Newcastle Falcons - Premiership 2024 - 2025 - The Diamond Era

First topic message reminder :

Director of Rugby (Non Rugby Matters): Matt Thompson
Head Coach & DOR (Rugby Matters): Steve Diamond
Performance Coach: Mark Laycock
Forwards Coach: Micky Ward
Defence Coach: Alan Dickens & Steve Diamond
Attack Coach: Alan Dickens
Lineout Coach: Scott Macleod
Breakdown: Micky Ward & Scott Macleod
Skills Coach: Mark Laycock
S&C: Tim Payne

Current Squad:

Hookers
Jamie Blamire (Leaving for tigers in summer)
Bryan Byrne
Ollie Fletcher (A)
Jacob Oliver (A)

Props
TH
Eduardo Bello
Murray MaCallum
Richard Palframan
Callum Hancock (A)

LH
Adam Brocklebank
Luin De Bruin
Mike Rewcastle (A)
Isaac Keller (A)
Connor Hancock (A)

Locks
Sebastian De Chaves
Kiran McDonald
Tim Cardall
Luke Coulston (A)
Adam Scott (A)
Fin Baker (A)

Back 5
Pedro Rubiolo
Philip van der Walt
John Kelly
John Hawkins

Back Row
Callum Chick
Josh Bainbridge
Tom Gordon
Freddie Lockwood
Ollie Leatherbarrow
Marcus Tiffin
Cameron Neild
[b]Reuben Parsons (A)
[b]Charlie Turnbull (A)

Scrum Halves
Sam Stuart
Hugh O'Sullivan
James Elliott
Max Pepper
Ben Douglas (A)
Joe Davis (A)

Fly Halves
Brett Connon
Kieran Wilkinson
Junior Newton (A)

Centres
Cameron Hutchison
Jack Metcalf
Sam Arnold
Connor Doherty (Season Loan from Sale)
Oli Spencer (A)
Rhys Beeckmans (A)

Wingers
Ben Stevenson
Alex Hearle
Adam Radwan
Nathan Greenwood (A)

Full Back
Tom Penny - To be confirmed staying or leaving
Louis Brown
Elliott Obatoyinbo
Ben Redshaw (A)

MCL apparently..so hopefully not as bad a the ACL.
Dont know alot about the MCL, but i know alot about the ACL as i had one.

Falcons have signed 22 year old Ulster "back 5 forward" Matthew Dalton from Ulster....

6'6 and 115kg hes a big lad, another interesting signing...like the other Ulster signing 24 year old TH prop Conor Kenny

Sam Lockwood has retired after a long time out with injury...

Nathan Earle confirmed...lets see how he goes...

I'm hopeful, he's a different winger to Radwan, and they could form quite a dangerous wing combination.

He is...but Stevenson is in the prem team of the season...he isnt going to be dropped.

And we have Morgan Passman who is the same style...big powerhouse try scorer.

Ill hold my judgement until we see on the pitch...

Have they mentioned who is leaving Newcastle yet? They seem to have signed quite a few already so would imagine there's a few that will be leaving aside from the ones already confirmed.

Theres a few already been mentioned...but we're expecting a few more.

Rodney Ah You moved to France.

What a shame he is...a very impressive player when fit...alas he's never available as hes always injured....

GeordieFalcon wrote:He is...but Stevenson is in the prem team of the season...he isnt going to be dropped.

And we have Morgan Passman who is the same style...big powerhouse try scorer.

Ill hold my judgement until we see on the pitch...

Could be Dean has an idea to convert him to a centre?

Sam,
I think Dean is in a win win situation. Earle won't be expensive.
If he's fit and can find his fringe England form then all is good. If he's injured then rhe talented kids will get gametime.

He'll more than likely manage his gametime anyway knowing his injury history.

Toby Salmon off to Agen...

Nice to see young Matteo Carreras in the Argentina squad aswell....hes going to be a cracking little player.

Looks like Jon Welsh, Arscott and Mike Daniels have also left now.

Well you wanted the deadwood trimming.

I certainly did....and its happening. Im actually really happy with our squad Sam.

Just need to settle down now and try to play the style we saw briefly in some of the games towards the end of the season.

I'm interested to hear what the update on squad releases are:-

Looking at the Wiki page for the Newcastle Squad I can see Lockwood, Daniels, Barry, Grondona, Matavesi, Owen, Vuna & Arscott are not listed.

I can see from the posts above Arscott and Daniels have been removed. Couldn't find any mention on Welsh being released though and he is still showing on Wiki for their 2021 Squad.

