James O'Connor

[WF1964]

Another function at The Oxford Hotel for sponsors I believe

Noice.

[GAFFA]

add this in to make things abit more crazy

http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/su...-1226068397721

[mudskipper]

Hey, I thought that Times article was rather positive for the Force... as JOC has already served four years on the west coast.

However I’m not clear the Force really fulfilled his last agreement; didn’t the Force under Mitchell promised his father to sign a world-class flyhalf to mentor JOC? And failed to do so. Wasn’t that a corner stone of their agreement for him to stay? And now under new coach Graham he finds himself playing as a utility player.

Nonetheless my feeling is JOC will stay west because of comfort and turn down any challenge of a new start... But I’m often wrong in such matters...

Really can’t see him going to the NRL…

[mudskipper]

Canberra to Sydney 290km & about 3 up & unders for me last time

Yep as I said a few hours on a good freeway straight into the CBD... easy driving...

[zimeric]

Hey, I thought that Times article was rather positive for the Force... as JOC has already served four years on the west coast.

However I’m not clear the Force really fulfilled his last agreement; didn’t the Force under Mitchell promised his father to sign a world-class flyhalf to mentor JOC? And failed to do so. Wasn’t that a corner stone of their agreement for him to stay? And now under new coach Graham he finds himself playing as a utility player.

Nonetheless my feeling is JOC will stay west because of comfort and turn down any challenge of a new start... But I’m often wrong in such matters...

Really can’t see him going to the NRL…

i think common sense needs to be put into play there, the Force can only get who they can get, its obvious Ripia was the best Marquee available at the time and his predecessor was beset by injury which is not entirely the Forces fault. OConnor would be prgmatic enough to understand that, it comes down to his ambition i guess.. if he felt he wasnt going to progress his career at the Force then he would be motivated to leave (is he after silverware?, leadership opportunity?, money?- arguably its only the Silverware that is less likely at the Force in the short term).....

i still have faith that he'll stay.

[KenyaQuin]

Maybe a start (and possibly a win) next to Stannard against the Reds might tie things up neatly for a stay in the West?

[Burgs]

Tim Gossage at the end of the Force report on Ten News: "And all that without James O'Connor"....
Make of that what you will.

[Burgs]

Maybe a start (and possibly a win) next to Stannard against the Reds might tie things up neatly for a stay in the West?

If he gets picked

[Burgs]

Brisbane NRL bid team wants Wallabies star James O'Connor

Peter Badel From: The Courier-Mail June 02, 2011

FIRST it was Quade Cooper. Now James O'Connor may be the latest Wallaby to consider a shock code switch after being approached by the Brisbane NRL bid consortium.
O'Connor's management has held informal talks with the prospective NRL franchise in a sign the 20-year-old Western Force phenomenon could be lost to rugby union.

They cannot reasonably afford O'Connor plus another rugby target, Cooper or All Blacks star Sonny Bill Williams, but the loss of one of the Wallaby sensations would be damaging to the Australian Rugby Union.

The pressure valve for the ARU is that the reality a second Brisbane team cannot enter the NRL until 2013, if at all, depending on league's expansion plan under the yet-to-be-installed independent commission.

But with Cooper having last week signed only a 12-month extension and O'Connor a fresh target, the ARU could eventually confront losing one or both of their gifted backline stars to league.

"We've had talks with James's management," Rae said last night.

"We've been watching him play and we're very curious to see if he would like a crack at league.

"James and Quade are good mates, they know each other's games and we believe they would complement each other better in rugby league than rugby union.

"We respect the fact James has a World Cup to play. If he's interested, we'll continue talks."

O'Connor's solicitor David Shand would not comment last night, but he confirmed the Brisbane bid team's approach.

Former Wallaby World Cup winner Toutai Kefu said O'Connor would be a smash hit in the NRL.

"If I was an NRL coach, the one guy I would be going after is James O'Connor," said Kefu, a veteran of 60 Tests.

The Force utility is tipped to make an announcement on his future at the end of the Super Rugby season. He will decide between offers from Queensland, the Force and the Brumbies for the 2012 season.

It is understood no current NRL club has contacted O'Connor's management over his 2012 or 2013 services. While O'Connor is happy in rugby, negotiations over his new deal have dragged on longer than expected as he weighs up the best move.

Australia's second-youngest Test debutant, O'Connor is no stranger to rugby league, playing the game while growing up on the Gold Coast.

Kefu said: "He'd definitely make it. He is probably the guy who's most adaptable to rugby league."

"For the ARU, it would be a kick in the guts to lose him. James could probably earn more money in rugby so that could be something that keeps him in the code."

[shasta]

Take the NRL bid with a very large grain of salt. So far they are trying to sign SBW, JOC, QC, KB, Izzy, and Harmichael. They might have a shot at a few Rugby League players as well. Unfortunately for them, the new salary cap will only be about 7 million. Not 7 billion.

[Hoolly Doolly]

Who knows....there might be concessions allowed like what have been allowed for the Melbourne Rabble.

[normie]

That would allow them to sign a quite a few pom miscreants.

[blueandblack]

tweet from JOC to QC:

"@QuadeCooper haha u kno ur always welcome this side of world "

I'd say he is staying put.

[todd4]

tweet from JOC to QC:

"@QuadeCooper haha u kno ur always welcome this side of world "

I'd say he is staying put.

maybe it just relates to the Reds coming here next weekend..

[mudskipper]

Reds v Brumbies match should help the decision process for O'Connor...