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Tranq, it's a common experience for the notoriously lazy and mostly intellectually backward Aus rugby media to directly pick up well-discussed themes and facts here at GAGR and then later almost flagrantly claim them as their own inferred original thoughts and insights. Sometimes it's almost a...

Uh-hmmm.......ILTW, you might recall I have been heavily questioning (a) the extraordinary decision (IMO truly awful decision) to appoint RG in 2012, since 2012 (b) during 2012 and more in 2013 I began to query elements of Link's focus and selection calls and further elements of the way the...

"Old romantics of 2011 face chop as Reds face irrelevance" Looks like J Carmichael's opening up re the core problems some of us (very few truth be told) have been on about since late 2012 and since....namely: whilst the Reds' business machine has thrived, its football machine has badly leaked...

Coda re little-noticed fact. Phil 'Chook' Fowler as team strategist, kicking coach and other things was rightly recognised as playing a major behind-the-scenes role as Assistant Coach to Link in the crucial 2010-11 Reds period. He fell out with parties at the Reds and left in (IIRC) 2012 as...

Agree fp. As I've noted before, the Reds attack plans, such as they are, increasingly seem to hinge on QC (Quade Cooper) 'finding the answer every time to every question' presented by or from the opposition. The remainder of the ensemble attack seems as though it's in a 'just wait for QC (Quade Cooper)'s answer' type mode...

It's complex though, isn't it, the whole context of the Tahs, the NSWRU, and all their histories. In the interests of Australian rugby, we do worry about you a lot actually, many of us want you to finally break through this year and win an S15 title. Link left NSW, via France, came back...

It was wonderful to see Taps come back from the grave, so to speak. He was/is(?) such a fine player when confident and in the right head space. His decline was mystifying but almost looked terminal, it was enduring. I agree that his and Robinson's contributions may be on track to return to their...

I asked the sam gel. You could look at it two ways: either an understandably cautious desire to at least save the game with a draw, or, just maybe, QC (Quade Cooper) deep down has a weakened confidence in the 2014 Reds ability to score 5 points in that situation. If it was the latter - I say if - I'm sure...

Serious congratulations to the Force and their loyal supporters here, and also to M Foley. Both team and coach deserved the win, one looked the better team, the other clearly (at least tonight) looked the better coach in almost all aspects of play. I wonder when Reds fora here will start to...

Absolutely Reg. We've got to - I hope we will - face up to the fact that many elements of our team need reconstructing if winning an S15 for a second time is a serious prospect. I may get howled down but I simply cannot see the core playing group we have now - and playing the way we are -...

Agree. Ironically, this may have been more of what the Reds needed at the start of the season. I have been talking J Placid up for ages, I think he has tremendous potential for the Reds.

Some very positive anecdotes from Sanchez re the team's charity work with underprivileged kids in Soweto during the RSA tour just completed: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/rugby-union/blogs/the-red-zone/battle-hardened-in-south-africa-reds-eager-for-seasons-challenges-20140328-35od3.html

Agree Scoey and I think many of the discipline, penalty-inccuring problems in 2013 were sort of 'covered over' in scoring terms by last year's exceptional Reds' defence thus keeping 5 or 7-pointers against us comparatively low on average over the whole season.

Win or lose, your core analysis is right and then the exposure for the Reds it creates, and could easily go on creating if not curtailed. The Lions won't be the last time we meet excellent place and distance side line kickers this season. Again, win or lose, it will be a revealing marker of...

FWIW, as a Reds fan I thought the Tahs showed great promise in this game, got very, very close at the end to a win (which in itself is a highly encouraging attribute of team skill and culture), and to me remain right at the top of the race to a good 2014 Finals position. Cheika is in the...

Thanks for the warm embrace. For my part, I am beginning to think that you and some others here are becoming wilfully blind to routine Reds mediocrity of overall game execution and/or are now lowering your own expectations of the appropriate Reds' standards as championship contenders and thus...

I fail to see how we'll challenge for the S15 title without a more consistent and less error-prone 15 than is the case today. Let's hopes Toua rapidly matures and settles in the role if RG is to keep him there, but that call looks riskier with each round. I would like to see what follows, at...

Our Reds displayed very similar flaws to numerous 2013 games: poor handling at crucial moments coupled with generally second rate forwards strength, intensity and accuracy. Many moments of good back line attack eradicated with the aforementioned unfixed flaws. We're not improving our selections...

When oh when will the Reds' coaches realise that Harris is a totally inadequate player at 12 for 2014's competitive standards as set by the best teams if our goal is - seriously - to win another S15 title.

1. I do indeed like some stats more than others, and I make no apologies for that. I like the ones where, for example, simple aggregated linear trends over time can reveal a genuine trend in behaviour or other factors. So, if we take aggregate crowd attendances for a certain club, or sports...