Bazzo wrote:

Devils own wrote: If we can get him on a totally normal level deal then he is good player can easily slot into 12 and 15 and we could release any below par back ups to Boshoff. Having him and Boshoff in same team is easy and would give options he would be like another Ronaldson only an international level place kicker

To be honest I think Ronaldson could well be a international standard place kicker but for some reason is rarely given the kicking duties from the beginning of a match.

I wouldn't agree fully with that I have no confidence in any of current place kickers Boshoff excluded as haven't seen him really, but Cooney is currently probably the most reliable best of a very suspect group and that has cost us dearly on many occasions but I do like 10/12 player at inside centre for our style of play opens up games better and links play well but I'd worry about Madigans physical presence in that area. Ronaldson gets injured a hell of a lot too.

Devils own wrote: If we can get him on a totally normal level deal then he is good player can easily slot into 12 and 15 and we could release any below par back ups to Boshoff. Having him and Boshoff in same team is easy and would give options he would be like another Ronaldson only an international level place kicker

Even when he was absolutely on fire towards the end of the 2012/13 season he wasn't particularly good at fullback

Devils own wrote: If we can get him on a totally normal level deal then he is good player can easily slot into 12 and 15 and we could release any below par back ups to Boshoff. Having him and Boshoff in same team is easy and would give options he would be like another Ronaldson only an international level place kicker

To be honest I think Ronaldson could well be a international standard place kicker but for some reason is rarely given the kicking duties from the beginning of a match.

If we can get him on a totally normal level deal then he is good player can easily slot into 12 and 15 and we could release any below par back ups to Boshoff. Having him and Boshoff in same team is easy and would give options he would be like another Ronaldson only an international level place kicker

I'm in two minds about Madigan. I have to say I'm surprised to hear him come straight out and say he'd like to move here. Others on this thread have done a good job outlining where we are weak in terms of the squad, and I would agree that a big ball carrier would be a higher priority than a new 10. I also agree that Boshoff hasn't had a chance to shine because of injury, but if I was offered the chance to swap him for Madigan right now I'd go for it. Our style of play would suit Madigan, and it would free up a NIQ spot. From a commercial stand point, I'm sure our marketing department would welcome Madigan too.

Accidentally Onside wrote: I think people view Madigan through rose tinted goggles- he's handsome, went to the right schools, has the swagger of a top player, and has a highlight reel to die for.

Problem is he is far more miss than hit, there's a reason that everywhere he's gone he's been an untrusted backup and him looking to turn tail after less than a year abroad really doesn't speak well of him, especially when he is willing the air club dirty laundry in public. Whilst we have some excellent players we are fundamentally a hard working honest team and bringing in a flashy poor-man's Cipriani on full-fat-Cipriani money is the exact opposite of what Connacht need next season. We have an internationally capped OH who we've yet to see in full stride and a homegrown incumbent, we do not need someone who's happy to go begging to the press not one year after he told 3 out of the 4 provinces that he was too good for them and was moving on to bigger things.

His place is at Sale or Worcester or Northampton or Bristol where he will end up on the bench, play an absolute blinder in one in 5 games that he plays, is anonymous at best in the other 4, and we'll all sit here and wonder why he hasn't pushed on to bigger and better things. But he can do that one someone else's dime.

I think we can take it that signing Madigan would mean shipping Boshoff off early. I don't know what his standing in the squad is, but how are the other players going to feel about that? How will that affect us signing SH players in future?

And he's not guaranteed by any means to be any better than Boshoff on the pitch. You mntioned his highlight reel, but what's even on it from the last few years?

I will concede that he would be a high profile signing and would attract the interest of more casual fans, and maybe if we took him we might be able to use that as a bargaining chip to get more funding/support from the IRFU.

www.the42.ie/ian-madigan-ireland-provinc...aux-3253563-Feb2017/

Murray seems to pushing the Connacht agenda:

"Having come through the ranks at his native province, Leinster will always hold a special place in Madigan’s feelings, but there might be greater playing opportunities out west with Connacht. The 27-year-old says he is open to joining any of the four provinces."

Madigan himself:
"I would certainly be open to playing for any of the provinces."

I think people view Madigan through rose tinted goggles- he's handsome, went to the right schools, has the swagger of a top player, and has a highlight reel to die for.

