Western Force eye Queensland Reds hooker Hardman

QUEENSLAND hooker Sean Hardman could be the short-term solution to the Western Force hooking problem.
The club is also chasing Brumbies prop Nic Henderson and hopes to lure former Brumbies utility back Mark Bartholomeusz back to Australia.

The club wants Hardman, 32, as a replacement for Force foundation player Tai McIsaac who retired last season.

Hardman, who has played more than 100 games for the Reds since his 1999 debut, made the first of four Test appearances against France in 2002 and was third-string hooker at the 2007 Rugby World Cup.

The Force had hoped to snare Australian U-20 captain Damien Fitzpatrick but he re-signed with the NSW Waratahs.

They also tried unsuccessfully to sign Tatafu Polota-Nau from the 'Tahs and Springbok Bismarck du Plessis.

The Force's only guaranteed hooker for 2010 is Australian U-20 representative Ben Whittaker, a great prospect who emerged from the club academy to make three appearances off the bench last season.

The club is looking at other Australian prospects, including Manly's Elvis Taione and overseas in the South African Currie Cup and New Zealand NPC competitions, and particularly at Waikato's Oli Avei.

Avei, 25, a former Australian U-21 and Schoolboys representative, played four Super 14 games with the Queensland Reds. He was in this year's Chiefs Super 14 training group.

Force rugby manager Mitch Hardy said: "The hooker spot is a priority, other things are falling into place, but hooker is a priority."

Henderson, 28, is needed to replace Troy Takiari, who has signed with French club Grenoble.

He has three Wallaby caps, has been a consistent performer in his six years at the Brumbies and in 2008 was voted their Forward of the Year.

Versatile utility back Mark Bartholomeusz, 32, could be lured back to Australia by the Force.

The club is well advanced in talks with Bartholomeusz who played last season with Italian side Padova.
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/stor...005403,00.html

Bart would be a very handy wealth of experience for us.
Has had a huge career in the NH.
Not a star but a great spare parts man.

i cant see hardman moving west

It'd be a tough call on the man fer sure TOCC, but if Berrick is asking the questions, surely everybody is asking the questions....If Berrick goes, the Reds will be poison for anybody whose unsigned......Like the :force: they've had to start the rebuilding cycle again before finishing the last cycle....Berrick is the Reds' James O'Connor and if he decides to go to the Real Madrid Ponies, then I can't see how Qld will be able to hang on to any unsigned talent.

I'm bef on the fence with this one. Hardman seems pretty committed to the Reds organisation, so for him to leave means the Reds will be at their lowest ebb in probably the last ten years (and there's been some pretty low ebbs in that time) But he'll help to stem the lack of experience at hooker that's currently developing here. To be honest, I'd rather (for the good of Aussie Rugby) the Force sign anyone else of his standard or better, promote Whits's contract and find another young tyro to cover injuries, but I can understand Mitch Hardy's dilemma, You have to cover the positions in the team with the best players you can sign.....If he signs a marquee starting hooker, he won't stop chasing Hardman for the Bench.

To be honest. Hardman is basically at the end of his career. He is handy but not spectacular. I was watching Saia Faingaa yesterday playing for Souths against the Gold Coast, and to be honest, he is the future for the Reds in the hooking role.

Regarding Barnes, well, I can't see where he will get a clear run at the ponies, and despite Qld's poor recent form, it hasn't hurt his wallaby career. Robbie Deans recently said that he thought the Reds would make the semis next year. I'm not sure if that is quite right, but he obviously feels that things are very close to turning. That opinion may count for something when Berrick considers his options.

I don't think there are too many others unsigned now, apart from Digby, who seems to be back in the Reds camp again.

Barnes and Hardman will both stay in QLD. Even if Hardman was interested in the Force a short term solution isn't really ideal. What if we have the exact same problems next year if Pretorius doesn't work out and Hardman calls time on his career. As far as short term solution go, though, he would be pretty good. Can't have superstars across the park.

Hardman is either going to retire this year or next year, i doubt he is going to be willing to uproot his family just for the 2010 season. He doesnt have anything to gain by moving West, he is still going to be sitting behind TPN and Moore in the Wallaby rankings.

I don't think the fear of a move would be a factor, players do it all the time at this stage in their career.
What he has to gain is a fresh look at playing to extend his Rugby journey before it ends, a paid seven month holiday for his family and probably enough coin to save him needing to go to one of the superannuation leagues in the NH before he retires.
Even a year would be useful in developing Whitaker with another season of increasing time off the bench.
Hardman is certainly his name, he can take a huge amount of punishment and may well renew his career with a couple of experienced Props hanging off him.
The Force are the Wallaby Makers after all...

TOCC what's the latest with Greg Holmes? I have lost track of him, he's kind of the forgotten man in the Propping stable but I believe he is our best Loosehead when fit.