So our 3 best players are going during our best season ever. How does the IRFU let them go without increasing significantly their salaries by central contract, sponsorship facilitation, or, easier, raising the Connacht funding. The Irfu willing to support Connacht will be tested one last time with the new recruits, especially from other provinces.. If nothing happens (or AIL players) we'll be forever looked over

Shelflife wrote: Grenoble interested in Muldowney , who apparently has expressed an interest in a new challenge in the French league .

Rumour has it muldowney to france and heenan back home to nz. one thing is nearly definite. both will not be in connacht next season

The selfish part if me is spitting feathers over the lack of loyalty, but the reality is that you can't begrudge players moving for larger pay check or perceived better winning opportunities. They do have a short career

aly has signed for grenoble it seems, heard from mate who knows jackman very keen on his signing massive loss,

Anyone worth having will be signed up by the time Europe could be secured. Contracts don't happen that quickly so anything that's going to happen is probably currently in the pipeline and the branch will know better than anyone who is likely to stay or leave.

Munster are the big worry, as has been mentioned above. The irfu don't mind us playing in the HC, but they won't allow it at the expense of Munster. If we make it at the expense of Munster I could see the irfu intentionally starving us of funds to ensure Munster get bumped up one spot in the league. For all the progress we've made we won't be allowed make that progress at the expense of the big three, from both a financial and reputational point of view it's damaging.

Take henshaw, aly and Jake this year out this season and bundee and McCarthy next year and you've torn the heart out of our team and we'll be down struggling with dragons to be the not-worst-non-Italian team.

We could just be keeping our powder dry to see where we finish and what we achieve this year. The calibre of player we'll be able to attract would be much better if we're in the top competition with a successful league campaign behind us.

The silence on contracts and signings is deafening at this stage.

With all due respect to Eoin Griffin, the team has moved on quite a bit since he was last here, so he will have much to prove.

The silence and the online rumours are concerning.

Who we retain and sign will say a lot about Connacht's future intent and ambition.

In the cases of Aki and Dillane should Willie etc not be putting contract extensions on the table now to these guys and if they don't sign it means that Pat etc knows there position and has time to find replacements this should have happened with Aly last season and we wouldn't have the uncertainty now.

I am not liking the amount of talk about Heenan leaving to Munster this summer, followed by Aki and Dillane at the end of next season.

It's hard to foresee anything except Connacht being put back in our place to keep that clown college on the road.

It all could've been so different if Robbie chose to stay.

clanman wrote: I think the Muldowneys have settled in well here in Galway which must be a factor, if he does move on will he get Champions Cup rugby, of course it could be a money move to a rich mid-table french side and I would'nt begrudge him that.

Another year here and few quid extra to stay on, I think he might be persuaded.

Not sure about Heenan, for a young guy I think he's got a very clear path for himself. Unfortunately his body just can't seem to cope with the physicality of NH rugby or he's just been incredibly unlucky. He'd be better off playing in SH where the emphasis is not so much on the physical part of the game. I hope he stays and maybe adapts his game a bit to allow himself to play regularily.

There is a small chance that there is more than a bit of gamesmanship intended by this interest from the Grenoble camp with a European 1/4 Final ahead between the two clubs (the thought seem to have crossed FCG's own supporters minds. Try to make one of our leading players lose focus by showing interest in signing.... Berch is no fool...

While realistically Aly is probably looking at a final contract, I'd be pretty sure he'll want to be somewhere where he will definitely get game time and be part of the leadership team. The length of the contract more than the salary will be the the deciding factor I believe. With his young family in mind, even if we can get close'ish moneywise over a longer period I think (hope) he'll stay...

With regards to our other second row options...

Roux/Dillane are locked in for
What argument is left to retain Qualter? Really he should have gone abroad years back if he's hungry for a pro career.
Browner,nothing wrong with ability/commitment but can he stay fit if the's given another contract..?
Marshall has the same issues...?

Maybe another year for both t prove they can stay healthy long enough to show the form that warrants a longer contract..

O'Brien won't be a pro second row. He'll be a Big George a stop gap but primarily a back row.
We have some very big shoes to fill in next season or two at No.6. Like to think Mul will prepare SOB2 for that job....

I disagree. Heenan hasn't shown any sign of shoulder problem since December. He's vital for us as WP said, Connacht is much better with a real openside. He's still a huge prospect IMO, Muldowney will be 33 next season. and Jake has got much more chances to be Irish capped than English or N-Z capped. He's my priority

For me Heenan is proving to be too injury prone so if he resigns great but if he leaves it will be ok. He's played in 22 Pro 12 & 6 European games in over 2 1/2 seasons. Perhaps Connacht wisely were seeing if his shoulder was fully repaired before they got too deep in negotiating a new contract so Jake took the opportunity to explore his options. Unfortunately at the time to lock him up for another year or two he hadn't even fully returned to play. Muldowney would be my bigger priority and as Mary Hinge said the IRFU should help out in whatever way they can to keep him at Connacht.

Benji wrote:

pinky wrote:

ConnachtCows wrote: 2nd Row: Quinn Roux, Andrew Browne, Ben Marshall, Ultan Dillane

That's 2 players for each position, presuming I haven't forgotten anyone, which I'm sure I have

Just Qualter (and SOB2 if we see him as a lock), but note that Browne, Marshall and Qualter are all out of contract too.

From the horse's mouth, The IRFU see Sob as a secondrow of the future. Great to see the young lad get some games at 6 while he develops physically.

While I realise I of all people shouldn't be calling someone on a lack of stature, but at 6'4" isn't he a bit of a shortarse as locks go?

pinky wrote:

ConnachtCows wrote: 2nd Row: Quinn Roux, Andrew Browne, Ben Marshall, Ultan Dillane

That's 2 players for each position, presuming I haven't forgotten anyone, which I'm sure I have

Just Qualter (and SOB2 if we see him as a lock), but note that Browne, Marshall and Qualter are all out of contract too.

From the horse's mouth, The IRFU see Sob as a secondrow of the future. Great to see the young lad get some games at 6 while he develops physically.

ConnachtCows wrote: 2nd Row: Quinn Roux, Andrew Browne, Ben Marshall, Ultan Dillane

That's 2 players for each position, presuming I haven't forgotten anyone, which I'm sure I have

Just Qualter (and SOB2 if we see him as a lock), but note that Browne, Marshall and Qualter are all out of contract too.

ConnachtCows wrote: I
Number 7: Fox Matamua and Connolly
2nd Row: Quinn Roux, Andrew Browne, Ben Marshall, Ultan Dillane

Fox is our only other out and out openside really
Connolly is a 6, McKeon and Masterson are 8's - all 3 well capable of playing openside but wasn't it Craggy Island Podcast that highlighted Connacht have higher win ratio when a natural openside is at 7:
65% Win Ratio with Heenan, Fox or Falloon
35% Win Ratio with McKeon, Masterson or Connolly


How is Rory Moloney doing these days?