Waratahs 2018

[TOCC]

If you're concerned about the injuries of Dempsey and Holloway, then I don't think McCalman is your man.

What happened to Kelleway, was an amazing talent 2 years ago, still the same talent but just isn't progressing the way he should be in a professional set-up.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

If you're concerned about the injuries of Dempsey and Holloway, then I don't think McCalman is your man.

What happened to Kelleway, was an amazing talent 2 years ago, still the same talent but just isn't progressing the way he should be in a professional set-up.

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He's at the Tahs

 

[Jagman]

If you're concerned about the injuries of Dempsey and Holloway, then I don't think McCalman is your man.

What happened to Kelleway, was an amazing talent 2 years ago, still the same talent but just isn't progressing the way he should be in a professional set-up.

I think he had some kind of leg injury, nothing dramatic but he's lost his zip. Haven't seen him make a line break for a very long time.
McCalman would be third injury prone 8 but worth a shot. At his best he's exactly what the Tahs need, especially after losing Skelton. Priority signings: Meakes, Phillip (assuming Coleman is going to Rebels), Fidow/Balakana/Peni (assuming Rona gone to Rebels or Eels), Cowan, Ainsley, McCalman. Would take back TPN in a heart beat too.

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[Hawko]

If ever you wanted proof that the Tahs recruiters haven't got a clue then the news that Naisarani is going to the Brumbies just confirmed it in spades. We should have opened every cookie jar and gone in to hock to get him. He is already head and shoulders above Dempsey, Wells, Hainigan, Holloway and whatever other lightweight 6/8's they've got their eye on. Naisirani is the closest available player to Palu in potential and none of our signings has any potential to become a power 8.

This just shows that Gibson has no clue whatsoever about the need for power in the pack. He thinks you can beat NZ teams with a pack full of lightweight energiser bunnies. That is just so ludicrous I don't know where to start in refuting it. Unless we get Meakes, Vui, Ainslie, Phillip and RHP we will be bottom four next year and fighting with the Sunwolves for the spoon.

 

[Jamie]

If ever you wanted proof that the Tahs recruiters haven't got a clue then the news that Naisarani is going to the Brumbies just confirmed it in spades. We should have opened every cookie jar and gone in to hock to get him. He is already head and shoulders above Dempsey, Wells, Hainigan, Holloway and whatever other lightweight 6/8's they've got their eye on. Naisirani is the closest available player to Palu in potential and none of our signings has any potential to become a power 8.

This just shows that Gibson has no clue whatsoever about the need for power in the pack. He thinks you can beat NZ teams with a pack full of lightweight energiser bunnies. That is just so ludicrous I don't know where to start in refuting it. Unless we get Meakes, Vui, Ainslie, Phillip and RHP we will be bottom four next year and fighting with the Sunwolves for the spoon.

Spot on! I have been saying this ALL YEAR, we should have picked him up months ago!

 

[Braveheart81]

Clearly Naisarani is a huge talent but there also has to be some mind to who we already have contracted and where we have the greatest need.

If in the next month we don't secure the signatures of some key players from the Force then there will be huge issues with recruitment but I don't think we are there yet.

I think our priorities are:

Meakes or Rona
Ainsley
Philip
Peni/Newsome

I have left out the Haylett-Pettys and Coleman because it sounds like they are going to end up in Melbourne.

I think Ainsley is much better right now than Vui and Harry Johnson-Holmes is our best young prop and is coming through. We need someone who is a good proposition in 2018.

I don't think it would have been wise to throw the bank at Naisarani and then not be able to sign players in positions where we have less depth.

 

[Braveheart81]

Holloway, Dempsey and Hanigan were all signed to the end of 2018 already so it makes it incredibly difficult to sign a backrower you'd have earmarked to start.

 

[fatprop]

Naisarani, Ainsley and Rona thanks

 

[Slim 293]

Naisarani, Ainsley and Rona thanks

Too late.........

 

[Derpus]

If ever you wanted proof that the Tahs recruiters haven't got a clue then the news that Naisarani is going to the Brumbies just confirmed it in spades. We should have opened every cookie jar and gone in to hock to get him. He is already head and shoulders above Dempsey, Wells, Hainigan, Holloway and whatever other lightweight 6/8's they've got their eye on. Naisirani is the closest available player to Palu in potential and none of our signings has any potential to become a power 8.

This just shows that Gibson has no clue whatsoever about the need for power in the pack. He thinks you can beat NZ teams with a pack full of lightweight energiser bunnies. That is just so ludicrous I don't know where to start in refuting it. Unless we get Meakes, Vui, Ainslie, Phillip and RHP we will be bottom four next year and fighting with the Sunwolves for the spoon.

