Squad Depth 2020/21

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richardt84
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Squad Depth 2020/21

Post by richardt84 »

Read an update on Babbling Brook which categorised the Leinster squad in the format below and thought it would be interesting to do the same for the Ulster squad for the forthcoming season. Following the disappointment of recent weeks I was looking to see where the hope for next season might lie in terms of building a squad that can improve on this season. The list below may be subject to error as all contract dates have been subject to a quick search online.

In terms of priority contract renewals for those confirmed to have a contract to the end of the season the likes of Herring, Henderson and Luke Marshall are vital. As has already been highlighted in other threads, the list below highlights the massive scope for improvement in areas like second row with no obvious prospects coming through and backrow where the hope will be that at least one of Allison and McCann can make inroads over the coming season. One thing that does stand out is overall how youthful the squad is.

Concerns in terms of squad depth, for me, are:
1) Building depth beyond first and second choice props on both sides of the scrum.
2) The lack of a top class partner, or even prospect, for Henderson.
3) The lack of depth in back row which is particularly concerning given current form.
4) The lack of a top level 10 which is why I would view developing Lowry as a priority. There may be concerns about size but that hasn't stopped likes of George Ford from having a decent career.
5) While there seems to be a number of decent prospects in the centres the players beyond McCloskey and Marshall are all players who have a bit of developing to do.
6) As with centres, there are plenty of good prospects in back three but with Baloucoune out for a while and Addison's fitness record a concern it is not the position of strength I hoped it would be.

Of the 57 across the senior academy squads a total of 30 are academy products or players from within Ulster with a further 9 being academy products or players from outside Ulster. The remaining 18 are players who have been brought in on senior contracts from outside Ulster.

Age as of 1st September 2020

LH Prop (5)
Jack McGrath (30) – Contract until 2022
Andrew Warwick (30) - Contract signed in 2020 – no confirmation beyond squad listing for 2020/21 season
Kyle McCall (28) – No contract details online
Eric O’Sullivan (24) – Contract signed in 2019
Callum Reid (21) – Academy Year 2

TH Prop (4)
Marty Moore (29) – Contract until 2022
Gareth Milasinovich (27) – Contact signed in 2019
Ross Kane (25) – Contract signed in 2019
Tom O’Toole (21) – Contract until 2022

Hooker (5)
Rob Herring (30) – Contract until 2021
John Andrew (27) – Contract signed in 2020 – no confirmation beyond squad listing for 2020/21 season
Adam McBurney (23) – No contract details online.
Tom Stewart (19) – Academy Year 2
James McCormick (18) – Academy Year 1

Lock (6)
Sam Carter (30) – ‘Multi-year deal’ signed in 2019
Iain Henderson (28) – Central contract until 2021
Alan O’Connor (27) – Contract signed in 2019
David O’Connor (25) – Contract signed in 2019
Kieran Treadwell (24) – Contract until 2021
Cormac Izuchukwu (20) – Academy Year 1

Backrow (10)
Sean Reidy (31) – Contract until 2022
Jordy Murphy (29) – Contract until 2022
Marcell Coetzee (29) – Contract until 2022
Matty Rea (27) – Contract until 2022
Nick Timoney (25) – Contract signed in 2018
Greg Jones (24) – Contract until 2021 at least - no confirmation beyond squad listing for 2020/21
Marcus Rea (22) – Contract signed in 2019
Azur Allison (21) – Academy Year 2
David McCann (20) – Academy Year 2
Reuben Crothers (18) – Academy Year 1

Scrumhalf (5)
Alby Matthewson (34) – Contract until 2021
John Cooney (30) – Contract until 2022
Dave Shanahan (25) – Contract signed in 2019
Lewis Finlay (20) – Academy Year 1
Nathan Doak (18) - Academy Year 1

Outhalf (5)
Ian Madigan (31) – Contract until 2021
Billy Burns (26) – Contract until 2022
Bill Johnston (23) – Contract signed in 2019
Michael Lowry (22) – Contract signed in 2019
Bruce Houston (21) – Academy Year 3

Centre (7)
Luke Marshall (29) – Contract until 2021
Stuart McCloskey (28) – Contract until 2022
Angus Curtis (22) - Contract until 2021
James Hume (21)- Contract until 2022 (signed in 2019 and referred to ‘three years’)
Stewart Moore (21) – Contract until 2023
Hayden Hyde (20) – Academy Year 1
Ben Carson (18) – Academy Year 1

