Well, according to Keo anyway, the quid pro quo of the Monty Dumond loan deal is that Free State opensider Johan Wessels would join the Sharks for the Super 14. Wessels is a young player who looked good in this year’s Currie Cup and is unlikely to see much game time with Heinrich Brüssow ahead of him in the Cheetahs pecking order.
I must say, I find this sort of thing pretty short-sighted of the Sharks. We’ve just seen Warren Whiteley, a guy that was developed and brought up through the Academy system released to join the Lions, only to bring in an outsider on a loan deal that will do nothing for us post Super 14. Who knows how many other locally-developed loose forwards will leave now that we’re bringing in the likes of Wessels and (dare I say) Willem Alberts too? Does the Wessels deal mean that the much-rumoured Brüssow move is nothing more than hot air? That’s what my sources have been telling me all along…
The Sharks have muddled through all year without having a clear strategy when it comes to loose forward selections. Why would Wessels be coming in, unless either (or both) of Jacques Botes or Keegan Daniel is to be set loose? And what about Skollie Ndlovu? He’s another that we’ve developed and one who looks closest to a true fetcher, yet he will now also be sidelined?
I’m confused as hell about what the Sharks are trying to do here, guys. Anyone else have more of a clue than I do?

sorry rob, don’t have a clue either, i think the sharks do need a specialist fetcher tho, i reckon botes may be on his way out
@war1 (Comment 1) :
He’s not been on top, yeah
@war1 (Comment 1) : Rob I too don’t know what the Sharks are up to, but I have to agree with War1, we need a specialist fetcher! But what this sais to the up and coming youngsters I don’t know. And then we still look really thin in our backs particularly centres, yet we are getting so many forwards that many will be bench warmers! Furthermore do you think Lambie will get a look in to the Senior team are will we see him go to the Lions as well?
@GI Ice (Bulletproof) (Comment 2) : he’s not a fetcher and he is getting a bit long in the tooth by rugby standards, would not like to see him go, has been a stalwart at the sharks
hold on now rob… i think we do need a fetcher, and i`ve seen this guy in action, he`s good. the only thing i have a problem with is that its a loan deal. if it was permanent, you could still argue that we are investing in a player for the future, but now he`s only here for a couple of months… didnt heinke and rolland bernard do the same thing a few seasons back?? i agree on the fact that we should give our own a chance, but this guy could be the next brussouw… ๐ฏ
@war1 (Comment 1) : and Daniel… well, who knows what to do with him
@VanWilder (Comment 5) : But then he could get to really like Durban and playing with the Sharks and will not want to go back to Bloem!
@VanWilder (Comment 5) : but then we must sign him, not borrow him!
@Sharksmad โ The Blogโs Dudette (Comment 3) : whoa – hold on to your horses. Lambie just turned 19 in October. If he expects regular Super 14 gametime in 2010, he’s getting way ahead of himself.
Yes, I think we will use him to an extent, but to throw him straight into the starting lineup now would be reckless in the extreme.
@robdylan (Comment 6) : his versatility is his downfall, also his lack of bulk methinks
@war1 (Comment 9) : and his temperament doesn’t help either
@robdylan (Comment 8) : OOPs sorry did not mean in S14 but CC, I meant now that Ludick is coming to the Sharks. Yep poor guy to be thrown in S14 straight out wouldn’t be that fair to him!
Although that is what they did to Ross Cronje ๐
@robdylan (Comment 8) : my point exactly…
@Sharksmad โ The Blogโs Dudette (Comment 11) : and Zuks. Didn’t work in either case
@Sharksmad โ The Blogโs Dudette (Comment 11) : not really he come as a replacement in few games and for a very short time and had a stressless trip down under
@robdylan (Comment 13) : zuks did well – why do you say that it did not work?
Relationships between Sharks and Cheetahs seem to be hunky dory. Who knows maybe Wessels was thrown into the deal if the Sharks backed off with their aggressive pursuit of Brussow for another season. ๐
@Salmonoid (Comment 16) : or perhaps they embraced the fact that the cheetahs are sharks breeding ground and are exchanging the players more freely
you may call it secondment
@Salmonoid (Comment 16) : that may be a possibility
@rekinek (Comment 17) : secondment seems so much better than entitlement, which is what some of us perceive Cheetah assetts to be. ๐
@rekinek (Comment 15) : did he? I didn’t really think so
@robdylan (Comment 20) : yes he did. I really think so.
