Sydney Rays .. NRC Team Official Thread

[Johnno40]

Good move by the Rays bringing in Julian Huxley , Not being aligned to any of the 4 clubs , they should do the same with the forwards coach.Then players with be pick on form alone.

 

[AussieDominance]

Good move by the Rays bringing in Julian Huxley , Not being aligned to any of the 4 clubs , they should do the same with the forwards coach.Then players with be pick on form alone.

Ex Gordon boy

 

[Quick Hands]

Ex Gordon boy

True, but not part of the current set up. A great step.

 

[AussieDominance]

Training starts tomorrow night at Manly apparently any news on who has been selected from your club?

 

[Quick Hands]

Have heard nothing. Manly Daily will be full of nothing but Manly v Rats game this week I reckon.

 

[Nusadan]

Sam Lane signs up with the Rays: http://www.rugbynews.net.au/sam-lane-signs-with-north-harbour-rays/

 

[Hugh Jarse]

According to Channel 7Two the following have aleady signed for the Rays:

Rats
Luke Holmes
Josh Holmes
Boyd Killingworth
Rory O'Connor
Tyson Davis
David Feltscher
Michael Adams
Sam Ward

Marlins
Sam Lane
Dennis Pili-Gaitau
Mitch Lewis
Ed Gower
Harry Bergelin
Richard Hooper

 

[Quick Hands]

^^ I was underwhelmed by Sam Lane yesterday, he'll need to improve a lot on that performance to cut it at a higher level.

 

[I like to watch]

He is not up to a higher level.
There would be few SS 10's that have less line breaks,and try assists than him,yet he is behind a dominant pack & the second highest scoring team in the comp.
Hodge at 12 has been masking his deficiencies most of the year.
If Manly need to hide him in D,how can he cope at a higher level?

If he is the regular starting 10 for the Rays,they will be road kill.

 

[Quick Hands]

He is not up to a higher level.
There would be few SS 10's that have less line breaks,and try assists than him,yet he is behind a dominant pack & the second highest scoring team in the comp.
Hodge at 12 has been masking his deficiencies most of the year.
If Manly need to hide him in D,how can he cope at a higher level?

If he is the regular starting 10 for the Rays,they will be road kill.

I can't say I've ever been a fan and he was certainly found out yesterday. Manly needed a 10 to take control and steady the ship - neither of which happened. If HJ is correct, it borders on unbelievable that he has signed for the Rays and Hodge hasn't been.

 

[Dave Beat]

According to Channel 7Two the following have aleady signed for the Rays:

Rats
Luke Holmes
Josh Holmes
Boyd Killingworth
Rory O'Connor
Tyson Davis
David Feltscher
Michael Adams
Sam Ward

Marlins
Sam Lane
Dennis Pili-Gaitau
Mitch Lewis
Ed Gower
Harry Bergelin
Richard Hooper

How BJ Hartman, Alex Northam, and Reece Hodge aren't included in beyond belief.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

It is possible that there are negotiations still underway for more Rats and MMM players. The commentators mentioned that there would probably be another 10 signed, and I suspect they were referring to the 10 coming from the Rats/MMM playing group not the Shoremen and Highlanders.

 

[I like to watch]

Undoubtedly,you are right about future signings.
The concern for me is that their first batch of signings are all reputations based.
I have no issue with either Holmes,as there are simply no real alternatives,but neither have played to last years levels.
I am a supporter of both Killingworth & Bergelin,but Compton & Cunningham have both been more impressive this year.
Feltsch has only shown some semblance of form in the past few weeks.
Lane being selected before Angus,or even at all,is ridiculous.
I thought Lewis has played more 2's than 1's this year?
The rest I have no problem being in the squad,but it worries me that they are in the first tranche of signings,and are not 'squad fillers'.

 

[AussieDominance]

Angus has signed as mentioned in the article a page back. Cunningham has signed a contract with Hong Kong for the next two years.

Crompton is not a 7, Killingworth is (Killingworth has also missed a lot of the season through injury preventing him from looking impressive). Bergelin is still a very good player.

Ale out, Miller with the Eagles leaves only Rissman and Killingworth to play at 7 who are the clubs preferences.

Would not surprise me to see Dempsey and Bergelin potentially play 7 though.

Other backrow options in the squad I would think would be Rorke, Ward and Alley will all get look ins.

Wells will be with the 7's program I think.

I am not sure what is going on at Manly with Lewis as I don't think the front row at the Marlins has been that impressive this season and Maraki has had his fair share of scrum problems.

 

[AussieDominance]

It is possible that there are negotiations still underway for more Rats and MMM players. The commentators mentioned that there would probably be another 10 signed, and I suspect they were referring to the 10 coming from the Rats/MMM playing group not the Shoremen and Highlanders.

There are some Gordon players and potentially Norths players signed already just these clubs weren't on the TV game.

Not sure how many are getting contracts. Last year they also gave out some smaller contracts than the main squad members.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Crompton is not a 7, Killingworth is (Killingworth has also missed a lot of the season through injury preventing him from looking impressive). Bergelin is still a very good player.

I thought Killingworth was a standout MOTM against the Marlins. Pity he missed so much of the season, but imo he is well up to NRC standard.

 

[Johnno40]

Looking forward the complete Rays squad being released. Some interesting selections so far.

 

[Cpt Crow Eater]

Interesting reading over at the Roar, with 5 players from the rays picking up contracts in Europe.

Anyone aware of which players have left and to which teams??

 

[Jagman]

Dave Porecki (Saracens), Mali Hingano (Stade Rochelais), Brian Sefanaia (Timisoara Saracens "Romania"), Matt Lucas (Zebre?), Tom Matthews (USCarcasonne), and Greg Peterson (Glasgow).
That makes six so maybe Matt Lucas isn't going.

 

[I like to watch]

Or just maybe whoever it is at the roar,forgot about one of the above?