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

[RagingBull]

.. only half the story thus far - who is leaving.
Come the time, when present obligations and commitments are ended the other half of the story will be known to all...

Sounding like Rumpelstiltskin over here.

[sam16111986]

I am getting a little worried about player depth at certain positions. In contrast to Saints who were thin at 10 and have just recruited two good players to compete with Smith and Furbank, we seem to be heading in the other direction...and at present, we seem to be losing more backs than we are recruiting. As others have noted, 10 now looks thin. Hopefully someone can correct me, especially as I have lost track of who is now in the development team...maybe we have some up and coming youngsters?

Saints needed to recruit. Don't think they had a 10 in the senior academy and having let both Grayson lads go there was a definite need. The more senior of the two flyhalfs has been at the club for a few months already and is far unremarkable. The young lad from the under 20s is positionally versatile but was mainly a bench option at age grade.

Tigers have Threlfall who appears to be highly rated coming through. I suspect we will add in an additional option, maybe someone like Edwards from Quins who's an experienced squad option at this level but can also slot into other positions if required (Edwards is ex 7s). If we're backing Threlfall to come through fairly quickly then a reliable and positionally versatile option would make sense.

[sk 88]

Seems to be some whispers that Jasper will be playing for the Bulls next season, has anyone else heard this?

He seemed to confirm it, in a backwards way, on a podcast hosted by Juan de Jongh & another South African player. Not quite sure why Bulls haven't announced it though?

[RagingBull]

In terms of leavers I split them up into category
Starting XV
Wiese
Scott

Match day 23
Porter
Van Wyk
Dolly

Squad
Richardson
Wilkinson
Cokanasiga

Academy
Meredith
Koroyardi
Edwards

In terms of leavers and replacements I so far see it as
Dolly - FTT/Vanes (Feel these two have the similar ceiling in Dolly, shame he's lost 2 seasons but economical move by club)
Van Wyk - Smith (Big upgrade, Smith has been one of the best LH in the URC)
Richardson - Hoyt/AVDF (Never felt like he lived up to the potential promise from Jersey, Hoyt looked good in the U20's and AVDF has been a standout in the championship)
Carmichael - Byrd (I'm hoping Byrd is called up he sounds like a real standout in our U18 forwards)
Williams - Carnduff (Very excited about Carnduff as a prospect)
Carter - Chessum (Hopefully Chessum will develop like his brother)
Wiese - Beets (Big drop off)
Edwards - ? (Suspect maybe Dickens lad will get a call up, could also see a player coming from outside hop Allen will start to step up from the Dev squad)
Atkinson - Brown (Weak at 10, but Brown brings leadership, Atkinson could've been the future but I feel Brown is more needed at the club)
Wilkinson - ?
Meredith - Threfell (I have heard a lot of good things about Threfell, especially last seasons form)
Scott - Perese (On par, maybe Perese will add a little more what we need wider?)
Porter - ?
Cokanasiga - Woodward/Myall (Showed promise when given game time, not convinced he was ever the answer at 13 looks like an out and out 12, Woodward and Myall are the future long term)

I would say that 3 obvious holes are shown still
Wiese
Wilkinson
Porter

Rumours are we have def signed another 12.
But I don't think the squad looks as bad as people suggest, given it's not even June yet in terms of signings.

[RagingBull]

Seems to be some whispers that Jasper will be playing for the Bulls next season, has anyone else heard this?

He seemed to confirm it, in a backwards way, on a podcast hosted by Juan de Jongh & another South African player. Not quite sure why Bulls haven't announced it though?

IDK Clubs do put a lot of though into timing of signings, don't think Bulls have announced any leavers yet so may be getting ready to counter the leaving news.

It's interesting seeing Potter, Dolly, Wiese, Scott and Porter all heading back to their countries of origins so to speak rather than the usual France or another prem club. 5 players all when fit certs to be in the matchday 23.

Showing change of values? do the SH feel a lot more comfortable outbidding Prem teams or matching them?

[johnthegriff]

I am looking forward to announcements of who is being promoted from ourSenior Academy to first team squad and also who will replace them in the Senior Academy squad. Since the creation of our ladies team we hear a lot less about our Academy players and their matches, I do hope our I.T department can come to terms with that, I enjoyed watching the occasional Academy game and trying to spot the future stars.

[longlivethecrumbie]

.. only half the story thus far - who is leaving.
Come the time, when present obligations and commitments are ended the other half of the story will be known to all...

Sounding like Rumpelstiltskin over here.

All very cryptic

[TigerFeetSteve]

Rumours are we have def signed another 12.
But I don't think the squad looks as bad as people suggest, given it's not even June yet in terms of signings.

See I don't get this, we need a 13 not a 12.

Options at 12 next year brackets mean secondary position...
Kelly
Kata
(Perese)
Woodward
(Myall)

Options at 13
Perese
(Kelly)
Myall

We have so much more depth at 12 than 13, Kelly is a much better 12 than 13.

[RagingBull]

I am looking forward to announcements of who is being promoted from ourSenior Academy to first team squad and also who will replace them in the Senior Academy squad. Since the creation of our ladies team we hear a lot less about our Academy players and their matches, I do hope our I.T department can come to terms with that, I enjoyed watching the occasional Academy game and trying to spot the future stars.

Less to do with the women’s rugby and more to do with the fact that it hasn’t been as strong this season I think

My guess is maybe
Kingsley-Mellows (Loosehead)
Maka (Tighthead)
Byrd (lock/6)
Threfell (10/15)
Are Certs or should be


we don’t tend announce grads from the dev to seniors we just play and eventually move their names on the web page, reality is it’s just a cap thing

[RagingBull]

Rumours are we have def signed another 12.
But I don't think the squad looks as bad as people suggest, given it's not even June yet in terms of signings.

