Its no secret on this forum that if i was coach, i wouldnt have any players in the squad under 6 foot and no player under 100kg, worked for wales, going for 3rd 6nations in a row and also won the lines with big players.

next point,
20 players in the academy; 4 have played this year and i heard SOB was considered for the glasgow game till he got injured. thats not bad.

Masterson; year 1
D Leader; year 2
Carty; year 3
Bealham; year 2
**SoB; year 1

By pre season form, it looked like conor finn would of had a big season till he got injured. Rory moloney might get a game before the season ends, very promising. also with POD injured, could be a bench spot for Blade or Walsh in treviso game.

im all for giving young players a game when they have learned the ropes, but this is a pro business and we need wins so cant risk younger players till theyre ready.

edit to add; your son is only in year 1 so plenty of time for him to get game time. its the guys in year 3 and not seeing any game time are the guys that need to be worried.
also, id agree with phatguerilla, i did see your son out last weekend and he didnt seem big enough for pro rugby yet. maybe he will be back at 10 before he makes the senior team, would be suited there.

I doubt anyone would rip on your for speaking up for your son. From the few clips I've seen he seems quite talented and we need our own centres coming through imo. However I believe he is a little on the small side from his profile on the connacht site. This isn't a deal breaker but might increase the need for the second big 12 mentioned above. Personally I wouldn't mind seeing Henshaw tried at 12 or one of the Leader's perhaps although that just shifts the problem of finding more centres from inside to outside.

connachta wrote: I'd let go : Parks, Duffy, Swift, F Murphy, B Murphy, Fifita, (+Griffin)

To have a 6/8 (Paddy Butler?), a 13 (Siale Piutau?), a 10/12 (Noel Reid? Barckley?) and a 2nd row (NIQ spot?)

my 2014/2015 Team (42-men squad, including Academy guys who'll step it up, with very reasonable budget,

---

by order of preference )

LH props-- Buckley, Wilkinson, Cooney, Ah You, Loughney
TH props-- Ah You, White, Cooney, Loughney
hookers-- harris wright, henry, Heffernan, A new Academy or converted hooker like Peter Reilly or Jacob Walshe
locks-- Kearney, Clarke, Muldowney, the new NIQ, Browne, SOB 2.0, Naoupu
6-- Muldoon, Butler, Browne
flanker-- Heenan Faloon, Muldoon, Masterson
8-- McKeon, Butler, Naoupu, Masterson
scrum half-- Marmion, O'Donohoe, Blade, Nikora/Healy, (Walsh)
out half-- Carty, Reid, Nikora, Ronaldson
wingers-- Poolman, Healy, O'Halloran, Carr, Layden
inside centres -- McSharry, Tonetti,Reid, Ronaldson, Piutau
outside centres -- Piutau, Henshaw, Finn, Poolman
full backs-- Henshaw, Leader, Layden, TOH, Carr

Medical joker/loan : Colm O'Shea, Ian Nagle

My wife and son are going to kill me for putting my two bobs worth here but i don't really care as I am going to be a bit biased here and I really don't care what ye think about that either.

I am putting my sons name here in this lot as well, but i will back it up with some facts.

He played 10 all the way up till he moved to Connacht where he was moved to 12 by Charlie. He then played Senior cup for Rockwell at 12 but would move to 10 when needed.
He then played 13 for Ireland under 19 under the guidance of Nigel Carolan and also started at 10 against France.
He has started every Eagles game this year at 13.
He also came on against Wasps preseason and did nothing to suggest that he couldn't handle the step up to that level.
He has also started at 13 for Galwegians when he could play.
He is also a very good goal kicker within the 45 to 50m range but we saw him kick one from inside his own half in the semifinal of the Senior Cup last year.

I also support whole heartily the outstanding contribution that Connacht show the rest of the country their support they give to all the younger players in their academy and the GRASSROOTS TO GREEN-SHIRTS initiative.
So I am of the thought that we should also be looking more to bring our Academy players through and give them the chance. Save the money from spending on some of those players that are nearing the end of their careers down south and give our youth ago. This has worked with Robbie Kieran and Dave.And why were these lads given the go, because of Injuries. And have they delivered, You Betcha.

so there you go folks, go for it and tear the shite out of me.

Is parks retiring( joining coaching team) or moving on?

Good to know there is some movement for players.

Butler is signed to Munster. Just signed a new contract IIRC.

