Rodda commits before Reds grudge match

Murray Wenzel
AAP
March 1, 2022 7:31AM


Izack Rodda has confirmed his future is in Perth, just days before his Super Rugby Pacific grudge match against the Queensland Reds.

The Wallabies lock on Tuesday extended his contract with the Western Force until 2024 in a boost as the code attempts to retain its top talent.

Rodda, now 25, burst onto the scene in 2017 with the Queensland Reds to establish himself as one of the first-picked Wallabies.

But his sudden exit from Ballymore last year, after it was announced that Super Rugby players would have to accept a significant pay cut due to the COVID-19 pandemic, stung the Reds.

Coach Brad Thorn was riled by Rodda's decision to terminate his contract in order to join Lyon, and he expressed his displeasure again when reports emerged that the star lock was seeking a return to Australian rugby.

Rodda has thrived since his moving to Perth, excelling for the Wallabies last year and emerging as one of the key men behind the Force's bright start to the 2022 season.

His re-signing this week comes before his first encounter for competition points against his former side on Friday.

"I'm really excited to commit long term to the Wallabies and the Western Force," Rodda said.

"I've thoroughly enjoyed the last six months or so, firstly with the Wallabies last year and now with the Force in Super Rugby Pacific.

"It feels to me like both teams are building something special and that's something I'm looking forward to being a part of."

Rugby Australia boss Andy Marinos said the retention of a key player in a "specialist position" that commands big money overseas is a major coup.

"He plays in a specialist position and has chosen to stay in Australia to further his international career and help bring success to the Wallabies and the Western Force," Marinos said.

"Rugby Australia's priorities continue to be targeting and retaining the best rugby talent in the country."

Wallabies coach Dave Rennie said he'd been "really impressed with Izack's attitude and work rate since coming into the environment last year".

"He's a world class lock and his long-term commitment to Australian Rugby can't be understated...," Rennie said.

"His confidence has grown as a leader and that's evident in the impact he's having at Test level and at the Force."

https://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/ru...atch-c-5881573

Best news, and says tons about whats happening with the team and the systems being put in place :yeah:

Amazing news

That's one HUGE tick for AF, Hodgo, Tim, Tony and all the other hard-working staff at the Force since GRR started. :D

Right up there, too are the continuing contributions from the likes of Jeremy Thrush, Richard Kahui, Greg Holmes and others. As the upward trend continues HBF's 10,000 capacity will be sorely tested before long. Cant wait for Friday.

P.S. Purely hypothetical with no answer, (and I don't want to harp on the past, X)....but I cant help wondering if such a swift contract extension would have been forthcoming from the "old" ARU. Think, Pocock, JOC, Badger to name a few. Onward & upward.

Fantastic news - Rodda has been huge in both games thus far

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Originally Posted by shasta

....but I cant help wondering if such a swift contract extension would have been forthcoming from the "old" ARU.

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To be honest, I suspect RA would be looking at the number of 1 year deals at the moment and sweating bullets. Contracts brought over for more than 2 years are probably being met at the door and signed in the lobby.

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Originally Posted by AndyS

To be honest, I suspect RA would be looking at the number of 1 year deals at the moment and sweating bullets. Contracts brought over for more than 2 years are probably being met at the door and signed in the lobby.

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Yeah, reckon your right there Andy. Just scratching an old itch. :redface:

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Originally Posted by AndyS

To be honest, I suspect RA would be looking at the number of 1 year deals at the moment and sweating bullets. Contracts brought over for more than 2 years are probably being met at the door and signed in the lobby.

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With what's being paid to Hooper it's difficult to see how RA can be signing anything.

“No bad blood”: Rodda happy to meet Thorn after bitter Reds exit.

Wallabies lock Izack Rodda says he’d be willing to meet with Queensland coach Brad Thorn and, despite his acrimonious departure from Ballymore in 2020, believes there is no bad blood between them.

https://www.watoday.com.au/sport/rug...01-p5a0kf.html

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Originally Posted by shasta

That's one HUGE tick for AF, Hodgo, Tim, Tony and all the other hard-working staff at the Force since GRR started. :D

Right up there, too are the continuing contributions from the likes of Jeremy Thrush, Richard Kahui, Greg Holmes and others. As the upward trend continues HBF's 10,000 capacity will be sorely tested before long. Cant wait for Friday.

