Aussie Player Exodus

[TOCC]

Talk is he may still get to play for the Aussie 7's in Rio...

Nah sorry buddy, doesn't work like that, you can't have the cake and eat it as well..


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Braveheart81]

Talk is he may still get to play for the Aussie 7's in Rio.

Nah sorry buddy, doesn't work like that, you can't have the cake and eat it as well..

It seems like that might be the basis for the deal though.

He plays a Japanese season in 2015-16, plays the 7s World Cup series and the Olympics in 2016, Japan in 2016-17 then back to Australia in 2017.

This seems like the likely reality for XV a side players joining the Olympics programme. I don't think the ARU can afford to fund players to play 7s who won't be part of Super Rugby or test rugby for the whole year.

 

[Ruggo]

Sure their is big money to be made overseas and this is their living but a career in Australia is hardly going to leave them poor. If it is all about the money, maybe they should try their hand at another living. I can understand aged players who's career is almost over or have been hard done by injury but the younger players with it all in front of them who make the move can just piss right off. No tears shed and don't let the door bite them in the arse on the way out. If they seek to be kissed on the arse by a rainbow, let them go.

I would rather see the Wallaby jersey an aspiration to those who put the hard yards in, in our own union rather than a win at all costs mentality that promotes mercinaries. It doesn't matter whether you play weekend subbies or at an elite level, deep down the ethos that drives us to be part of the game is the same and that ethos should be treated as if it was sacred.

 

[oztimmay]

Sad to see Foley go, but Looks like here TK and Izzy are likely to stay:

http://m.foxsports.com.au/rugby/isr...australian-rugby/story-fnlt0cjc-1227217800673

Beale will move back to 10 and the 'tahs just need to find a IC.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Just posted my comments on the front page :

Good player that he is, and even though he's a current Wallaby, it's not the end of the world that Foley has decided to go o/s for a couple of years. Quade hasn't signed beyond 2015 yet as far as I know, but we have two exceptional No 10s committed to the end of 2016 in Matt To'omua and Christian Lealiifano, even though they have been contesting the No 12 spot in recent times.

A backline of Phipps, To'omua, Lealiifano, Kuridrani with Kerevi and Godwin both coming through as well looks very strong post RWC. Even better if Quade stays too.

A good move by Foley to keep his 7s option open.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Beale will move back to 10 and the 'tahs just need to find a IC.

Great attempt at humour there Timmay.

 

[Braveheart81]

A good move by Foley to keep his 7s option open.

I think this is the sort of flexibility the ARU needs to be open to so it's good.

It puts one of our best 7s players in the frame for Rio without taking up an ARU contract that will now be available for someone else.

Players will realistically need to miss most of the 2016 XV a side season if they want to go to Rio. From an ARU financial perspective it doesn't really work if several key players on big contracts want to do that.

This seems like a good compromise and should see Foley back in Australia in the XV a side game.

 

[louie]

I'm a big believer that in sport the system is more important then the individual. Australian fans need to patient and trust that the NRC is going to work. Foley is a good player sure but is good enough to win us a world cup? he hasn't taken his chances he's be given so far. Good enough to beat NZ? hasn't yet. Maybe the system can develop a world class player who wants to be here.

 

[fatprop]

Sad to see Foley go, but Looks like here TK and Izzy are likely to stay:

http://m.foxsports.com.au/rugby/isr...australian-rugby/story-fnlt0cjc-1227217800673

Beale will move back to 10 and the 'tahs just need to find a IC.

I would bring in Horwitz at 10 and leave Beale as the second play maker at 12, he can float more without the added responsibility

 

[TOCC]

Good player that he is, and even though he's a current Wallaby, it's not the end of the world that Foley has decided to go o/s for a couple of years. Quade hasn't signed beyond 2015 yet as far as I know, but we have two exceptional No 10s committed to the end of 2016 in Matt To'omua and Christian Lealiifano, .

Lealifano and To'omua are good players... Exceptional test 5/8s though? I don't think so..... Wallabies are in real trouble if both Foley and Cooper head off..




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Tex]

Foley has certainly traded himself well in recent years. No hint of loyalty, which is bound to annoy fans, but he's doing a great job of feathering his nest.

 

[Braveheart81]

Do people not think that this is maybe the reality of getting a Wallaby star into the 7s team for 2016?

The ARU can't afford to pay someone half a million dollars or more to play 7s and if you want to be part of the 7s squad in 2016 you realistically miss all of Super Rugby and most of the test season.

It means that a Wallaby top up contract will be available to someone else in 2016 and 2017.

Seems like a good compromise to me and should hopefully see him return to Australia in 2017 after only missing a season of Australian XV a side rugby (although he'll have played a lot of back to back seasons by that point and may need a break).

