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ALL parties involved are denying it, but rumours persist that Wallabies centre Berrick Barnes will move to the Brumbies, the Real Madrid of Australian rugby, if he is not satisfied with the direction the troubled Queensland Reds are taking.
Barnes and fellow Wallabies Digby Ioane and Sean Hardman are the only senior Reds players yet to re-sign, but where the other two have given strong indications they will recommit, Barnes is keeping his options open.
He asked for his negotiations to be put on hold over the past month while he has been on Wallabies duty, but with the Australian team going into a brief recess before gearing up for the Tri-Nations following tonight's France Test, he hopes to reach a decision next week.
Barnes has been closely monitoring the review process that so far has claimed the jobs of assistant coach Mark Bell and team manager Brendan Morris, with high-performance manager Ben Whitaker also resigning because of significant differences with senior QRU management.
Head coach Phil Mooney said yesterday he was consulting regularly with Barnes and was very confident he would re-sign, a feeling shared by senior player Morgan Turinui.
"There is a fair bit of player input into the review, and even if sometimes you don't agree with what is decided, the mere fact you were consulted means you have some sense of ownership of the process," Turinui said.
"When you're such a passionate guy, as Berrick is, you want to stay and see things through, so I would think he'll recommit. But I know that he and Sean want to see some action come out of all this. The huge positive is that Phil Mooney is driving it. When you've got the head coach on board, things can change.
"But at the end of the day, the players have to perform. People are losing their jobs at the Reds ... but if you're winning and you're getting an extra 10,000 people through the gate for each game, no one's going to get the sack."
While Barnes has stressed his desire to remain with Queensland, he also is keenly aware that he is at an important stage of his career and he does not want to get enmeshed in an organisation that has no clear vision of where it wants to go.
"I have to somewhat look after myself in this sort of situation," Barnes said recently.
The strong rumour is that if the Reds cannot convince Barnes they are determined to break a six-year slump that has seen them consigned to the bottom three on the Super rugby ladder, he will join the Brumbies.
A Reds insider said that a possible move to the Brumbies had been on the cards even before the internal review at Ballymore turned the organisation on its head, but both Barnes' manager, Peter Rogers, and ACT chief executive Andrew Fagan deny any such move has been discussed.
The Brumbies missed out on recruiting teenage Wallabies fullback James O'Connor, but Fagan said that did not necessarily mean the ACT had a spot open for Barnes. "We have an outside back position we have to fill but it's just as likely to be a raw young talent who'll get it as anyone well-credentialled," Fagan said.
Meanwhile, the Western Force's star recruit, former Springbok five-eighth Andre Pretorius, is looking to build the sort of combination with O'Connor that the teenager established with Matt Giteau in the Super 14 season.
Speaking from South Africa yesterday, Pretorius said he was delighted O'Connor had decided to remain in Perth.
"That's definitely one of the key elements of good back half play, the fact that 10 and 12 think a lot alike," Pretorius said. "I think (O'Connor) and Matt got that right and that's why they were so successful in the midfield. So yes, having a good relationship with your 12, which is James O'Connor, is definitely going to be a key."
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...015651,00.html
Umm... seriously begining to wonder how we (Brumbies) have enough funds (and places) for all these 'marquee' players... there seems to be the dollars to sign all these players but not to fix up our HQ, which is essentially a suburban rugby field.
Adore this life
There is no guarantee
Could end by tomorrow
A lot of those overpaid pollies, wasting valuable legislation time in a slanging match ATM, are fans. They use real workers tax dollars to subsidise your team thru the Navy for one. There may be other little deals we don't know about too I suppose. Maybe Gerard Ryle could look into it.
The Real Madrid of Australianm Rugby.![]()
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
I could make a rugby comment here but my posts are blocked to other TWF Members....shame
God it would be a real waste if Barnes did go to the Brumbies. As it is Lealiifano and Toomua would be lucky to get game time, if Barnes joined they'd be lucky to get splinters from warming the bench. Stay in Queensland BB. You'll develop and make the Wallabies whatever team your in.
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.
Better to get full game time at a struggling team than reduced 'rotation' match minutes with the 'buy-us-a-winning-team' (or will they be inglorious bankrupt failures?!).
CHEERLEADERS ROCK!!!
Totally agree... it'd be a huge waste if Barnes did come to the Brumbies, we have #10/12s coming out of our ears.
It will be very intriguing how the Brumbies go next year with all these big signings... but I honestly would love to know where/how we suddenly have 3rd party backers after years of struggling to get them.
Adore this life
There is no guarantee
Could end by tomorrow
Wwoohoo people can read my posts again.... i can't see Barnes going to the Brumbies but i do understand he has to assess his professional future for the long-term. He will increase his value with a better squad... I'm happy with Tyrone Smith, Toomua or Fairbanks at 12... I not sure the Brumbies need Barnes.... like JOC... However Digby Ioane would be a nice signing. The Brumbies could do with an outside back perhaps Haylett-Petty...
Nice to be back?