2024 Squad - Speculation Thread

[Burgs]

Would suggest that Cron wins players to the West that he has worked with that may not have come over otherwise, rather than being preferred targets over others.
Also, having been around Waratahs/Shute Shield he will have had a fairly extensive exposure to a chunk of the Australian nursery.

[sandgroperrugby]

SARACENS IS DELIGHTED TO ANNOUNCE THE SIGNING OF OLLIE HOSKINS ON A TWO-YEAR DEAL.

https://saracens.com/ollie-hoskins-signs-for-saracens/

[Burgs]

Bummer.

Another Rebel on the road to somewhere is Cameron Orr.

[Transiting]

SARACENS IS DELIGHTED TO ANNOUNCE THE SIGNING OF OLLIE HOSKINS ON A TWO-YEAR DEAL.

https://saracens.com/ollie-hoskins-signs-for-saracens/

Just saw that myself. Bummer! Can't think of another Australian qualified THP on the market...

[Burgs]

Charlie Faumuina is retiring from Toulouse at 36, wonder if could squeeze another dozen matches out of him Thrush style?
Be an amazing addition to the playing Coach stocks.

[WFDom]

Just saw that myself. Bummer! Can't think of another Australian qualified THP on the market...

Ahhhhh fu@kballs

[Burgs]

Handy website to help you out TIF-
https://all.rugby/transfers/western-force

[shasta]

SARACENS IS DELIGHTED TO ANNOUNCE THE SIGNING OF OLLIE HOSKINS ON A TWO-YEAR DEAL.

I seemed to recall reading how happy he was playing and living in London and getting hitched. This quote from ABC Sport when he got his 12 minutes of fame backs that up.

"A 13-minute Wallabies career? This 120kg Dungeons and Dragons geek is OK with that
By Jack Snape
Posted Wed 17 Nov 2021

Oliver Hoskins knows this may be his only Wallabies cap.

......The 28-year-old grew up in Perth but has played for club side London Irish for the past six years. With a UK passport, a British wife and more family in the Northern Hemisphere than in the Southern, Australia never seemed more like a fantasy."

[Garry Owen]

I seemed to recall reading how happy he was playing and living in London and getting hitched. This quote from ABC Sport when he got his 12 minutes of fame backs that up.

"A 13-minute Wallabies career? This 120kg Dungeons and Dragons geek is OK with that
By Jack Snape
Posted Wed 17 Nov 2021

Oliver Hoskins knows this may be his only Wallabies cap.

......The 28-year-old grew up in Perth but has played for club side London Irish for the past six years. With a UK passport, a British wife and more family in the Northern Hemisphere than in the Southern, Australia never seemed more like a fantasy."

It’s an interesting one because he could be playing for England now if he said no to that 13 minute cameo. At least he is still eligible for wallabies and based over there if he is needed for World Cup at short notice

[Garry Owen]

Also Cameron Orr is leaving the rebels but haven’t seen any word on where he is going so hopefully coming back west?

[andrewg]

We need Props, a Hooker and couple of Talls - some of the the most sought after and highest payed positions globally so it's not going to be easy.
Hard to know who else as all sign-ons yet to be announced.
But would like to see a solid back-up for Sam Spinks and another proven, try-scoring winger if Kibirige doesn't stay on.

Players yet to be confirmed for 2024 include: Siosifa Amone, Santiago Medrano, Andrew Romano, Ned Slack-Smith, Henry Robertson, Manasa Mataele, Rupeni Mataele, Jake Strachan, Tony Pulu, Daniel Alla, Zack Kibirige, Isi Naisarani, Grayson Makara, Bryce Hegarty, George Poolman. The Rugby Wrap confirmed that Reece Tapine has already been released.
Any feedback re any others not staying??
Have I missed a signing?

Players from 2023 Wider Training Group not yet mentioned anywhere include: Niko Foliaki (Centre) , Charlie Connolly (Prop), Nick Chan (Centre), Campbell Parata (FH) and Apolosi Ranawai (Prop).

We have some excellent prospects who should be graduating from the Academy into the WTG.
You would think that Marley Pearce has earned a spot in the main player group.
Interested to see who joins the Academy for 2024.

[GIGS20]

