Brumbies 2009

[Lee Grant]

It seems an odd choice, but I commend Friend for getting to the heart of the matter before it became a matter.

I can understand Mortlock's wanting to pass the baton from both a Brumbies and personal viewpoint and I can see why Smith didn't want the permanent gig.

Hoiles seems an odd choice because he is not guaranteed a starting spot. As I have said before: he duplicates a lot of what Smith does and that is brilliant when the Ponies have front foot ball, but that is not a majority of the time. I would never start him against a big, physical Super14 team if Smith is playing also.

Salvi would be the best choice, as he is a natural leader, but he is not guaranteed a starting spot either, despite his good season last year.

But if you are looking for a player who is guaranteed to start for the Brumbies, who of them is captaincy material apart from Smith and Mortlock? Gerrard? Henderson?

 

[RugbyReg]

Stephen Moore seems a potentially very good leader, but I understand its hard to give it to someone new to the club.

 

[Lee Grant]

You're right Nod - I never thought of him.

 

[Scarfman]

Something occurs to me about this decision. Do you reckon it comes from the Randwick mafia? Very influential at the Brums.

 

[Lee Grant]

I don't think the historical Sydney feeder team of the Brumbies had anything to do with it. It could have had something to do with the fact that, although he's played for the Wallabies and would like to again, he seems to be out of favour with Deans, and thereby will be more Brumbies focussed than the likes of Smith and Mortlock.

Perhaps we don't know him well enough as leader. Perhaps he was the outstanding candidate and we didn't know it.

 

[fatprop]

I don't think the historical Sydney feeder team of the Brumbies had anything to do with it. It could have had something to do with the fact that, although he's played for the Wallabies and would like to again, he seems to be out of favour with Deans, and thereby will be more Brumbies focussed than the likes of Smith and Mortlock.

Perhaps we don't know him well enough as leader. Perhaps he was the outstanding candidate and we didn't know it.

It will give him something to do while he is standing out in the centres

 

[Spook]

It's a fecken bizarre decision. I'm really stumped :-\. Hoiles was really poor last year. He was very good in 07 but 08 was quite poor. Salvi deservedly displaced him.

I'm just praying for the Horwill effect - that or Stephen Moore to inherit the mantle in a year. I can only think of 4 players who are guaranteed selection in a Brumbies 15 and they are Morty, Smith, Moore and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper). Possibly Gerrard although Betham could push him this year.

 

[Lee Grant]

You would probably have to include Chiz now after his surprisingly (to me) good performance on the Oz EOYT.

But if he goes back to his seagulling, which I saw even when he played for Randwick later in the season, he could find himself out of the 1st XV with the likes of Timani getting a starting tryout.

Of course a player can hope that he will be able to do grunt work whichever team has the pill and do some enjoyable seagulling on the side.

The Master Seaguller, Jonathan Livingstone Sharpe, somehow seemed to do this on the EOYT and he is to be commended for it, but it was at a cost. His first born is now owned by someone not of this world - and it is not Eddie Jones.

I am 86.7% convinced of that.

 

[RugbyReg]

From the Brumbies page.

2009 CA Brumbies Squad (By Position)
Prop - Ben Alexander*, Nic Henderson*, Salesi Ma'afu, Guy Shepherdson*, John Ulugia
Hooker - Huia Edmonds, Stephen Moore*
Lock - Mark Chisholm*, Ben Hand, Peter Kimlin, Shawn Mackay,
Back row - Mitchell Chapman, Stephen Hoiles*, Julian Salvi, George Smith*, Sitaleki Timani
Scrumhalf - Joshua Holmes, Patrick Phibbs, James Stannard
Flyhalf - Christian Lealiifano, Matt To'omua
Wing - Francis Fainifo, Mark Gerrard*, Alfi Mafi, Clyde Rathbone*
Centre - Gene Fairbanks, Stirling Mortlock*, Tyrone Smith, Afusipa Taumoepeau
Fullback - Adam Ashley-Cooper*, Peter Betham

* denotes Wallaby

That's still only 31 by my rushed count. Timani with the backrowers, Kimlin not. Gerrard with the wingers.

 

[Lindommer]

What's happened to Pauliasi Taumoepeau, Zipper's brother? They went to Canberra as a deal in late 2007. Has he been discarded?

Pauliasi was an outstanding schoolboy number 8 and went on to captain Australian Schoolboys in 2004. He also earned the rare distinction of scoring a try in every Sydney GPS competition match, only the fifth to do so and the first for a forward. Even with his schoolboy performances behind him I wasn't convinced he had a future in higher echelons of senior rugby as he lacked a crucial requirement: height. Apparently he hasn't grown since. Peter Crittle (then ARU President) and I were discussing this one day in 2005; both he and I reckoned the best course for him to take in the future was to the front row, a la Richard Harry. He's got the perfect body shape for it and as we all know too well there are plenty of opportunities in Oz rugby at the moment for props.

Hope to read about it some time in the future.

 

[RugbyReg]

I think he's just been named in the Aussie 7s team to play in the NT 7s event.