Problem is he is far more miss than hit, there's a reason that everywhere he's gone he's been an untrusted backup and him looking to turn tail after less than a year abroad really doesn't speak well of him, especially when he is willing the air club dirty laundry in public. Whilst we have some excellent players we are fundamentally a hard working honest team and bringing in a flashy poor-man's Cipriani on full-fat-Cipriani money is the exact opposite of what Connacht need next season. We have an internationally capped OH who we've yet to see in full stride and a homegrown incumbent, we do not need someone who's happy to go begging to the press not one year after he told 3 out of the 4 provinces that he was too good for them and was moving on to bigger things.

His place is at Sale or Worcester or Northampton or Bristol where he will end up on the bench, play an absolute blinder in one in 5 games that he plays, is anonymous at best in the other 4, and we'll all sit here and wonder why he hasn't pushed on to bigger and better things. But he can do that one someone else's dime.

connachta wrote: What if, and I'm just saying what if,

1) we release any Outhalf barring Boshoff/Carty
2) enlist Keatley back to compete with them
3) send Madigan to Munster to compete with bleyendaal (J.J as 12 mainly in this scenario)

Crazy, I know..

Crazy, but for some reason I could see this happening!!!

salmson wrote: You're miles off there. We had 40 senior pros last season and 41 for the two years before. Leaving out the 3 boys who retired and McCabe who was only here a wet week, we still have 47 on the books at present, and only one confirmed departure. Unless we're signing literally nobody (and promoting nobody from the academy) there will be a lot let go.

We've added six players from the academy this season who all featured in multiple games last season, and 3/5 short terms players/players who haven't featured yet. I'll concede in official numbers the squad has grown but it hasn't really changed, and it doesn't change the point that we struggled to field players in both competitions this year.

Eta: not trying to be unnecessarily argumentative here, but what I'm trying to say is we're at the point where we're no longer looking through our fingers when a sub comes on. Ok not everyone is a potential international but possibly for the first time ever there's no serious weak link. the branch should be doing their utmost to hang onto every player who's not on a short term contract as a minimum, and if Keane can add to that then great. Allowing another 6-10 players out the door could be seriously damaging imo.

Who's the confirmed departure?

Edit: Oops, never mind, took a minute

You're miles off there. We had 40 senior pros last season and 41 for the two years before. Leaving out the 3 boys who retired and McCabe who was only here a wet week, we still have 47 on the books at present, and only one confirmed departure. Unless we're signing literally nobody (and promoting nobody from the academy) there will be a lot let go.

salmson wrote: Of course a good number will be released. We released 6 and 3 departed of their own accord last season. We're carrying about half a dozen more in the squad this season compared to last, and the new man will want to bring in a few players. It's not nice but it's the way the game is, at least half Connachta's list won't be here next season.

I think we lost 9 last season and signed 6 (open to correction on that, not including short term cover). We've since lost 3 more players counting White as he was only announced in September, so we're 6 down total on last season, which was a very small squad anyways. Even if some players are just making up the numbers we've had two seasons now where we've struggled to full a 23 man squad at some point in the season - much as people don't like it we need players to be making up the numbers, and sign some more on top of that. We're apparently still in competition for a Champions cup place but unless Keane brings an amazing magic sponge with him we will be hugely exposed by trying to compete on two fronts.

signing Madigan does not make sense, I actually don't think he's that much ahead of Carty and we have Boschoff who is potentially a better player than either, add to that the wage bill when we have other positions that need strengthening. personally I hope it doesn't happen. I don't think Munster will let Keatley go, he's a good squad player for them and the fans seemed to have taken to him after a dodgy start

Keatley is an international player. He'll gonna ask for lower money than Madigan. He knows the Sportsground. He seems back in decent form. He'll compete with Boshoff 1 year whereas Taylor B./ J.J.H are long-term prospects. The move makes sense IMO

No harm in 'believing' that Madigan would come to Connacht. The reality of that is of course a completely different thing. I ,personally, would walk over broken glass to have him at Connacht - end of story. My reservations about Carty - well, no need to go into them again. O'Leary - good player but not 'good' enough at this level & as for Boshoff - who knows?

Fact is that Madigan is on a absolutely different level for a 10 than anything we have. His game management is excellent, kicking is superb and at 28 , perfect age.

More than likely the cynics are right and this is just a pipe dream but #JUSTSAYIN