rossie wrote: Washdowngreen- that's plan b for everyone including Connacht. Except the big French clubs ironically. Toulons owner is on record as saying that he will only invest in an academy for Toulon when a transfer/ financial return type system is introduced to rugby. He might have a point.

Prediction: In 5 years time Toulon will be in Ligue 2. Money will run out, in that the owner will channel it elsewhere, even with new TV money. If he truly believed in building a base he would invest beyond the first team. It happened to Biarritz, but they have deeper roots (even if they go down this year).

Hopefully we wil be around to see if I'm right.

2014 -

Tonetti - I think he's a good player but he's been on the sidelines too long. He has to prove his fitness as much as anything and even at that I'd be pushing for a pay for play type contract

O'Donohoe - Has shown a bit of a resurgence this year. Long term he's not an option but may be able to be kept on as a squad player for a year.

Faloon - sign him up.

Parks - I'd keep him in the backroom. I think this is his final season.

Duffy - On the wane but would keep him involved for another year

Griffin - High priority to keep him

O'Halloran - He has stagnated a bit, on present form he's going nowhere at Connacht, may need to move abroad. Would give him a run at full back to see for once and for all can he make it.

Muldoon - On the want also but an important presence in the squad. Year to year contract.

Swift - We'll have to see how much more physical punishment his body can take.

Ah You - He had silenced his doubters for the time being but still has a lot to prove. I'd keep him on with the next few months deciding whether it should be a one year contract or longer

Nikora - Not good enough for a team moving forward. Alternative options at out-half should be high priority

Ronaldson - Has shown promise, still a bit raw at this level but will improve, worth another contract I'd say

F Murphy - Unfortunate injury last season and heartless as it would have been he should have been let go at the end of last season.

B Murphy - Did ok last year. Back playing with Galwegians. Is likely to be around as an option if required

Fifita - Some positive signs. See how it goes with his relatively new position.

Nolan - Don't think he's contracted He's getting some AIL games. See how he goes.

Do people really Tonetti being kept? He's spent way to long on the treating room table for my liking and has a history of injury. While I'm not doubting his abilities can Connacht really afford to keep a player that injury prone and who isn't a tied down starter?

As for Griffin I could definitely see Munster going for him. Laulala is meant to be off to France next season and Earls has finally realised what we knew all along that he's a winger not a centre. Munster seem to be struggling in developing centre's at the moment and someone like Griffin who is IQ and who gives them a different option at centre would be a big piece of the puzzle.

Washdowngreen- that's plan b for everyone including Connacht. Except the big French clubs ironically. Toulons owner is on record as saying that he will only invest in an academy for Toulon when a transfer/ financial return type system is introduced to rugby. He might have a point.

Don't see money being the motivating factor with either Griffin or O'Halloran. At their age it's about playing-in your position of preference- every week.

:evil:

Are we back at the same old discussion again - 'fatten them up' just to the 'big' lads come in a take them away ? Bloody hell can we never ever move beyond this? Tired of it...

I get the feeling, even from a business perspective, that Connacht are like a bloody hamster running around a cage wheel....all effort but really going nowhere. How can we develop our brand if the jewels in the crown are being stripped out? How can we provide some top European class sporting entertainment west of the Shannon if we are just sitting here waiting for our best & brightest to be taken away? Where's the return on Connacht's investment into these young talents?

Munster are supposedly a big club and can surely run their own academy to grow their own talent yet their plan B appears to be pillage from us what has taken years to develop. Ulster / Leinster will do likewise...

For what its worth ,its hard not to get disillusioned with it all and to have nothing to look forward to except looking at lads like Henshaw, Griffin etc coming back year after year to haunt us.

Bums on seats , bums on seats and more bums on seats ...............that's what its about I guess & we are not growing supporters numbers....

rossie wrote: but what happens if , griffin for example, wants more and Connacht can't give it but Munster can and want him?

One of the things Munster may be able to give him that Connacht can't is a starting 13 spot.

The way the Irish management talk about Henshaw there won't be much gametime for Griffin at 13. Maybe he fancies himself to beat Henshaw or Payne to the 2015 WC squad?

Wouldn't ever criticise a guy for being ambitious, when the shoe is on the other foot we shake our heads at Munster locks and Leinster backrows who haven't an earthly of making their starting 15 this side of armageddon but are too comfortable or scared to give things a shot at another province (i.e. us).

You are right of course but what happens if , griffin for example, wants more and Connacht can't give it but Munster can and want him? Is he tied to what Connacht can afford unless he goes abroad?

I reread my previous post and to some it might read like I was putting down the Connacht players. I think that all supporters look at whos available and whether they are better than what is already at the club. I think Wilkinson is a fine LH prop but wouldn't swap him for killer or Cronin. I could go through the whole squad. I'm sure that Connacht fans could do likewise.

