where to now for jonah ?

[ozbash]

heard a rumour in the making today regarding jonahs demise from union.
radio sport are saying that jonah has had very recent/decent approaches from the roosters and the warriors about next season.

he has withrdrawn from super 12 because of his recurring kidney disease and it could take up to 6 mths to come right.

he will miss the world cup

his contract with the nzrfu is up this year.

there are major salary cap dispensations for union players switching to league....


<table cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=156 align=left bgcolor=#ffffff border=0> <tbody> <tr> <td>

</td></tr> <tr> <td>Jonah Lomu - </td></tr></tbody></table>Lomu To Have Kidney Treatment

Jonah Lomu is to take a four-week break from rugby after a flare up of his chronic kidney problem.
New Zealand Rugby Union Deputy Chief Executive Steve Tew said Lomu would be taking a break from rugby immediately and would be seeking medical assistance.
"Jonah's health is paramount and his doctors have recommended that he take a full break from rugby so that he can receive the appropriate medical treatment," Mr Tew said.
The decision had the full support of the Hurricanes franchise, the NZRU and Lomu's manager Phil Kingsley Jones.
"Our aim is to help Jonah get back to full health and back on the rugby field," Mr Tew said.
Lomu was diagnosed as having Nephrotic Syndrome, a rare and serious kidney disorder, at the end of 1996 and he has been receiving regular treatment including consultations with All Blacks doctor John Mayhew.
"This is a chronic intermittent condition which has fluctuated over the last six or seven years," Dr Mayhew said.
"We are hopeful that the modifications in his treatment will enable him to return to rugby in the near future. We will re-evaluate the situation after four weeks."
All Blacks coach John Mitchell said everyone involved with the team hoped to see Lomu back on the rugby field soon.
"Our feelings are with Jonah and we wish him well in his recovery," Mr Mitchell said.
* * * *
The Most Frequently Asked Questions About Nephrotic Syndrome
What is Nephrotic Syndrome?
Nephrotic Syndrome is a kidney disorder.
How does it affect you?
It reduces the amount of protein in your blood supply.
How does that happen?
The proteins are leaked into the urine instead of being kept in the blood cells.
What does it do to you?
It causes your tissues to swell, especially in your legs. It also causes anaemia, which is a deficiency of red blood cells that can lead to a lack of oxygen-carrying ability causing unusual tiredness and other symptoms.
Is Nephrotic Syndrome dangerous?
In extreme cases it can lead to kidney failure.

 

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[Jedda_B]

May I suggest 6 feet under in a pine box?

 

[kiwi@nz]

I hope Jonah makes a full recovery and we see him back.
At the peak of his playing days he was an exitement machine and on the last tour of the British Isles he still managed to put the fear of God up the poms and played well.
Which I might add wasn't to long ago.

 

[imported_Roopy4246]

I don't care if he can't play much anymore, I'd like to see him signed by the Roosters.

The Roosters have heaps of money they are not allowed to spend on League players, but they should have a blank chequebook for signing Union players.

Jonah has a huge name in sport. I think he has a higher profile than the entire rest of the sport he plays in put together. Signing him would give League the same sort of publicity that signing Sailor gave Union, only magnified ten times.

Ideally I'd like to see his signing announced a few weeks before the RU World Cup. That would give League the maximum amount of 'ambush advertiseing'. Every RU article would be about whether the Union WC needs Lomu, or whether Lomu is likely to make it in League, or any of a hundred other likely topics which will take the focus off Union and put it on League.

The Union boys have got value for money out of the League boys they signed, and would have if they hadn't played a single decent game between them. If Lomu costs a million dollars to sign, he will still deliver 10 million in publicity, even if he never plays a game.

 

[imported_Docker]

Why would anyone want him? He can't tackle, can't handle the ball properly, loses it in the tackle - sometimes while just running with it in his hands - has a reaction speed slightly slower than a sloth, turns slightly faster than the Queen Mary, anIQ in the low to mid 40s, has no idea where to stand on defence - I imagine even the kick and clap coaches have told him, has bruises on his hips where he puts his hands, has the stupidest haircut known to mankind and sometimes puts his boots on the wrong feet.

He reserves his better games to those against the poms. He should go and play for Leicester or Bath or whatever.

 

[CanadianSteve]

Docker, you probably know a lot more about union than I do, and I've only seen Jonah play a few times since I started watching S12 and 3N games in 2001. But I thought when healthy he is a very exciting runner, and an amazing athlete for one so big. He seems the kind of player who brings the crowd to its feet whenever he gets the ball.

 

[imported_Docker]

He seems the kind of player who brings the crowd to its feet whenever he gets the ball.

I imagine that the Hurricains' fans would like him to not throw it away on the rare occasion that he catches it.

 

[kiwi@nz]

You forgot to mention a couple of things about Jonah ......Docker...For one thing the guy has the attribute of being able to draw in on most occasions 2 or 3 players to the tackle,that in theory leaves gaps for the other quality players around him.
In my opinion he's added more positives to the game of rugby, than negatives.
And as far as recent form goes there are heaps of other players that aren't playing up to there true ability.,eg Wendall Sailor, and several other Aussie test players.
Now what can we conclude from all that.......think about it ........beside the fact that
he traditionally takes awhile to reach full fitness each season ,beside the fact this is a hell of a long season cumilating in the world cup.....oh yeh just about forgot he's got a reacurring kidney problem..
Now thats Jonahs excuse,what about those othe Aussie players.
But before we start world war three,I'm not bagging the Aussies because I know they are going to peak when it counts.......class players thats why, to good , abit like Jonah.

 

[imported_Oracle]

He's 8 years past his best. (Steve, if you can get a tape of New Zealand in the 95 world cup, you'll see why his name brings fear to opposition defences)

He would make a lot of publicity, and in that sense I think the positives would outweigh the negatives but from a playing point of view, while he would undoubtedly, if he gained confidence, be a force in league in attack, he would be the worst thing in the world to have under a high ball.

If a club signed him and he didn't play he'd be worthless. The publicity would be huge after the initial signing but most of the talk would be about how well he plays, his progress.

People would go to watch him play.

If he wasn't playing in the side, the profits he would bring to the club that signed him would be greatly decreased. People wouldn't go, he'd have less influence on the media etc.

I think he'll play Rugby Union in Japan or Europe. That's where the money is, not in the NRL.

If he went to Japan, I reckon he'd get 3 million. Wherever he goes, you can bet it will be for a record amount of money.

 

[imported_Docker]

kiwi, I don't care much that he attracts 3 or 3 extra players because he almost always coughs up possession anyway.

He is one dimentional and has to have the ball placed into his hands, even then he has been known to lose the ball without coming into contact with anyone else.