@Salmonoid (Comment 19) : i think in jest yes but seriously not.
@rekinek (Comment 21) : Definatly in jest.
Ciao all.
@Salmonoid (Comment 22) : ciao.
gonna run as well.byeeee
I think Zuks showed he definitely has potential. If we lose Murray I’d have him on the bench.
I think a problem the sharks faced is they wanted to have their cake and eat it. So many great players, who eva lands on the bench will feel hard done by when they could get a starting postion elswhere.
but instead of the management setteling down on some players and allowing the combinations to set, they try to please everyone (if everyone gets their turn to play, they wont leave). okay sure, injury playes its part.
What im getting at is… we cant have all the star players, we are going to loose some, so lets choose the guys we want and stop swapping players or changing the position they play in just for the sake of keeping them.
Perhaps the answer (certainly from the unions point of view) is to change the system of buying players to how it is in soccer.
As it stands, the sharks develop alot of talent through the academy. The union basically invests in young talent, builds it up. but we can only put 15 guys on the field, so the many who dont get picked are snapped up by other unions. Sure, i have simplified this situation to the bone but effectivly the union is not recieving much in the way of a return of economic benifits for their investment in the player. At the same token, other unions who did not invest in youth acedamies are benefitting from this situation.
To me this is like vodacom spending time, money and resources to develop a paitent, and then mtn come along and use the paitent free of charge.
If however this was like soccer (or any other business) the player, after comming through the acadamy will belong to the union (almost like an asset on their books). He will have a market value as a player. If the lions so decide they want this player, the will have to remunerate the union for the players market value (basically pay the union what the now skilled and trained player is worth) In doing this the sharks union would have recieved a flow of economical benefits resulting from the time, training and resources they invested in him.
Perhaps it is already like this, but i certainly didnt get that impression following the whole fourie case.
Speaking of underperforming players… When does Skipper’s contract run out?? ๐
@wpw (Comment 26) : skippers going to the cheetahs for two years, app its a done deal!!!
Howzit guys…
Rob, seeing that you’re always complaining about the size imbalance in our loose-trio – how big/small is this kid?
Yeah – I feel for Skollie – he looked like our own “Brussow” – small but strong…
Morning All
Just a little Gem that I got in the Beeld Letters….(it is somwhat Rugby related)..:wink:
Het ons Joost en Amor gevra om so in die openbaar te bieg? Het iemand hulle met โn geweer in die rug by die radio-ateljees ingedwing?
Kon hulle nie sรช: โJammer, ek wil nie daaroor praat nie?โ Nee, hulle wรญl dit doen. Wel, eintlik moet hulle dit doen, want dit is hul werk.
Hulle is โn bedryf en verdien inkomste deur ons te vermaak. Daarvoor het hulle die media nodig en moet hulle ons vermaak โ in goeie en mooi tye, maar ook in slegte en meer smerige tye โ net soos in enige goeie fliek.
Om celebs te wees is waaroor dit vir hulle gaan, want hulle ken niks anders nie.
Ek kon ook nie help om te glimlag toe ek lees Joost het sy biegsessie oor die video een aand in die kombuis aan Amor gedoen terwyl sy besig was om kos te maak nie.
Hel, my ou, โn mens vertel mos nou nie sulke goed vir jou vrou waar die wรชreld om haar besaai lรช met swaar, warm en skerp goed nie!
Dit bewys maar net weer wat ek al van skooltyd af sรช: โn Mens kan rugby speel of slim wees. Nie al twee nie.
Rob there is lots of movement out of the Sharks, who have we signed? I am starting to see depth issues again ๐
@willa (Comment 27) : really? Now why on earth would they want him?
