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Waratahs 2016

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Lee Grant

Lee Grant

John Eales (66)
Staff member
Dave Beat said:
Please sign Alex Northam
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A few of us have been puzzled why he hasn't got too many mentions, haven't we DB; but to be fair it needed the NRC to get a better measure of his ability.

That's only one outstanding game though; so I hope he racks up a few more and makes it. If he does it will be good to see another lad who didn't go to a big rugby school, succeed.


As for Nadolo: it's been done to death as Braveheart said, but as I have mentioned before: he had every chance to prove himself in the Waratahs' squad after being a bully in the Shute Shield, but he didn't.

And coaches can't keep spots open for years on a promise.

It did take years too: he wasn't much in France and played a couple of good games for Exeter that I saw, but it wasn't until he played in Japan that the promise came through and his Kiwi coach called his good mate Todd Blackadder to recommend him.

There is no way that the Crusaders would have picked Nadolo when the Waratahs didn't want him and he went overseas.
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Braveheart81

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
There are definitely a bunch of wingers from the NRC looking for contracts.

Alex Northam has been great and so has Harry Jones.

Henry Clunies-Ross was with the Tahs last year and hopefully he'll recover from his leg injury to be part of the squad next year.

Izaia Perese has also been excellent for Queensland Country although he's now out injured for a long time as well.

Presumably Andrew Kellaway will start getting Super Rugby game time for the Tahs in 2016.

You can certainly see why Cheika hasn't been desperate to re-sign wingers for anything more than a minimum Super Rugby wage. There's a pretty steady flow of players coming through.
 
Intruder

Intruder

Dave Cowper (27)
WorkingClassRugger said:
But that pace sure is exciting. His solo effort against City was 100% down to his ability to burn three defenders for pace.
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Well let's be honest here which teams these days pick wingers just based on genuine speed with no kicking game and aggression at contact, not many.

IMO, these days teams are looking for big bodies out wide with players who are able to use more size than speed to finish opportunities.

Savea, Naiyavoro, Nadolo, Naholo, Tomane, F'Sautia, Kuridrani, Jane, Osbourne, George North, Adam Cuthbert even a player like Horne is someone I would class as a big body because he plays above his weight very aggressive in defence and more times than none can win the contact battle. That's the mould coaches are looking for nowadays.

Genuine speed will only fill one or maybe two spots of any roster in a squad.

The Tahs have Kellaway not used this season. Potential shift to FB next season. The Reds and Force don't have any real genuine speedsters. I would class Kingston as one but not really used. Brumbies have Speight who for a small bloke is another who is very aggressive at the contact and bats very above his weight.

I'm not sure spectators see that side when players are being looked at but now it seems coaches are looking for bigger and or aggressive type finishers rather than the player with genuine speed.
 
gowaratahs

gowaratahs

Sydney Middleton (9)
"The Reds and Force don't have any real genuine speedsters."

I get your point, though Lachie Turner might disagree. I seem to remember he burned off the fastest from the other codes in front of Usain Bolt when he was here a few years ago - I think John Grant might've come second - and maybe the AFL wasn't represented due to sponsorship issues? I think - and will stand corrected if proven wrong - that the Hayne Plane failed to launch, coming in last.
 
Intruder

Intruder

Dave Cowper (27)
gowaratahs said:
"The Reds and Force don't have any real genuine speedsters."

I get your point, though Lachie Turner might disagree. I seem to remember he burned off the fastest from the other codes in front of Usain Bolt when he was here a few years ago - I think John Grant might've come second - and maybe the AFL wasn't represented due to sponsorship issues? I think - and will stand corrected if proven wrong - that the Hayne Plane failed to launch, coming in last.
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You could also make an argument for Morahan as well I guess, but he too has been on the end of a few barnstorming gallops by Taqele and also Lachie Turner.
 
