A lot has been written about where we should be signing new players but based on information in the public domain and ignoring any academy contracts the following look out of contract. who should we try and re-sign and who should we let go?
Dan Evans George North Hanno Dirksen Cory Allen Scott Williams Luke Morgan Gareth Anscombe Luke Price Shaun Venter Gareth Thomas Scott Otten Sam Parry Lloyd Ashley Alun-Wyn Jones Gareth Evans James King possibly Morgan Morris.
Jason in your list of out of contract players you've listed 28 players, but from what I understand Toby Booth in a podcast has stated out of over 70 players in Welsh Regional Rugby over 50% of them are from our Region. Have you any reason why the discrepancy exists. Thanks Wayne
I don't believe O's are in anything like the pressure that the others face. With guys like Myler and Bradley moving into coaching, a couple retiring or being released as being unable to stay fit and AWJ and North not on the payroll the squad strength will easily fall below the suggested 44.
The Pathway is working pretty well with outstanding prospects at ages from 15 to 20 and a few like Nagy and Sutton coming into the transition groups a tad older. A couple of NWQ would be useful and there should be room and funds available from "natural wastage".
Not exactly having to wear shades but the future is relatively bright.
Agree with the vast majority of your list Jason, if Elvis is released we do need to sign a replacement, not sure if I agree with you on Lydiate he sets a good example, if we can afford him I would keep him. With his injury record and the performance of Aubrey in SA who I would keep, I would release Harri Morgan and I definitely wouldn't release Collins or possibly if money is still available TTW.
We do need to sign NWQ in a number of positions to have when TW take some of in our most strategic positions and hopefully some like Roots not some of the garbage we've signed in the recent past
Here is a list of the out of contract players at the end of this season and what I would do with them - Sign or Release -
Ben Warren - Sign if funds allow
Nicky Smith - Sign
Dewi Lake - Sign
Elvis Taione - Release
Sam Parry - Sign
Scott Baldwin - Sign
AWJ - Release into coaching role with the Ospreys
BBBD - Release
Dan Lydiate - Release
Ethan Roots - Sign
Jac Morgan - Sign
Tips - Sign
Morgan Morris - Sign
Sam Cross - Release
Sam Moore - Release
Will Griffiths - Sign
Will Hickey - Sign
Matthew Aubrey - Release
Owen Williams - Sign if he proves himself but on a Pay as you play contract
Stephen Myler - Release into coaching role with the Ospreys
Kieran Williams - Sign
Mike Collins - Release
Osian Knott - Release
Owen Watkin - Sign
TTW - Release
Luke Morgan - Release
Dan Evans - Release
Gareth Anscombe - Release
I am being brutally honest here and it is not nice to release so many players but the squad needs an overhaul and this would go a long way.
I would also look to release Webb and Harri Morgan. That would be 15 released which would free up a sizeable amount of cash to sign quality replacements, some of which would be from the Southern Hemisphere - SA & NZ, and who would be available all season long.
I’d like to see a continuation of youngsters coming through, but I definitely want to see some decisions made around backs coach and defence coach. Let’s have a bit of stability in the coaching set up.
Out of interest, are we likely to see any sort of recruitment in the next couple of months? I get the feeling Booth is looking toward bringing through more youngsters rather than bring in a couple of experienced players.
I suppose a lot will depend on who we will resign or let go at the end of the season? I'd like to see us add a couple of quality players in midfield and the back three.
On the basis we do not know which contracts may have break or review clauses in them the players who, based on information I can recall as being previously put in the public domain, are out of contract, are as follows;
Beard resigned AWJ rumoured in press as resigned. Watkin Cuthbert Protheroe Anscombe Webb Myler Cai Evans Rhodri Jones Taione Fia Brad Davies Rhys Davies and the length of contracts for Lydiate and Tipuric are uncertain.
Break and review clauses may mean other players could depart but the above is I think a list of the senior players who we will have to hear soon have been either released, retired, signed elsewhere, or re-signed with us.
Wayne, can I ask why it’s sad? Unfortunately, there is only a finite budget, and i assume the coaching team think that they can use this funding better than these two players. On a personal level, then I agree that it’s sad.
From your info, I think we could have a guess at the forward, but not the back.
Didn't want to start a new thread, just going to join on 22 season end to the 21 season.
Was told today of 2 not being retained, not going to name them to save embarrassment, will probably be told officially in April or May.
One's a young back who's hardly played, and the other is an experienced forward who many on here have wanted gone from us for a number of years.
Sad on so many fronts.
Great news!!!!!
Stephen Myler has extended his deal for another season.
Can’t see them retaining Volpi - he’s clearly not up to it.
Don't forget Volpi
Cracknell ahead of Strong is my mistake - wishful thinking in action.
We have 46 players on our squad website - projecting a 46 for next year:
FB - D Evans, M Collins, C Evans
Wing - G North, M Protheroe, K Giles, L Morgan (looking thin in numbers)
Centres - O Watkin, J Hawkins, TTW, K Williams, O Knott
OH - New signing, G Anscombe, S Myler, J Thomas
SH - R Webb, H Morgan, RMW, M Aubrey
LH - N Smith, G Thomas, R Jones, depth signing
Hooker - S Parry, S Otten, D Lake, I Phillips
TH - T Francis, M Fia, T Botha, N Thomas
Lock - AWJ, A Beard, R Davies, B Davies (looking thin in numbers - depth signing needed)
Flanker - W Griffiths, D Lydiate, J Tipuric, J Morgan, Cracknell
8 - new signing, M Morris, Sam Cross
I think hooker throws up an interesting conundrum. I rate both Parry and Otten, and with Parry getting his cap I suppose that could help with our wage bill. But Philips and Lake both look to be very good prospects. As much as I’d like to see them all on our books it certainly isn’t feasible when we only seem to have one “open” side in the squad !!!!
surely we can’t keep Anscombe unless he proves his fitness before the seasons end, even if he doesn’t play?
Re-sign North, Morgan, anscombe, Thomas, otte, parry, AWJ, King, Morris.