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Reds 2020

pnut

Watty Friend (18)
Queensland would be breaking ranks with the other states if they were to put a national approach before self-interest. Queensland isn’t the exception to the norm in looking after themselves first.


Totally agree Queensland aren’t the exception. However until we try and work together we’re buggered
 

RedsHappy

Tony Shaw (54)
Not sure we can, the issue is terminal.
Personally I think WR (World Rugby) should have withheld the $15million loan and let RA fall into insolvency and Rugby Australia 2.0 could start fresh with a new mandate and constitution for governance.

I think you might know: I could not agree more.

Even though RA had ~ $7m in free cash at April 2020, the WR (World Rugby) $14.2m will almost certainly only fund or part fund:

- immediate RA creditor overhang, ie those RA creditors (eg Folau-related lawyers) whom could not be funded to this point and that have been hanging around waiting (let alone the seemingly disastrous HSBC forex hedge that is reportedly $7m underwater and will have to be paid out at some imminent point)​
- ongoing immediate losses accruing as RA is experiencing; even with salary cutbacks, stand downs, RUPA player deals etc, RA and the local RUs are all making material $ cash-out-the-door losses​
- the inevitably large no of staff redundancies that McLennan and Clarke have already flagged for RA and the local RUs. With c. 350 staff across all Aust RUs, and given the income and loss outlook for RA, this $ no for redundancies in Q3 or Q4 could be large​

Balancing all the above is any still-engaged sponsorship revenue, Govt grants ongoing, and any income RA can extract from Foxtel for 2020 Super games and any home Tests later this year. but that income will be very unlikely to cover the total net cash outflows noted above for all the pro comp supporting bodies. Foxtel will be brutal re negotiating anything it provides in 2020, we can be sure of that.

Summary and key question re the WR (World Rugby) money: what new horizons, seriously reformed RA/RUs, innovative new media platforms and distribution modes, new domestic comp structure, etc, etc, does the emergency WR (World Rugby) loan build a credible bridge to?

The answer almost certainly is that the WR (World Rugby) money will be quickly absorbed in funding, bluntly, the 'the sins of the past and the ever-ongoing RA status quo modalities' and will not at all fund a long-overdue, proper RA/RUs transformation process for the betterment and survival of the code in Australia.
 

upthereds#!

Ken Catchpole (46)
SO who gets the reserve lock spot for the remainder of 2020?

If Blyth and LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) start who would you like to see?

A) Michael Wood. 6ft 3. Australian U20 lock. IMO, able to play lock for that team even though exceptionally short for a 2nd row as the no.6 and no.8 were both 6ft4 and with a 6ft8 lock partner. Plenty of height to go around for a teenage team, so able to focus on power and mobility perhaps? Also IMO - not a realistic locking option, absolutely a back up 6 for ASY (Angus Scott-Young).

B) Ryan Smith. Far more normal dimensions for a 2nd row at 6ft6 and 117kg. At 23 not exactly a 'youngster'. My concern is that if he was ready for the step up, wouldn't he have already done so at either the Reds or Brumbies where he has had opportunity. That being said, pro teams tend to invest in the exceptional potential of teenage giant 2nd rows in excess of 200cm, so perhaps a hard grafter with a couple extra years under his belt would be a reliable and failsafe option off the bench.

D) Seru Uru. Basically the designated backup no 8, at 6ft 5 could fill a utility role off the bench. A dynamic and mobile backrow option with the ability to jump, I think Seru needs to hit the gain train in order to have a great impact at a pro level.

C) Wilson Blyth. The smaller and younger brother of Angus. Still young in age and without a stand out physical presence. Should be striving for an Aus U20 spot in 2021 which I'm pretty sure he will still be eligible for.
 

The Nomad

Bob Davidson (42)
A pro lock at 6’3”? Even as back up, wow.
The other set piece that needs to be considered is scrums . The locks have a big roll in that as well . Both Wilso and Woods have the body mass and scrummaging technique to hold their side of the scrum.

If you have three of Wright, Wilson , one of the starting locks and ASY (Angus Scott-Young) out there , does it mater if Woods is 6’3”?

Particularly when you consider the rest of this season is most likely going to be a domestic comp only .
 

Adam84

Nick Farr-Jones (63)
Woods could play as a reserve lock, isn’t ideal, but a suitable outcome given the circumstances
 

Finsbury Girl

Trevor Allan (34)
SO who gets the reserve lock spot for the remainder of 2020?



