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Sounds like Gerrard saw the writing on the wall, Muddie!
hope he stays
"12 Years aSupporter" starring the #SeaOfBlue
Gerrard has said if the ARU offer a reasonable contract he would stay on but he also wouldn't wait.... He has also been on the record for a few weeks now that he and his wife would like to take the life experience and live in another culture while their children are young... So he has taken it, there are a few Brumbies in Japan so the boys must like it there... As I said he may come back to the Brumbies in a few years he just 26... Deans wants to create a new squad for 2011 its his goal... perhaps Gerrard just wasn't in the plan...
As I have said before Muddy, we are in the same boat as the other aussie teams, NOBODY has a fully signed squad yet, and I would say the ARU have a hand in it all by holding back on top ups and wallaby contracts.
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It would be an utter waste if JO'C signed with the Brumbies. Between him, Peter Betham, Christian Lealiifano and Matt Toomua there won't be enough game scraps to fight over. Talent hoarding if you ask me.
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.
I might upset people, fans and family of us at TWF, but....
Can the real Force players who are committed to play for the Blue, please stand up, all seated players F*** off now, we are not interested in players who are half committed players who are here for money, glory, anything else except for rugby. I know its hard being away from family, but you normally have your wife, children and sometime parents, but you are away from your 'big family' for 20 weeks in the year - its your income, live with it. I have any majority of TWF family are on either FIFO or other work that keeps em away from there family, can't see them moaning to there bosses or CEO...
Me, players (sharpy, boof, crossy, sheps - just to name a few) fans alike are here to support the force if we win, lose - with heart, draw, win a premiership and have more wallabies caps under our coaching squad of John's and others.
what some people need to realise is that these are all professional players. They play the game they love first & foremost but they also have to make a living, if they have an opportunity to get extra buck for their bang why wouldnt they take it...
Especially with the economic downturn... everyone wants to try and get maximum leverage and that means drawn out contractual negotiations..
be patient people!! good things come to those that wait! (of course that doesnt count for the RugbyWA staff who should be busting a gut to get signings!)
The ARU needs to do the smart thing and limit ARU top-ups on a team by team basis- otherwise you get all of 4 Tah props (Baxter, Dunning, Kepu and Robinson) playing for the Wallabies when if that was spread out you could be giving those guys all game time. I never thought I'd say it but I'd sooner see JO'C go to the Tahs than the Brumbies because they actually need him. I mean the Brumbies want him as a fullback but why not actually give AAC a run there so he can upskill and actually play well for the Wallabies. Or why not use Lealiifano as Matt Giteau's back up and put Toomua at 15. Or god forbid actually play Betham instead.
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.
---------- Post added at 18:26 ---------- Previous post was at 18:15 ----------
Some of those things you mention may happen James... However AAC is really in waiting for Mortlock's 13 but because of his versatility he can fill numerous backline positions...
Both Lealiifano and Toomua are signed for 2010. When they signed it wasn't given that the Brumbies would sign Giteau... I do think however that the Brumbies strengthened every other position over the past couple of years hoping MAtt Giteau would come back and thankfully he did because they need to build the crowd numbers again like the Larkham Gregan days... but Lealiifano and Toomua could play other roles in 2010-11... Alfi Mafi, Pete Betham are Sipa Taumoepeau are excellent outside backs and will have opportunities... I think Betham has an injury from the Australian 7s so unfortunately we haven't seen him with the Brumbies this season... All these guys aren't on big cash payments; they come to be involved in a great rugby program...
Build a good culture and rugby program with respected coaching and support staff and the Force will have kids like these guys lining up as well... It’s not a mystery I’ve been trying to say that here at TWF for sometime… Nonetheless the Brumbies are blessed with talent at the moment… Come the S15 and it will be less... Look at who was standing on the sideline amongst the players last weekend in Canberra, Patricio Noriega, Bill Young, Owen Finegan and Stephen Larkham all Australian legends of modern rugby… That's living team culture… all these guys still want to be a part of the Brumbies...
Look I don't doubt the Force could learn a fair bit from the management from the Brumbies. The last few years for us have hardly been inspiring. But I think the Brumbies management is being absolutely self-centred here. The Force really need to keep JO'C to continue to be a successful club. The Brumbies don't need JO'C- he is merely a handy player to have in the squad. Why hurt Australian rugby on the whole for something you don't necessarily need?
I have always thought, and my comments regarding giving the Brumbies one of our locks will verify, that the Australian S14 teams need to work together a bit more for the sake of the Wallabies. Without the Wallabies we really wouldn't have much in the Super 14.
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.