National Academy 2012
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Scott Allen
Trevor Allan (34)
We're interviewing Paul Carozza, who's the Brisbane Head Coach of the National Academy, for the Podcast next week .
Once that's published, we'll publish an article with the list of players that are in the Academy.
Once that's published, we'll publish an article with the list of players that are in the Academy.
twenty seven
Tom Lawton (22)
Be nice to know if some are from out of town, where from, and how they are going relocating?
Thanks again Austin. Please give us a hoy when the podcast is on and when the article is blogged.
It would be interesting to know if spots were offered in the Academy but were turned down for one reason or another. Otherwise there will be complaints that Fred Nerk or Neville Nobody weren't picked, when, in fact, they weren't interested, or not available, for one reason or another.
Scott Allen
Trevor Allan (34)
Here's a link to the article which includes the list of players and a link to the Podcast we recorded last night with Paul Carozza on how the Academy will work.
http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/aru-national-academy/
http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/aru-national-academy/
spectator
Bob Davidson (42)
Excellent work Austin, thanks for that. Interesting to see that Bennetts is still in the Academy in Sydney. How many years is that for him? Must still be rated so just needs a good year without injury I guess.
The Brisbane list is interesting with a few guys who were in Canberra (Fou andCrook) based here. Also see Postal and Sanday have headed back to Qld as well. Be interesting to see which clubs these guys end up at.
How many of last years Schoolboys are in there? I think I see 4 or 5 from Qld.
The Brisbane list is interesting with a few guys who were in Canberra (Fou andCrook) based here. Also see Postal and Sanday have headed back to Qld as well. Be interesting to see which clubs these guys end up at.
How many of last years Schoolboys are in there? I think I see 4 or 5 from Qld.
Iluvmyfooty
Phil Hardcastle (33)
I see 6 from NSW that were Oz Schoolboys this year
Thanks for the blog and the podcast Austin.
There's a lot of good players in the squad. It was hard to work out who wasn't included; so I categorised the players into the positions. Some of the recent schoolboys I had to take a punt on and put them in spots they were likely to play as senior players rather than where they played as juniors.
There's a few older fellows there but most of these lads are younger players, not too long out of school. A lot of them will still be living at home and it's probably the only way they can afford to take the opportunity because they won't be getting paid a bomb. Most likely they will receive something in the $10 to $15K range, as the pro academy players used to get at the S14 franchises.
Because they are young not too many of these fellows will be cherry picked into Super squads in 2012 if they need more players than the 35 they have on call right now. Super teams will look more for experienced club players. Older players will back themselves to be noticed in club rugby rather than offer themselves to the national academy, and they could have a real job.
Props: Allan Ala'alatoa, Jack Kimmince, Zeb Holmes, JP Smith, Guy Millar, Kirwan Sanday, Sione Kolo, Michael Bermingham, Ruan Smith, Pettowa Paraka, Tomasi Kolo
Hookers: Hugh Roach, Maile Ngauamo, Mitch Wade, Phil Kite
Locks: Ben Matwijow, Blake Enever, Tim Buchanan, Adam Coleman, Jed Hollaway, Michael Stolberg, Steve Cummins, William Skelton,
Openside Flanker: Boyd Killingworth, Matt Blain, Mark Baldwin, Sam Latinipulu, Trent Dyer
Blindside Flanker: Maile Latukefu, Nigel AhWong, Michael Wells, Ted Postal, Sean McMahon, Tom Cusack, Sam Reiser,
No.8: Curtis Browning, Jarrad Butler, Jay Havelu, Keliti Vaingalo, Jordy Reid, Jason Havea
Scrumhalves: Matt Lucas, Jock Merriman, Scott Malolua, Waldo Wessels
Flyhalves: Dion Taumata, Ben Volavola, Liam Walker, Sam Lane, Trent Lake
Centres: , Apolosi Latunipulu, Joel Faulkner, Malie Hingano, Tim Bennetts, Tom Boidin, Tom English
Wingers: Alex Northam, Lindsay Crook, Mitch Felsman
Fullbacks: Simon Morahan, Peter Schuster
Some stray thoughts:
• I see the Smith twins are back. Ruan was a promising schools LHP and played in the RSA for WP Colts when his family returned there and now he is Oz again. PaarlBok thought a lot of him IIRR.
• There are a few poaches from Islander U/20 teams but I have no problem with that if they have lived here a while but I hope that they are not new arrivals.
• There are not many back 3 players. I guess all the good ones are already spoken for.
• I see Keliti is back from league. He was probably the wrong body shape for it. I don't know what happened to him; I thought he would become a player like Timani is now. Let's hope the academy can get the best out of him.
There's a lot of good players in the squad. It was hard to work out who wasn't included; so I categorised the players into the positions. Some of the recent schoolboys I had to take a punt on and put them in spots they were likely to play as senior players rather than where they played as juniors.
There's a few older fellows there but most of these lads are younger players, not too long out of school. A lot of them will still be living at home and it's probably the only way they can afford to take the opportunity because they won't be getting paid a bomb. Most likely they will receive something in the $10 to $15K range, as the pro academy players used to get at the S14 franchises.
Because they are young not too many of these fellows will be cherry picked into Super squads in 2012 if they need more players than the 35 they have on call right now. Super teams will look more for experienced club players. Older players will back themselves to be noticed in club rugby rather than offer themselves to the national academy, and they could have a real job.
