Ulster Team Talk Thread IV... Go On My Henderson...

bayern

launish116 wrote: »

John Andrew signed up 2023. Really has upped his game this last season.

am I wrong to say his darts are excellent?

launish116

molloyjh wrote: »

Kunavalu maybe?

Went looking for Mata at Edinburgh but found someone else instead? Kunavalu plays lock and back row.

Can’t say I know much about him. Seems a little lightweight.

Was thinking at time Albert Tuisue from London Irish who plays at the Bee’s stadium. Both lock and no8.

Paul Smeenus

bayern wrote: »

am I wrong to say his darts are excellent?

"Excellent" might be a wee bit generous (I think Jerry Flannery when I think "excellent")... although very, very good; really reliable, especially considering he's often playing without Hendo or Carter.

It's his open play that has really ramped up this season, though. Tougher ball in hand, on top of his previous great basics.

Paul Smeenus

Dubinusa wrote: »

Andrew gas been great.could possibly get a call up for Ireland. He really has stepped up. McBurney though, has been disappointing. He's way down the depth chart now. Maybe a move would suit him?

Given the expectations around Tom Stewart (and his fantastic U20s performances), McBurney may soon be surplus to requirements. He's not currently significantly better than Bradley Roberts, I'd say.

launish116

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

Given the expectations around Tom Stewart (and his fantastic U20s performances), McBurney may soon be surplus to requirements. He's not currently significantly better than Bradley Roberts, I'd say.

Actually think in a senior environment Bradley will leap frog him going forward.

molloyjh

launish116 wrote: »

Can’t say I know much about him. Seems a little lightweight.

Was thinking at time Albert Tuisue from London Irish who plays at the Bee’s stadium. Both lock and no8.

The clues are both brilliant and infuriating. And I've only been playing for 30 mins or so. :pac:

The Racing clue doesn't stack up for Kunavalu so probably not him.

awec

Treadwell 2 more years.

Paul Smeenus

molloyjh wrote: »

The clues are both brilliant and infuriating. And I've only been playing for 30 mins or so. :pac:

The Racing clue doesn't stack up for Kunavalu so probably not him.

Welcome to our world.

Paul Smeenus

launish116 wrote: »

Actually think in a senior environment Bradley will leap frog him going forward.

Could 100% see it.

launish116

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

Welcome to our world.

No confirmation the clues actually refer to one or same signing lol.

Locke_Lamora

Great news on Treadwell, was worried he might be unhappy with a lack of game time.

KOTH's posts are all that keep me checking uafc every now and again, he drives me insane though. I've given up guessing, I feel if I keep thinking about it, I'll only end up disappointed by who's announced

launish116

Warwick signed for 2 years.

awec

launish116 wrote: »

Warwick signed for 2 years.

Kind of surprised by this.

McCall for the chop so I'd say.

launish116

awec wrote: »

Kind of surprised by this.

McCall for the chop so I'd say.

Looking it sadly. Reid needs to push on now.

McGrath really isn’t adding any value at this stage.

Paul Smeenus

awec wrote: »

Kind of surprised by this.

McCall for the chop so I'd say.

A lot of early promise - injures seemed to do for him. Amazing coordination, if you've ever seen any of the videos of him Ulster share.

launish116

One last contract...upgrade contract to 2023 for Nathan Doak.

Not sure how I feel about that, thought Finlay looked good.

RuPi

launish116 wrote: »

One last contract...upgrade contract to 2023 for Nathan Doak.

Not sure how I feel about that, thought Finlay looked good.

Finlay has another two years left in the academy and you would expect in that time that Shanahan will have been overtaken by both him and Doak. Cooney will also be getting on by then or else he will have gone for a big pay deal in France.

Lost Ormond

launish116 wrote: »

One last contract...upgrade contract to 2023 for Nathan Doak.

Not sure how I feel about that, thought Finlay looked good.

Good decision but doesnt mean anything about Finlay. He's only first year academy so not exactly like its bad news for him.

launish116

Just think it sets a bad picture so early in the academy. Pretty much tells Finlay, Ulster’s egg are in Doak’s basket already.

awec

Doak will be the last one announced today.

Paul Smeenus

awec wrote: »

Doak will be the last one announced today.

Have you become an "in the know", Awec?

awec

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

Have you become an "in the know", Awec?

Maybe I'm David Nucifora?

Paul Smeenus

awec wrote: »

Maybe I'm David Nucifora?

Well, while I have you here, can I make a suggestion about what you can do with your "one central academy" idea...?

bilston

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

Well, while I have you here, can I make a suggestion about what you can do with your "one central academy" idea...?

What's this about?

launish116

bilston wrote: »

What's this about?

The whole academy system is now being reviewed and it will be streamlined – significantly.

Peter Malone is no longer the director of the Munster Academy and Peter Smyth, the head of elite player development, is currently seconded to the Munster Academy. Nobody knows how long he'll be there or what the next step will be.

The plan currently being proposed is for a national academy based, say, in Athlone or even Blanchardstown. All the provincial academies would be discontinued and all the talent would be schooled in the national academy.

At the end of the season the talent would be farmed out.

If Munster need a prop or Ulster need a centre they are picked out of the national academy, irrespective of where they live or were brought up or whether they always dreamed of playing in blue, red etc.

Some of the provinces have had slim pickings from their academies in recent years – others (like Leinster) have been spectacularly successful in sustained excellence in the quality of players that they have produced.

Go through the Leinster team when it is announced on Friday and see how many in the squad are academy graduates.

This, in theory, is an efficient way of distributing talent throughout the four provinces – but it will do serious damage to Leinster who have already provided too much talent for everyone else.

https://www.independent.ie/sport/columnists/when-the-dislike-is-real-you-have-to-cultivate-it-but-farming-out-leinster-players-will-kill-interpro-rivalries-39992749.html

bilston

I really don't like the sound of that at all

Bazzo

bilston wrote: »

I really don't like the sound of that at all

It's Neil Francis

Paul Smeenus

From the Irish Times today:

This is the first seasonal round of negotiations in 25 years of professionalism that wages have contracted rather than increased, and with budgets similarly affected in England and France, where Top 14 clubs have been encouraged to reduce their quota of imported players.

By all accounts Ulster, who have around 22 players out of contract in July 2021, have been quicker out of the blocks and have been holding generally positive talks with their players and representatives.

Accordingly they backed up the announcement that a quartet of players had agreed new deals on Monday, namely Robert Baloucoune, Luke Marshall, Alan O’Connor and Aaron Sexton, with confirmation on Tuesday that another four, John Andrew, Kieran Treadwell, Andrew Warwick and Nathan Doak, had committed their immediate future to the province.

Ulster are expected to announce several more players have agreed new extensions by the end of the week, including Ian Madigan.

That's good to hear. My impression continues to be that Johnny Petrie, supported ably by Bryn Cunningham, is a convincing step up from previous CEOs Reid and Logan. Dan's obviously doing a good job, but Petrie has dealt very well with his sphere (oo-er).

If what's being reported elsewhere - that Hendy is one of the few being offered a two-year central contract - you'd have confidence that our club captain is staying put.

awec

I wouldn't be concerned about Henderson no.

Paul Smeenus

awec wrote: »

I wouldn't be concerned about Henderson no.

AWEC is Deepthroat