Canadian rugby player our new rookie!!!

[Lucky Knickers]

There a nice interview included in the article from Tele/Sun from FSN (I think).
He's going to have to spend some time with Kenny and his lovely wife learning the song
We need more big strapping lads like this (also good sort). He could end up being our Canadian recruiter in years to come.
Stella - you might not have psychic'd this one but you surely have to be smiling?

[ugg]

Why? They've been encouraging clubs to look outside Australia's borders for talent, even to the extent that non-Irish international rookies are not included with the normal quota of 6. So this bloke will be in addition to the normal 6(+3).

Are you saying that international rookies don't include Irishmen? And what's the rules with regards to his age (24)? I remember the AFL made an exception for Ramanauskas a few years ago even though he was too old for a rookie listing? Or is it a very laissez-faire approach when it comes to international rookies - basically sign anyone you want to?

The Wikipedia entry is an interesting one.

In 2008, the AFL increased the international rookie list for clubs to eight per year and a total of up to twenty four players at any one time

But also specifically mentions the age has to be between 15 and 23.

[ugg]

More info at the OZ

Swans sign Canadian rugby star to bolster ruck | The Australian

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

What are you talking aboot? He's Canadian eh?

He is from Victoria BC. He talks "aboat" things not "aboot", which is more Eastern Canada, especially the Maritimes.

JF
PS:- The Canucks suck anyway. Go Habs Go!

[liz]

Are you saying that international rookies don't include Irishmen? And what's the rules with regards to his age (24)? I remember the AFL made an exception for Ramanauskas a few years ago even though he was too old for a rookie listing? Or is it a very laissez-faire approach when it comes to international rookies - basically sign anyone you want to?

The Wikipedia entry is an interesting one.


But also specifically mentions the age has to be between 15 and 23.

Irish rookies are international in the sense that you can sign them directly, without going through the draft (obviously).

But the AFL decreed that they should be included in the normal quota of 6 as a sop to the GA to reduce the chances of cashed up clubs going and recruiting Irishmen wholesale with the hope that one or two might "make it". By imposing an opportunity cost (ie taking up a spot another rookie might take), the hope was that clubs would at least do their due diligence and only bring over those players they thought had a genuine chance of "making it".

With the mature age rookies, there is a restriction over those who have previously been on an AFL list. Rama didn't qualify as an over-age rookie because he'd been on a list for many years before (even though the AFL then over-rode those rules and allowed Essendon to put him on the rookie list). The Eagles were pissed off at the time because they also wanted to put Brad Smith on as a mature aged rookie after he did his knee for the second time, but they weren't allowed to because he'd already been on their list, even though he'd never actually played a senior game. There was some discussion recently about changing that part of the rule so that if a player had been on a list but hadn't actually played, he was still eligible to be a mature aged rookie. I have no idea off the top of my head if that bit of the rule was changed.

[johnno]

Just a couple of things I would like to say, at 200cm and 105kg and be able to run 100m in under 11secs, I'm guessing opposition players wont be able to break to many tackles applied by this fellow. Secondly, I have read a couple of posts on this thread saying they " love the name too", I think I am missing the joke, what about his name? If there is a gag there, it really is flying over the top of my head.

[dimelb]

I think it's just the rhyme johnno. Or maybe our new recruit is a full Pyke with a twist.

[ScottH]

Just a couple of things I would like to say, at 200cm and 105kg and be able to run 100m in under 11secs, I'm guessing opposition players wont be able to break to many tackles applied by this fellow. Secondly, I have read a couple of posts on this thread saying they " love the name too", I think I am missing the joke, what about his name? If there is a gag there, it really is flying over the top of my head.

Imagine if your surname was Bono??

[johnno]

Imagine if your surname was Bono??

I dont have to imagin it Scott, it is Bono. Have we met before?

[johnno]

O.K. I get it now, I thought his name was Mark Pyke, but once I re-read the article i see that it Mike Pyke. To quote Nelson from the simpsons....Ha ha,(whilst pointing my finger at him).

[ScottH]

I dont have to imagin it Scott, it is Bono. Have we met before?

Your joking? I was.
No I don't think we have met, before.

[ugg]

Scott's last name is BottH.

[ScottH]

Scott's last name is BottH.

Lucky I'm not ScottL.

[Industrial Fan]

Me too.

Otherwise a name like BottH wouldn't make sense.

[ScottH]

Me too.

Otherwise a name like BottH wouldn't make sense.