Newcastle Falcons Season 2014/2015 - Closed, use new one.

First topic message reminder :

UPDATED FOR 2015 / 2016

Manager: Dean Richards
Head Coach: John Wells
Forwards Coach: John Wells
Defence Coach: Graham Steadman
Attack Coach: Dave Walder

Current Squad (A= Academy):
Forwards
Props: Taione Vea, Jon Welsh, Scott Wilson, Ben Harris, Rob Vickers , Eric Fry,

Hookers: Scott Lawson, George McGuigan, Rob Hawkins,
David Nelson (A)

Second Rows: Dom Barrow, Callum Green, Kane Thompson, Josh Furno,
Glen Youngs (A), Will Witty (A), Sean Robinson (A), Harry Snowdon (A),

Back Row: Ally Hogg, Will Welch, Richard Mayhew, Nili Latu, Mark Wilson, Uili Kolo'ofai, Dan Temm,
Brian Tuilagi (A), Joe Craggs (A), Calum Chick (A)

Backs
SH's: Sonatane Tukulua, Ruki Tipuna, Micky Young,
Dan Taylor (A),  Ruaridh Dawson (A)

Fh's: Tom Catterick, Mike Delaney,
Craig Willis (A), Brett Connon (A)

Centres: Juan Pablo Socino, Adam Powell, Gonzalo Tiesi, Andy Tuilagi, Chris Harris ,
Adam Redman centre (A), Tom Penny (A)

Wing: Sinoti Sinoti, Alex Tuilagi, Giovanbattista Venditti, Marcus Watson, Zac Kibirige,
Dan Marshall (A)

FB's: Alex Tait, Simon Hammersley

Contracts yet to be agreed:
Oliver Tomaschyk
Scott MacLeod
Warren Fury
Jamie Helleur
Noah Cato
Rory Clegg - Going to Australia

See that we're lining up our own big game at St James' Park, As a NUFC season ticket I can say i'm not too pleased in a premiership rugby game ripping up the hollowed turf.

Hadnt seen this Driver.....

I See Will Welch has re-signed for another 2 years. Great to see.

I really believe Brookes is a one off now...he didn't really want to be here as he showed the first time he left.

Hopefully the rest will show the same loyalty as Will Welch.

And also I see Gateshead Thunder have been renamed Newcastle Thunder in prep for their relocation to KP.

You'v got to wonder where else would Will Welch go though if he didn't have Falcons?

Driver wrote:You'v got to wonder where else would Will Welch go though if he didn't have Falcons?

Tigers have targeted him at the end of the last two seasons as far as I know and were unsuccessful.

Not sure if we'd target him again but with rumours flying around about all of Salvi, Croft, Gibson and Matera I'm not really sure of much with our backrow right now!

Driver,

Leicester have been a massive admirer of Welch for a long time now...its no secret.

No spot for Ally Hogg in the Scotland squad. Looks like his time in the international wilderness continues

No complaints from a Falcons fan Tattie.

king_carlos wrote:

Driver wrote:You'v got to wonder where else would Will Welch go though if he didn't have Falcons?

Tigers have targeted him at the end of the last two seasons as far as I know and were unsuccessful.

Not sure if we'd target him again but with rumours flying around about all of Salvi, Croft, Gibson and Matera I'm not really sure of much with our backrow right now!

He'd be 5th choice out of all them for me , Salvi is always going to play 7 and Gibson is much better operator at 6 than he could be. To be entirely honest i think Andy Saull is our best 7.

Seems to be a merry go round of flankers this summer...

Dowson not yet signed a new contract so saints looking at Gibson of Tigers,
Will Salvi stay Tigers? Will Croft etc

Glad we have Wilson and Welch signed up to be honest.

Catterick is the latest to put pen to paper...two year deal to 2017.

That's good news, especially with his recent form. I'd have chased him as a back 3 player but he's a good 10 with huge promise.

Yeah goods news.

We're nailing down a lot of the young talent and hopefully that will influence the lads further down in the academy.

Kane THompson is out of contract in the summer ....would you re-sign him...or focus on Witty , Robinson etc.

Also have you heard anything about Kolo'ufai? What a waste of a signing he's been.

I'd certainly keep Thompson, he's been a good option at 4 and possibly 8. Can't believe we havent seen Kolo, I had really high hopes of him after pre-season.

