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

[westwinds31]

Munster interested in Dan Kelly to replace Frisch

In the seventies I was interested in Debbie Harry but it didn’t come to anything

One way or another it didn’t happen….

[OakhamTiger32]

That just feels like such a empty bun story.
Zero meat in it.
Like let's be real a lot of teams are going to be interested in Kelly, until it changes to discussions i'm even bothering giving RIL an impression

My take on rumour language in media
Interested in = Not even talked too
In talks = Agent talk
Had discussions = Active mutual interest
Signed = done deal

Spot on. Bit of a waste of time this one.. but any more incoming signings I wonder… still feel like there may be one or 2

[TigerFeetSteve]

That just feels like such a empty bun story.
Zero meat in it.
Like let's be real a lot of teams are going to be interested in Kelly, until it changes to discussions i'm even bothering giving RIL an impression

My take on rumour language in media
Interested in = Not even talked too
In talks = Agent talk
Had discussions = Active mutual interest
Signed = done deal

Spot on. Bit of a waste of time this one.. but any more incoming signings I wonder… still feel like there may be one or 2

The fact we are talking to 8's like Simmonds means even if not him we are looking at spending some of the Wiese money.

I do think we'll lose probably 1 more centre so wouldn't be surprised to get another one of those

[RunTigerRun]

That just feels like such a empty bun story.
Zero meat in it.
Like let's be real a lot of teams are going to be interested in Kelly, until it changes to discussions i'm even bothering giving RIL an impression

My take on rumour language in media
Interested in = Not even talked too
In talks = Agent talk
Had discussions = Active mutual interest
Signed = done deal

Spot on. Bit of a waste of time this one.. but any more incoming signings I wonder… still feel like there may be one or 2

The fact we are talking to 8's like Simmonds means even if not him we are looking at spending some of the Wiese money.

I do think we'll lose probably 1 more centre so wouldn't be surprised to get another one of those

I reckon another back rower /8 (e.g. Simmonds?), another prop who can play both sides and relatively cheap (e.g. Eloff?) and another centre / back 3 (depends on who leaves - if Kelly leaves then another centre/12, if Porter leaves another centre/wing - assuming Perese is replacing Scott)

I am guessing Hatherell will be the lock/ backrower mould as the big ball carrier lock and the extra backrower could be Simmonds to play 8/ roam with a look to bring Beets through. Beets’ SA power and potential learning off Simmonds’ pace, power and running lines could be fun!

[Rugbygramps]

IMO what is happening with Porter is important regarding the centre situation. He has been photographed at training sessions so still around, but not being selected. He won’t suddenly have become a bad player overnight, is he having an issue dealing with the 3 concussions?

So we have Cocanasinga confirmed as leaving, imo Woodward can make that step up.
Scott heavily rumoured to be leaving, Perese coming in.
That then leaves Kelly, Kata, possibly Porter, with Cusick and Myall as back ups on top of those mentioned. If Porter does move on then he definitely needs replacing by an experienced player

[westwinds31]

Cusick is leaving, from what I've heard.

[Leicestertinytiger]

Spink joins Saracens. Good signing for them given Lozowski is going to be playing more 10. Apparently he’s on England’s radar too.

[Rugbygramps]

Spink joins Saracens. Good signing for them given Lozowski is going to be playing more 10. Apparently he’s on England’s radar too.

There were rumours of Johnson joining them from Newcastle, though seen nothing confirmed and also that they were after the New Zealand u20 fly half

[kpj tiger]

Spink joins Saracens. Good signing for them given Lozowski is going to be playing more 10. Apparently he’s on England’s radar too.

There were rumours of Johnson joining them from Newcastle, though seen nothing confirmed and also that they were after the New Zealand u20 fly half

Both Johnson and Fergus Burke have been confirmed by Saracens last week I think

[Rugbygramps]

Spink joins Saracens. Good signing for them given Lozowski is going to be playing more 10. Apparently he’s on England’s radar too.

There were rumours of Johnson joining them from Newcastle, though seen nothing confirmed and also that they were after the New Zealand u20 fly half

Both Johnson and Fergus Burke have been confirmed by Saracens last week I think

Thank you kpj. Be interesting to see if Manu Vunipola hangs around especially if both his cousins move on

[TigerFeetSteve]

IMO what is happening with Porter is important regarding the centre situation. He has been photographed at training sessions so still around, but not being selected. He won’t suddenly have become a bad player overnight, is he having an issue dealing with the 3 concussions?

So we have Cocanasinga confirmed as leaving, imo Woodward can make that step up.
Scott heavily rumoured to be leaving, Perese coming in.
That then leaves Kelly, Kata, possibly Porter, with Cusick and Myall as back ups on top of those mentioned. If Porter does move on then he definitely needs replacing by an experienced player

I think that with extended concussions each of the steps you go through take significantly longer each time. I'm hoping we'll see him in the next couple of weeks

[LekkerTigers]

Cusick is leaving, from what I've heard.

Any idea why or where he’s off to?

[TigerFeetSteve]

Cusick is leaving, from what I've heard.

Any idea why or where he’s off to?

I think the fact is that he's dropped behind Woodward in our pecking order (& possibly Myall too) Cusick is in his 3rd year in the Senior Academy, Woodward his 2nd, Myall his first.

Players normally get 4 years in the Senior Academy prove themselves otherwise they get cut (players who got 5 normally had extenuating circumstances e.g. Tom Manz and Joe Browning who had a Covid season AND a significant injuries each.

He may feel dropping or switching to somewhere else sooner to get gametime is his best bet at progressing.

[Hot_Charlie]

Has our academy been the worse in terms of wing production?
Looking at saints Slightholme, Freeman, Hendy all rapid, We just seem to struggle getting Wingers from academy to first team.

Even Simmons wasn't a winger in age grade.

Hopefully Satala and Kinder both live up to promise.

I may be wrong but I’m sure I remember once one of the commentators say Freeman was originally in our academy and we released him, but I feel like we don’t develop backs aswell in our academy as we are a forwards focused team, as where saints are a backs focused teams so they don’t develop the forwards we do.

Wikipedia says we released him at 16

Quite, so out of the DPP, just as we also let Ollie Chessum go at that age. It's only a best guess at that age, particularly when it comes to physical attributes, so you'll always been in a win some/lose some scenario with a few.

[sk 88]

Cusick is leaving, from what I've heard.

Any idea why or where he’s off to?

Bristol.