Brumbies 2009

[naza]

Eventually Dan Herbert came along and couldn't be denied. He had a stellar year in 1999 when he was the best in the world IMO, but you could never compare his career with Mortlock's.

Herbert and Trevor Allan are probably our 2 best outsides. Both are up there with Henry Honiball & Phillipe Sella as the best ever defensive backs.

 

[RugbyReg]

Trevor Allen? You're older than Lee, Naz?

 

[naza]

Trevor Allen? You're older than Lee, Naz?

I saw Lee when he played for Joeys 2nds and thought he wouldn't go far. I was right !

 

[Lee Grant]

It would be pretty hard to get into any Joeys team if I didn't actually attend the school. My sons and nephews did though.

I still think you rate Dan Herbert too highly compared to Mortlock, but that is neither here nor there; we all have different opinions.


Tubby Allan was a huge loss to Oz rugby but you could never have blamed a young fellow about to get married and with no job to speak of to decide to play professionally.

Had he stayed in union he may be considered now to be our greatest ever Wallaby. Even these days he is ranked highly in those "Greatest Ever" exercises they do from time to time yet he was only 22 when he played his last test for the Wallabies.

 

[Pfitzy]

It would be pretty hard to get into any Joeys team if I didn't actually attend the school.

It would be a stirling effort if you did though! But yet more proof that, even back in the day, Joeys was poaching talent from anywhere they could get it - its like a secondary version of Uni 8)

 

[spectator]

Noddy,

- AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is a 13 in my mind but until Australia's best ever 13 retires he must play elsewhere. For the Brums it may be 11 with Gerrard at the back,more because Gerrard is too slow for the wing now.

Totally agree but this is a Brumbies 15 I would like to see.

15.Gerrard
14.Rathbone
13. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
12.Mortlock
11.Mafi
10.Lealiifano
9.Holmes/Phibbs doesn't matter they're both ok
8.Salvi Prefer him to Hoiles
7.Smith
6.Chapman
5.Chiz
4.Kimlin
3.Shepherdson
2.Moore Should still be in Red
1.Alexander

Looks pretty close to what I would like. We need real speed on the wings this year and Mafi is quick...hopefully rattlebones gets his old pace back. I'm hoping the huge islander Timani makes a lock position his own with Chisolm which means Kimlin moves to 6 or 8 and Chapman to the bench. A backrow of Smith, Salvi and Kimlin would get stuck in. Kimlin is very quick apparently.

Don't know how you could leave Fainifo out of the starting 15? He was one of their more consistent performers in 2008.

I think To'omua will challenge Lealifano this year at some stage.

 

[Ash]

Fanifo struggled in the Sydney club comp for form at times. Ended up being on the bench.

 

[TOCC]

ref herbert vs mortlock, i believe herbert was a better center, but mortlock brings more to the party with his leadership and goal kicking.

If Mortlock was trying to player through the Herbert era when we had players like Horan then i would stick with Herbert, but today when they backline is young and lacking in certain areas like kicking and leadership then i would stick with Mortlock.

 

[Spook]

Noddy,

- AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is a 13 in my mind but until Australia's best ever 13 retires he must play elsewhere. For the Brums it may be 11 with Gerrard at the back,more because Gerrard is too slow for the wing now.

Totally agree but this is a Brumbies 15 I would like to see.

15.Gerrard
14.Rathbone
13. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
12.Mortlock
11.Mafi
10.Lealiifano
9.Holmes/Phibbs doesn't matter they're both ok
8.Salvi Prefer him to Hoiles
7.Smith
6.Chapman
5.Chiz
4.Kimlin
3.Shepherdson
2.Moore Should still be in Red
1.Alexander

Looks pretty close to what I would like. We need real speed on the wings this year and Mafi is quick...hopefully rattlebones gets his old pace back. I'm hoping the huge islander Timani makes a lock position his own with Chisolm which means Kimlin moves to 6 or 8 and Chapman to the bench. A backrow of Smith, Salvi and Kimlin would get stuck in. Kimlin is very quick apparently.