I think we need a big Tongan 6/8 to compliment the work horses in the backrow. Wish list:

2 x LH (1 top draw and 1 decent option maybe from the champ?)
1 x TH (Orlandi and a top draw option depending on how he goes)
1 x 6/8 (Big bugger)
1 x FH/12 (Good Int option)
1 x Winger (decent option, doesn't need to be Int quality)

That's not a huge list really that could potentially take us to the next level of mid-table.

If we had a good scrum we'd have at least 5/6+ point better off, it needs addressing.

To be fair Kolo is in his 30s and i don't think Deano expected Callum Green to be as much of a rock as he has been.

I'd argue Green is our first name on our teamsheet.

Well I think you've got you decent option for LH in Fry.
Im with you in that the guy cant scrum...but Dean obviously sees something and he's a work in progress.

Agree with a monster 6/8. That London Welsh 8 Opeti Fonua is off to Leicester. Done deal by all accounts.

Its not a massive list...and I know I go on about the academy lads...but we really have some quality coming through. Dean WILL use them.

I'd like to see a few backs in our academy coming through with real size.

Driver ive said that about Green many times so far this season and indeed on this Falcons thread - Green is defo first name down.

But then pre season the Leeds fans all said we had a cracker there...not flashy...just an old fashioned hardnosed grafting forward.

Ps Apparently they are announcing the first of the NEW signings imminently.

It's a 10

Who?

Well that's interesting....English, British or foreign?

Tait signs a new 2 year contract

Final score 52 - 10 Against Bucharest.

By all accounts we played some lovely rugby.

Looks like your playing us again in the quaters

dragon4life wrote:Looks like your playing us again in the quaters

I think Exeter's 45-3 win means we're playing Blues at RP?

The Saint wrote:

dragon4life wrote:Looks like your playing us again in the quaters

I think Exeter's 45-3 win means we're playing Blues at RP?

Just seen the results. Would of rathered Newcastle tbh

dragon4life wrote:

The Saint wrote:

dragon4life wrote:Looks like your playing us again in the quaters

I think Exeter's 45-3 win means we're playing Blues at RP?

Just seen the results. Would of rathered Newcastle tbh

Agreed.

We may be the easier option but i don't think it would be another first half performance like we put on the other week.....well I would hope anyway.

I don't think anybody considers Falcons the easier option in that sense, just I think derbies are nervy encounters anyway without the added pressure of a quarter final on top.

We've got the same results v both of you anyway (win away, lose at home), so it was much of a muchness.

Risca Rev wrote:I don't think anybody considers Falcons the easier option in that sense, just I think derbies are nervy encounters anyway without the added pressure of a quarter final on top.

We've got the same results v both of you anyway (win away, lose at home), so it was much of a muchness.

+1. Definitely not easier, and you won at our place last time we played there so history is with you. But as Rev says its the Derby factor and playing the boys from the big smoke. Our inferiority complex then comes to the fore!!!

All the best for your quarter final. Hopefully we'll meet again later on in the comp.

GeordieFalcon wrote:Well that's interesting....English, British or foreign?

Australian , Plays Super Rugby and international at the moment.

Bernard Foley?

Foley then lol, he'd be an amazing signing

Hes about 25 not sure he would give up his international carrier yet and he would probably get more money if he went to france

I'm sceptical, he's first choice Aus 10 and was best FH in S15 last year....why come to Falcons?!?!

Would he get more money though? We've got a big wedge still to fill in the salery cap.

Would we spend the kind of money he'd want on one player? I'm not so sure, is this a reliable source? Lol

I'd be surprised if it's Foley. Cooper just got injured again, the Aus 10 jersey is his without a doubt. Hope this means that Dragons can sign B Barnes .

Foley is never in a million years coming here.

Surely its Barnes.

Former Aussie 10/12, only 28 or something isn't he?

Aly Hogg has signed a new 2 year deal. Good stuff.

The rumours of Micky Youngs coming back look pretty accurate aswell.

Great news keeping Hogg, I'd maybe look at releasing York and bringing in a more robust carrier.

Yeah York can go. Seems the obvious one. Bit part player.

Still wondering whats happening with Kolo'ufai.

Is he still at the club?

Who knows...he's contracted to 2016. But heard nothing about him for donkeys.

Wow....Kolo'ufai is back!!

Be very interesting to see how he goes

Great to see, he could be our big carrying option. New signing announced next week?

Just think teams need more than one big carrier Sgt.

Thats one of England's problems aswell

Any clues to the new signing? Berrick Barnes?

It's Foley man!