@blackshark (Comment 28) : 1.8 ish and 100. About the same size as Botes. Fine to have one that size in the trio. Not fine to have two
@Sharksmad โ The Blogโs Dudette (Comment 31) : just clearing the decks a little. I see it as a positive. Heads are rolling after a disastrous 2009
@robdylan (Comment 32) : Hehe quietly Rob, we get their big names and we send them our average players, as long as the Cheetahs do not catch on ๐
@robdylan (Comment 34) : Yeah, but I get a little nervous ’cause there is no talk of boosting our backline, where we need it the most. I couldn’t handle watching a S14 with Strauss at 12!!!!
@robdylan (Comment 32) :
We saw what happened in the semi’s…they had no reserve hooker, so I presume Skip came at a bargain price??
@robdylan (Comment 34) : it was a year of unfinished business, would not class it as disastrous
@GI Ice (Bulletproof) (Comment 37) : ๐
@GI Ice (Bulletproof) (Comment 30) :
hahahaha ๐
@GI Ice (Bulletproof) (Comment 37) : apparently Richards Strauss is moving abroad, i say good riddance to oom Skip, and welcome to Burden
@JarsonX (Insomniac) (Comment 41) :
Amen Brother!!
@JarsonX (Insomniac) (Comment 41) : Agreed!
@GI Ice (Bulletproof) (Comment 30) :
or… โn Mens kan probeer sing of slim wees. Nie al twee nie.
I predict that Skipper is going to be kicking some Sharks butt next year.
Having said that I think Burden had a really good CC.
@Salmonoid (Comment 44) :
Dis seker maar moeilik in daai husihouding..hoop hulle het privaat onderrig vir die kids! ๐
@Salmonoid (Comment 44) : in amor`s case its neither….. ๐
@GI Ice (Bulletproof) (Comment 46) :
๐
@GI Ice (Bulletproof) (Comment 46) :
:lol:, en extractor fans, veral die laaste tyd.
@kevmaestro (Comment 25) : i think i must agree – it definately looked like this in case of forwards. ๐
@robdylan (Comment 34) : chop chop chop
@Salmonoid (Comment 49) :
how do you pick a winner between portugal and namibia ๐
@Sharksmad โ The Blogโs Dudette (Comment 36) : a little worrying that we’ve now got rid of two backup flyhalves, with Ruan deadset on continuing at scrummie. That leaves Guy as our only backup at 10 if something happens to Juan… Oh, and Guy’s under 21 understudy Dauw Steyn has also left
@robdylan (Comment 54) :
Maybe Morne Steyn is on his way to the Tamk.
@Salmonoid (Comment 55) :
And Frans Verstaan Steyn on his way back, want “Vestaan, ek verstaan nie Frans nie, verstaan?”
@Salmonoid (Comment 55) : is he riding on the back of a flying pig?
@GI Ice (Bulletproof) (Comment 56) : @robdylan (Comment 57) :
Wait and see.
@Salmonoid (Comment 58) :
โ โ
@Salmonoid (Comment 58) : you’re awful smug… ๐ What’s going on?
@Salmonoid (Comment 58) :
@GI Ice (Bulletproof) (Comment 59) :
@robdylan (Comment 60) :
a new conspiracy theory – how exciting
@rekinek (Comment 61) : they’re certainly clearing the decks when it comes to second-string flyhalves… making space for a certain 19-year-old?
@robdylan (Comment 62) : you mean lambie ?
@rekinek (Comment 63) : no, I mean the youngest of the flipping Jonas brothers
Of course I mean Lambie ๐
@robdylan (Comment 64) : you just don’t speak straight
you know some people have imagination.
what about guy cronje ? and did lambie ever played flyhalf ?
@rekinek (Comment 65) : Guy is a good flyhalf, of that there’s no doubt. But he’s TINY by Super 14 standards. I’d be worried about him getting hurt. But talented as hell, so maybe it’s worth throwing him in. Lambie seems to be comfortable just about anywhere in the backline.
@GI Ice (Bulletproof) (Comment 59) : @robdylan (Comment 60) : @rekinek (Comment 61) :
I know nothing, honestly.
@robdylan (Comment 66) : sounds like little ruan
@Salmonoid (Comment 67) : just don’t admit it in public – spoils all the fun