keep Valentine - and have made it clear that Valentine will be stuck behind Sheehan, again.

Meanwhile, the Brumbies have the limited Phibbs and the talented Holmes, where neither have stamped any authority on halfback at all at the Brumbies. Valentine would be a step up on both of them, the way they have played this year.

 

[Lindommer]

Re: Comings and goings at the Force

If we've learnt anything in Oz this year it's the value of depth. The Reds have two talented half-backs in Genia and Lucas; EVERY Super side needs two good half-backs. The Tahs have unearthed a promising young prop in Palmer, the Reds are delighted to find Ioane can handle outside-centre with ease and the Brumbies constant scatterball style of play has helped Lealiifano grow into a handy five-eighth. It is vitally important coaching staff help blokes like Burgess and Phibbs iron out their deficiencies and build on their strengths rather than always look to grab the finished product, as the Brumbies seem to be doing in their quest for Valentine. Next year the ponies might have Holmes, Phibbs, Stannard and Valentine competing for the 9 jumper. Talk about overkill. Who'll be at the Force? Sheehan and O'Young? I don't want to see a weak Australian side any time in Super rugby.

There's a lot to be said for the NZ approach to evening out the talent with their limited draft. They aim for an experienced campaigner in every position with a talented young bloke as the reserve. Well, that's in theory.

 

[fatprop]

Re: Comings and goings at the Force

How much of this is down to the Coach.

Listening to Rugby Roundtable the descriptor for John Mitchell is "C*nt".

 

[farva]

Re: Comings and goings at the Force

How much of this is down to the Coach.

Listening to Rugby Roundtable the descriptor for John Mitchell is "C*nt".

Im not convinced that is the case.
I have heard that he works players very hard. But will be doing it along side them.
He might have dented a few egos but he is the coach so it is his perogative to do that.

 

[Lindommer]

Re: Comings and goings at the Force

Fairbrother to the Force? You'd better hurry up, Tucky.

Deans wants Hurricane to put wind up All Blacks

WALLABIES coach Robbie Deans is expected to call Hurricanes tighthead prop Tim Fairbrother into the Wallabies for the Tri Nations.

Fairbrother had been granted an early release from his contract with New Zealand and Wellington and he is expected to be in Australia from June 1. He is eligible to play for the Wallabies because the parents of his mother, Robina, are Australian. He will play for the Force in the Super 14 next year, replacing Ben Castle, who is off to the Newport Gwent Dragons in Wales. The 27-year-old, 119-kilogram Fairbrother is reaching the peak years for a front-rower and has plumped for Australia and the Force, turning down other lucrative offers from European clubs.

The signing of Fairbrother could bring down the curtain on Matt Dunning's time in Australia. Dunning has been frustrated that the offer of the Australian Rugby Union is well below what he believes is his value. The Force had been chasing Dunning but they have settled on Fairbrother, born in New Zealand's Upper Hutt.

The Wellington Rugby Academy graduate has been a regular on the Wellington scene since 2001, playing 68 games for the Lions and 60 for the Hurricanes. Shoulder surgery forced him to miss the entire 2006 Air New Zealand Cup and the 2007 Super 14.

Deans has a record of identifying talent. The former Crusaders coach masterminded the recruitment of Brad Thorn to the 15-man code from rugby league. He also played a part in Timana Tahu's switch. Deans has clearly seen something special in Fairbrother, who represented New Zealand at under-16, under-19 and under-21 levels.

 

[Spook]

Re: Comings and goings at the Force

Can Fairbrother play both sides of the scrum?

 

[Gagger]

Re: Comings and goings at the Force

Can Fairbrother play both sides of the scrum?

You mean at the same time?

 

[Spook]

Re: Comings and goings at the Force

Can Fairbrother play both sides of the scrum?

You mean at the same time?

:banghead

 

[fatprop]

Re: Comings and goings at the Force

Can Fairbrother play both sides of the scrum?

You mean at the same time?

Yeah but he is pretty average

 

[RugbyReg]

Re: Comings and goings at the Force

Both sides and hooker at the same time?

 

[Lindommer]

Re: Comings and goings at the Force

More news on Valentine's future in The Australian today.

Halfback Josh Valentine likely to follow Matt Giteau to Brumbies.

FORMER Wallabies halfback Josh Valentine may have played his last match for the Western Force after being cited to appear before a SANZAR judiciary today in Cape Town.

Any suspension beyond one match that Valentine might receive for his allegedly dangerous tackle on Bulls' Springbok halfback Fourie du Preez in his side's 32-29 loss to the Pretoria team almost certainly will mean the end of his career with the Force. Indications are Valentine intends following his Perth halves partner Matt Giteau to the Brumbies next season, although there were reports yesterday the Force had launched one last effort to persuade him to remain in Perth. If those efforts succeed, it could stop the Force's recruitment of Waratahs halfback Brett Sheehan. If not, it appears Sheehan's switch to the west coast is a done deal.

Valentine's move to Canberra would complicate an already tricky situation for Brumbies coach Andy Friend, who over the next week intends to trim one of his three halfbacks, Patrick Phibbs, Josh Holmes or James Stannard, from his squad. Stannard, a recruit from the Force, is the player seemingly most in danger, although nothing is certain as Phibbs and Holmes have alternated as the Brumbies' starting halfback this season and neither player has come close to nailing down a permanent spot.

Valentine's actions beg the question: "What did he hope to achieve by going to the Force in the first place?" He'll create a traffic jam of halfbacks at the Brumbies, exactly the same situation he wished to escape at the Reds and the Tahs.

 

[Spook]

Re: Comings and goings at the Force

The Brumbies have stated that they are going to get rid of 2 of their existing halfbacks.