I'm assuming therefore all the others have also therefore been released? Granted Wiki isn't always 100% accurate. Anyone able to confirm if the list i just posted have all gone?

Yeah they have all been released.

Daniels and Welsh just have so many injury problems...they never played.

Grondona suffered a major injury about a week after joining us and went straight back to Argentina...he'll not be back.

Joel Matavesi has retired from Professional rugby, as he didnt enjoy it apparently.

Vuna had a major injury just after joining us and never played again really, and Arscott was more a championship level player.  

Owen again...not good enough, and Lockwood has retired and moved to be head of Rugby etc at a school in Norwich.

Rodney Ah You has also left for a club in the French D2.

Toby Salmon has also moved to France.

Basically Dean has finally cleared out all the deadwood, or certainly a big chunk of it.

Matavesi is a Bath player now isn't he?

Sorry....

Josh is with Bath, younger brother Joel has quit the pro game.

Mateo Carreras and Orlando in the Argentinian squad so we'll probably not have them for the first 4 games of the season.

Ollie Lindsay Hague joins till Christmas....

Is that just a try-out by Falcons or is he doing this until next year's 7s season starts?

Not quite sure Doc.

We have a lot of talent coming through in those positions...but Dean loves experience, and maybe this is a trial to see how he goes. I wouldnt be surprised if he he performs well...he gets a long term contract.

GeordieFalcon wrote:Not quite sure Doc.

We have a lot of talent coming through in those positions...but Dean loves experience, and maybe this is a trial to see how he goes. I wouldnt be surprised if he he performs well...he gets a long term contract.

Is he coming in as a winger? I noticed Ben Harris signed a long term contract with Saracens, it'll be interesting to see how he does.

I think he's covering the back three and 13.

Ben harris as in our former prop?

Interesting signing for Saracens.

GeordieFalcon wrote:Ben harris as in our former prop?

Interesting signing for Saracens.

Ben Harris as in the GB 7's wing

ha ha....ah right...well again be interesting to see how he goes.

Friendlies announced so far

Glasgow - Friday 3rd - Away
Doncaster - Saturday 4th - Home
Edinburgh - Weekend of the 10th - Away - Friday or Sat to be confirmed.

So the squad will be split for Glasgow and Doncaster. Probably the seniors playing in Glasgow.

Newcastle Falcons team to face Glasgow Warriors (Friday, 7pm, Scotstoun Stadium):

15 Mike Brown,
14 Ollie Lindsay-Hague,
13 George Wacokecoke,
12 Pete Lucock,
11 Iwan Stephens,
10 Brett Connon,
9 Sam Stuart;

1 Adam Brocklebank,
2 George McGuigan,
3 Mark Tampin,
4 Marco Fuser,
5 Philip van der Walt,
6 Josh Basham,
7 Will Welch,
8 Callum Chick.

Replacements:
16 Robbie Smith,
17 Kyle Cooper,
18 Conor Kenny,
19 Matthew Dalton,
20 Carl Fearns,
21 James Blackett,
22 Will Haydon-Wood,
23 Ben Stevenson,
[blank shirts]:
Mark Dormer,
Oscar Caudle,
George Merrick,
Freddie Lockwood,
Marcus Tiffen,
Ewan Greenlaw,
Louie Johnson.

Newcastle Falcons team to face Doncaster Knights (Saturday, 3pm, Kingston Park Stadium)

15 Alex Tait,
14 Chidera Obonna,
13 Zach Kerr,
12 Luther Burrell,
11 Adam Radwan,
10 Will Haydon-Wood,
9 Cameron Nordli-Kelemeti;

1 Logovi’i Mulipola,
2 Jamie Blamire,
3 Richard Palframan,
4 George Merrick,
5 Will Montgomery,
6 Freddie Lockwood,
7 Connor Collett,
8 Tom Marshall.

Replacements (from):
Ollie Fletcher,
Robbie Smith,
Kyle Cooper,
Mark Dormer,
Oscar Caudle,
Matthew Dalton,
Marcus Tiffen,
Matt Deehan,
Louis Schreuder,
James Blackett,
Ewan Greenlaw,
Louie Johnson

Is no Hodgson and Flood a bit of a concern? I know Haydon-Wood is supposed to be a pretty handy youngster but if Hodgson and Flood are both injured that's only Connon as the senior option with the season a few weeks away.

No Flood is not a concern, hes done now...even with his experience id rather give the youngsters the game, and surround them with Burrell, Brown etc.

However, yes its curious where Hodsgon is...must be injured or not quite match fit.