So I don't think he's rushing into the front row.

 

[Lindommer]

I think he's just been named in the Aussie 7s team to play in the NT 7s event.

That's Zipper, not Pauliasi.

 

[fatprop]

From the Brumbies page.

2009 CA Brumbies Squad (By Position)
Prop - Ben Alexander*, Nic Henderson*, Salesi Ma'afu, Guy Shepherdson*, John Ulugia
Hooker - Huia Edmonds, Stephen Moore*
Lock - Mark Chisholm*, Ben Hand, Peter Kimlin, Shawn Mackay,
Back row - Mitchell Chapman, Stephen Hoiles*, Julian Salvi, George Smith*, Sitaleki Timani
Scrumhalf - Joshua Holmes, Patrick Phibbs, James Stannard
Flyhalf - Christian Lealiifano, Matt To'omua
Wing - Francis Fainifo, Mark Gerrard*, Alfi Mafi, Clyde Rathbone*
Centre - Gene Fairbanks, Stirling Mortlock*, Tyrone Smith, Afusipa Taumoepeau
Fullback - Adam Ashley-Cooper*, Peter Betham

* denotes Wallaby

That's still only 31 by my rushed count. Timani with the backrowers, Kimlin not. Gerrard with the wingers.

It is a pretty strong squad except for the most important spot - 10.

 

[RugbyReg]

From the Brumbies page.

2009 CA Brumbies Squad (By Position)
Prop - Ben Alexander*, Nic Henderson*, Salesi Ma'afu, Guy Shepherdson*, John Ulugia
Hooker - Huia Edmonds, Stephen Moore*
Lock - Mark Chisholm*, Ben Hand, Peter Kimlin, Shawn Mackay,
Back row - Mitchell Chapman, Stephen Hoiles*, Julian Salvi, George Smith*, Sitaleki Timani
Scrumhalf - Joshua Holmes, Patrick Phibbs, James Stannard
Flyhalf - Christian Lealiifano, Matt To'omua
Wing - Francis Fainifo, Mark Gerrard*, Alfi Mafi, Clyde Rathbone*
Centre - Gene Fairbanks, Stirling Mortlock*, Tyrone Smith, Afusipa Taumoepeau
Fullback - Adam Ashley-Cooper*, Peter Betham

* denotes Wallaby

That's still only 31 by my rushed count. Timani with the backrowers, Kimlin not. Gerrard with the wingers.

It is a pretty strong squad except for the most important spot - 10.

harsh. Mark Gerrard has played 10 for Australia. Stirling Mortlock was the Wallaby back up 10 in the Bledisloe Cup last year. And then theres Mean Gene Fairbanks...

 

[TOCC]

hasnt AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) played 5/8 for the brumbies as well?

 

[the gambler]

cue Lee to come in and call To'omua the brown Noddy

 

[formeropenside]

cue Lee to come in and call To'omua the brown Noddy

well he is a Queenslander. Hopefully he'll come home soon. Hopefully, they all will. Then Queensland can regain its rightful place at the pinnacle of Australian rugby.

 

[Spook]

From the Brumbies page.

2009 CA Brumbies Squad (By Position)
Prop - Ben Alexander*, Nic Henderson*, Salesi Ma'afu, Guy Shepherdson*, John Ulugia
Hooker - Huia Edmonds, Stephen Moore*
Lock - Mark Chisholm*, Ben Hand, Peter Kimlin, Shawn Mackay,
Back row - Mitchell Chapman, Stephen Hoiles*, Julian Salvi, George Smith*, Sitaleki Timani
Scrumhalf - Joshua Holmes, Patrick Phibbs, James Stannard
Flyhalf - Christian Lealiifano, Matt To'omua
Wing - Francis Fainifo, Mark Gerrard*, Alfi Mafi, Clyde Rathbone*
Centre - Gene Fairbanks, Stirling Mortlock*, Tyrone Smith, Afusipa Taumoepeau
Fullback - Adam Ashley-Cooper*, Peter Betham

* denotes Wallaby

That's still only 31 by my rushed count. Timani with the backrowers, Kimlin not. Gerrard with the wingers.

It is a pretty strong squad except for the most important spot - 10.

I would say the same about the Tahs - in fact I've said that for a very long time ;D

 

[TOCC]

To'omua, Daruda and JOC (James O'Connor) are all returning to QLD

Our backline will be
9. Genia
10. Lucas
11. O'Connor
12. Barnes
13. Daruda
14. To'omua
15. Cooper

a lot of passing and playmaking going on but no one is there to finish off the tries!

 

[RugbyReg]

To'omua, Daruda and JOC (James O'Connor) are all returning to QLD

Our backline will be
9. Genia
10. Lucas
11. O'Connor
12. Barnes
13. Daruda
14. To'omua
15. Cooper

a lot of passing and playmaking going on but no one is there to finish off the tries!

Genia? Pfft, he aint a flyhalf:

9 Lucas
10 Jono Lance
11 O'Connor
12 Barnes
13 Daruda
14 Cooper
15 To'omua