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I think we’re fine at lock. By all means pick Skelton if he is available (although I thought it was already confirmed he wasn’t) but there is otherwise enough quality amongst the Aussie based locks. Sure, none of them are Retallick or Etzebeth but none of the other OS guys are either (maybe...

I’d have Holloway as first choice lock at the moment.

I don’t know much about Heaven’s background, but Theo Fourie has been starting at Hospital Cup for a few years and I’m pretty sure was captaining Souths at one stage. He was with the Rebels last year before moving to the Tahs. Pretty sure he is up to Shute Shield. Given the Tahs current injury...

I think you are right. Last time I looked online I thought it said 4 weeks. But now I see it says 4 games. I wonder how Hodgman is going.

This has become a pretty big game for the Reds. After a promising start dropping games to the Force and Brumbies has them back mid-table. They really need to pick up the win here. If they are going to be a genuine chance this year they also need to do a much better job converting chances - be...

The other thing that is relevant with Props - it is very obvious when a prop gets towelled up in a scrum. What is less obvious is when they get exposed in defence or miss a clear out. A lot of the club props which are great in scrums don’t always have the work around the park to make it at top...

Yeah - good, highly relevant point.

Maybe he should play club first. That’s certainly an option to see how his fitness is going. He’s had a lot of injury issues so possibly the safer option too - but I’ll leave all that to the S&C staff. Personally I think O’Connor is still a better player than Creighton or McLaughlin-Phillips and...

Am I correct that Fa’agase will be available for the next game? And how is Hodgman’s recovery going? George Blake is pretty decent for a 6th or 7th choice prop but both Fa’agase & Hodgman were playing well before suspension/injury. It would be good to have either back for the next game...

There are lots of variables and conflicting interests but it does seem odd to me that in a position that almost always gets substitutes and is regularly rotated, Tupou played the second most minutes of any player.

If I recall correctly Nonggorr missed most/all of 2022 and I feel like there was some other issues around injury/availability/quality of the other props. I seem to recall thinking Thorn didn’t have a lot of options to cut back his time.

On the ball retention/turnover stats - I re-watched the mini of the game today. Reds had 3-4 other chances to add points in the first half. A couple that the Brumbies did well to shut down. A couple they just blew. Would’ve changed the complexion of the game.

The Brumbies defensive lineout looked very sharp early. Charlie Cale does a good job there and, from memory, Neville at the back as well. I think the ball retention issue in part is a product of trying to play a more expansive game and accepting that the players will make some errors pushing...

As much as I’m a Wilson fan - that’s life, right. The Walabies will be in a far better position when we have more of those hard decisions to make and we need more guys like Valetini setting the standards & Wilson lifting his game to push him out. Wilson needs to keep plugging away and look to...

So - 6 rounds in. How do we all feel? If I’d been told at the start we’d be 3-3 I’d be pretty happy. We seem to have come off the boil a bit but, personally, I’m still pretty happy with how we are going. By no means are we playing at our best - even in the wins there have been plenty of missed...

To be honest BR your reply underlines the very point I was trying to make. Personally I don’t think it is likely Wilson has jumped ahead of Valetini in the pecking order for the Wallabies. But that doesn’t mean he didn’t play well and I don’t see think the efforts of either teams supporter to...

To be fair there are were also posts saying Valetini was invisible. From my perspective his impact was very evident.

His carries certianly weren’t ineffectual at all. His work rate is almost peerless, it was quite evident at the grounds how he constantly got the Reds over the gain line and he consistently delivered quick ball. He did miss 36% so a negative there. I don’t agree with your assessment on his...

Genuinely interested- how do you reach that conclusion? Not saying Valetini was bad on any measure. Just don’t see why it isn’t possible both players had very good games in a game where one team lost by 1.

I’m not sure it is actually that much to of an insult to take it like that Tomkin. I largely agree with the point that I think is being made - guys like Creighton, Tui, Sapsford, Brown, Kautai, Pollard, Vella (for the moment at least) I don’t think fhey’re world beaters (and the Reds have...