Squad 24/25

[The Feral Goat]

Rugbypass re Watson

"Scotland and Lions openside Hamish Watson looks set to end his 14-year association with Edinburgh this summer and has been attracting significant interest from clubs in Japan’s Rugby League One.

Manchester-born club legend Watson, who has won 59 caps for Scotland and played 169 games for Edinburgh, voted the 2021 Six Nations player of the championship but is set to uproot his young family after being forced out of the door in the Scottish capital.

The whispers are that after being a regular at the start of the season, Edinburgh stood him down from selection before Christmas to prevent him from hitting an appearance clause in his contract, which would have automatically activated a clause for another year."

Not surprising to see him go, lot of experience away but we have good young players who will get an opportunity.
Does not sound like the best treatment of someone who has been 14 years at the club, you would like to think they could have had a grown up conversation about next season.

[Pitfitter1105]

Would Hamish at Edinburgh for another year be a bad thing?

[Friday Knight Lights]

Really poor form benching him purely to avoid a contract clause. One for other players to consider in regards to "the SRU look after you".

[joe soap]

Really poor form benching him purely to avoid a contract clause. One for other players to consider in regards to "the SRU look after you".

the extra year option works both ways. Its an option for player and an option for club. Standard in all contracts. Based on number of appearances seems an unusual criteria, but Watson would sign to it confident he would reach it. Reality is based on last and most of this season's form he shouldn't have been near it. One very good game last week doesn't change that

[joe soap]

Would Hamish at Edinburgh for another year be a bad thing?

wrong question.
I would ask how good he has been over the last couple of seasons. Then as everyone does, acknowledge that Edinburgh has a surplus of excellent back row players, and consistently failed to get enough games time for the younger guys.
So something had to give. FWIW I wouldn't have brought Bradbury back either

[dolf_lundgren]

Matt Scott seems to have the same issue. Its really daft, he was arguavly our best back in the first section of the season then has been sent to siberia. If he is good enough to be in the starting XV, then why dont we want him for another year?

Watson is the same, in terms of form, it cant help if he has been told already that he isnt wanted and the coach is willing to drop him just to he doesnt have to have him next season. If it wasnt for the injuries to Douglas, Boyle, Muncaster and Dod we may not have seen him again.

It all seems a bit of an unnecessary mess, and we arent good enough to be leaving players out for any reason other than performance. Can also impact on relations between coach and squad. It already looks like there is very little communication between them

[joe soap]

fans are as bad as the management. don't know what they want, no vision and short term blinkerism limits

"bring through more young players"
"no no no, just keep signing and playing old players clearly past their peak"

[doedin]

I just think the fans are fed up being kept in the dark and watching a team play jamesmatthew rugby and perform well below their potential. The likes of Watson and Scott are there to add some experience and nous when required, particularly during the 6Ns period. Yes they are past their prime but still add to the team when required. What fans cant understand is watching the team play dreadful rugby yet neither of these guys are near the match day squad. Sure bring them in when there is no other option but I dont get the feel that either of them have been treated fairly nor been used to the benefit of the team and results. Like others on here I cant help but feel the there is a bit of disunity in the squad which is quite often transferred onto the pitch.

[The Feral Goat]

fans are as bad as the management. don't know what they want, no vision and short term blinkerism limits

"bring through more young players"
"no no no, just keep signing and playing old players clearly past their peak"

I don't have an issue with experienced players being brought in. Chris Dean's departure was odd to get Scott Back on a one year deal with the experience of being a prem winner looked a decent bit of business. We don't know the cost or conversation maybe it was just as an experienced backup maybe not.

What boils my TonySpreadbury is there has not been huge turnover in the squad generally over seasons. Largely the same players, pack in particular, that were aggressive and rarely took a backwards step under Cockerill are still there similarly the backs that ripped it up under Blair are still there yet Everitt and co appear to have carried neither forward and added LawrenceBryce all.

For me that is where it comes to give the young lads a run build experience, mainly so that hopefully a new coach next season has some more blooded youngsters to select from.

[dolf_lundgren]

I dont really care how old players are, if WP Nel was still our best TH, then pick him. If Douglas is our best 7 then pick him. I dont think we are in a position to anything other than pick on quality/form.

What I would say is that it is much easier to bring young players into a winning team than one that is struggling.

We have some good young players who don't seem to be getting much gametime at the moment, despite there not being huge depth. It is disapointing that the likes of Jack Brown and Nairn Moncrieff cant get into the 23 despite us having loads of injuries there. Not sure if that is scared coaches or they just arent showing up in training.