The UAFC

jean valjean wrote: ↑Sat Feb 15, 2020 9:05 pm Would consider a journeyman NIQ no9 as back up to cooney. Someone of Matheson's ilke would do. There currently are no NIQ nines in Ireland and for all our improvements in SID we are an inujry to cooney away from being mediocre again. How many NIQ spots have we free? Marcell, carter and faddes the only current ones? What is big gareths status?

kingofthehill wrote: ↑Sat Feb 15, 2020 8:48 pm

Silverstu wrote: ↑Sat Feb 15, 2020 12:25 am

Bart S wrote: ↑Wed Feb 12, 2020 12:47 am Backs
- most urgent need is a back up 9 of a better standard.
- other key area is for Dan to determine who is the back up to Burns and give them plenty of exposure. Burns has played well this season but he is becoming indispensable for the wrong reasons (ie there is no-one else) rather than because he is so good. Lowry or BJ seem the likely options although Curtis has also had a crack. Dan also needs to decide what to do with Lowry.

Forwards
- great to see EOS and ToT coming through but we are 1 prop away from disaster and if that prop is Marty Moore then we really are screwed. I guess big Gareth may be the answer when fit but we don’t know yet. Depth beyond first 2 sets is worrying poor and seem to be regressing (McCall, Kane).
- we have personnel at lock but i don’t really see anyone coming through. Tredders is still quite young and has potential. AOC will never be top grade IMHO.
- as others have said we have a decent backrow and building a bit of depth but still need more.

Overall, i’d like to see a lock/backrower (ie versatile enough for both) and another 9 come in.

On the 9 side of things- with Lewis Finlay looking very good for the U20's, Nathan Doak coming through and McKee as well I'd rather we fast tracked a couple of these lads in rather than getting someone from outside. If there was no-one to promote then fair enough but these guys deserve a shot. Has Shanahan still got a year or so on his contract? That would give McFarland space to see how these lads go while still having a back up with a bit of experience..

Think it says it all that Shanners is on the pitch for 80mins.

Ulster have to sign a 9.

Stewart ahead of O’Donnell was an appalling decision. Finlay left Hinch last year because he couldn’t lace o’Donnells boots so you can write off Finlay being good enough. Doak could be the answer but a few years off yet.

So what 9s are available?

kingofthehill wrote: ↑Sat Feb 15, 2020 8:48 pm So what 9s are available?

Snipe Watson wrote: ↑Sat Feb 15, 2020 11:30 pm We've needed a backup 9 for a decade. Shanners doesn't do the basics well enough.
Young Finlay looks handy at U20 level, but there's a gulf in class between where he is now and the Pro14.
Not writing him off, but managing expectations.

Aird wrote: ↑Tue Feb 18, 2020 5:35 pm I think that Ulster have three promising 9’s coming through in Finlay, McKee and Doak and it will be interesting to see how they develop. I suspect that Ulster Rugby are well aware what is in the pipeline hence the reluctance to buy in a Journeyman 9.

kingofthehill wrote: ↑Wed Feb 12, 2020 12:26 pm

Bart S wrote: ↑Wed Feb 12, 2020 12:47 am Backs
- most urgent need is a back up 9 of a better standard.
- other key area is for Dan to determine who is the back up to Burns and give them plenty of exposure. Burns has played well this season but he is becoming indispensable for the wrong reasons (ie there is no-one else) rather than because he is so good. Lowry or BJ seem the likely options although Curtis has also had a crack. Dan also needs to decide what to do with Lowry.

Forwards
- great to see EOS and ToT coming through but we are 1 prop away from disaster and if that prop is Marty Moore then we really are screwed. I guess big Gareth may be the answer when fit but we don’t know yet. Depth beyond first 2 sets is worrying poor and seem to be regressing (McCall, Kane).
- we have personnel at lock but i don’t really see anyone coming through. Tredders is still quite young and has potential. AOC will never be top grade IMHO.
- as others have said we have a decent backrow and building a bit of depth but still need more.

Overall, i’d like to see a lock/backrower (ie versatile enough for both) and another 9 come in.

Agree, I personally think that Lowry is the man but i fear he will be moved about too much as he is so talented.

Treadwell is young. Dalton seems to have gone backwards. AOC is decent. Haven't really formed an opinion on Carter yet. Think we are ok in 2nd row for another year.

McCann and Allison will hopefully get game time next year in the backrow.

To be fair, McFarland and team have excelled when some offered nothing. I have total faith that they will get decisions right that others have got horribly wrong in the past.

I would think we will hear of more contract extensions before any new signings.

kingofthehill wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2020 7:29 pm

kingofthehill wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2020 4:21 pm

Snipe Watson wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2020 4:12 pm

kingofthehill wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2020 1:48 pm Have to wonder if Ulster are going to bring anyone in this season.

With the contracts up of some senior players I can't see us having much money to spend as well as keeping them.

So, with that in mind, what positions do we need to sign and who is available? Is there a space for another NIQ? (don't know what the rules are anymore)

If we are allowed a NIQ i can't imagine its going to be a big name.

For me, a lesser name with a lower cost can often be a better fit.
A marquee player is great and brings in the crowds, but a grafter like Pedrie Wannenburg or Matt Sexton can bring a whole lot to the table.

Without a doubt but is it important that they are a guaranteed starter?

Also, what positions do we have no youngsters/quality coming through? Im struggling to answer this question which is a good thing.
Last thing we want to do is bring in an NIQ and have them struggle to get a starting place and then hold back an academy prospect/young player.
Bryn must have a 3 year plan with the academy boys and mapping out when they are to get game time. We haven’t really seen any academy guys get a run this year other than Moore, Regan and McIlroy (who isn’t even in the academy). Does this shock anyone or is that a normal amount getting a run? Seems very low to me when you look at Leinster.
Years ago Humph,Logan or Bryn said that an NIQ would only be signed if he was world class. For me, the only world class NIQ we have is Marcell. Gone are the days of Ruan, Afoa, Muller etc

If you had a choice of NIQ who would you go with?

I’m struggling to think with the current squad we have where I think it’s best to bring somebody in. I would love to see Scott Penny come up North.