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I'm not trying to preach doom and gloom, but, even if we win next week, this will be one of the worst starts to a Super Rugby season for the Brumbies. Only 1999 and 2011 were worse. Even 1998 was better. If we lose, it will our worst start to a season ever. Stats and visuals back this up...

I've been trying to work out what the attacking plan is under McKellar, and the stats are telling us something weird. This isn't really a complete analysis yet, but I feel close enough to make some claims. The forwards are taking up 57% of the carries, which is the second highest (behind 2016)...

Top notch, mate! But in all seriousness, as it stands, I'd even question if we have a great scrum at the moment. Alexander, Ala'alatoa, and Makin have all been shown up by their oponents over the last two weeks. I think Ala'alatoa was unlucky in Japan to have Richie Arnold struggling behind him...

Interesting, I was wondering why I couldn't find his return date. Maybe McKellar has disregarded NRC form and gone for proven ability at this level.

Josh Mann-Rea is the best hooker at the Brumbies; his work around the park is comparable to Moore at his peak, and he does his job well in the set piece. Folau Fainga'a has NRC form which suggests he is better than Robbie Abel and should be the reserve, and can use his time off the bench to...

Completely agree about Muirhead, BR. I know I said that Speight and Dargaville were our best wingers last season, but Muirhead's ability to kick and tackle, as well as his sheer pace, all adds up to a serious contender for the back three. I could see us playing him at 11 in the same mould as how...

The talk before Lilo returned from Ulster was that McKellar was going for a Lilo-Hawera 10-12 combo (in some order, never clear who would be in which jersey). Something clearly happened between Lilo's return and the Chiefs trial to have him settle on this Lilo-Godwin partnership. What that...

The Reds away always sucks. With the exception of the 22-14 back in 2011 and 29-0 in 2015, they always drag us down to a slogfest. I still have faith in McKellar because he, unlike either Larkham or Fisher, has shown the ability two weeks in a row to make changes at half time, and I think his...

I never blame the Brumbies for scheduling (remember the 6pm Friday QF?). That it lines up with Skyfire could go either way; people are more likely to be out of the house could mean they are more likely to go to the local sporting events, or it could mean that the people who are willing to leave...

It might not be a guarenteed success, but we've seen the positive impact it had when the Knights and the Jets had their friendly period in Newcastle, and, likewise, the Titans and the Suns on the Gold Coast. The best news, though, is that this is a sign of a friendlier, more diplomatic boardroom...

Even if Valetini is fit, I'd still start McCaffrey at 6 for the Reds. Seems to have come back to Aus with a point to prove. Also want to praise Godwin, showed some of the promise we've all been hoping for.

I go into every game thinking the Brumbies will win. Eternal optimism and unreasonable expectations combined. But the first game of the season is always bloody nervewracking.

Dutton reporting that McKellar hasn't settled on any combinations yet. Suspect the biggest ones are locks, backrow, and centres.

Definitely a big believer in Sione, but that will depend on the form of Mayhew, who, at his best, is almost at Sio's level. But I'd love a reserve front row of Sione-Fainga'a-Erasmus.

I know Alexander has been playing both sides for a few years, but I'd definitely gotten the sense that it would be Sio and Ala'alatoa starting, with Mayhew and Alexander as their respective backups.

Was being facetious, don't read that much into it!

To get it out of the way; Lilo is a 12, not a 10. :P

There are people who thought it was good that Dean Mumm was starting ahead of Fardy. Of course there are people who undervalue Nic White.

I think the only team in Australia that isn't guarenteed to get better with Quade at 10 is the Waratahs, and even that's debatable.

Losing Pocock for the first few weeks of the season hurts, unquestionably, but some reports are saying he should be back for the first home game. The benefit from this is that we were wondering which of Cusack and Valetini should start at 6, so now we get a chance to see them both in the same...