 

[TOCC]

It seems like that might be the basis for the deal though.

He plays a Japanese season in 2015-16, plays the 7s World Cup series and the Olympics in 2016, Japan in 2016-17 then back to Australia in 2017.

This seems like the likely reality for XV a side players joining the Olympics programme. I don't think the ARU can afford to fund players to play 7s who won't be part of Super Rugby or test rugby for the whole year.

So has he signed a contract for 2017?
If he hasn't then he shouldn't be offered the opportunity...

This is a step in the wrong direction



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Braveheart81]

So has he signed a contract for 2017?
If he hasn't then he shouldn't be offered the opportunity, even if he has I don't think he should be allowed to play 7's.

This is a step in the wrong direction

I have no idea. I highly doubt he'd have signed a contract for 2017 already.

It would seem very likely that if he is going to play 7s in 2016, this has already been agreed to by the ARU though. It's not like he just needs to put his name on a list and he's in the team and off to the Olympics.

Personally I think this sort of flexibility is a good thing and a move in the right direction. He's doing something specific to allow him to play 7s in 2016 and hopefully improve Australia's team significantly. It's also not coming at a great financial cost to the ARU.

 

[TOCC]

So Foley plays a year in Japan, represents Australia at the Olympics and then decides that the offer from the ARU for 2017 isn't good enough and he stays in Japan for another 2 seasons...

There's flexibility, and then there's leaving yourself completely vulnerable... In these scenarios players shouldn't be allowed to represent Australia unless they are contractually bound to return Australia the following season...

I'd be happy for someone like Douglas to be called into the EOYT Wallaby squad in 2015 if he has a ARU/Super Rugby contract already signed for 2016... Same same for Foley, either sign a contract for the following season or you don't represent Australia.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Jagman]

You don't have to be a Super Rugby player to play for the sevens team. That's only a requirement for the Wallabies. You have to be locally contracted which I bet Foley will be, in the Japanese off-season, to train and play with the Aus Mens Sevens. No different to Smith joining the Wallabies for the Lions tour whilst still contracted to Japan.
He can be back in 2017 the same way Pottgieter and all the others come back but miss the preseason.

He's only missing one year of Super Rugby and Wallabies (2016) and in that year he's playing for the Aus sevens. Not a bad compromise. Why not get the Japanese clubs to pay for our Aus Sevens stars? The ARU can't afford them and now there won't be any fighting over Foley between Chieka, John, and however the Waratahs coach will be.

 

[Braveheart81]

So Foley plays a year in Japan, represents Australia at the Olympics and then decides that the offer from the ARU for 2017 isn't good enough and he stays in Japan for another 2 seasons.

There's flexibility, and then there's leaving yourself completely vulnerable. In these scenarios players shouldn't be allowed to represent Australia unless they are contractually bound to return Australia the following season.

I'd be happy for someone like Douglas to be called into the EOYT Wallaby squad in 2015 if he has a ARU/Super Rugby contract already signed for 2016. Same same for Foley, either sign a contract for the following season or you don't represent Australia.

It comes back in some ways to the conflict between contracts and opportunities being a reward for past performance and current value and what you're worth in the future.

I think this comes down to Foley being highly desirable for 7s programme in 2016 based on his current rugby ability and past 7s experience. A deal is being struck to allow that to happen without costing the ARU an arm and a leg but also allowing Foley to earn a salary in line with his value on the market.

I'm sure the ARU would hope he returns in 2017 but that is a different contract negotiation and a different time. You'd have to figure that after leaving for a year, he wouldn't be returning on a top up contract but you'd hope that he is keen to return and push for Wallaby selection again.

 

[Brendan Hume]

We'll probably lose more players. The ARU can't afford to keep everyone on contracts particularly after the RWC where you have a four year cycle to develop players for the next RWC. If Sam Carter wants to go to France, let him - it'll be good for him. There are really only a few marquee players that need to stay in Aussie rugby - Folau and Cooper being the main ones. Lots of kids know these players, whether they are rugby fans or not. The rest - let 'em go, who cares. There will be other players there to take their place.

 

[RugbyReg]

I have no problem with him playing 7s for Oz. In fact I find that a great compromise. If we can get some of those OS signings to play 7s its a brilliant result.

But if you want to play for the Wallabies, you have to play in Australia.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I don't think we gain anything by allowing overseas players to wear Wallaby gold. It will just dilute the product at home and in the end reduce interest in the sport here. I think the ARU has to stick to its guns and select only players signed to an Aussie Super Rugby franchise. We'll lose some players and that's fair enough but will keep more and more to the point some of those blokes will come back to OZ as well.