League Targets

[Dctarget]

League and Union are differents, yeah. But wingers and centres are probably the most switchable positions. You have to be a freak athlete like Brad Thorn to play as League forward and Union forward both at the highest level, one in a generation. I think a top NRL ball-carrier could switch into a Top Union centre.

Perese is a top Aussie Super Rugby centre right now. If not him, who??? Paisami? Hamish Stewart? There's no top class inside centres in Super Rugby Australia nowadays. The proof is that the most succesfull Aussie Super Rugby team had to sign 3 Kiwis as centres: Tamati Tua, Bryce Heem and Ollie Sapsford. None of them came close to wearing the black jersey

Bryce Heem? Would love him at the Brumbies, the bloke is an absolute weapon.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

I could absolutely see David Fifita playing 12 in Japan though. It's an option if he continues his path of too hard too expensive basket in the NRL.

Freak talent but gasses out in an NRL backrow.

 

[Putmeoncoach]

Justin Olam at his prime, now he's 30 or something like that. Even at this age he's a stronger ball-carrier than most of the Wallabies centres. Perese barely could make first grade in League, Olam played more than 100 games in a top team like Storm. Perese played 2 games at Broncos and now he's probably the stronger Aussie Super Rugby centre.

Campbell Graham, Joe Manu, Holmes, Crichton are the current top NRL centres but I'm talking about someone HUGE. To convert a League prop or second row into an Union centre like SBW in the past.

Someone like Payne Hass, Moses Leota or Addin Fonua-Blake. NRL props are fitter than Union props and playing at 12 as wrecking ball you have to run straight in most of the cases. To play at the Union backrow you need years of knowledge playing the game

Lindsay Collins used to play Center for Padua College. Only 28

 

[Marce]

Bryce Heem? Would love him at the Brumbies, the bloke is an absolute weapon.

Yeah, me too. I mean Tamati Tua and Sapsford lol

 

[Marce]

I could absolutely see David Fifita playing 12 in Japan though. It's an option if he continues his path of too hard too expensive basket in the NRL.

Freak talent but gasses out in an NRL backrow.

That's what I'm talking about. But you have to find the next David Fifita before he's too famous, expensive and old

 

[Marce]

Lindsay Collins used to play Center for Padua College. Only 28

That's what I'm talking about but you have to find him before he's a starter in a top NRL club

 

[Highlander35]

He would have been pure gold as back-up of the weak 2023 Kerevi. Australia was the only top team who hadn't a real wrecking ball at the centres

I think there are too many permutations that have to go the specific way for Sione to both stay in (or come back to post Japan) Australia and become first or second choice IC for Wob selection. My gut feeling is he would be perceived the same as Paisami, strong in what he does well (i.e. midfield carries and offloading) but seen as both limited (not necessarily been instructed or encouraged to develop his short kicking/passing game) and a strong tackler but not "defender".

NH Rugby isn't kept up with much here, but up until the '23 Six Nations, was probably seen as 3rd Choice at Both IC (Behind Cam Redpath and Sam Johnson) and OC (Behind Huw Jones and BIL Chris Harris),. Hell, in his first Glasgow Season he probably wasn't guaranteed a starters jersey when fully available: Johnson was the nailed down IC, and he was competing with the likes of current Captain Kyle Steyn and ex Scotland International Nick Grigg for 13.

I got a touch off topic I think. But thinking "we need a big piss off ball carrier" is a somewhat limited way of thinking, both in what you want from that position in the team and that player as an individual.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

I think there are too many permutations that have to go the specific way for Sione to both stay in (or come back to post Japan) Australia and become first or second choice IC for Wob selection. My gut feeling is he would be perceived the same as Paisami, strong in what he does well (i.e. midfield carries and offloading) but seen as both limited (not necessarily been instructed or encouraged to develop his short kicking/passing game) and a strong tackler but not "defender".

NH Rugby isn't kept up with much here, but up until the '23 Six Nations, was probably seen as 3rd Choice at Both IC (Behind Cam Redpath and Sam Johnson) and OC (Behind Huw Jones and BIL Chris Harris),. Hell, in his first Glasgow Season he probably wasn't guaranteed a starters jersey when fully available: Johnson was the nailed down IC, and he was competing with the likes of current Captain Kyle Steyn and ex Scotland International Nick Grigg for 13.

I got a touch off topic I think. But thinking "we need a big piss off ball carrier" is a somewhat limited way of thinking, both in what you want from that position in the team and that player as an individual.

Love this. If the thinking is we need big to break through its also forgetting that a 9 - 10 puts you in position or a skilled 12 can find an angle through or footwork. I think it was a limitation of the Wallabies attack that we threw the ball to Kerevi and watched him go at the line.

He doesn't get a heap of praise but Joey Walton has been a good performer over the last two years and he's certainly not a big piss off ball carrier. Now I'm not saying Walton for the Wallabies 12 jersey but we should be picking the most effective and high performing person into the position.

