Tim Horan is at it again

[jargan83]

Rugby great Tim Horan fears the "Broncos are circling'' Quade Cooper as his continued Test exile fuelled conspiracy theories that Brisbane will attempt to poach the superstar playmaker.

Ex-Wallaby and Queensland star Horan reignited the simmering rumour, writing on Twitter on Sunday after Robbie Deans named his initial Lions series squad: "No Quade Cooper in Wallabies 25-man squad, Broncos are circling."

Brisbane's general manager of football operations Andrew Gee said Cooper had not been discussed by the Broncos while rugby officials are equally upset at the ongoing speculation.

Brisbane's salary cap space to recruit a high-profile player may increase this week with Peter Wallace tipped to seek a release from the final year of his contract to return to Penrith on a three-year deal.

Cooper is contracted to the Reds until 2015 and to the Australian Rugby Union until 2014.

It would require an exceptional circumstance for Reds chief executive Jim Carmichael to release a key weapon and marketing tool.

"Quade is contracted. I'm a bit tired of needing to defend this sort of stuff," Carmichael said.

Cooper is friends with Broncos star centre Justin Hodges and played league as a teenager.

He previously negotiated to play with Parramatta before ditching the idea at the last minute and re-signing with the Reds.

Cooper is also intent on becoming a legitimate professional boxer and still trains twice a week.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/league/n...-1226646457174

[zed]

These 'union players switching to league' rumours seem to attach themselves to every high profile player and they very rarely are credible. Cooper would do OK at league, but his skillset is more suited to union and realistically I don't think he would want to play league. I think he will end up in France at some point, probably after the world cup. He needs to be in the squad though. I can only think he's had some sort of personality clash with Deans or something.

[The InnFORCEr]

He needs to be in the squad though. I can only think he's had some sort of personality clash with Deans or something.

Do you think QC calling Deans coaching environment toxic have anything to do with it?

[jono]

I can only think that horan is worried people are forgetting his name again.
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[Invictus]

Just more proof that sportsmen (even retired ones) and twitter don't mix.

[eleypinkbit]

I reckon it's because of the shocking (lack of) defence shown by Cooper in South Africa

[Piston]

I reckon it's because of the shocking (lack of) defence shown by Cooper in South Africa

And I'm sure after that great defensive effort on the weekend the Broncos are running for his signature!
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[GIGS20]

Cooper is too light
Cooper still has an issue with tackling despite all the 'improvements'
Cooper still throws insane flat (read forward) five man cutout passes when he's faced by an organised defensive line

Which of these aspects of his play suggest he is in any way valuable to Mungoball? He should take up boxing, At least Khoder Nasser can match him up against grandads and 12 year olds and he can be undefeated for 20 professional bouts and make a squillion dollars without having an ounce of skill!

[jargan83]

Jamie Sowards defence > Quade Coopers defence

[chibi]

Who effin' cares about Quade anyway, when a team like the Force pressures him like we did this season, he fails. I don't want that sorta shit in my national team for fu*k's sake! He has to show improvement in this aspect of his game or he is going to lose us every game he plays for Australia.

At least in RL he's got a ten-metre rule and five attempts before has to kick. And the ref tells you it's the last tackle anyway, he doesn't have to count to six himself!

**Quick edit - he couldn't even tackle scrum-half Piet van Zyl this week!

[shasta]

Jamie Sowards defence > Quade Coopers defence

You gotta stop eating all those sour grapes. They obviously give you a belly ache.

[jargan83]

You gotta stop eating all those sour grapes. They obviously give you a belly ache.

Sour grapes?

I'm saying Soward is a better defender then Cooper

[The InnFORCEr]

You gotta stop eating all those sour grapes. They obviously give you a belly ache.

Is Jamie selling his own brand of grapes now

[Hansie]

What message do you send to the rest of the Wallabies if you let Cooper back in???? It's O.K. to drop a turd on the whole national team if you can tweet, box, N.Z. enemy No. 1 and somehow be forgiven???

If I was Robbie, my advice to Cooper would be - Go play league....

[shasta]

Sour grapes?

I'm saying Soward is a better defender then Cooper*

Yeah sure. But that's like saying Bronwyn Bishop is a better sort than Gina Reinhardt.