Club Players with potential

[Lee Grant]

Thanks for the report and keep reporting on Adam because he is a player most of us who watch Sydney club rugby rate, and if he gets a gig over there he is somebody we would like to have back in the Oz stable. If he does succeed in the ML perhaps he can take the place of some of the foreigners the new Melbourne team were allowed to sign for their start up period.

I'm not surprised about your remarks on his recovery from that adversity in the trial as he seems to be a phlegmatic character. Because of that I'm picking that he can take his game from a (mostly) amateur type competition to pro rugby. Shifty was a different player from D'Arcy but they are similar in that they are not too bothered when things go wrong.

We would also be interested in remarks about any other Aussie players in matches you attend or see on TV - even if they are playing for the opposition.

When things get under way I may start an "Form of Oz players overseas" thread and you can pop your remarks in there.

Cheers from all at G & G


PS What chance Ulster to do well this season?

 

[en_force_er]

The trouble is Lee, if he get's a gig over there we might never see him back.

If I'm not mistaken he is Irish qualified and since they have much better rep opportunities (they the wolfhounds as well as the full Ireland team each year). There are a tonne of opportunities to entice him away.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I'm happy for him to be getting a run in the big time, but sad at the same time because he could be doing it for one of our S15 teams.

 

[Lee Grant]

The trouble is Lee, if he get's a gig over there we might never see him back.

If I'm not mistaken he is Irish qualified and since they have much better rep opportunities (they the wolfhounds as well as the full Ireland team each year). There are a tonne of opportunities to entice him away.

Yes, he has an Irish passport and yes, it is chicken and the egg stuff. If he's good he will have demand over there and if he isn't we don't won't want him back anyway.

But players go over there, and they come back here, for reasons we don't think about. There were a lot of unhappy foreign campers playing rugby in Europe last year with their horrific weather in December and January and you could nominate half a dozen reasons, including lifestyle and family, why they come back.

On the other hand: some stay over there for things like touring Europe in the summer. You can't pick if they will stay or come back. Some like Brock James and "Compass" Parks stayed over there because their rugby blossomed in European rugby and Paul Warwick, who the average Australian rugby fan wouldn't know, is a mini-star for Munster.

We may get Adam back even if he gets a gig for Ulster and shines. I would be more concerned if he got a place in France because they get over the market rates playing there. Players don't earn a fortune playing in the GP or ML unless they are galacticos.

 

[Lance Free]

Lee - what happened to Dan Roach? Is he back playing in Oz after his Irish and French 3rd Div gig?

What do you think are his prospects?

 

[en_force_er]

Yeah Paul Warwick and Brock James would be S14 starters whenever they wanted to be.

Shame they didn't decide to come back and back themselves for the WC. I'd love to see Robby experiment with a couple of these blokes on a Spring Tour.

 

[Eyes and Ears]

Lee - what happened to Dan Roach? Is he back playing in Oz after his Irish and French 3rd Div gig?

What do you think are his prospects?

Playing 2nd Grade at Easts in Sydney. He gets some minutes in Firsts (1 start, I think). He is great around the field but I suspect needs time to develop his scrummaging.

 

[RugbyReg]

could he be converted E&E? A blindside or powerful No 8? How tall is he, anyone?

 

[Eyes and Ears]

could he be converted E&E? A blindside or powerful No 8? How tall is he, anyone?

IMO, No. I don't think he has the speed. 6'2 (but that's a guess)

 

[naza]

I remember Rupert Guinness writing a couple of months ago lamenting that Alcock didn't have a Tahs contract for 2011, though I can't find it in my Scrapbook files at the minute. IIRR he said that McCutcheon had got his spot.

Hard to believe isn't it ? McCutcheon is thoroughly mediocre. I'm amazed he's playing 1st grade club footy. The Uni conspiracy is well and truly alive. McCutcheon will never be anything.

 

[Larno]

We would also be interested in remarks about any other Aussie players in matches you attend or see on TV - even if they are playing for the opposition.

When things get under way I may start an "Form of Oz players overseas" thread and you can pop your remarks in there.

Cheers from all at G & G


PS What chance Ulster to do well this season?

No problem, it would be my pleasure.

As far as Ulster doing well this season goes, if our first choice team is on the park I think we'll compete with any side we come across but below them the depth is looking a bit shallow. Injuries and IRFU player management rules on internationals like Best and Ferris will probably restrict what we can achieve. I'd say we'll come 6th or 7th in the Magners League and possibly second in our pool in the Heino if things work out.

