The Brumbies have always been flashy, show-ponies to some extent, so it has been rather sad watching the decline from Thoroughbreds to Cart-horses that has taken place in the nation’s capital over the last few years. Retirements to key personnel and an injury plague of biblical proportions consigned our equine brothers to ‘also-rans’ in last year’s Super 14.
As the Brumbies spiralled from contenders to mid-table speed humps, it was as if the post Gregan/Larkham hangover would never end. This year however, with a new coach, a new captain and shrewd recruitment – we may finally see the Brumbies make it back into the winner’s circle.
The superbly credentialed Andy Friend takes over from the last year’s ‘dead-man walking’ Laurie Fisher and has already put his stamp on the set-up by appointing a new captain and making the somewhat left field decision of employing former mungo coach Tony Rea as an assistant.
With Stephen Hoiles taking over from Stirling Mortlock as captain, it should give the Brumbies an injection of enthusiasm and let Morty concentrate on either running over or belting the opposition centres.
The Brumbies off season recruitment has been very focused and very good, the addition of Stephen Moore from the Reds and up-an-comer Ben Hand from the ‘Tahs will fill some quite obvious holes from last year.
Forwards
It may not be obvious to those who only have a passing interest in the Brumbies, but they have managed to put together what could quite possibly be the best forward pack in the competition.
The addition of Moore and Hand and the off-season development of Mark Chisholm will help sure up a line-out that at times last season resembled a Marx Brother’s movie. Add to these new additions last season Brumbies new-comers and first time Wallaby tourists Ben Alexander and Peter Kimlin, and the scrum also looks like it will have far more starch than last season’s wet lettuce affair as well.
New captain Hoiles and flankers Julian Salvi and Mitch Chapman all face career defining seasons after being passed over for the spring Wallaby tour and this sort of motivation may well see them produce the best form of their football lives as a riposte.
Not a bad line-up huh?….and that is before you throw George Smith’s name into the equation.
Backs
Last season was a shocker for the Brumbies backs, everyone seemed to be injured – even the reserve reserves couldn’t get on the park at times. The silver lining to this is that most of the backline squad have had some pretty solid Super 14 experience.
As with the forwards, when you cast a casual eye over the line-up, it makes for pretty impressive reading. Mortlock, fit again Clyde Rathbone, Mark Gerrard, Adam Ashley-Cooper and last year’s rookie of the season, Tyrone Smith, complete a powerful and pacy set of outside backs that will take some handling. Combine this with impressive new boys like Francis Fainifo, former ‘Tah Alfie Mafi and old stager Gene Fairbanks and the picture is even rosier in terms of depth and experience.
That’s the good news….now for the bad. Neither Patrick Phibbs nor Josh Holmes was able to make the no. 9 jersey their own in 2008 and if this lack of consistency continues, the Brumbies are sunk. Of greater concern is the fly-half position, while Christian Lealiifano and Matt Toomua are incredibly talented youngsters, their glaring lack of a consistent kicking game will hurt the Brumbies as they will struggle to gain field position to unleash the monster backline.
Prediction
The Brumbies are being quoted as long as 15/1 to win the Super 14 with some on-line betting agencies which is definitely overs, if The Cote were framing the market he would have them around 8’s.
All across the park there is proven top-shelf rugby talent, apart from arguably the most critical area’s in Super 14, half-back and fly-half. This will probably cruel their chances of winning the competition however they well and truly have the talent and experience to sneak into the finals and once that happens, well who knows?……might be worth a lazy Redback on them at 15/1.
Best Match-day squad
1. Alexander
2. Moore
3. Ma’afu
4. Kimlin
5. Chisholm
6. Chapman
7. G. Smith
8. Hoiles
9. Holmes
10. Lealiifano
11. Rathbone
12. T. Smith
13. Mortlock
14. Ashley-Cooper
15. Gerrard
16. Edmonds
17. Shepardson
18. Hand
19. Salvi
20. Phibbs
21. Toomua
22. Fainifo
[poll id=”6″]
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="788 https://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/?p=788">13 Comments
I reckon you’re right Juan about the Brumbies looking good value at 15/1.