Props: Allan Ala'alatoa, Jack Kimmince, Zeb Holmes, JP Smith, Guy Millar, Kirwan Sanday, Sione Kolo, Michael Bermingham, Ruan Smith, Pettowa Paraka, Tomasi Kolo
Hookers: Hugh Roach, Maile Ngauamo, Mitch Wade, Phil Kite
Locks: Ben Matwijow, Blake Enever, Tim Buchanan, Adam Coleman, Jed Hollaway, Michael Stolberg, Steve Cummins, William Skelton,
Openside Flanker: Boyd Killingworth, Matt Blain, Mark Baldwin, Sam Latinipulu, Trent Dyer
Blindside Flanker: Maile Latukefu, Nigel AhWong, Michael Wells, Ted Postal, Sean McMahon, Tom Cusack, Sam Reiser,
No.8: Curtis Browning, Jarrad Butler, Jay Havelu, Keliti Vaingalo, Jordy Reid, Jason Havea
Scrumhalves: Matt Lucas, Jock Merriman, Scott Malolua, Waldo Wessels
Flyhalves: Dion Taumata, Ben Volavola, Liam Walker, Sam Lane, Trent Lake
Centres: , Apolosi Latunipulu, Joel Faulkner, Malie Hingano, Tim Bennetts, Tom Boidin, Tom English
Wingers: Alex Northam, Lindsay Crook, Mitch Felsman
Fullbacks: Simon Morahan, Peter Schuster
Some stray thoughts:
• I see the Smith twins are back. Ruan was a promising schools LHP and played in the RSA for WP Colts when his family returned there and now he is Oz again. PaarlBok thought a lot of him IIRR.
• There are a few poaches from Islander U/20 teams but I have no problem with that if they have lived here a while but I hope that they are not new arrivals.
• There are not many back 3 players. I guess all the good ones are already spoken for.
• I see Keliti is back from league. He was probably the wrong body shape for it. I don't know what happened to him; I thought he would become a player like Timani is now. Let's hope the academy can get the best out of him.
Scott Allen
Trevor Allan (34)
Lee - I watched the Smith twins playing in Brisbane this year for GPS.
Excellent prospects - skills for big men are really good and can both scrummage really well. With more development through the Academy they have a big future.
I think Sam Reiser will remain a lock. Not sure he'll have the right body shape for a #6.
Surprised Nigel Ah Wong didn't get picked up for an EPS spot - think he toured with the Rebels. They must have some good prospects to have overlooked him.
Excellent prospects - skills for big men are really good and can both scrummage really well. With more development through the Academy they have a big future.
I think Sam Reiser will remain a lock. Not sure he'll have the right body shape for a #6.
Surprised Nigel Ah Wong didn't get picked up for an EPS spot - think he toured with the Rebels. They must have some good prospects to have overlooked him.
Empire
Syd Malcolm (24)
Who has picked up Tom Cusack? I know through the mutual friends grapevine that he is going to be in Sydney.
Whoever has, top player. Unlucky injury this year, but the fact that he was selected speaks volumes about how much potential people see in him. Very highly regarded by opposition coaches and players in the Canberra schoolboys scene.
Whoever has, top player. Unlucky injury this year, but the fact that he was selected speaks volumes about how much potential people see in him. Very highly regarded by opposition coaches and players in the Canberra schoolboys scene.
SuperGrover
Darby Loudon (17)
What position does Cusack play?
Hawko
Tony Shaw (54)
The selections for the academy are screwed in the right direction because tight five players mature later than back five players. JOC (James O'Connor), Taps and Phipps would not be out of place in this demographic but they have gone way past the academy level already. So I like that there are 11 props in the squad, we need to develop a pool of skilled scrummagers who can, over the next five years, step up to challenge those in the super and national squads. Wouldn't it be nice to have a scrum that other nations fear rather than laugh at.
Would have preferred to see more hookers and locks for the same reason but as the squad was chosen on merit maybe we have a bit if a depth problem in those positions. By the numbers criteria we seem to be very strong at blindside flanker.
Sad to see Tim Bennetts name on the list. Gee we must have some great centre talent in the Super squads. :
Would have preferred to see more hookers and locks for the same reason but as the squad was chosen on merit maybe we have a bit if a depth problem in those positions. By the numbers criteria we seem to be very strong at blindside flanker.
Sad to see Tim Bennetts name on the list. Gee we must have some great centre talent in the Super squads. :
light
Peter Fenwicke (45)
Always thought he was a lock, but if LG has him at blindside then I guess that's where his future lies. I'd have Reiser as a lock too
blues recovery
Billy Sheehan (19)
Bennets and Matwijow have declined spots in the National Academy to take up positions in the wider training group at the Rebels. A large part of this academys function is supposed to be to provide a pool of players for the Super Rugby teams to call upon if there are injuries within their squad , as will definitely happen. From this perspective the Academy is a farce. the oldest player in the academy is 22 and can tell you from a Super team view there is not one player in this group capable of playing Super Rugby at the moment. Hence the need for the Super teams to have their own wider training group program of seasoned capable first grade players.
Another ARU example of why very good players go overseas at 23 because in ARU view if you are not a professional player by this age you never will be. Rubbish!
Another ARU example of why very good players go overseas at 23 because in ARU view if you are not a professional player by this age you never will be. Rubbish!
Drew
Bob Davidson (42)
From what I understood from the podcast it seemed the academy was an investment in the future. They have to play club footy and Only if there are heaps of injuries will they be considered for a super rugby spot and even then, they super clubs could still go with something else.
T
tranquility
Guest
I have only seen that Tom Cusack bloke play once, and was against the kiwis and he was playing 6. The bloke is a freak. I was really disappointed he got injured this year, because I was interested in watching him go around again with another year of development under his belt.
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