Reds 2013

[tigerland12]

I would rather beauchamp over butler, who i think is actually quite overated.

I think you got it the wrong way around mate. Beauchamp had been overrated since his schoolboy days. Coudln't cut it at GPS so went to Brothers. Doesnt have the size or ability to be a Super Rugby player.

Also, what's Angus Cottrells contract status in the West?

 

[Tangawizi]

Have to wonder what exactly has gone here.

Couple of weeks ago the news was Higgers keen to sign on with the Reds again.

Then we hear "Higgers frustrated by new contract process" http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/s...ntracting-regime/story-e6frf4qu-1226349232799

The key sections from that article that really piss me off are:

In a bid to rein in its spending, the Australian Rugby Union has also decentralised its contracting system with less players given national top-up deals.
Top-up offers are now made after players negotiate with the provinces first, whereas in the past it was the reverse where negotiations started at a national level and Super Rugby contracts were even across the board, apart from third-party deals.

Now top-line players are agreeing to offers from their province on the proviso they receive the top-up they expect from the ARU, prompting players to then look overseas or interstate when it's not forthcoming.
That's the situation that Higginbotham, among others, has been left in following positive discussions with Queensland before starting negotiations with the ARU last month.
Although the in-form 25-year-old is now rated ahead of former Test skipper Rocky Elsom as Australia's best No.6, he's currently weighing up interest overseas and interstate.

&

While it was last week reported he'd agreed to a new two-year deal with Queensland, Higginbotham denied he'd agreed on anything.
"I obviously want to stay in Queensland," he said.
"But it's just a process of going back and forth with my manager and I'm trying to stay out of it as much as I can."

So Higgers does a deal with the Reds - John O'Neill then tells him "Bob Dwyer says you're rubbish so get stuffed on the contract top up front" (or something similar) and now he's off to the Rebels.

What a great system!

 

[thierry dusautoir]

I have always thought the same about Beachamp during school however when he left and bulked up so did his talent and I don't think its the case about gps. However realistically if I had my real choice it wouldn't be LB either, and due to my sources I am tipping two events to take place 1. a player will be contracted form one of the 'lower' rated clubs & 2. A former Reds backrower's name will come up in discussions unconfirmed if he will sign though and that's all I will say besides that fact that butler will not be the replacement as there are at least 4 ahead of him in the pecking order.
P.s I imagine cottrell still has time (1/2 years) on his contract,

 

[TheBigDog]

Agreed, Beauchamp is far too small to be an effective Super Rugby player.

If the Reds are after a pure ball running and hard hitting backrower then it might be worth looking at GPS number 7 Mogi Wei. He plays openside but is in no way a fetcher. He is very strong and hard to put down. I believe he may actually be contracted to Australian 7's currently.

 

[What2040]

Reckon we need to live with what we've got - another young bloke will come along (as they always do) It would be stupid to sign an experienced No.8 or 6 when we have just let Higgers ago for the reason of $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[tigerland12]

Looking through the QLD portion of the academy, Brownings name is the only one I see that stands out as a potential Super Rugby player. Besides other franchises will be aware of his ability and its better we secure him before anyone else does.

 

[Scotty]

That may be true but the Reds showed last week against the Chiefs that they are capable of producing their 2011 form without Quade Cooper. We have not lost much with Ben Lucas running the show but we will lose a lot of mongrel in our pack if we lose Higgers.

I think you are forgetting how good Cooper is. There were zero tries and only a few breaks from the backs (outside 10) vs the chiefs. Do you think that would have been the case with QC (Quade Cooper) playing?

 

[Godfrey]

Lucas and Shipperley both scored.

 

[waratahjesus]

As an outsider looking in, I think it's crazy that people are suggesting they would prefer Higgers to quade.

It seems people have forgotten that in quite a few games last year that the reds achieved parity not dominance and it was quade that provided the breaks, individual brilliance and assists to get the reds over the line.

Higgers has come on fantastically and this year is a much better player than last in my opinion but you win games by scoring points and quade is worth much more to a team than a backrower.

 

[vidiot]

I thought HigginGbotham was a back. Oops.

 

[TheBigDog]

Well hopefully when/if Quade re-signs with the Reds he does so for longer than one year. If we're letting some of our good players go who would be willing to sign for 3+ years and then get stuck in a situation where we have contract negotiation dramas and speculation with Quade every year then maybe there was a mistake made.

 

[tranquility]

The younger options Browning and McMahon are not yet ready for super rugby.

Radike needs to be let go, and one of these blokes plus Butler needs to be signed. However Cusack from Canberra would be a good signing too if Browning is becoming a LHP.

 

[TOCC]

Shatz and Quirk will more then fill the shoes of Higgers...

Higgers is worth more to the Rebels then he is the Reds.. Reds have depth

 

[thierry dusautoir]

there both more mowen-esque then like higgers and both not as good as mowen

 

[TOCC]

there both more mowen-esque then like higgers and both not as good as mowen

hmmm yeah right... Lets not forget that back in 2010 Higgers was a pretty average players, he developed nicely through 2011 and its only been this year that he has really hit good form.

Ed Quirk and Jake Shatz are years behind Higgers in development but both have displayed considerable more talent then both Mowen and Higgers did at their ages.

 

[thierry dusautoir]

Considerable? what becaus ethey have more caps then they did at their age? lets not forget when mowen and higgers where signed to there respective clubs they were behind soem well established players. Higgers has always been a good runner who was a threat outwide, which is soemthing quirk and schatz have never shown. I have no doubt that one of if not maybe both will hit the standard of mowen but they will never be a replacement for higgers cause its just not their style of game. They are good workhorse flanker sint he tight and for the reds to finish of their backrow they need a running backrower to compliment the engine room (ala quirk and schatz) and fetcher (ala Gill).

 

[Sully]

Sad news. Is this definite? Reg? Timmsy?

 

[tranquility]

Considerable? what becaus ethey have more caps then they did at their age? lets not forget when mowen and higgers where signed to there respective clubs they were behind soem well established players. Higgers has always been a good runner who was a threat outwide, which is soemthing quirk and schatz have never shown. I have no doubt that one of if not maybe both will hit the standard of mowen but they will never be a replacement for higgers cause its just not their style of game. They are good workhorse flanker sint he tight and for the reds to finish of their backrow they need a running backrower to compliment the engine room (ala quirk and schatz) and fetcher (ala Gill).

Quirk is completely dymanic, I doubt you have seen much of his play.

 

[thierry dusautoir]

Quirk is completely dymanic, I doubt you have seen much of his play.

Mate your view on quirk has always been completely lopsided so excuse me for not taking you seriously. i am not attacking him just observing his game. at premier rugby level yes he has shown a decent running game but at the sametime rodney blake used to score tries from 40m out in premier grade and angus cottrell used to make linebreaks everytime i saw him play aswell. Yet blake never scores 40m tries at super rugby level and cottrell i dont think in his 5 games played made 1 line break, becaus eas you may or may not be able to tell there is a big difference between Quirkie running against non-professional players and super 15 where he runs at international level players. Things are jsut different between premier grade and super 15 just ask Dallan Murphy.

 

[tigerland12]

Comparing Quirk to Dallan Murphy is the biggest insult ever given to anyone ever!