We are short on decent IQ centres. I'd love to see griffin signed for that reason. If henShaw and mc sharry were available I'd be happy to hear that Munster were after them also. I guess its up to Connacht to keep them signed.

rossie wrote: If they leave its unlikely that they will come back unless they fail to break through at another province/ abroad. Its likely that Connacht have a maximum salary to offer which the other provinces can easily match/ beat and offer greater chance of international recognition and honours. Its just the reality of the situation at this moment in time.

they can only match connacht offer, not go over it. happened with Macca. The IRFU dont want a bidding war between teams with IRFU's money

If they leave its unlikely that they will come back unless they fail to break through at another province/ abroad. Its likely that Connacht have a maximum salary to offer which the other provinces can easily match/ beat and offer greater chance of international recognition and honours. Its just the reality of the situation at this moment in time.

I'm not sure what kind of money a player of o halloran or griffin are on but there are a lot of good Connacht produced players around at the moment many of whom will stay. I think o halloran will struggle to go up a level. He is a decent player but better attackers have failed at the next level. carr comes to mind. On swiftys list above griffin is the only one that I would like to see at Munster. Not because the others are crap or anything but because he is a potentially very good 13 and they do t grow on trees. The rest, well, we have players of similar or slightly better ability on our books already many of whom came through our own academy.
If they go abroad they will probably make more money but sacrifice international ambitions.

I'd be of two minds on players like Griffin and TOH. I'd hate to see them head off to another province, make that step up and then become a starter and get called into the Irish squad as a member of Munster or Leinster. But I can see how they might be frustrated at Connacht as their careers have hit a bit of a plateau A change of scenery might do them good. Of course, I'd rather see them head off to France or England for 2 years and return. If they were to go to another province there's a good chance they wouldn't return to Connacht until they're past their prime if at all.

I agree completely with Borders. I do think that the talent pool that we have is so sparse that we have to hold on to them. I also count lads who are developed through our Academy in that same category, people like Marmion for example who has come through our system. It is always better when you see them grow and develop through the age grades and represent Ireland in age grade rugby. It would not be good to lose any of our home developed talent, that has never been the aim. I hope that they do all that they can to hold on to Griffin.

We need to put a competitive contract on the table for Eoin Griffin. It would be a very bad move to let him go imo. We are already stretched at centre and letting him go would be madness. We'd end up getting some 3rd rate injury prone New Zealander in to replace him and we'd regret it then.

Going back to former coaches point, Gavin Duffy leaving was part of the mass exodus of our top players which turned a side with potential back to a side at square 1 and without a local backbone. At a crucial time in the growth of rugby in Ireland this was a big blow and reinforced our status as a development province. Bradley then took over and while I have little time for him, to give him his due he picked things up from a bad situation to do fairly well for a couple of years.

It all went rapidly downhill from there though and it has taken us a long time to get a solid backbone to the team. Players like Bracken, O'Sullivan etc. moved on because there was no future at Connacht with no key players in their prime staying at Connacht like Duffy, O'Connor, Damien Browne etc. Our one and only consistent leader was Eric. Also it mustn't be forgotten it took Gavin Duffy a couple of seasons to find form when he came back and for me he didn't achieve his potential overall.

Gone a bit off course but the bottom line is we need to hold on to our top players (especially local players) and Griffin is (or at least can be) one of them. He still has a way to go but he has lost a lot of time to injuries over the last few seasons. It would be soul-destroying to see him or any other top local talent heading for Munster or any of the other provinces. Our team needs to continue building an identity and the likes of Griffin are essential in that process. The 4 boys leaving at the end of 2010/11 was also a bitter pill to swallow and left us with a weak side going into the HC the following season.

We want youngsters in the province to aspire to playing for Connacht not Munster or Leinster and seeing Griffin in a red jersey would do untold damage imo. We have made painstakingly slow progress in building the Connacht brand over the last few seasons, we need to be careful not to chuck it all away again.

Largely in agreement Swift4prez. Duffy went to Harlequins 10 years ago and it didn't do him any harm so I'd say Griffin & O'Halloran would benefit from a different environment for a few seasons. Brian Murphy a little unlucky, I feel, as he rarely let us down. Lam's preference appears to be for bigger men though. I wouldn't be surprised to see Dan in a player-coach role of some nature next season. Paul O'Donohue is a fine scrum half and he never gives less than his best-may be a little short of pace but always willing to test fringe defence. Faloon, Ronaldson, Tonetti (please get & stay fit-a fine player) all to stay. Contract negotiations should be happening over the next 8 weeks or so.

2014 -
Tonetti, if he comes strong, give him 1 year
O'Donohoe, said by alot of team mates, hardest trainer in squad. playing well
Faloon, sign him up
Parks, 6 months/ 1 year
Duffy, can cover FB, wing, centre
Griffin, if he wants to go, might do him good
O'Halloran, year or two away might be good
Muldoon, 2 year deal
Swift, never has a bad game. 6months, if he wants a year, give it to him
Ah You, 10 year deal
nikora, not good enough for a team moving forward
Ronaldson, 1 year or 2
F Murphy, awful luck. we have 3 better SH
B Murphy, looks like Lam doesnt rate him
Fifita, ya 1year
Nolan, were covered here, let him go

Development contracts - Dave Heffernan, Danny Qualtar, Aaron Conneely, James Rael. only one here id have hope for is Rael but hearing good things finally about Conneely

From a Munster perspective that's good news if it happens. I appreciate that Connacht fans won't want to lose him.