Don't know how you could leave Fainifo out of the starting 15? He was one of their more consistent performers in 2008.

I think To'omua will challenge Lealifano this year at some stage.

Agreed on To'omua. Fanifo lacks pace IMO but his future may be closer in as he is big and has nice hands.

 

[RugbyReg]

Ok let's try to tie down some of the other squads.

Fullback:Adam Ashley-Cooper, Mark Gerrard.
Wings:Alfi Mafi, Clyde Rathbone, Francis Fainifo, Peter Betham, Afupisa Taumoepeau.
Centres:Stirling Mortlock, Gene Fairbanks, Tyrone Smith.
Flyhalves:Christian Lealiifano, Matt To'omua.
Scrumhalvesatrick Phibbs, Josh Holmes.
Backrow:Stephen Hoiles, Julian Salvi, George Smith, Mitchell Chapman, Shaun Mackay.
Locks:Ben Hand, Sitaleki Timani, Mark Chisolm, Peter Kimlin.
Props: Nick Henderson, Ben Alexander, Guy Shepherdson, Salesi Maafu, Jerry Yanuyanutawa.
Hookers:Huia Edmonds, John Ulugia, Stephen Moore.

So 31 but I'm really not sure about it. Nathan Charles was announced last week but I really can't see them having 4 contracted hookers or 6 contracted props so assume he is Academy. Have also heard that Pat McCabe is heading there as well.

Am I missing anyone?

 

[Ash]

What about Afeaki, was it? The centre who got some game time last year?

 

[oxe7]

yeh just slot betham as 3rd fullback and thats about right.

 

[RugbyReg]

Yeah I would hope Afaeki was there. Forgot him. He was good. Still one spot left.

 

[Lindommer]

Zipper's brother, Pauliasi, signed with him last year to go down to Canberra. Has he been discarded?

 

[RugbyReg]

His bro was just Academy this year. Not sure about next year.

 

[Spook]

Has Al Campbell definitely moved on? Who signed him?

 

[RugbyReg]

Nothing has been announced. But I remember (and tracked down) Fischer's comments when Ben Hand was signed:

Head Coach Laurie Fisher says Hand will be a valuable option for the CA Brumbies in 2009.

?Ben?s had some experience at Super 14 level and he?s certainly plied his trade industriously at club level, during the ARC and APC [Australian Provincial Championship] and overseas,? he said.

?He?s a mature player with good size and an accomplished lineout jumper, and he?ll challenge guys like [Mark] Chisholm, [Peter] Kimlin and [Sitaleki] Timani for a starting position in 2009.?

No Al Campbell. And no announcement yet as to where he will be next year. The Tahs really should sign him I reckon.

incidentally, wrt Lee's post on another thread about contracts, found this on the Brumbie page:

(Shaun) Mackay, who will coach the Australian Women?s Sevens side in their IRB World Cup Qualifiers in Samoa later this month, joins last year?s CA Brumbies debutante, Afusipa Taumoepeau, as

rookie-contracted players for 2009

.

 

[Lee Grant]

Thanks for that Nod.

Has Al Campbell definitely moved on? Who signed him?

Nobody wants to admit to it.

Seriously, he may have been in the Tahs sights for a while, but have been waiting for somebody else to show up. The news about the ARU changing their stance on overseas players has probably delayed it further. Maybe they are having one last look at the inexperienced players on the Fiji tour before making their decision, and an announcement will be made soon.

It is too late for Campbell to piss off to Europe; so his options are, unless he has some kind of passport that allows him to sign on late, to wait to see if any Oz team wants him, or put out feelers for Japan.

 

[whocares]

maybe he should take the hint

It's sad really. when he started i thought he had potential. but he didnt get anywhere

 

[RugbyReg]

maybe he should take the hint

It's sad really. when he started i thought he had potential. but he didnt get anywhere

harsh. Between me and him we have four test caps.