Lots of up-and-coming union stars...

[Guest]

How do people feel about the Cock's faith in young Union stars?
1st signing Jared Waerea-Hargreaves... now JP du Plessis and "The club hopes to announce the signing of another South African young rugby convert shortly."

I think I'm right in saying that much of their money for new, young players is going towards un-tested, up and coming union stars. And I'd include Jared Waerea-Hargreaves in there, he's mainly played Toyota Cup, I'm not criticising this move, but the cross-over will be interesting. Union centres are a lot more specific than league centres; which could be a good thing or a bad thing.

I also wonder who the 3rd union convert they're looking at is... they've got a centre and a lock (who's playing at prop) so-far... I'm hoping somebody pretty light with a lot of speed... great ball skills are essential too.

[witty92]

Wasn't waqa a rugby union convert? didn't turn out all that well...

[Guest]

Wasn't waqa a rugby union convert? didn't turn out all that well...

Yeah played for Fiji and Gordon... that was his problem. He got a contract with the Brumbies, but the ARU said "no... he played union for Fiji, so is not a good investment because he can't play for the Wallabies..." around that time he changed to league with hopes of playing for the Kangaroo's... some said he could be the next Greg Inglis or Israel Folau. And sure... it's a fair call, he doesn't measure up with Greg Inglis and Israel Folau right now (but who does? I wouldn't expect anybody to do so in their 1st season...)

Who knows though... he's only 23 or something... he's only been playing league for a year or so and is already a regular starter with the Roosters. Don't really know how you can call that failure... he'd probably carve up in the Toyota Cup (where these new signings will be initially.)

[TheLoneRooster]

Don't know what to make of the purchase of these up and coming union players let alone picking up some youngsters from South Africa. My only wish is that these players aren't costing local juniors their chances of ultimately playing for the Roosters.

[Guest]

Time will tell, just hoping O'sullivan is not trying to be a hero with these left field signings...

[Guest]

My only wish is that these players aren't costing local juniors their chances of ultimately playing for the Roosters.

Yeah that's my worry too...
To me if I were a youngster aspiring to play with the Roosters I think this would feel like a slap in the face to have a bunch of blokes who haven't even played league before being able to push in front of them in order to make the team.

My guess though, is that these guys are pretty cheap and our scouts are trying to identify players BEFORE they are stars. In my view this is better practice than signing guys like Mason who have come in with injuries, and their careers in shatters then putting the world on their shoulders and telling them to win us games.

Young blokes... we can give them a few bucks and say "mate... this is your big chance! We're not expecting anything, but you'll get a big fat contract IF you perform so prove yourself to us mate!" Run them in the Toyota Cup for a year... if they end up being the next ***** then we've just paid SFA for the NRL's next best player.

Mason... we blow out our salary cap, and are completely screwed if he decides not to perform. We've tried getting a bunch of high-profile signings from the cream of the crop and it's failed... with these youngsters we can probably get 4-5 potentially deadly new players for the price of 1 star player.

Imagine if we'd signed James O'Connor before he signed with the Force for example; even if he's only 1/2 as good at league as he is with union, we'd be paying SFA for a gun player.

I'll probably get smoked for saying this, but Union's grassroots aren't better, but they're just VERY different from League's. Maybe the selectors want something different? For example O'Connor's only 77kg... most of my mates who've played Jersey Flegg have rocked up weighing in around that mark and been told to put on 15kg by going to the gym and eating lots of protein because they're too light for League.

Now we see a light-weight speedy union centre who has never worked out in a gym before being signed by the Roosters, with another one in the cards. We also have a relatively light lock who has been signed... my opinion is that the Roosters are targeting speed because Freddie has indicated quite a few times that we are too slow. I remember before we played the Pamfers all he could say is "well... they're a fast team! It's gonna be tough..."

Union players are generally lighter, faster and better at 1-on-1 tackles. The double edged blade is they often have absolutely no idea how to play league, have to re-learn the rules of footy from the basics and often their skills just don't convert over between both codes so they end up complete duds. (Happens the other way around too... Rogers, Sailor were complete duds in union, with Tahu set to become one, however Cross for example, a much cheaper signing has been a complete gun!)

It's a big risk! But so is putting a few hundred grand on the counter for a bloke like Mason when you could buy 5 young up and coming union players for the same price. At least the odds are better. If 1/5 is good then hey... you're still ahead, and you can sack the rest of 'em without much beef!

[Chookies74]

(Union players are generally lighter, faster and better at 1-on-1 tackles. The double edged blade is they often have absolutely no idea how to play league, have to re-learn the rules of footy from the basics and often their skills just don't convert over between both codes so they end up complete duds. (Happens the other way around too... Rogers, Sailor were complete duds in union, with Tahu set to become one, however Cross for example, a much cheaper signing has been a complete gun!)

Union tackles are different to league in that the focus is to quickly get back on your feet and then drive with the legs, whereas league has changed to tying the ball up and waiting for someone to come in and smash him backwards. Ricky started this in 2002 at the chooks.
Rogers - I thought he went alright.
Dell - woeful, but a great marketing play.
Cross - roosters signed him from rugby (Waverley College)
Tahu - Hickey hasn't given him a chance

[Guest]

Union tackles are different to league in that the focus is to quickly get back on your feet and then drive with the legs, whereas league has changed to tying the ball up and waiting for someone to come in and smash him backwards. Ricky started this in 2002 at the chooks.
Rogers - I thought he went alright.
Dell - woeful, but a great marketing play.
Cross - roosters signed him from rugby (Waverley College)
Tahu - Hickey hasn't given him a chance

Interesting, didn't know about Cross! You learn something new every day... explains why he's so much better at Union...

Also I agree with regard to the tackles. If you used all Union tackles is League you would get SMASHED because they'd gain 5-10m on you every time rather than being pushed back. That, or the guy being tackled would just stand straight up and play the ball, leaving 1/2 your team offside, causing big holes in your defence.

I just think the grassroots Union coaching pointer of "grab him around the legs and stop him moving!" works better in 1-on-1 situations when you simply can't tie up the ball, and need to stop the guy ASAP before he scores a try. If you're an 87kg back and you've got a big guy running at you, then you're not gonna tie him up by tackling high unless your mates get in there quickly. If they don't, he's gonna push you back 10m and score the try.

So... not saying Union tackles are better for League (you'd get smashed if you used them all the time) but I think they're a great weapon to have for 1-on-1 situations. *shrug* whether that converts into anything I don't know...

[Chookies74]

If you're an awesome tackler, you'll be successful in either code.

Nate Myles, George Smith, Matt Giteau and Schalk Berger come to mind as players who consistently hit and drive the attacker backwards. The Aubs brothers are pretty good as well.

League doesn't reward a great 1 on 1 tackle any more, due to the subsequent quick play the ball and thus backpeddlng defence.

Pity they can't call a great 1 on 1 tackle as 'dominant', but it would be to subjective to implement.