The Player Thread

I am sure there is truth in the fact we are considering it. The problem is he is under contract and has 60 caps so there is no need for him to do anything. Contrast that with Owen Williams who is out of contract and does not have 60 caps. Glaws fans seem sure Williams is headed this way. TRP said welsh regions not thinking nwq in this uncertain climate but will all try and fill their boots with top 38 players who can be 80% funded.

Anybody who is out of contract may find themselves in a poor negotiating position now

@Fiddler He’d probably only play a max of 16 games, in all competitions a season with us.

Permanent.Two years. Pretty likely to be in 38

Faletau really would be a game changer for us. Mildew, has there been any movement regarding him?

That is the way it apparently will work. The top 38 wales based players have their salary determined by PRB and then union pays 80%. Nobody knows who is in top 38 and who is not and for how long your contract is covered.

His injury record is the biggest issue but with somebody else paying 80% it probably is

The new 50/20 kicking law coming in next season is going to make distributors and kickers far more important than they have been. Powerful driving line outs will also have their importance raised. It is a time to ignore undersized tight forwards and backs with poor distribution and kicking skills.

I would hope he realises that.

@Allthewaythere 20% of Moriarty is likely to be less than 100% of Cracknell.

@Fiddler Your absolutely correct, however, I fear with Cracknell there’s a case of the “Ashley’s“

@Allthewaythere Cracknell is a far better player than Ashley but with Lydiate by some distance our best 6 now likely to be fully available and King as a back up 6 with far more position flexibility spending money on Cracknell makes little sense to me. It was a hall mark of the stupidity of the Tandy years that we were loaded in certain positions and threadbare in others. This is what you get when there is no DOR or people with no expertise pretending to be one No strategic balanced thinking.

We need an 8 and if it is a choice between TF and RM the former is by far the better 8. If TF is not coming then RM is by far the best 8 we could afford.

Yes, a years extension.

@MD Milldew that is more good news.

good news, there must be an uplifting feeling among players and coaches?

Very happy with Lydiate re-signing. We just need an 8 to compliment him and Tips now.

Thought that Tips had re-signed

He has, we just want an 8 in the middle now that compliment their quality i.e. that isn't Dan Bakeoff or Olly Crankshaft

Talking to Glaws fans Owen Williams is out of contract but his value has to go through PRB which will mean delay. In all honesty Madigan is likely to take ulster over us as it gives him a route back to international rugby money.

@Fiddler He’s not even top tier. He’s not a first 23 player so his pay cut will be pretty big. I’d take Jonno Lance over both But that’ll mean more outlay and this position is being funded privately so I’d assume they’d go all out for Williams (who I sadly don’t think we’ll see anything off given fitness history and Wales duty)

@MD MILLDEW Glaws fans reckon Williams will have to take a pay cut from 400k to 200k to stay so depends what players outside 23 get on the scale. I doubt he is that heavily involved in international though with Anscombe Biggar Evans and Patchell likely to be ahead of him but his fitness record is a concern

No comment Miss Marple, but a player of that quality would have to be top band, purely because of Lions tours (3?) and importance of being Wales‘ only specialist 8 going forward.

@MD MILLDEW 2 Lions tours and 4 test caps as a starter.

@Fiddler Either way, he’s up there with AWJ, JD2 and JT. Even if he is being wrapped in cotton wool by WRU at the moment.

@Allthewaythere I am not sure any of the Welsh teams can avoid having to chop and change offers with the way this top 38 proposal is being implemented. Not only do you have to get a player in the top 38 but his banding has to acceptable to the union. There is going to be fluidity across the board

@Fiddler Yep, your right. I didn’t really think it through properly. I guess i got blindsided by my distaste for promising someone a contract and then reneging on that. Like you point out, the farce of the 38 and how they are determined, will probably lead to this scenario repeating itself.

@Allthewaythere All Hail King Mike

Yes, it worked fine thank you. Comes from Llantrisant and I believe played for Pencoed. Another one from out region that has been overlooked.