Rugbynutter39

Rugbynutter39

Michael Lynagh (62)
Braveheart81 said:
There are definitely a bunch of wingers from the NRC looking for contracts.

Alex Northam has been great and so has Harry Jones.

Henry Clunies-Ross was with the Tahs last year and hopefully he'll recover from his leg injury to be part of the squad next year.

Izaia Perese has also been excellent for Queensland Country although he's now out injured for a long time as well.

Presumably Andrew Kellaway will start getting Super Rugby game time for the Tahs in 2016.

You can certainly see why Cheika hasn't been desperate to re-sign wingers for anything more than a minimum Super Rugby wage. There's a pretty steady flow of players coming through.
Click to expand...

Alex northam and perese would be my pick for wingers to be picked up for super rugby contract as both set the nrc in fire particularly Northam in last match for Rays - pace and ability to beat players impressive

Pity about perese injury as he equally was impressive to watch for attacking flair
 
qwerty51

qwerty51

Stirling Mortlock (74)
gowaratahs said:
"The Reds and Force don't have any real genuine speedsters."

I get your point, though Lachie Turner might disagree. I seem to remember he burned off the fastest from the other codes in front of Usain Bolt when he was here a few years ago - I think John Grant might've come second - and maybe the AFL wasn't represented due to sponsorship issues? I think - and will stand corrected if proven wrong - that the Hayne Plane failed to launch, coming in last.
Click to expand...


How is that race from 2011(?) relevant to now after Turner has had 3 major leg injuries?
 
Intruder

Intruder

Dave Cowper (27)
Rugbynutter39 said:
Alex northam and perese would be my pick for wingers to be picked up for super rugby contract as both set the nrc in fire particularly Northam in last match for Rays - pace and ability to beat players impressive

Pity about perese injury as he equally was impressive to watch for attacking flair
Click to expand...

The Reds have signed Parese to a 3yr EDS deal and now from all sources Alex Gibbon will commit as well
 
Rugbynutter39

Rugbynutter39

Michael Lynagh (62)
Intruder said:
Well let's be honest here which teams these days pick wingers just based on genuine speed with no kicking game and aggression at contact, not many.

IMO, these days teams are looking for big bodies out wide with players who are able to use more size than speed to finish opportunities.

Savea, Naiyavoro, Nadolo, Naholo, Tomane, F'Sautia, Kuridrani, Jane, Osbourne, George North, Adam Cuthbert even a player like Horne is someone I would class as a big body because he plays above his weight very aggressive in defence and more times than none can win the contact battle. That's the mould coaches are looking for nowadays.

Genuine speed will only fill one or maybe two spots of any roster in a squad.

The Tahs have Kellaway not used this season. Potential shift to FB next season. The Reds and Force don't have any real genuine speedsters. I would class Kingston as one but not really used. Brumbies have Speight who for a small bloke is another who is very aggressive at the contact and bats very above his weight.

I'm not sure spectators see that side when players are being looked at but now it seems coaches are looking for bigger and or aggressive type finishers rather than the player with genuine speed.
Click to expand...

Genuine speed plus footwork to beat players means players like northam will always be in demand if can set up / score as many tries as he did with much work to do in game last weekend
 
Tahtrajic

Tahtrajic

Ted Fahey (11)
Rugbynutter39 said:
Genuine speed plus footwork to beat players means players like northam will always be in demand if can set up / score as many tries as he did with much work to do in game last weekend
Click to expand...
I agree we need players the Northam
I've taken this from News.com
10 players to watch

Nehe Milner-Skudder (New Zealand): It’s been a while since such an exciting winger emerged on the international scene, and unlike his recent predecessors, Milner-Skudder does not rely on the power game. The emergence of the 100kg-plus winger of the past decade has virtually killed off the small, sharp-stepping versions of yesteryear — until now. With his light feet and lightning acceleration, Milner-Skudder should see plenty of game-time and open spaces at the Cup.

I think Rugby needs more players like them they are game changers.
 
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