A bit of advice son: (1) Nobody is bigger than the game, and (2) You need to pay a few dues before you start making inflated demands.
I say call his bluff. I suspect that’s all it is but if it was anything deeper than that then so what?
Some people seem to think Quade Cooper is the only talent we’ve got as a play-maker and it would be a disaster of Titantic proportions if he slunk off to the mungos. Some even think that QC holds all the cards?
Sorry, but I just don’t go with that at all. Sure, he’s a quality player with loads of potential but JO’N is right, he’s not even established in the Wallabies yet.
How many test matches has he started in so far against quality opposition? Actually, only four games as a five eighth versus Six Nations or Tri-Nations sides. And he’s never played the All Blacks in any position, either starting or off the bench.
He had a great Super 14 for the Reds and in combination with Will Genia they were the premier halves coupling in Australia.
However; in my view he’s got a way to go before he can start calling himself ‘indispensable’. And really, nobody is indispensable.
I don’t have a problem with his manager seeking out more lucrative deals for his client in any code at all. And make no mistake, his manager is doing it with Cooper’s sanction.
But I get mightily pissed off when this is going on after apparently committing to the Reds (I know he hasn’t actually signed) and after the way the ARU/QRU have bent over backwards to invest time, money and support to rehabilitate him after his recent, ummm Broadbandbeach episode….
There’s no problem with a bit of argy-bargy during the negotiation phase either and he deserves what he’s worth but to publicly do what they’re up to has ‘mungo’ written all over it. Certainly no better than any of the leaguies who try to use union as a bargaining chip.
How do you think he would go in league? On recent forums, some think that he already has the culture and characteristics of a leaguie but I couldn’t possibly comment.
I suppose any obvious shortcoming would be in defence. You are more exposed and it’s heavily weighted to ‘one on one’ tackling.
Big boofheads would be targeting him but I suppose if Benji does it then so can Quade. As an attacking player he’d certainly be a success.
But talk about short ‘term-ism’. Just think how much he could command in rugby union down the track if he continues to progress and reaches his undoubted potential. He could quite possibly be the next Dan Carter.
If he departed union he’d leave a bit of a hole but we could quickly fill it with JO’C. Young Mr Rabbit is not yet established in any one particular position – he’s been a bit part utility so far.
This season we’ve seen him play at fullback, wing, inside centre and five eighth. Nobody seems sure where he’s going to end up but it increasingly looks like he needs to be on the field somewhere.
At fullback for the Force he became one of their main play-makers as first receiver (I think we called him a ‘flyback’). At another stage he slotted in at five eighths for a few games and did a sterling job.
In fact, he played most of his schoolboy rugby in that position so adapted to it pretty readily when called upon.
He possesses the distribution skills, passing game, kicking and vision of a quality five eighth and is just a damned exiting and creative player with the ball in hand.
This season his defence has firmed and he’s physically bulked up. If QC did the unthinkable then I believe this would be a realistic option for Robbie Deans to pursue.
That’s not forgetting that Berrick Barnes is still a solid playmaker and Kurtley Beale has also some experience in that role.
In the backgound are coming youngsters like Matt Toomua and Christian Lealiifano. So, all would not be lost if he departed.
This little episode is not a great portent of things to come. If this is how he is now while still wet-behind-the ears, how is he going to be when he’s actually ‘arrived’?
Something to ponder perhaps but in the meantime JO’C could be our man.