Holloway has potential to become a power 8? he showed signs that he was hitting his straps before injury two seasons ago. This season will be defining for him.

That being said i would much rather see Naisarani running on at 8 than Wells.

We should certainly be trying to sign one of Meakes or Rona. I would have RHP also though as noted above looks like he's Melbourne headed.

 

[Merrow]

That being said i would much rather see Naisarani running on at 8 than Wells.

So would the Brumbies

 

[cyclopath]

If ever you wanted proof that the Tahs recruiters haven't got a clue then the news that Naisarani is going to the Brumbies just confirmed it in spades. We should have opened every cookie jar and gone in to hock to get him. He is already head and shoulders above Dempsey, Wells, Hainigan, Holloway and whatever other lightweight 6/8's they've got their eye on. Naisirani is the closest available player to Palu in potential and none of our signings has any potential to become a power 8.

This just shows that Gibson has no clue whatsoever about the need for power in the pack. He thinks you can beat NZ teams with a pack full of lightweight energiser bunnies. That is just so ludicrous I don't know where to start in refuting it. Unless we get Meakes, Vui, Ainslie, Phillip and RHP we will be bottom four next year and fighting with the Sunwolves for the spoon.

Why? The Tahs don't have first dibs, and they have several backrowers signed - it's not as if you can withdraw their contracts. He wasn't an option months ago, it was only recently that Naisarani became "available" through unfortunate circumstances for a lot of people. Plus, I reckon the player would have a huge say - probably his preference far and away is to go to the Brumbies. It's making several assumptions to say this is a stuff up, and not just the way things go sometimes.

 

[Hawko]

Clearly Naisarani is a huge talent but there also has to be some mind to who we already have contracted and where we have the greatest need.

If in the next month we don't secure the signatures of some key players from the Force then there will be huge issues with recruitment but I don't think we are there yet.

I don't think it would have been wise to throw the bank at Naisarani and then not be able to sign players in positions where we have less depth.

We have ZERO depth at 8. Not one player in the club that fits the Palu requirements. Holloway might at some time in the future, or he may not.

 

[Derpus]

We have ZERO depth at 8. Not one player in the club that fits the Palu requirements. Holloway might at some time in the future, or he may not.

Right so we actually have ONE depth.

 

[Froggy]

The big thing for 2018 is taking the talent we get and developing it.
As I've said before, all the potential that existed in Kellaway, Jones, Horwitz, Simone, Gordon, Holloway, Robertson, Lolohea just stalled or went backwards in 2017, with the only exceptions being Latu and Hanigan who did progress (and then we had Dempsey and Wilkins who were injured for most of the season). This year we are going to add Staniforth and who knows who else, and it is incumbent on the coaching team to develop this raw talent.

 

[Braveheart81]

We have ZERO depth at 8. Not one player in the club that fits the Palu requirements. Holloway might at some time in the future, or he may not.

We're hamstrung by the current roster though. It would be great to sign every excellent player but we are limited by squad size and salary cap.

We have far greater needs in other positions where the current prospective starter is significantly worse than Holloway or Dempsey.

 

[TOCC]

Naisarani is the 6/8 with the highest potential in Australian rugby currently IMO, any team would have been stupid not to go after him, Tahs included.. I was certainly disappointed the Reds didn't get him


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[cyclopath]

Naisarani is the 6/8 with the highest potential in Australian rugby currently IMO, any team would have been stupid not to go after him, Tahs included.. I was certainly disappointed the Reds didn't get him


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Maybe they did, but they had less to spend in their cap, and / or he wanted to go to the Brumbies. The poster above painting it as a fail without any facts is presumptive. Same applies for the Reds.

 

[Braveheart81]

Naisarani is the 6/8 with the highest potential in Australian rugby currently IMO, any team would have been stupid not to go after him, Tahs included.. I was certainly disappointed the Reds didn't get him

Agreed, but he isn't the only good player at the Force and like every recruitment decision it has to factor in your current squad and other available players.

Would the Tahs have been better served throwing the kitchen sink at Naisarani and then having Holloway and Dempsey on the bench whilst we have glaring deficiencies at 3, 13, 14?

I think Ainsley and Meakes/Rona improve the side more next year than Naisarani would.

 

[TOCC]

Agreed, but he isn't the only good player at the Force and like every recruitment decision it has to factor in your current squad and other available players.

Would the Tahs have been better served throwing the kitchen sink at Naisarani and then having Holloway and Dempsey on the bench whilst we have glaring deficiencies at 3, 13, 14?

I think Ainsley and Meakes/Rona improve the side more next year than Naisarani would.

Honestly.. for the Tahs, the recruitment priorities for me would be

1. Meakes
2. Naisarani
3. Rona
4. Ainsley