Forget Latrell ... what about signing these sporting sorts?
WITH the silly season approaching, code-hopping is reaching another all-time high.
Sonny Bill Williams. Suliasi Vunivalu. Valentine Holmes. Latrell Mitchell? Maybe.
But for any Rugby Australia scouts scouring the country for the next hot code-hopper, they could do worse than check out these Gold Coast talents.
We take a not-so-serious look at who rugby could convert to the 15-man game.
1. Matt Denny – Griffith Uni’s Rio de Janeiro Olympian is a discus, shot put and hammer throw ace. Denny also played rugby at his Toowoomba boarding school growing up.
2. Dan Green – The nuggety Surfers Paradise QAFL captain was never far from the action in his final season. Was his retirement was simply a ruse to free up time for his new rugby career?
3. Derek Boyer – The Gold Coast strongman set a world record by pulling a 51 tonne truck more than 30 metres. The All Blacks scrum weighs less than one. It’s simple maths.
4. Jarrod Witts – The Suns captain is too good to waste with the AFL’s wooden spooners. Come to the dark side, Jarrod. At least the Wallabies are making the (World Cup) finals.
5. Brent Wallace – The former Gold Coast Rollers big man is a whopping 213cm – three centimetres shorter than Shaquille O’Neal. And he’s a towering 11 centimetres taller than Wallabies great John Eales. Welcome aboard. 6. Jordan Taylor – The Wallabies never did find their replacement for Scott Fardy. This 190cm Southport Sharks defender has equally little regard for his personal safety.
7. Alex Graham – A future
Olympic freestyler who puts his head down and powers ahead. You wouldn’t catch Graham seagulling on a wing. 8. Matt Ioane – The Gold Coast Stingrays’ 193cm, 140kg 16-year-old is a prospect NFL scouts would drool over. Tough luck, Bill Belichick – Ioane is coming with us.
9. Rhys Martin – A 185cm former Aussie Boomers point guard? Hear me out. The ideal attributes for a halfback are a rock solid pass and exceptional court vision. No one said you have to pick a midget.
10. Goor Chapari – An electric running playmaker with a penchant for booming long balls. That’s a description equally true for Quade Cooper and the Stingrays’ national champion under-19 quarterback.
11. Ben Carberry – Bondi Rescue meets Burleigh Bears rugby league. Get yourself a man who can do both, Raelene.
12. Ethan Roberts – A slice of Ma’a Nonu at the Tugun Seahawks. A violent runner with a silky skills repertoire.
13. Api Noema-Matenga – Just plain violent. The Burleigh league star will punish opposition midfielders in attack and defence.
14. Tanyn Lyndon – A surf lifesaving ironman with an engine that never quits.
15. Jasper Schoenmaker – Schoenmaker leads the Kookaburra Cup in catches with nine in seven Burleigh Bull Sharks cricket games. You’d dream of having a fullback with hands that safe.