If Blyth and LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) start who would you like to see?



A) Michael Wood. 6ft 3. Australian U20 lock. IMO, able to play lock for that team even though exceptionally short for a 2nd row as the no.6 and no.8 were both 6ft4 and with a 6ft8 lock partner. Plenty of height to go around for a teenage team, so able to focus on power and mobility perhaps? Also IMO - not a realistic locking option, absolutely a back up 6 for ASY (Angus Scott-Young).



B) Ryan Smith. Far more normal dimensions for a 2nd row at 6ft6 and 117kg. At 23 not exactly a 'youngster'. My concern is that if he was ready for the step up, wouldn't he have already done so at either the Reds or Brumbies where he has had opportunity. That being said, pro teams tend to invest in the exceptional potential of teenage giant 2nd rows in excess of 200cm, so perhaps a hard grafter with a couple extra years under his belt would be a reliable and failsafe option off the bench.



D) Seru Uru. Basically the designated backup no 8, at 6ft 5 could fill a utility role off the bench. A dynamic and mobile backrow option with the ability to jump, I think Seru needs to hit the gain train in order to have a great impact at a pro level.



C) Wilson Blyth. The smaller and younger brother of Angus. Still young in age and without a stand out physical presence. Should be striving for an Aus U20 spot in 2021 which I'm pretty sure he will still be eligible for.



#Justice4BigDanGorman ;)

ps I'd be happy with Uru or Wood.
 

TSR

Mark Ella (57)
Is Wood available for selection? I though his injury was season ending - or has the later then normal season given him enough recovery time?

In a similar vein, anyone know how Petaia is tracking?
 

Ignoto

John Thornett (49)
Thorny has spoken about the whole shitshow - https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/sp...e-over-exit-of-reds-trio-20200526-p54wnc.html

“He came around to my house and wanted to make it clear that stuff that was out there is not how he feels. These are the things that are frustrating. Your name is there all of a sudden.

“With Izack, he’s a guy you care about a lot. He’s come here from a young age and I even played next to him for a couple of games ... Obviously he lost his father, I lost my dad at 19. We’ve had a lot of personal chats.
 
B

Bobby Sands

Guest
Flook as well. Excited to see him training with the senior side.

Looking forward to seeing a bit more of him. Realise he has some big wraps, so it will be good to see what his weapons are.

Is he a ball in two hands type of centre?
 

upthereds#!

Ken Catchpole (46)
The other set piece that needs to be considered is scrums . The locks have a big roll in that as well . Both Wilso and Woods have the body mass and scrummaging technique to hold their side of the scrum.

If you have three of Wright, Wilson , one of the starting locks and ASY (Angus Scott-Young) out there , does it mater if Woods is 6’3”?

Particularly when you consider the rest of this season is most likely going to be a domestic comp only .

He's listed at 108kg, so that would not only make him very short for a 2nd row, but also very light.

It would make Wilson at 195cm the 2nd tallest in the team (Uru is 197 but not many people considering him), Wilson is the same height as Higginbotham.

I do hope for 2021 the Reds find a 'normal' sized lock.
 

Silverado

Dick Tooth (41)
He's listed at 108kg, so that would not only make him very short for a 2nd row, but also very light.

It would make Wilson at 195cm the 2nd tallest in the team (Uru is 197 but not many people considering him), Wilson is the same height as Higginbotham.

I do hope for 2021 the Reds find a 'normal' sized lock.
How tall is Blyth?
 

The Nomad

Bob Davidson (42)
Off the Reds website

Blyth 204cm
LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) 198cm
Uru 197cm
Wilson 195cm
ASY (Angus Scott-Young) 194cm
Wright 194cm
Wood 192cm


The player weights do seem a little off

Uru down as 104kgs
Wright as 101kgs
Wilson as 106kgs , pretty sure Harry was heavier than that at school and he has definitely beefed up somewhat since then.

Anyway , I'd take the power and dimensions of Wood come scrum time over someone who was there just for their height.
 

upthereds#!

Ken Catchpole (46)
Forgot bout LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto). I was more thinking if Blyth or LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) got injured or tired or whateva, would we be a bit light/short for a starting professional team.

ANYWAY- I'd like to see Wood play, reminds me of the sort of mongrel Swinton is showing at the Tahs.
 
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