Back Three (10)
Louis Ludik (33) – Contract until 2021
Craig Gilroy (29) – Contract until 2021
Will Addison (28) – Contract until 2022
Matt Faddes (28) – Contract signed in 2019
Jacob Stockdale (24) – Contract until 2023
Rob Lyttle (23) – Contract until 2023
Robert Baloucoune (23) – Development contract signed in 2019
Aaron Sexton (20) – Academy Year 2
Ethan McIlroy (20) – Academy Year 1
Conor Rankin (19) – Academy Year 2

Senior contracts due to expire in 2021
Rob Herring
Iain Henderson
Kieran Treadwell
Alby Mathewson
Ian Madigan
Luke Marshall
Angus Curtis
Craig Gilroy
Louis Ludik

Senior contracts potentially due to expire in 2021
Eric O’Sullivan
Andrew Warwick
John Andrew
Adam McBurney
Ross Kane
Gareth Milasinovich
Alan O’Connor
David O’Connor
Sam Carter
Greg Jones
Nick Timoney
Marcus Rea
Dave Shanahan
Bill Johnston
Michael Lowry
Matt Faddes
Robert Baloucoune
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MightyRearranger
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Re: Squad Depth 2020/21

Post by MightyRearranger »

Time will tell how well they all go, but we have a lot of exciting prospects coming through. If the majority of the likes of Reid, Stewart, McCann, Doak Jr, Lowry, Hume and Sexton can live up to the hype they could help form the spine of a young team that'll be increasingly competitive over the next few years. I've confidence Dan is the right guy to do that and am reasonably optimistic about where this side can get to in the next few years.

As mentioned we're fairly thin on the ground in a few positions, though in some ways that could be a blessing in disguise, with an eye on the future, in terms of being able to blood the youngsters.

Given the amount of games Henderson is likely to play for Ulster we really need another quality operator in that position and we also need one of the tens we have to step their performances up a level. I actually thought Lowry had a bit of a spark about him after moving to ten at the weekend, though for him to really shine there i think he'll need a back row that can give him a bit more protection.
SparkyClarky
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Re: Squad Depth 2020/21

Post by SparkyClarky »

Don’t care About the squad depth if we don’t have the following

Kick without a feckin chase of more than one Player
Have a Good restart (ala wee lowry) and contest rather than Billy hosing every time too deep giving an easy exit
Putting it in the stand 40 yards up field from our own 22 With no counter
Running onto a feckin pass rather than taking the ball static all the time (Especially 5 metres out)
Driving the legs into a tackle to break it rather than stopping and falling over to recycle without support
Run flat out rather than jogging into contact preferably with support
Taking the points on offer to build pressure
Taking the ball to the line, fix the opposition then pass
Straighten a line fix and pass rather than crab across the pitch bringing the touch line into play.

Yes I suppose you should never post after a few but unfortunately I hit send.
Still love Ulster, still want to see Further progress, but As hard as it may seem I really want to see this team succeed!

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launish116
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Re: Squad Depth 2020/21

Post by launish116 »

Richarst84 much appreciation for effort put into your thread/post.

Realistically Ulster need to become sustainable, even more now with COVID/financial impact. Quite few seniors needing resigned in 2021 with a few there I reckon will be let go.

Age profile is young and areas of concern: Loosehead, 2nd row, all backrow, scrumhalf.

Saving grace we actually have some real talent in academy. For Ulster to progress the squad must grow and that can only happen through sustainable growth. Fingers crossed some of the academy get some decent exposure this season playing with a first strong team and not a match of A’s in Leinster.
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UlsterNo9
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Re: Squad Depth 2020/21

Post by UlsterNo9 »

What can we read into that McIlroy seems to be getting opportunities on the wing ahead of Sexton who has a year up on him in the academy?

Is it just down to the fact Sexton has a strong 7s pedigree and therefore the recent 7s games are where it was thought he would be best placed.
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justinr73
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Re: Squad Depth 2020/21

Post by justinr73 »

Probably plus McIlroy covers 15 as well.

Anyone know who our best players in the 7s have been?
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Setanta
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Re: Squad Depth 2020/21

Post by Setanta »

First real test of depth on Monday with fifteen players missing against an Edinburgh side with their Scottish players probably back!! SUFTU !
From the rolling glens of Antrim through the hills of Donegal we will stand and shout for Ulster as we win both scrum and maul from the lovely lakes of Fermanagh tae the shores of ould Lough Gall we will scream and shout for Ulster as we beat them one and all!
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solidarity
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Re: Squad Depth 2020/21

Post by solidarity »

Fifteen missing but I reckon we still have a decent side with a very decent shot at a win. Squad depth looking up.
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HammerTime
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Re: Squad Depth 2020/21

Post by HammerTime »

Thought/hoped we’d have seen a bit of Aaron sexton by now and a bit more of McCann.
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