Pocock's greatest skill is his ability to turn over possession. He would be made to leave rugby because one of his greatest technical skills would be denied him.
I don't think Cooper made a heap of mistakes as such; it was more his option taking and decision making.
Normally those are of a very high, even unique standard. He had a poor game and is having a poor tournament. But he is the best rugby player in the world when on song, and a freakish playmaker.
It also looked like his teammates were on a completely different page.
Digby Ione is one who would be a great league player.
He is protected in Rugby
Nope.
Players like him (I'm talking about his profile more than his ability) bring money into their clubs - they more than pay for themselves - and them and their managers and the clubs all know it.
While you need some talent to generate hype in the first place, after a while the hype generates itself and that's where the money comes from, not from playing ability alone.
The people involved in pro sports in the U.S. have known about this for decades (probably because their target audiences were receptive to it long before the rest of the Western world) which is why they carry on like f**kwits. Because hype pays the bills; playing ability is secondary.
Note, when we hear the word 'hype' we think of negatives - superficiality and whatnot - but all 'hype' really means is public interest. Which equals money.
The problem for sports operating under a salary cap is that hype is something you have to pay for but it doesn't bring you results on the field.
So while Quade Cooper might ask for $800k (for argument's sake), and earn his club far more than that through increased exposure, he would still be keeping $800k worth of other players out of his club, when a guy on $400k or less would give the same results on the field. Likewise Sonny Bill Williams.
That's not to say that Quade Cooper at $800k wouldn't be a good aquisition for the NRL (or any club) from a purely financial point of view, but he would hurt whichever club he went to by taking up too much cap space.
This is part of why the NRL's pure salary cap model hurts them when compared to rugby union. But if we can get more money from TV then we can raise the salary cap to the point where players of Quade Cooper's ability can match their value on the field with their value off it.
What it comes down to is being able to pay more for players than the other codes. That way, when Hayne/Marshall/Cooper/SBW/any BIG NAME player with a lot of hype says "I want $3 million a year because I know I bring more than that to my club and the NRL" we can say "If you're not happy with $1.5 million you can f**k off."
And we know they won't because the ARU/AFL/overseas rugby clubs can't give them any more than the NRL is already paying them.
What it comes down to though is how well these players play in these other codes. Folau and Hunt will definitely make money for the AFL and their clubs. The issue is whether they will hurt their clubs on the field through simple jealousy from much better players earning less. Or if they keep better performers out of the teams they're in. This could also be an issue for Cooper's club if he came to the NRL, though he's more likely to succeed at league than an NRL player taking up Australian rules football.
He is completely exposed in rugby.
He is a player who would benefit from the protection of the 10m rule.
Basic handling errors shit me in rugby union.
But my point was how much a player like Cooper would benefit from not having the defence on top of him every play. You only have to watch Reds matches this year when the forwards got a roll on and gave Cooper space he looked great. He'd get this space more consistently in league with the 10 metre rule and structured play. Often in union the 5/8 will get the ball under pressure. This is where Cooper is exposed, at least he is at the test level. Use his Reds performances for a better comparison. Test rugby is another level altogether. Similar to how some players are origin players, while others who go well at club level are not.
I think if you put Cooper in a structured team you take away his attacking flair.
I think if you put Cooper in a structured team you take away his attacking flair.
If you have ever listened to commentators of the wallabies and I assume everyone has, then you would be astounded by the amount of dropped balls and rudimentary mistakes which is carefully explained away as mishaps and bad luck. The Wallabies are without doubt the highest paid bunch of underacheivers in Rugby/League.
If Quade made a quater of the mistakes that he makes at Rugby at the eels then he would be hunted out of the game.
Great league converts like Mick O'connor never made those sort of mistakes some of which would make a 12 year old blush.
Add to the fact that his tackling is completely non existant and he usually saves his worst games for high pressure contests.
I believe that the NRL is more consistant, laden with pressure moments and has less room than all but the closest trans tasman rugby games.
Sorry - I think he would be a mistake.
Much better value to throw our 800k to Foran or Benji Marshall.
Disagree. We can win the final against France or Wales without him (thus winning the cup) but I'm not so confident of our chances of beating Kiwis without him in the teamWallabies can win the world cup with him but wouldn't be a chance without him IMO. Doesn't mean they will win, but it's still a big rap on him.
Whats the odds that QC makes the jump pretty soon for 2013. Roosters or Broncos I'm guessing.
Stephanie Rice to quit swimming after the 2012 London Olympics