Reading the Waratahs Season review blog on the mainm page, and noticed in the outs column that Damien Fitzpatrick is gone, with him and ulugia gone, that would leave a serious hole at hooker, given our no. 1 has a habit of breaking himself. Any ideas on who is in line for a spot there. Is there anyone knocking the door down at SS level, or is there someone interstate worth chasing.
IIRC the hooker for the schoolboys last year or the one prior went ok, and could also kick goals. 2 birds one stone?
The other one of interest next year is the locks department. Timani.gone, atkins...gone, chapman...old, leaves us with Skelton, Holloway and Douglas. That is a fairl bit light on i would have thought. Same question as above, who is looking at a spot as possibly cover o even an EPS spot?
The other one i picked up is our centres are looking seriously thin. I cna only think of Horne and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) in the entire squad. I know lance is coming but i seem to remember him being floated as a fullback? Is it likely they want to convert some of our many outside backs? or is there someone up and coming to take hold?
Interesting times ahead!!
Kerran Straker, the Penrith Emus captain is a hooker and is going on the Argentina tour so presumably he is in the mix.
Hugh Roach is the bloke from the Australian U20s team who can kick goals that you're talking about. Most people are pretty hopeful he will be part of the squad next year although he has had some links with the Force (he played for them against the B&I Lions). He is a Sydney boy though and played with the Sydney Academy team this year so has been training in and around the Waratahs squad.
Is Atkins gone? I don't know if he's been re-signed yet but I hadn't heard he's gone.
Chapman is old but I imagine he'll still be part of the matchday 23 most weeks. He was pretty good this year.
Adam Coleman is a young lock who played a game or two this year and did pretty well. I imagine he'll have a spot next year.
In regards to centres, Michael Hodge didn't play at all this year as he was either outside the matchday 22 and then injured. He is still contracted for next year so I imagine he might have a part to play.
I think Lance is the most likely player to be Horne's backup at 12. Elijah Niko and Terrence Hepetema have both trained/played with the squad at various points this year and I'd imagine will be under consideration for an EPS spot.