Contract Situation

[DodgyEverything]

Starting today's announcements off with Warwick for 2 years, they had better be building to JTA/Cooney fs

[StandUp]

This wailing and gnashing of teeth rehgarding Jones etc is pash poor. He obviously offers a lot in training. Not every squad player is a match day player.

I hear he slices the oranges better than anyone

[Neill_M]

David McCann also to 2025.

[Tap+Go]

I would disgree, front line players need to be training against skill and experience... pure muscle from the academy isnt enough.

NFL teams have a non playing roster for just this purpose

Or why not train against someone capable of challenging for your place!

Not sure NFL & Ulster is a good comparison. Given caps & roster numbers even practice squads will be filled with some pretty elite level athletes who I’m pretty sure are highly motivated to getting off the practice squad from a contract perspective.

Personally just think Jones isn’t a youngster anymore & not proven to have what it takes to challenge to be a starter so think we would be better looking for alternative options. Back row spots are key in any pro rugby squad.

[Neill_M]

Ben Moxham to 2025.

2023 List

Rory Sutherland (short term), Callum Reid, John Andrew, Gareth Milasinovich, Jeffrey Toomaga-Allen, Sam Carter, Iain Henderson, Duane Vermeulen, Michael McDonald, Ian Madigan, Jake Flannery, Luke Marshall, Angus Curtis, Rob Lyttle, Jacob Stockdale, Aaron Sexton, Craig Gilroy

Unknown

John Cooney, Will Addison, Sean Reffell

[Columbo]

Rob Lyttle is off . Also Gilroy

[MightyRearranger]

Assuming Jones is in and around our 7th choice in the back row, the immediate comparison would be to the Leinster equivalent with WIll Conors, but that isn't really fair on Jones and he may well be the best we have. From the outside I'd have hoped that some of the youngsters like Reuben Crothers would have made the cut and helped fill out the squad. Given he captained the U20s and looked good there I'd have almost expected it, but haven't personally seen much of him since.

i have memories of Ulster rugby parachuting some journeyman I've forgotten the name of in ahead of a (24 year old) Chris Henry when we'd a bit of an injury crisis, rather than giving the youngsters a chance and snippets like that have led to some cynicism, but that was quite a while ago and in fairness to McFarland for the most part he's been pretty proactive with giving the youngsters a chance.

[Big-al]

Starting today's announcements off with Warwick for 2 years, they had better be building to JTA/Cooney fs

If the choice was between JTA or a NIQ lock or flyhalf I’d be going for the flyhalf/lock.

[So It Is]

Rob Lyttle is off . Also Gilroy

So we keep Moxham, someone who has yet to show anything other than he's a big lad with a limited skillset, over Rob Lyttle who, while not being a 1st choice, has proven himself to be an excellent finisher and in the past, a decent goalkicker?

Classic Ulster

[Cockatrice]

Signing too many average players.. personally I don’t give a feck if Jones might be a half decent assistant coach he is being signed on a professional playing contract and is useless … as for cooney everyone crying out to sign him it was only a few weeks ago he was chasing every team in Scotland for a contract didn’t get one .. we need an overhaul for the umpteenth time

[DodgyEverything]

Starting today's announcements off with Warwick for 2 years, they had better be building to JTA/Cooney fs

If the choice was between JTA or a NIQ lock or flyhalf I’d be going for the flyhalf/lock.

That's fair and I'd agree, I was working on the assumption that a 10 or lock is unlikely given there's been no whispers of it AFAIK, and while Marty is working his way back from an ACL and TOT is at the WC somebody will have to cover. God help us if GM is the starting TH

[justinr73]

Not heard one whisper that we’ll be allowed to keep Jeff (who’ll be at the WC himself).

All being well, and with a bit of luck, Marty should be there or thereabouts come the start of the season. Buckley at Connacht was out for 8 months with his ACL (albeit I’m not sure he’s having the same impact these days).

[Tap+Go]

Rob Lyttle is off . Also Gilroy

So we keep Moxham, someone who has yet to show anything other than he's a big lad with a limited skillset, over Rob Lyttle who, while not being a 1st choice, has proven himself to be an excellent finisher and in the past, a decent goalkicker?

Classic Ulster

Lyttle is the type of squad player we should be looking to keep rather than Jones. Anytime called in always does a good job & is actually a threat! Would be interesting to know circumstances & would have hoped UR tried to keep him.

Moxham still only 21 so fine to give a contract but now needs to start showing something over the next couple of years as has had a few chances now.

[StandUp]

Rob Lyttle is off . Also Gilroy

Ridiculous decision to let Lyttle go and keep Moxham. Lyttle is one of our most deadly attackers.
WTAF?

[DodgyEverything]

Not heard one whisper that we’ll be allowed to keep Jeff (who’ll be at the WC himself).

All being well, and with a bit of luck, Marty should be there or thereabouts come the start of the season. Buckley at Connacht was out for 8 months with his ACL (albeit I’m not sure he’s having the same impact these days).

that's also a fair point, forgot he was a Samoan intl now. There's a lot to be said to keep someone around who is both technically excellent and brings a bit of personality