Riffing off your list, I have several thoughts

Players yet to be confirmed for 2024 include:
Siosifa Amone - They either are deep in negotiations with Sifa or completely insane (I guess the other option is that they're almost ready to announce a brace of tightheads and Sifa is surplus) Sifa has done extremely well for a young, fringe, prospect and should be considered the future.
Santiago Medrano - Fairly confident the Argies will want him playing in Europe for the greater number of games and focus on set piece. I'd be preparing for him to go.
Andrew Romano - heard nothing, don't have anything of value to add to the conversation
Ned Slack-Smith - Jeez he's gotta be getting close to a full contract isn't he? he's been around for ages and seems to kill it every time he takes the field in U20. shame there's such a stacked backrow forming.
Henry Robertson - I don't like his chances, we have Prior still on contract, White coming in and Fines Leleiwasa as the medium term superstar. To fit him into the squad they'd need to release Prior wouldn't they?
Manasa Mataele, Rupeni Mataele - only based upon the fluff piece that the Mataele's filmed for Stan you'd have to think they're motivated to stay, but Manasa finished the season a bit underwhelming. Maybe the powers that be will consider moving him on. To do that would likely mean saying goodbye to Martha and that would be unacceptable.
Jake Strachan - Solid and a good backup, but is he being contracted out of a spot? We've bought a 10 who can play 15 and has a gold jersey, so surely we'll be moving a 10 who can play 15 on. That might be Jake it might not!
Tony Pulu - Must keep, must also keep him fit. When he's firing he's our most dangerous player, when he isn't it's because he's injured.
Daniel Alla - What is he now 21? Hasn't made an impact on the matchday squad and we've signed internationals to fill the role he fills two seasons in a row. I think the writing might be on the wall for Daniel.
Zack Kibirige - It was a one year loan deal wasn't it. I'm sure he'll be wanted back if that's the case. He's too good for his home club to just release.
Isi Naisarani - He's not as necessary as he was this year with Harris coming in, but one injury and he becomes the last line of defence.
Grayson Makara - Not sure what happened here, he was looking the goods and then we saw nothing of him. With Poolman's early struggles you'd haver to think injury played a part.
Bryce Hegarty - Great bloke, but he's GAWN. we have too many 10s who are better than him, he'd leave before Strachan if the team were mine (purely on age and speed, nothing personal)
George Poolman - Should stay, because it's not his fault he was thrown to the wolves due to injuries of others. I think he was starting to come good towards the end and might have fought his way through the haze. If his minutes can be controlled and he can be used to do one thing and get good at it, he'll be a good prospect and cheap, because nobody else will want him.

The Rugby Wrap confirmed that Reece Tapine has already been released, which is one winger gone, maybe there'll be room for one of the wingers above to have another year.

It's about time to announce some new signings isn't it?

[Tazzmania]

Poolman already signed to 2025

Western Force NEWS

[andrewg]

Poolman already signed to 2025

Western Force NEWS

Thanks Tazzie - of course. This one got through my system (?).

[Garry Owen]

Riffing off your list, I have several thoughts

Players yet to be confirmed for 2024 include:
Siosifa Amone - They either are deep in negotiations with Sifa or completely insane (I guess the other option is that they're almost ready to announce a brace of tightheads and Sifa is surplus) Sifa has done extremely well for a young, fringe, prospect and should be considered the future.
Santiago Medrano - Fairly confident the Argies will want him playing in Europe for the greater number of games and focus on set piece. I'd be preparing for him to go.
Andrew Romano - heard nothing, don't have anything of value to add to the conversation
Ned Slack-Smith - Jeez he's gotta be getting close to a full contract isn't he? he's been around for ages and seems to kill it every time he takes the field in U20. shame there's such a stacked backrow forming.
Henry Robertson - I don't like his chances, we have Prior still on contract, White coming in and Fines Leleiwasa as the medium term superstar. To fit him into the squad they'd need to release Prior wouldn't they?
Manasa Mataele, Rupeni Mataele - only based upon the fluff piece that the Mataele's filmed for Stan you'd have to think they're motivated to stay, but Manasa finished the season a bit underwhelming. Maybe the powers that be will consider moving him on. To do that would likely mean saying goodbye to Martha and that would be unacceptable.
Jake Strachan - Solid and a good backup, but is he being contracted out of a spot? We've bought a 10 who can play 15 and has a gold jersey, so surely we'll be moving a 10 who can play 15 on. That might be Jake it might not!
Tony Pulu - Must keep, must also keep him fit. When he's firing he's our most dangerous player, when he isn't it's because he's injured.
Daniel Alla - What is he now 21? Hasn't made an impact on the matchday squad and we've signed internationals to fill the role he fills two seasons in a row. I think the writing might be on the wall for Daniel.
Zack Kibirige - It was a one year loan deal wasn't it. I'm sure he'll be wanted back if that's the case. He's too good for his home club to just release.
Isi Naisarani - He's not as necessary as he was this year with Harris coming in, but one injury and he becomes the last line of defence.
Grayson Makara - Not sure what happened here, he was looking the goods and then we saw nothing of him. With Poolman's early struggles you'd haver to think injury played a part.
Bryce Hegarty - Great bloke, but he's GAWN. we have too many 10s who are better than him, he'd leave before Strachan if the team were mine (purely on age and speed, nothing personal)
George Poolman - Should stay, because it's not his fault he was thrown to the wolves due to injuries of others. I think he was starting to come good towards the end and might have fought his way through the haze. If his minutes can be controlled and he can be used to do one thing and get good at it, he'll be a good prospect and cheap, because nobody else will want him.

The Rugby Wrap confirmed that Reece Tapine has already been released, which is one winger gone, maybe there'll be room for one of the wingers above to have another year.

It's about time to announce some new signings isn't it?

Don't believe everything you hear on the rugbywrap, just because Tapine is playing in NSW currently doesn't mean he is gone. Just listened to the rugbywrap, they think Junior Wallabies are playing Sth Africa and they think international players (such as Kerr-Barlow) can't switch to tier 1 sides, so they are not across everything