Connon is the number one now, but as you say the very talented Haydon Wood and Louie Johnson are totally unexperienced.

Not ideal but Lucock has also played 10 quite a bit, though not at this level...and he himself is inexperienced at this level.

We shall have to wait and see.

There were a number of players missing though....you know how Dean likes to keep everyone guessing on the injury front.

Sgt_Pooly wrote:There were a number of players missing though....you know how Dean likes to keep everyone guessing on the injury front.

That seems to be the in thing at the minute though. Borthwick has told the local reporters not to bother asking for injury updates because he won't give them. When he does update on players he's often very vague. Seems all the coaches want to keep their cards close to their chest.

With the return of the A League and Championship it should be easier to get the young talent game time this season and build them up to the first team. Getting them some minutes at the end of games isn't a bad idea either but you might not want them thrown in from the start.

Yeah and it appeared Flood is very much a coach now and will be an emergency 10.

Didn't make the game yesterday...but by all accounts Haydon Wood was excellent along with scrum half kelemeti.

Blamire and Radwan both scoring.

And apparently our young falcons loosehead who's on loan at Doncaster.....Conrad Cade was the best player in the pitch. He's getting good reviews.

Sounds like you'll be spoilt for choice when it comes to young looseheads soon then. Brocklebank looked handy for the under 20s.

You mean Brantingham...the young England loosehead. Brocklebank is our other Loosehead...but about 25/26

Yes...we could be in very good shape in the front row...makes a change from a few years ago....

GeordieFalcon wrote:You mean Brantingham...the young England loosehead. Brocklebank is our other Loosehead...but about 25/26

Yes...we could be in very good shape in the front row...makes a change from a few years ago....

Yes that's the one, wrong B names loosehead. Keep hold of and develop and that's half the scrum sorted in a year or twos time. Only issue you might find is the international periods starting with this Autumn and Blamire disappearing for a month.

Yeah we'll see how they develop Sam...next few years is going to be fascinating at KP...got some real talent coming through, quite a number of them played over the two games this weekend and looked the part so we may see the odd run out this season.

Im hugely optimistic for the future for the first time in a long time Sam....

Flood Confirms his retirement from the game....and moves in to a full time coaching role with us.

Dean must be going with massive faith in the kids...

Hodgson , Connon - Seniors
Haydon-Wood
Louie Johnson - Academy

Flood is apparently splitting his time between Falcons and his master's degree at Cambridge. Fair play he's got to retire on his terms. Would explain his lack of pre season game time. That does leave Falcons potentially a touch light in that department unless one of the kids has maturity beyond his years.

Yeah hes going to Cambridge aswell.

Haydon Wood is ready to be honest. And Louie Johnson looks a belta...who'll probably be in the development squad for this season.

They are both definitely talented enough, and with no relegation, its the best time to bring them through to gain experience.

Well this is what ring fencing can bring....game time for young English players. We may suffer a bit in the short term but I won't be complaining if we unearth the next Wilko.

Johnson looks the one Sgt....hes a hell of a runner, he kicks, he does the lot. And at around 6'1 isnt a mighty midget...

I think Connon will be pushing it to keep out Haydon Wood and Johnson soon. But hopefully he can steer us nicely until they are ready.

Newcastle Falcons team to face Edinburgh (Saturday, 3pm, Edinburgh Rugby Stadium)

15 Mike Brown,
14 Tom Penny,
13 Ben Stevenson,
12 Pete Lucock (captain),
11 Iwan Stephens,
10 Brett Connon,
9 Louis Schreuder;

1 Logovi’i Mulipola,
2 George McGuigan,
3 Trevor Davison,
4 Sean Robinson,
5 Greg Peterson,
6 Philip van der Walt,
7 Connor Collett,
8 Carl Fearns.

Replacements: 16 Jamie Blamire,
17 Kyle Cooper,
18 Mark Tampin,
19 Marco Fuser,
20 Matthew Dalton,
21 Will Haydon-Wood,
22 Louie Johnson,
23 George Wacokecoke,
Richard Palframan,
George Merrick,
Will Montgomery,
Marcus Tiffen,
Tom Marshall,
Cameron Nordli-Kelemeti,
Ollie Lindsay-Hague,
Alex Tait,
Ewan Greenlaw,
Zach Kerr

Strong pack, not too far off 1st choice.

Decent win. Apparently our defence was very impressive.

Peterson and Brown limped off and Alex Tait was stretchered off.

Well Let's hope the new Toon owners have a few spare millions and pop them up the road to KP....