P.S. Purely hypothetical with no answer, (and I don't want to harp on the past, X)....but I cant help wondering if such a swift contract extension would have been forthcoming from the "old" ARU. Think, Pocock, JOC, Badger to name a few. Onward & upward.

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Always with the negativity.......

Hot Rodda backs Wallabies jersey and Force home over foreign cash
Tue, 01/03/2022, 04:33 pm
Jim Tucker




“I'd like to think there's no bad blood there. I wouldn't mind speaking to Thorny,” Rodda said in his matter-of-fact way.

The giant Wallabies lock has moved well past the emotional and surprise split from the Queensland Reds in May, 2020. He’s just signed on until 2024 with the Western Force and extras like the cleansing waters of Cottesloe Beach near his new home.

Rodda has quickly become the engine at the core of the productive Force pack as his team eyes a rare Perth home game against the Reds on Friday night at HBF Park.

In 2020, Thorn took Rodda’s exit hard as a walkout, a breaking of trust, because he thought he knew his Reds. The coach thought they would all make sacrifices together through financial uncertainty when average pay cuts of 60 per cent were brokered to get rugby through the first phase of the pandemic.

Thorn had made Rodda his captain for a game in 2019 and schooled him on lock arts to help his rise into the Test ranks.

Rodda had also signed on for a new four-year deal with the Reds just eight months earlier so the normally unflappable Thorn was completely perplexed by Rodda terminating his contract.

Most have looked at the split from Australian rugby’s point of view.

Rodda making such a huge call at just 23 gave him a control over his own career and life that he still gains confidence from.

“As a person, you’ve got to be willing to back yourself in what you believe in over anything,” Rodda said.

"You want to learn from each choice whether it's the right or the wrong.

“You don’t want to be told what you want to do your whole career. You've got to have a voice if you believe it's right and chase that but also be willing to take feedback on it as well.”

Rodda headed to Lyon and an education in the hard, forward-dominated scraps of French rugby. The Wallabies will benefit from that hardening all the way to next year’s Rugby World Cup in the same country.

Rodda, now 25, has willingly accepted less money to commit to Rugby Australia until 2024 because the gold jersey means more than a hefty deal in Europe or Japan.

He didn’t say it but that will always be his counter to Thorn on questions of loyalty and sacrifice.

“I honestly thought our relationship was fine, but he said what he said (in the media), and that's totally up to him and his opinion," Rodda said of Thorn.

"I respect him highly as a player and as a coach.

"I haven't spoken to him, but I'm a nice guy and he is as well. I'd like to think there's no bad blood there. I wouldn't mind speaking to Thorny."

Rodda’s lineout steals, his leg-driving carries and enjoyment in the Force style of play is obvious on top of his more hidden skills as lineout general and scrum rock.

He’s excited about building the next stage of his career at the Force and didn’t bring Queensland or NSW, the state of his birth, into the picture.

“I didn’t reach out to any other teams,” Rodda said of contract discussions.

“We are a really tight group here at the Force and that has made the transition easy since I came in this season. I feel we are building towards something special.”

He's no doubt heard of the $1 million-plus per season price tag that Wallabies packmate Rory Arnold has signed for in Japan.

“I’ve made it pretty clear my whole career I always want to play for my country. For me, it was a point in my career where I chose the jersey over the money. I think the jersey is definitely a lure to get players home," Rodda said.

“I love playing with Rory. I think we are a good partnership and it would be massive (if he was selected from overseas by the Wallabies).”

Arnold, Quade Cooper, Marika Koroibete and Samu Kerevi are four high-quality Wallabies playing abroad. Under the new “Kerevi Clause”, only three can be selected for any series from off-shore.

Rodda doesn’t have to do any guessing about his spot. If he keeps racking up strong performances, his spot in the gold pack will be assured.

https://www.rugby.com.au/news/hot-iz...gn-cash-202231

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Originally Posted by .X.

Always with the negativity.......

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Originally Posted by Sheikh

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Thoughts and prayers