Predicted squad 2019 2020

Christmas' coming, time to make your wishlist
Here's mine!


Shane Delahunt Hooker
Tom McCartney Hooker
Dave Heffernan Hooker IQ
Niall Annett Hooker IQ 28, From Worcester, parfect to prepare the after McCartney era
Finlay Bealham Prop Ireland
Conor Carey Prop IQ
Denis Buckley Prop IQ
New LH Prop NIQ, a marquee signing!
Peter McCabe Prop IQ
Conan O’Donnell Prop (mainly TH) IQ
Quinn Roux Lock Ireland
Ultan Dillane Lock Ireland
Dave Foley Lock Ireland, 31 y.o, contract ending with Pau, not much gametime
Gavin Thornbury Lock IQ
Peter Claffey Lock IQ
Joe Maksymiw Lock IQ
Cillian Gallagher Lock /Backrow cover IQ
Eoghan Masterson Back Row IQ
James Connolly Back Row IQ (good anytime he has minutes, deserves more)
Sean O'Brien Back Row IQ
Jarrad Butler Back Row IQ Oct 2020
Paul Boyle Back Row IQ
Robin Copeland Back Row Ireland
Colby Fainga’a Back Row IQ Aug 2023
Kieran Marmion Scrum-half Ireland
Caolin Blade Scrum-half IQ
James Mitchell Scrum-half IQ
Nial Saunders Scrum-half IQ not much gametime from Harlequins, coming as medical joker early 2019
Jack Carty Out-half IQ
David Horwitz Out-half IQ Sep 2023 From Rebels
Conor Fitzgerald Out-half IQ (give him straight a senior contract!)
Tom Daly Centre IQ not much gametime from Leinster, coming as medical joker early 2019
Kyle Godwin Centre Australia From Brumbies
Bundee Aki Centre Ireland
Conor Joyce Centre IQ (promoted from Academy asap)
Tom Farrell Centre IQ
Matt Healy Wing Ireland
Niyi Adeolokun Wing Ireland
New NIQ Wing (As Reece should have been, but bigger size and defender)
Cian Kelleher Wing IQ
Darragh Leader Fullback IQ
Tiernan O'Halloran Fullback Ireland
Peter Lydon Fullback, covering 10 IQ 27 y.o from Ealing

43-man squad + Academy guys like DeBuitlear and Huxford able to step-up if needed

Where's Paul Boyle on this list? He is definitely number 1 on my wishlist!

1. Buckley, new signing, McCabe, Conan
2. heffernan, delahunt, McCartney, murphy
3.bealham, Carey, McCoy

With Conan covering both sides of the scrum. Burke and teirmey in the academy seeing game time too.

4. Dillane, maksymiw, claffey
5. Roux, thornbury, cannon

Murray in the academy as an option. Would like claffey to see game time this season if possible

6. Sob, masterson, Gallagher
7. Butler, faingaa, Connolly
8. Boyle, Copeland, masterson

If any backroads were to leave need a direct replacement.

9. Marmion, blade, and two from Mitchell, mckeon or kerins.
10. Carty, Horwitz, Fitzgerald. Luke carty and Conor deane in the academy, but could see one of them being let go.

11. Healy. Niq or new signing, de buitlear
12. Bundee, two from Daly, griffin or Robb
13. Godwin, Farrell, Joyce
14. Kelleher, niyi
15. Toh, leader. IQ option from abroad or fringe from other provinces eg keenan or Stephan Fitzgerald

superconnacht7 wrote: Where's Paul Boyle on this list? He is definitely number 1 on my wishlist!

Not good enough.

No, just kidding, and of course I edited my omission

We're close Wegians, you're a bit more conservative.
Every year there're at least 6 or 7 released, and 5 or so signings (+ 2 Academy promotions)...

Not so much a prediction of what will happen, more a rough idea of what I'd like to see, which may not be entirely realistic I'm going to assume all out of contract players will be willing to renew.

Loosehead: Buckley, Ed Byrne, McCabe, O'Donnell. I don't think we'll get Byrne and if no other decent IQ options are available, would give Matthew Burke a dev deal.
Hooker: Heffernan, McCartney, Delahunt, Murphy. With a view to introducing Dylan Tierney over the next season or two.
Tighthead: Bealham, NIQ, Carey, McCoy. Oliver Jager in place of the NIQ if available, but that's a pipe dream.
Lock: Roux, Thornbury, Dillane, Cannon, Maksymiw, Gallagher, Claffey. Niall Murray will hopefully squeeze out one of the guys above him over the next couple of seasons.
Backrow: Butler, O'Brien, Copeland, Fainga'a, Boyle, Masterson, Connolly?, Connors? First 6 are tall contracted beyond this summer, no real preference on the last 2 to round out the roster. Connolly may win himself a new deal if he keeps up current form. I like McKeon but we don't get him on the pitch often enough. In theory Masterson Jnr would be pushing for a senior deal but no sign of that just yet. Would like to see us go after Max Deegan in a year to replace Copeland.
Scrumhalf: Marmion, Blade, Mitchell, McKeon. With a view to introducing Colm Reilly over the next season or two.
Outhalf: Carty, Horowitz. Maybe one of Fitzgerald or Carty will get a senior deal.
Centre: Aki, Godwin, Farrell, Conor O'Brien/Tom Daly, Jimmy O'Brien/Kieran Joyce. Daly is more realistic than O'Brien who I think Leinster will want to keep. Will have to prove fitness and form to get a senior deal.
Wing: Healy, Adeolokun, Kelleher, Keenan/ Jack Kelly/Adam Byrne. Ronan O'Mahony could be an option either, and maybe Colm Hogan could be tempted back into pro rugby as he will be finished in Trinity. Failing that there's four wingers in the academy.
Fullback: O'Halloran, Leader.

Tom Daly was house mates and very friendly with, Peter Dooley, Adam Byrne and josh van der flier. While it’s highly unlikely maybe he could persuade maybe both Byrne and Dooley to be his house mates in Galway.

To add to that some whispers saying deegan should leave Leinster to get game time. If that’s going to happen, Connacht should be all over him. I like Boyle but I think deegan would have a much higher potential.

Boyle is a huge talent, nothing to look up for Deegan
Same was said 3 years ago when everyone dismissed me on board.ie, sure that Brian Byrne was better than young Delahunt. Is it still so clear?