Squad Sizes

[RugbyReg]

Talk that we may drop the required state squads sizes down from 33 (really?) to 30. It'll save some money for sure.

I assume they will keep the requirement for some rookie contracts? But I wonder if will free up any quality anywhere?

Lets have a look at this year's QLD team:

Van Humphreys, Will Genia, Ben Lucas, Saia Fainga'a, Anthony Fainga'a, Peter Hynes, Blair Connor, Robert Simmons, James Hanson, Rodney Davies, Aiden Toua, Dayna Edwards, Scott Higginbotham, Poutasi Luafutu, Brando Vaalu, Charlie Fetoai, Quade Cooper, Adam Byrnes, Laurie Weeks, Jack Kennedy, Mark McLinden, Morgan Turinui, Ezra Taylor, Ben Daley, Berrick Barnes, Digby Ione, Greg Holmes, Hugh McMeniman, James Horwill, Leroy Houston, Sean Hardman, Daniel Braid.

So that's 32, if I was to drop 2 out it would be probably Va'alu and hmmmmm maybe one of the hookers? Fainga'a? Although 5 props out of 30 squad may be a bit much. So Kennedy probbably loses out.

Actually Va'alu and Kennedy, even Fainga'a, would be decent signings. I reckon the Force would like one of Fainga'a or Kennedy.

Tahs?

Will Caldwell, Rob Horne, Matt Carraro, Ben Mowen, Al Baxter, Lote Tuqiri, Timana Tahu, Lachlan Turner, Dan Palmer, Wycliffe Palu, Tom Carter, Scott Fava, Ratu Nasiganiyavi, Benn Robinson, Adam Freier, Tatafu Nau, Sekope Kepu, Sam Norton-Knight, Phil Waugh, Matt Dunning, Luke Burgess, Kurtley Beale, Jeremy Tilse, Dean Mumm, Daniel Halangahu, Chris Thomson, Brett Sheehan, Ben Batger, Beau Robinson, David Dennis, Peter Playford, Luke Doherty.

That's 32. Fava would be a big one for me. Possibly David Dennis or Nasiganiyavi? Although its hard to cut that youth (WHEN IS HE BACK BY THE WAY?)

Guy Shepherdson, Salesi Maafu, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Stephen Moore, Gene Fairbanks, Alfi Mafi, Ben Hand, Christian Lealiifano, Julian Salvi, Mark Gerrard, Matt To'omua, Sitaleki Timani, Stephen Hoiles, Stirling Mortlcok, Afusipa Taumoepeau, Ben Alexander, Clyde Rathbone, Francis Fainifo, George Smith, Huia Edmonds, John Ulugia, Josh Holmes, Mark Chisolm, Mitchell Chapman, Nick Henderson, Patrick Phibbs, Peter Betham, Peter Kimlin, Shaun Mackay, Tryone Smith, James Stannard

so thats 31. Who would you ditch? Lean Gene Fairbanks? Shaun MacKay? Or the extra half, Stannard?

Force:

Dane Haylett-Petty, David Pusey, Haig Sare, Josh Tatupu, Kieran Longbottom, Luke Holmes, Sam Wykes, Tai McIsaacs, Ryan Cross, Matt Hodgson, AJ Whalley, Cameron Shepherd, Chris O'Young, David Pocock, Nathan Sharpe, Pek Cowan, Scott Daruda, Scott Staniforth, Troy Takiari, Tom Hockings, Richard Stanford, Drew Mitchell, Gareth Hardy, James O'Connor, Josh Valentine, Junior Pelesasa, Matt Giteau, Nick Cummins, Pat O'Connor, Richard Brown, Tamaiti Horua, Ben Castle.

32 there so I'd go with Tatupu and probably Longbottom or Stanford?

 

[formeropenside]

Its pretty silly really, all the States have struggled with depth ever since the Force came along, and now they want to dilute the pool further?

All it takes is a few injuries and all of a sudden a team is in a real hole. Qld have been lucky with Digby taking Turinui's 13 jersey, and have been down to our last-string second row (albeit still a specialist) when Taylor, MMM and Horwill were all out for various reasons - and since then Van the man is out.

Qld currently have a halfback crisis due to injury and suspension.

Culling the squad sizes could also affect specialist players such as Fetoia and Simmons or Byrnes. A bunch of makeshift players across the park is not a good thing, especially when one State is being carried on the development front, and the ACT does OK but does not grow a whole squad itself either.

Will it mean just more players heading overseas?

 

[Lindommer]

Will it mean just more players heading overseas?

No. Hopefully they'll head south to Melbourne. If the Kiwi squads can manage with 28 players why can't we?

 

[waratahjesus]

there would be more professional pots ont he whole if melbourne came in with the decrease in size, it might well be a cost cutting exercise so clubs can list more rookies!

 

[farva]

I have two thoughts here.

First of all, we introduced a 4th team so we could get more players onto pro contracts. Now we have that we are considering dropping 3 players from each team, that is a step backwards.

On the other hand, we now have 4 teams which means 88 players each week (with teh exception of byes) get to run out either starting or off the bench. Regardless of how many are in the squad, thats 22 more players each week getting exposure to high quality games (except where they are playing the Cheetahs). So we are still developing the team.

This sounds like they might be paving the way for a Melbourne team and spreading the talent around a bit.

 

[TOCC]

i was under the impression that the reduction in the squad sizes would coincide with the introduction of the 5th Aus team in 2011, meaning that there wouldnt be any loss in the overall number of professional contracts but a increase of around 18.

It is to late in the season to impose a rule like this for the 2010 season, it would force a reshuffle of sucession and retention planning which may not suit the current squads.

 

[fatprop]

It is a dumb move, we need larger pro squads to deal with more games.

 

[Moses]

How would squads of 25 work, with a further 25 at the academy/playing club rugby. When a province suffers an injury they can call up one of these players from a central pool paid for by the ARU. Saves each squad having three spare hookers etc...

The central squad could tour the country training with each of the provinces, ie send all the forwards to NSW for some scrum practice with Axel etc..