 

[wamberal]

Yeah Paul Warwick and Brock James would be S14 starters whenever they wanted to be.

Shame they didn't decide to come back and back themselves for the WC. I'd love to see Robby experiment with a couple of these blokes on a Spring Tour.

Brock James? You are joking, right? All he ever did was kick. He is perfect for the NH, just as Dan Parks and Chris Malone are, or were. Are you seriously suggesting that he would start ahead of players like Cooper, Barnes, To'omua, etc ?


Paul Warwick, on the other hand, at least knows how to run with the ball.

 

[DPK]

Brock James? You are joking, right? All he ever did was kick. He is perfect for the NH, just as Dan Parks and Chris Malone are, or were. Are you seriously suggesting that he would start ahead of players like Cooper, Barnes, To'omua, etc ?


Paul Warwick, on the other hand, at least knows how to run with the ball.

Remember last year when the Force had no flyhalfs? I do.

 

[TOCC]

there would definitely be a place for Brock James, i havent watched him play for a while obviously but out of the current aussie 5/8's id compare him to Berrick Barnes

 

[en_force_er]

Brock James? You are joking, right? All he ever did was kick. He is perfect for the NH, just as Dan Parks and Chris Malone are, or were. Are you seriously suggesting that he would start ahead of players like Cooper, Barnes, To'omua, etc ?


Paul Warwick, on the other hand, at least knows how to run with the ball.

Etc meaning what? There are 5 Aussie S15 starting spots and you only named 3 players, that isn't counting injuries. We are giving spots away to Kiwis and Englishmen, I'd much rather see a highly regarded Aussie running around in the jerseys.

If you watch James play he actually has a passing game, I'm not sure if he did in the past.

 

[cyclopath]

Etc meaning what? There are 5 Aussie S15 starting spots and you only named 3 players, that isn't counting injuries. We are giving spots away to Kiwis and Englishmen, I'd much rather see a highly regarded Aussie running around in the jerseys.

If you watch James play he actually has a passing game, I'm not sure if he did in the past.

Exactly. If we can get more decent players honing their game here, not in the NH we will be better off. We need several more 10s, including some back up ones for 5 teams.

 

[fatprop]

Hard to believe isn't it ? McCutcheon is thoroughly mediocre. I'm amazed he's playing 1st grade club footy. The Uni conspiracy is well and truly alive. McCutcheon will never be anything.

McCutcheon is another uni workrate whore, he works his arse off very consistently.

The challenge is that at the next level where a player needs that extra intangible that makes a quality S14 unit. (Speed, power, punishing defence, the ability to beat a defender etc etc)

 

[Eyes and Ears]

Etc meaning what? There are 5 Aussie S15 starting spots and you only named 3 players, that isn't counting injuries. We are giving spots away to Kiwis and Englishmen, I'd much rather see a highly regarded Aussie running around in the jerseys.

If you watch James play he actually has a passing game, I'm not sure if he did in the past.

Sorry, en_force_er, I agree with wamberal - Brock James is not S14 quality. He was one of the first players cut from the inaugural Force squad. I think it would be a backward step to go to a guy who is pushing 30. We have enough 10s in Australia - they just need to be shared around. Arguably the Brumbies and Waratahs have 3 each.

 

[wamberal]

Etc meaning what? There are 5 Aussie S15 starting spots and you only named 3 players, that isn't counting injuries. We are giving spots away to Kiwis and Englishmen, I'd much rather see a highly regarded Aussie running around in the jerseys.

If you watch James play he actually has a passing game, I'm not sure if he did in the past.

I remember James when he was boring the pants off everybody for the Students. Maybe he has improved his all-round game a bit since, but I would still prefer to see players like Lucas, Lealiifano, and even Hilgendorf starting.

 

[topo]

Hard to believe isn't it ? McCutcheon is thoroughly mediocre. I'm amazed he's playing 1st grade club footy. The Uni conspiracy is well and truly alive. McCutcheon will never be anything.

You and I must be watching different players. This guy has the highest workrate in the Uni team. He had 55 involvements in his last outing and all of them quality. He does a lot of dirty work and you have to watch closely, but believe me, he's there. Next time you watch Uni (next week maybe?) just focus on him for 10 -15 mins and tell me if you think differently