LEICESTER TIGERS 2023/24 - KANGAROO MCKELLER: Do you come from a land down under? (Squad thread pt 2)

[Tigerbeat]

I’m kind of glad Nic Dolly is leaving. He’s too good not to be playing regularly in the premiership. But at Tigers he would’ve been struggling for time on the pitch. Deserves to be in a 23 regularly.

Leaves us three senior centres so the rumours of bringing someone else in must be true.

Think Dolly has been struggling with back problems.

[kpj tiger]

Gutted to be losing some proper Tigers at the end of the season. I'm just glad that the likes of Guy, Nic, Francois, Matt and obviously Jasper were able to win the Prem during their time with us. I make that only 16 members of that title winning squad remaining next season already.

[sapajo]

Dolly, Porter and Scott all gone.

Whilst I can understand each of the decisions individually, that leaves a decent sized hole in the squad, particularly at centre.

So 3 centres confirmed out and 1 confirmed in so how is that going to work ? I am minded that we have had serious issues with player availability in these positions over past seasons.

[Rugbygramps]

Dolly, Porter and Scott all gone.

Whilst I can understand each of the decisions individually, that leaves a decent sized hole in the squad, particularly at centre.

So 3 centres confirmed out and 1 confirmed in so how is that going to work ? I am minded that we have had serious issues with player availability in these positions over past seasons.

Woodward more than capable of stepping up for Cocanasinga. Perese in for Scott, another centre rumoured incoming

[johnthegriff]

I assume Woodward will be promoted maybe also Myall but hopefully there will be a Premiership.ready now centre/ wing signing to be announced.

[Rugbygramps]

I assume Woodward will be promoted maybe also Myall but hopefully there will be a Premiership.ready now centre/ wing signing to be announced.

Agreed. Marchant would be great

[ay2oh]

Blimey 10 out and only 3 in to date so there must be at least 2 more signings to come a centre and a back 3 player.

[TigerFeetSteve]

Blimey 10 out and only 3 in to date so there must be at least 2 more signings to come a centre and a back 3 player.

12 out, Carter & Atkinson were missing on the list.

Woollett -> short term cover for Simmons injury

Williams -> World Cup cover for lock

Powell -> World Cup cover for scrum half

Atkinson -> Shillcock now 10 cover Brown having a deal next season adds 10/15 cover

Dolly -> Vanes/Theobald-Thomas replace him, with Theobald-Thomas a bonus pick up from Worcester.

Cokanasiga -> expect we'll back Woodward to replace him as 5th choice centre

Van Wyk -> Smith

Scott -> Perese

Carter -> even backing Lewis Chessum could see depth adding so possible signing here... (possibly depends if Tom Manz is here also) worth pointing Carmichael from the Dev Squad has gone.

Porter -> Expecting a signing (Marchant??)

Wiese -> Beets, possibly another (Simmonds??)

Richardson ->Expecting another signing (Eloff/De Bruin)

[westwinds31]

I guess if we keep saying “Marchant” it may happen ! Haven’t seen anything in writing or on social media that in any way links him to us. Or Simmonds for that matter.

[Rugbygramps]

I guess if we keep saying “Marchant” it may happen ! Haven’t seen anything in writing or on social media that in any way links him to us. Or Simmonds for that matter.

Simmonds was a couple of us musing, will be very surprised if anything happens. Marchant has been mentioned by another source

[sapajo]

I guess if we keep saying “Marchant” it may happen ! Haven’t seen anything in writing or on social media that in any way links him to us. Or Simmonds for that matter.

As I have said before caution is required when expecting big name signings for Tigers. So for me the likes of Simmonds and or Marchant are fantasy signings. I will get my hat out

[TigerFeetSteve]

I guess if we keep saying “Marchant” it may happen ! Haven’t seen anything in writing or on social media that in any way links him to us. Or Simmonds for that matter.

A forum member glenn said there were rumours of talks between us and Marchant... not much but it is a rumour. There has also been other forum members saying we have signed another centre other than Perese.

Elliott from the Rolling Maul pod said we have had talks with Simmonds, and has had that backed up by someone in the national media (so more of a solid lead if people in the national media have a line on it)

Some other than RIL tend to have more substance to rumours before they officially publish rumours

[sk 88]

The professionals apparently know what they are doing.

It's pretty clear we'll be signing a tighthead prop & lock. We'll probably be fine at hooker but it wouldn't need a massive injury run to end up with a temporary signing. Backrow we could trust the academy for all our needs or make a signing.

In the backs we could do with a bit more positional flexibility, but we've got rid of quite a lot of that over the last season losing Potter then Porter. We've sleep walked into massive turnover in the backs yet again, and the look of the back three means there will quite likely be more change again.

It doesn't strike me as part of a master plan I must say.

[ay2oh]

New coaches often want their own players so let’s see what happens from here.

[Rugbygramps]

The professionals apparently know what they are doing.

It's pretty clear we'll be signing a tighthead prop & lock. We'll probably be fine at hooker but it wouldn't need a massive injury run to end up with a temporary signing. Backrow we could trust the academy for all our needs or make a signing.

In the backs we could do with a bit more positional flexibility, but we've got rid of quite a lot of that over the last season losing Potter then Porter. We've sleep walked into massive turnover in the backs yet again, and the look of the back three means there will quite likely be more change again.

It doesn't strike me as part of a master plan I must say.

6 backs 6 forwards listed. Of those Powell signed to cover RWC, Wollett only ever short term, Atkinson was a surprise but was 3rd choice 10 and received an offer from Gloucester. The other 3 Cocanasinga has never really impressed despite being given opportunity, Scott wants to move back to Edinburgh so personal reasons, and it’s been said that Porter wishes to return to Australia again personal reasons. Not sure much could have been done about any of those