We're after Jack Conan and a Super XV 10 that Lam and Tim went scouting for in NZ during the break. I don't know if he was signed but there has been movement for him. Also looking for a NIQ utility back, I think.

why are ye so concerned with monster 12's around. I saw James Roberts miss so many tackles against France and us when he had to turn. then the latest center partnering in super 15 were mostly all smaller than usual. Its alright having big men if they have skills, but not just to hit the line, and all those you have quoted don't have a lot of ball skills. Watched Dineen against McSharry and he was caught anytime they went right because he struggled to pass off his left.
The game is changing again and it seems to be that the way they are going is to keep building from the pods and 1 off runners and then quick ball out wide once the defence has moved in. thats what Ireland did to Wales and you cant call O'Driscoll and Darcy big men, and dont forget North moved into outside center and created nothing against O'Driscoll.
But as you say interesting to see how close to the final squad that will be.

salmson wrote: (unless, God forbid, Clarke or George retire).

I had Clarke mentally down as 'retired'. Hope I'm wrong on that.

Couple points there:
Tonetti is done, no appearances this season and just 2 last season. Will not be retained. There are plenty of monster 12s around (Dineen, Bohane, Coghlan) who would make a good backup for McSharry.

Also while we're not as strictly policed regarding foreign players as the other provinces the IRFU doesn't like multiple NIEs in the same "line" so I don't think we'll get a lock or back row (unless, God forbid, Clarke or George retire).

It'll be interested to see how close you are to the final squad.

I'd let go : Parks, Duffy, Swift, F Murphy, B Murphy, Fifita, (+Griffin)

To have a 6/8 (Paddy Butler?), a 13 (Siale Piutau?), a 10/12 (Noel Reid? Barckley?) and a 2nd row (NIQ spot?)

my 2014/2015 Team (42-men squad, including Academy guys who'll step it up, with very reasonable budget,

---

by order of preference )

LH props-- Buckley, Wilkinson, Cooney, Ah You, Loughney
TH props-- Ah You, White, Cooney, Loughney
hookers-- harris wright, henry, Heffernan, A new Academy or converted hooker like Peter Reilly or Jacob Walshe
locks-- Kearney, Clarke, Muldowney, the new NIQ, Browne, SOB 2.0, Naoupu
6-- Muldoon, Butler, Browne
flanker-- Heenan Faloon, Muldoon, Masterson
8-- McKeon, Butler, Naoupu, Masterson
scrum half-- Marmion, O'Donohoe, Blade, Nikora/Healy, (Walsh)
out half-- Carty, Reid, Nikora, Ronaldson
wingers-- Poolman, Healy, O'Halloran, Carr, Layden
inside centres -- McSharry, Tonetti,Reid, Ronaldson, Piutau
outside centres -- Piutau, Henshaw, Finn, Poolman
full backs-- Henshaw, Leader, Layden, TOH, Carr

Medical joker/loan : Colm O'Shea, Ian Nagle

Its true we are no doubt struggling to compete for any kind of decent players but I just don't see the point of holding on to the likes of Miah Nikora or Frank Murphy. My argument is that if we aren't going to get hold of a player to improve the squad, go with one of the youngsters in the academy or pick up someone from AIL who you can work with to improve. If we already as good as writing off next season at least lets blood some new players rather than kick the can down the road a year and be faced with the same issues again in a years time. I'd much rather have seen Marcus Walshe picking up the 3rd scrum half slot this season and see can he develop than holding on to Frank Murphy for another season.

There is no use keeping hold of average players who are past their best or who won't improve beyond their current level. I'd prefer a smaller squad with more quality and dip into the academy or AIL players if required than holding onto a player for the sake of another body in the squad.

Former Coach wrote:

sea_point wrote:

rossie wrote: <strong>Tiern an o halloran signs for 2 yrs.</strong> Jack carty and miah nikora for 1 yr.

<strong>There's Pull if ever you saw it...</strong>.
He's done not a lot of anything to deserve a Two Year extension....

If I was desperate to keep either Griff or Tiernan, I'd be getting Tiernan his Good luck & Bon Voyage card. He's a winger who doesn't score enough tries (10 in over 60 games), he should be heading off somewhere to find some form.

I'd like to say I was surprised though, but I'm not...

Not sure what you're getting at but I'm 100% sure that pull has absolutely nothing to do with it. I don't think Connacht (or ultimate paymasters IRFU) are going to sign (and pay for the next two years) someone they don't rate. He has been in Ireland squads and played with Emerging Ireland in the Summer so obviously somebody sees something in him. I think your comments are disingenuous- we should be encouraging our young players, not demeaning them.
P.S. I think we'll deeply regret losing Griff- I rate him extremely highly and I think he'll do really well with London Irish.

