Blues vs Reds, Sat 14 May, 2022. Eden Park.

[PhilClinton]

I would have gone

11. Flook
12. Stewart
13. Paisami
14. Vunivalu
15. Petaia

We need to score plenty of points to beat these guys as they’ll be coming at us for the full 80mins. I don’t see the Reds defending a small lead with 5 to go and winning.

I don’t think Campbell provides that spark at the moment and our two potential best backs in Petaia and Vunivalu linking up is our best option I think.

 

[7137]

JOC (James O'Connor) from injured to starting? I sure hope he’s 100% and this isn’t a panic move. I can see it going sideways and busting him long term.

 

[dru]

Have to agree that the centres selections are interesting. 12 Paisami 13 Flook 22 Stewart Love all three but it is interesting.

 

[Adam84]

I’m glad Wilson isn’t playing, that head knock last weeks looked brutal

 

[Adam84]

JOC (James O'Connor) (James O'Connor) from injured to starting? I sure hope he’s 100% and this isn’t a panic move. I can see it going sideways and busting him long term.

i think they said he was close to coming back last week

 

[Cancelled Account]

Have to agree that the centres selections are interesting. 12 Paisami 13 Flook 22 Stewart Love all three but it is interesting.

Yeah, I’m not too sure this is our best option in considering this season’s game plays. McKay may have switched up the plays in the backline, which is needed.

 

[LeCheese]

i think they said he was close to coming back last week

Yeah, it doesn’t seem like a rushed return - more just that recovery was quicker than initially expected.

 

[Ignoto]

Anae as starting hooker is dire. Choosing him over Faessler is interesting - but going with experience, even if somewhat out of position, is probably the right call.

Could be a deliberate ploy, knowing Alberts fitness conditioning wouldn't be high. If you have him start and his blows at 30 minutes. Faessler can come on and finish the game and has more of a likelihood of doing so. If Faessler gets injured in that time, AA is able to replace him from memory?

The inverse wouldn't work as AA would have to play 50+ minutes.

 

[Penguin]

Yeah, it doesn’t seem like a rushed return - more just that recovery was quicker than initially expected.

Plus he's only been out for 3 weeks. He'll be refreshed.

 

[PhilClinton]

Could be a deliberate ploy, knowing Alberts fitness conditioning wouldn't be high. If you have him start and his blows at 30 minutes. Faessler can come on and finish the game and has more of a likelihood of doing so. If Faessler gets injured in that time, AA is able to replace him from memory?

The inverse wouldn't work as AA would have to play 50+ minutes.

I thought he had just come back from a Japanese season? And has been training with Brothers for 4 weeks now and played a game or two.

 

[zer0]

Blues team has been named.

1. Hodgman
2. Eklund
3. Tu'ungafasi
4. Tucker
5. Robinson
6. A.Ioane
7. Papalii (C)
8. Sotutu
9. Christie
10. Barrett
11. Clarke
12. Tuivasa-Sheck
13. R.Ioane
14. Telea
15. Perofeta

16. Vikena
17. Lay
18. Laulala
19. Romano
20. Choat
21. Nock
22. Heem
23. Sullivan

Surprised they've kept Robinson at lock, and would've liked to have seen Segner on the bench. On the other hand, Vikena ahead of Riccitelli is hopefully a trend that continues for the rest of the season.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

T-minus 27 hours for ignition sequence start on Operation Eden Park Inferno Mach 666 Blue Ballz MurderDeth.

Valves, stable.

Boosters, stable.

Weather's looking real nice up here Houston, all systems are a go.

Houston: "Checking command modules".
Coach Leon: "Guidance is internal"
Captain Papalii: "Godspeed the murder vortex".
Perofuture: "Mach 666 is a red hot go".
Rieko: "Set the controls for the heart of the sun".
H.Sotutu: "Murder the sun".
Akira: "Murder all the suns".
Captain Papalii: "Murdering all the suns is now Priority 1".
Akira: "Execute all murders of all suns then back home in time for boom chacka lacka".
Big Red: "Extended periods of boom chacka lacka on the horizon".
Ofa: "Murder: confirmed".
CC: "Sun Murders: confirmed".
H.Sotutu: "Boom chacka lacka: confirmed".
Captain Papalii:"Houston, we are a go".

 

[DELETE ACCOUNT]

 

[gel]

Much as I think JOC (James O'Connor) will have a positive impact on the Reds performance, I'm gonna stay with my scoreline coz I think the rest of the fundamentals are just not there ATM.

But by geebus, I sincerely hope we turn it around.

 

[dru]

Much as I think JOC (James O'Connor) (James O'Connor) will have a positive impact on the Reds performance, I'm gonna stay with my scoreline coz I think the rest of the fundamentals are just not there ATM.

But by geebus, I sincerely hope we turn it around.

This is where all my anxiety comes from. The Reds have shown excellent fundamentals all year, but have hit a savage down trend when we combine Kiwi opposition with injury. As soon as they look a little lost it is bloody messy and not at all entertaining as a Red fan.

Got my fingers and toes crossed that training has addressed it, but anxiety levels are high. Especially after watching the Brumbies last night displaying the same bloody problem.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Coach Leon: "Houston, we have a problem up here. Akira is overheating badly. T-minus 7 hours till kick off but he is ready to go right goddamn motherf****** now."
Houston: "Initiating Emergency Akira Cooling Protocols."

 

[Derpus]

This is where all my anxiety comes from. The Reds have shown excellent fundamentals all year, but have hit a savage down trend when we combine Kiwi opposition with injury. As soon as they look a little lost it is bloody messy and not at all entertaining as a Red fan.

Got my fingers and toes crossed that training has addressed it, but anxiety levels are high. Especially after watching the Brumbies last night displaying the same bloody problem.

I really hope the Reds can turn it around but I have a feeling this is going to be ugly.

 

[gel]

This is where all my anxiety comes from. The Reds have shown excellent fundamentals all year, but have hit a savage down trend when we combine Kiwi opposition with injury. As soon as they look a little lost it is bloody messy and not at all entertaining as a Red fan.

Got my fingers and toes crossed that training has addressed it, but anxiety levels are high. Especially after watching the Brumbies last night displaying the same bloody problem.

My take is that Thorn has been trying to get the reds to play a more New Zealand game style of rugby which for the past 3 years has done pretty well against other Australian sides. The problem is that the fundamentals of the players skills are not there so when it comes to playing against the New Zealand teams we fold because we are basically just a very poorly skilled New Zealand team.

etc etc etc.........

But then what the fuck do I know: I'm just some guy.

 

[Tomikin]

Come on Reds, do the Brumbies a favour and knock off the Blues.

 

[dru]

My take is that Thorn has been trying to get the reds to play a more New Zealand game style of rugby which for the past 3 years has done pretty well against other Australian sides. The problem is that the fundamentals of the players skills are not there so when it comes to playing against the New Zealand teams we fold because we are basically just a very poorly skilled New Zealand team.

etc etc etc.........

But then what the fuck do I know: I'm just some guy.

We are all just some guy.

I don't think the evidence is there that we don't have the skill fundamentals. Certainly the expression of those skills, with the 23 we have been putting forward with the injury list, well that is lacking results in skill implementation. What I've seen on the fundamentals is that we don't seem to be implementing the game plan (or don't have an effective one?).