I don't see it happening and I have questions about his Defence but a guy like Tom Wright would cause opposition Centres problems when he has the kick, pass, run skill set. He's also a solid build with off the mark speed. Kind of fits the topic since he played some NRL at Five-Eighth

 

[Marce]

I got a touch off topic I think. But thinking "we need a big piss off ball carrier" is a somewhat limited way of thinking, both in what you want from that position in the team and that player as an individual

TBH, I'd prefer a skillful centre like Ma'a Nonu at his prime who can break the line, pass the ball, read the game, tackle and even kick. I try to be cautious since it is difficult to find someone like him.

Just to put in perspective. The Irish Rugby Football Union paid a HUGE contract from 2014 to 2025 in a guy like Bundee Aki, a wrecking ball of 1.78 and 102 kg. Maybe the Irish board has a limited way of thinking of what they want from that position in the team

 

[Dctarget]

Surely RA has a little bit of cash after Kemeny, Swinton, Samu all fucked off, can we get our mitts on Crichton now?

 

[Goosestep]

TBH, I'd prefer a skillful centre like Ma'a Nonu at his prime who can break the line, pass the ball, read the game, tackle and even kick. I try to be cautious since it is difficult to find someone like him.

Just to put in perspective. The Irish Rugby Football Union paid a HUGE contract from 2014 to 2025 in a guy like Bundee Aki, a wrecking ball of 1.78 and 102 kg. Maybe the Irish board has a limited way of thinking of what they want from that position in the team

We’d all like a goat like Nonu …

 

[Dctarget]

He said this last week,

I think if I was going to jump codes it will be in the next little bit," Crichton said ahead of the Roosters' clash with the Knights.

"If I am going to go over and play union I don't want to go over washed up and waste anyone's time.

"If I'm going to give union a crack, I want to give it a good crack and I want to dominate that. If it's the right opportunity I'm open to it."

 

[LevitatingSocks]

It would be prohibitively expensive and never happen unless he gets bored of winning in league but Cleary would make a great distributing 12. I think it would be an easier transition in terms of cognitive demands than learning to play 10.

We would require a strong defensive organizer and tackler at 13 to make it work and I'm not sure Paisami is that guy.

 

[Wilson]

He said this last week,

There was a pretty good breakdown of his game and value in response to that on the roar:

Rooster must remodel: Angus Crichton says he'd want to 'dominate' in rugby union - this is what he'd have to change

Sydney Roosters second-rower Angus Crichton is back dangling a carrot at Rugby Australia. The 28-year-old is nearing contract limbo at Bondi and says he's…

www.theroar.com.au

It's pretty hard to argue with, can't really see us getting a good return on investment from luring Crichton over.

 

[Dctarget]

There was a pretty good breakdown of his game and value in response to that on the roar:

Rooster must remodel: Angus Crichton says he'd want to 'dominate' in rugby union - this is what he'd have to change

Sydney Roosters second-rower Angus Crichton is back dangling a carrot at Rugby Australia. The 28-year-old is nearing contract limbo at Bondi and says he's…

www.theroar.com.au

It's pretty hard to argue with, can't really see us getting a good return on investment from luring Crichton over.

Good article Wilson, i still think he'd be worth pursuing. His post contact metres this year are insane. Hopefully he can goto Pau on silly money and learn there for a year or two.

 

[Derpus]

Surely RA has a little bit of cash after Kemeny, Swinton, Samu all fucked off, can we get our mitts on Crichton now?

Or! we could try and get one of them back...

 

[dusk]

I don't see it happening and I have questions about his Defence but a guy like Tom Wright would cause opposition Centres problems when he has the kick, pass, run skill set. He's also a solid build with off the mark speed. Kind of fits the topic since he played some NRL at Five-Eighth

I remember when Tom Wright played 13 for Joeys. So so good to watch.

 

[eastman]

Marce have a look at the performances of Sam Burgess or Tepai Meoroa while you’re orgasming over rugby league forwards playing crash ball center in Union.

In saying that there are definitely league players who would be elite backs in Union, and its not Justin Olam (a 12/13 centre combination of Jack Wighton and Lattrell Mitchell would be world class- both are athletes and footballers).

 

[Adam84]

Egh Latrell has enormous talent but piss poor attitude, i disagree he would be world class for that reason alone. The number of cynical penalties he gives up and stupid plays; last year he was banned for an elbow to the back of the head, this year he is banned for an elbow to the face. Can’t be world class if watching from sidelines.

 

[eastman]

Egh Latrell has enormous talent but piss poor attitude, i disagree he would be world class for that reason alone. The number of cynical penalties he gives up and stupid plays; last year he was banned for an elbow to the back of the head, this year he is banned for an elbow to the face. Can’t be world class if watching from sidelines.

He’s erratic sure but so our plenty of Union players. Assuming consistency he’d be fantastic at 13.