No offence FC, but I know what I can see and TO'H is not delivering in any consistent way on the promise he showed at Schools level, not within a million miles of it.

Emerging Ireland in Georgia was a mish mash of talent, non-injured, not on holiday players assembled for a second/third tier tournament while the Lions & Ireland Squads were off on more serious business - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emerging_Ireland

And In what country does a winger who in a season scores two tries in 22 appearances (and both of those in September) gets rewarded with International representation proper?

It may of course have been a carrot, but to me he needs the kick up the behind of being pushed outside his comfort zone. I get the feeling he thinks time is on his side and the fact he's happy enough to extend his contract seems to back that up, but bad habits are hard to unlearn...

Griffin I'd keep in a heartbeat, because no matter who we bring in at centre he will always work hard and be pushing for a starting place every week....

phatguerilla wrote:

Darragh507 wrote: I appreciate squad strength is really important, but to be realy honest, I'd prefer 2 big signings to show intent and to really give this team grunt than 20 odd very average players.

TOH, Carty, Nikora

vs

say 1 truly decent flyhalf?

I know what I would pick.

i reckon our problem is less about cash and more about who we are.....we cant even attract strugglers from other provinces ffs....

What constitutes a decent flyhalf though? Parks was supposed to be that and although there have been moments I think overall he failed to deliver on that expectation. Its hard to think of any Rabo level starting fly half that would be willing to join connacht and would create immediate impact. Would someone like Ruaridh Jackson or Ian Madigan really make a difference to the backline's threat? I'm not sure and in any case they're going nowhere.
I would be slow to trade a player who can play 11/14/15 and a flyhalf that shows promise for a single specialist who probably isn't going be a gamechanger unless its someone like Dan Biggar or another fly half who is in his prime and out of the box is kicking 80%+ and knows how to run a backline consistently but such a player is highly valued by their club and won't be likely to move.

I think parks was good at what he does and probably still is given his head. I reflect back to ROG last season under Penney. For a large part of the season he looked a shadow of himself as he struggled with a game plan alien to him. IMO after the 6ns fiasco he decided that enough was enough and that he was going to play the game the way he always had until the end of the season. I'm sure he probably had decided at that stage that he was going to retire and so didn't care about Penney or his game plan. He went to the stoop and bossed the game as he always has for Munster. Iirrc he missed his first goal kick from an easy position too but as he bossed the game his confidence came back and nailed the rest.
My point is than Dan is a good 10 playing a system that doesn't suit him. His confidence is low because of this. The fact that none of the other 10s in the squad are thriving in this game plan says something about the plan. The rest of the team aren't adapting well either. In fact the only parts of teamplay consistently going well are the scrum and lineout which are the forwards coaches responsibility. Its also the only area where there is decent depth.

Darragh507 wrote: I appreciate squad strength is really important, but to be realy honest, I'd prefer 2 big signings to show intent and to really give this team grunt than 20 odd very average players.

TOH, Carty, Nikora

vs

say 1 truly decent flyhalf?

I know what I would pick.

i reckon our problem is less about cash and more about who we are.....we cant even attract strugglers from other provinces ffs....

What constitutes a decent flyhalf though? Parks was supposed to be that and although there have been moments I think overall he failed to deliver on that expectation. Its hard to think of any Rabo level starting fly half that would be willing to join connacht and would create immediate impact. Would someone like Ruaridh Jackson or Ian Madigan really make a difference to the backline's threat? I'm not sure and in any case they're going nowhere.
I would be slow to trade a player who can play 11/14/15 and a flyhalf that shows promise for a single specialist who probably isn't going be a gamechanger unless its someone like Dan Biggar or another fly half who is in his prime and out of the box is kicking 80%+ and knows how to run a backline consistently but such a player is highly valued by their club and won't be likely to move.

I appreciate squad strength is really important, but to be realy honest, I'd prefer 2 big signings to show intent and to really give this team grunt than 20 odd very average players.

TOH, Carty, Nikora

vs

say 1 truly decent flyhalf?

I know what I would pick.

i reckon our problem is less about cash and more about who we are.....we cant even attract strugglers from other provinces ffs....

NOC left us with 1 year left on his contract. It's possible to get out of it if both sides agree.