See I don't get this, we need a 13 not a 12.

Options at 12 next year brackets mean secondary position...
Kelly
Kata
(Perese)
Woodward
(Myall)

Options at 13
Perese
(Kelly)
Myall

We have so much more depth at 12 than 13, Kelly is a much better 12 than 13.

Meant 13 my bad

[sam16111986]

Seems to be some whispers that Jasper will be playing for the Bulls next season, has anyone else heard this?

He seemed to confirm it, in a backwards way, on a podcast hosted by Juan de Jongh & another South African player. Not quite sure why Bulls haven't announced it though?

IDK Clubs do put a lot of though into timing of signings, don't think Bulls have announced any leavers yet so may be getting ready to counter the leaving news.

It's interesting seeing Potter, Dolly, Wiese, Scott and Porter all heading back to their countries of origins so to speak rather than the usual France or another prem club. 5 players all when fit certs to be in the matchday 23.

Showing change of values? do the SH feel a lot more comfortable outbidding Prem teams or matching them?

I think Scott is prepping for retirement. Weise has said he wants to be near his dad now he's got a family and with the South African franchises being bankrolled that does make it a lot easier for them to bring home talent. Dolly and Porter were unknowns when we signed them and can now go back on probably like for like contracts but let's face it if you're in your early to mid twenties, single and with disposable income do you want to be on the coast in one of the Australian cities or in Leicestershire? Perth WA which is where I think they are headed has some great options for pubs, bars, restaurants, beaches etc

Post COVID it might be that people are no longer so money driven.

[RagingBull]

He seemed to confirm it, in a backwards way, on a podcast hosted by Juan de Jongh & another South African player. Not quite sure why Bulls haven't announced it though?

IDK Clubs do put a lot of though into timing of signings, don't think Bulls have announced any leavers yet so may be getting ready to counter the leaving news.

It's interesting seeing Potter, Dolly, Wiese, Scott and Porter all heading back to their countries of origins so to speak rather than the usual France or another prem club. 5 players all when fit certs to be in the matchday 23.

Showing change of values? do the SH feel a lot more comfortable outbidding Prem teams or matching them?

I think Scott is prepping for retirement. Weise has said he wants to be near his dad now he's got a family and with the South African franchises being bankrolled that does make it a lot easier for them to bring home talent. Dolly and Porter were unknowns when we signed them and can now go back on probably like for like contracts but let's face it if you're in your early to mid twenties, single and with disposable income do you want to be on the coast in one of the Australian cities or in Leicestershire? Perth WA which is where I think they are headed has some great options for pubs, bars, restaurants, beaches etc

I know the reasons

I’m just saying I don’t think the drop in money is a big as it used to be outside the premiership and top 14

[TigerFeetSteve]

Rumours are we have def signed another 12.
But I don't think the squad looks as bad as people suggest, given it's not even June yet in terms of signings.

See I don't get this, we need a 13 not a 12.

Options at 12 next year brackets mean secondary position...
Kelly
Kata
(Perese)
Woodward
(Myall)

Options at 13
Perese
(Kelly)
Myall

We have so much more depth at 12 than 13, Kelly is a much better 12 than 13.

Meant 13 my bad

That's good news!

[markharbtiger]

.. only half the story thus far - who is leaving.
Come the time, when present obligations and commitments are ended the other half of the story will be known to all...

Here's hoping...

[DeadlyDunc]

In terms of leavers I split them up into category
Starting XV
Wiese
Scott

Match day 23
Porter
Van Wyk
Dolly

Squad
Richardson
Wilkinson
Cokanasiga

Academy
Meredith
Koroyardi
Edwards

In terms of leavers and replacements I so far see it as
Dolly - FTT/Vanes (Feel these two have the similar ceiling in Dolly, shame he's lost 2 seasons but economical move by club)
Van Wyk - Smith (Big upgrade, Smith has been one of the best LH in the URC)
Richardson - Hoyt/AVDF (Never felt like he lived up to the potential promise from Jersey, Hoyt looked good in the U20's and AVDF has been a standout in the championship)
Carmichael - Byrd (I'm hoping Byrd is called up he sounds like a real standout in our U18 forwards)
Williams - Carnduff (Very excited about Carnduff as a prospect)
Carter - Chessum (Hopefully Chessum will develop like his brother)
Wiese - Beets (Big drop off)
Edwards - ? (Suspect maybe Dickens lad will get a call up, could also see a player coming from outside hop Allen will start to step up from the Dev squad)
Atkinson - Brown (Weak at 10, but Brown brings leadership, Atkinson could've been the future but I feel Brown is more needed at the club)
Wilkinson - ?
Meredith - Threfell (I have heard a lot of good things about Threfell, especially last seasons form)
Scott - Perese (On par, maybe Perese will add a little more what we need wider?)
Porter - ?
Cokanasiga - Woodward/Myall (Showed promise when given game time, not convinced he was ever the answer at 13 looks like an out and out 12, Woodward and Myall are the future long term)

I would say that 3 obvious holes are shown still
Wiese
Wilkinson
Porter

Rumours are we have def signed another 12.
But I don't think the squad looks as bad as people suggest, given it's not even June yet in terms of signings.

It’s not bad IF the kids step up like they did for SB and 3-4 of them get to a top level in key positions.

Conversely if FTT, Hoyt / FVDF, L Chessum, Beets, Carnduff, Woodward, Allen etc don’t cut it and pretty quickly TBH then we are going to be facing a long old season.

I’m not saying it won’t work and we’ll have the strongest and youngest squad from which we can build a legacy and long term plan but equally, and slightly paraphrasing, you don’t often win anything with kids.