Rugby “rock stars” needn’t apply to join the Brumbies for next season, with coach Dan McKellar placing an emphasis on developing and recruiting skilled players rather than just great athletes.
The Brumbies won four of their last five games to finish tenth overall and brushed aside newly crowned Australian conference winners NSW Waratahs 40-31 in Sydney on Saturday.
“We’ve come a long way in the last couple of months as a footy team,” McKellar said.
“The reality was it was going to take a bit of time.
“There’s that many occasions within the season that you’d love to have again.
“But I’m just really proud of how we’ve grown as a group.
“The future is bright we’ve got some excellent young players that are surrounded by some quality senior players as well, so there’s a nice balance there.”
McKellar knows exactly what type of player he wants to add to that group .
“When I think of recruitment I want guys with skill, guys who can play footy because we can’t be bringing guys in the group that are just good athletes , that play OK,” he said.
“If we’re going to promote skill, and want to see opportunity and take advantage of space, we need guys that can do that.
“We’re not going to be bringing a whole raft of new players into the group, but the ones that we do, that’s going to be important.
“There’s a couple of guys that we’re talking to in the background, but there’s some guys there that you’d like to target, but recruitment’s tough these days.
“Generally most clubs will have their really good players locked up early, so you’ve just got to keep looking out.
“But what do the Brumbies do? We develop players. Tom Banks came to us two years ago and hadn’t played Super Rugby now he’s pushing for a Wallabies spot.
“So it’s not about going out there and finding a rock star, I think it’s about going out there and finding the guys who we think are going to develop.”
He hoped the Brumbies late season surge would lead to more representation in the Wallabies squad for the coming Rugby Championship, with the likes of fullback Banks and hooker Folau Faingaa getting recognition from Australian coach Michael Cheika.