9 and 10 are important holes though. Surely this would have been a good slot to pull in some talent from overseas in. A seasoned Manny Edmonds or Shane Drahm could have provided the nous missing at 10. This would have seriously dropped their odds in my eyes.
On the upside I guess it means the younger blokes getting a good run out.
I also like the sounds of what Friend and Melon Finnegan have been up to – belting it into Chisholm to get the fark out of the backline and do a locks job has created a new Wallaby second row option
For the backline though, it sounds like AAC’s being lined up at 13 and Morty inside him. Good for AAC, but I’d like to see more of Tyrone Smith this year.
I was kind of thinking they may have tried to sign Freddie Michalak.
Toomua was a gun schoolboy player but as we have seen with Portley and Cooper, it takes time for these guys to develop and when cast into the sink or swim situations, it seriously hampers their development.
Decided to put my money where my mouth is and pick these guys as my outside bet while sticking with my emotional favourites the Stormers in the 09 season…
Marc’s last blog post..Nick Koster and the positional debate
Marc, I should have put a disclaimer on the preview that it was intended for information purposes only, not specific investment advice!!!!!
But I guess if you are backing the Stormers, you, like us Reds’ supporters, are used to losing your cash.
They did alright last season with all those key personnel injured. I think they should be up there, top four this year.
They have what the Crusaders have, a home ground that one would deliberately travel to unless they had to play rugby. This always helps in the shortish S14 format.
I think Lealiifano could come good as well, with Tyrone smith inside him and a season under his belt. He showed glimpses of brilliance (at least more than Quooper) last season and with the potential of a dominant forward pack who knows.
Pedro’s last blog post..Culina Come’s Home, Earlier Than Expected.
Juan – don’t worry I plugged them a coupla weeks back thinking they might be a decent value bet….
Yes us Stormers guys are used to blowing very hot and very cold…
Marc’s last blog post..Nick Koster and the positional debate
The thing about the Brumbies this season is the depth across the board, especially in the forwards…..combined with that injection of new talent and experience. Ben Alexander will be so much better for the Wallabies tour, and with Squeeky Moore’s scrummaging (and lineout throwing prowess) they’ll add a bit of starch to the outfit. Chizz had a great tour as well and I like that backup front rower John Ulugia – who played for Australia A last year. Salvi is another growing talent and Shep and Henderson provide further front row depth – what the Reds wouldn’t give for a couple of these guys?
The Cote is right – Phibbs and Stannard are journeymen, and Holmes was a disappointment last year. The five eighth youngsters are not quite there yet but there’s talent to burn outside them. With their glut of quality midfield players I wonder whether Fairbanks will end up at 10?
My prediction is that the Brumbies will step up this year and cook up a storm……hopefully finals bound.
I see they got a nice win in the warm-ups as well… I didn’t watch the game? Any standouts?
Marc’s last blog post..Canterbury SA placed into liquidation
not sure mate but a pretty decent match report at the link below.
http://www.rugbyheaven.com.au/news/news/holmes-shines-in-brumbies-win/2009/01/30/1232818729300.html
i saw the game on friday. brumbies looked better then they have in years. really good. very fit and very excited.
all they wanted to do was attack.
Nice one – thanks for the eyewitness James. Wish I could see the BrumbiesvTahs game on Thursday
did they have anywhere close to their best XV on the park?
no not at anyone one time. the depth the brumbies pack has is quite amazing. awesome stuff.
highlights were:
Joshua Holmes – great in attack, really look good with ball in hand stuff. could be a little fitter tho.
Sitaleki Timani – this guy hits harder then Mortlock. brutal stuff. alot like samo from the last time they one the title.
Peter Kimlin,
Mark Chisholm
Ben Hand
Ben Alexander – you can really tell he’s played for australia.
and honestly the list could go on. the brumbies look fantastic this year