Brumbies 2012

[Slim 293]

Apparently the Brumbies' were getting Prior...

 

[Slim 293]

Yes Coleman replaced AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), but he played flyhalf. Giteau moved to fullback when AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) went off. Go watch the tapes if you insist.

I will have to check it out sometime...

However, the Brumbies' site has always listed Coleman as being a flyhalf/inside centre since he was signed to the senior squad...

 

[Brum]

If, within my long-winded analysis of Brumbies needs, a spot can be found for Mowen, it would make recruitment of shorter gruntier locks more valid as Mowen is an excellent lineout target.

Also they could recruit Caderyn Neville as a rookie; not yet hard-nosed but a lineout specialist, which further promotes the cause of at least one shorter lock, since his squad effect is balanced.

Lee what about Liam Winton who is a part of their pro academy? Locked the scrum with Sam Carter in all the Runners fixtures this year in front of Neville and Alexander.

 

[Lee Grant]

Have never rated Winton. Neville has been playing rugby for only two years and will be fast tracked somewhere and it may as well be at the Brumbies.

Alexander has more grunt than Winton (and Hand) on their best days. Ditto for Ed Gower. I realise the two shorties are long shots but the Brumbies lacked grunt in the 2nd row in 2011 and have for a while. With either Mowen or Fotu playing one of your locks need not be a lineout maestro. Fotu is a surprisingly deft target and we all know Mowen.

Something different may be called for and one or both of these serious club hard heads may be more useful than a retreaded giraffe not wanted elsewhere.

 

[Slim 293]

Alexander was actually brought into the squad to play the Rebels in case of injuries, so he was obviously rated better than Winton...

 

[Slim 293]

Lee, this will interest you:

Brumbies to announce signings

BY JOHN-PAUL MOLONEY, RUGBY UNION
06 Jul, 2011 08:48 AM

The ACT Brumbies are set to announce today the recruitment of NSW Waratahs loose forward Ben Mowen and Western Force hooker Siliva Siliva on two-year contracts.

Mowen, a No8 and blindside flanker, will further fill the void left by the departures of Rocky Elsom and Mitchell Chapman.

The 195cm, 26-year-old former Queensland Red has been highly rated this year, having bulked up from about 102kg to his current 115kg.

He will join Brumbies captain Stephen Hoiles, first-year revelation Ita Vaea and powerful recruit Fotu Auelua in what is shaping as a highly competitive battle for the No6 and No8 jerseys in 2012.

Mowen's departure from NSW could open the door for Elsom to return to Sydney after two seasons in Canberra.

Siliva, meanwhile, will serve an apprenticeship under Steve Moore as the Brumbies' back-up hooker.

He has just returned from duty with the Australian under-20s at their World Cup in Italy. He was highly rated for his efforts there by coach David Nucifora.

Another Brumbies forward on the rise is rookie lock-flanker Tom Alexander, who has been called into the Wallabies pre-World Cup scrum camp in Sydney.

In a huge show of faith in his potential, Alexander, the brother of Wallabies prop Ben, has been involved in live scrummaging practice ahead of the naming of an initial World Cup squad on Sunday.

The Brumbies involved in the camp were the Alexander brothers, departing prop Salesi Ma'afu and hooker Steve Moore. Elsom, Peter Kimlin and Dan Palmer were unavailable through injury.

This could lead to Alexander possibly being the last forward signing?

 

[barbarian]

Tom Alexander in the scrum camp? Shit that is more than left-field, it isn't even on the fucking field. I would be pretty dirty if I was Ben Hand or Mitch Chapman, it seems almost everyone got an invite.

 

[Slim 293]

Chapman has played the last part of the season with fractures in his hand, so I'm not sure if that's ruled him out of the camp?

As for Hand... he can feel dirty but he hasn't done anything this year to warrant inclusion...

 

[barbarian]

Well he has played Super Rugby, which is more than you can say for Alexander...

 

[DPK]

Alexander would be a good guy to add to the squad. He's a tough second rower, and he's been played in the backrow in the Shute Shield as well.

 

[fatprop]

Tom Alexander in the scrum camp? Shit that is more than left-field, it isn't even on the fucking field. I would be pretty dirty if I was Ben Hand or Mitch Chapman, it seems almost everyone got an invite.

Being fit, available and able to push are the key requirements for a lock at scrum camp. Hand didn't play on Saturday so he may be injured.

 

[S120]

BREAKING NEWS: Waratahs No.8 Ben Mowen has signed with the Brumbies for next season, with the ACT franchise making the announcement this morning. Mowen will join Australian Under 20s hooker Siliva Siliva in Canberra, after the Western Force Academy front-rower agreed to head East in 2012 as well.

From Facebook.

 

[Brumby Jack]

Thanks scoop

 

[en_force_er]

Great pick-up, Hoiles to play a bench utility role then?

 

[Brumby Jack]

Hard to say en force er, Hoiles is still the club captain so you would think he would start unless his injury doesn't get any better any time soon. The injury hasn't gotten any better and he could very well not play again this season.

It does look like there will be good competition for the backrow, it just needs to happen in some other positions now. i.e lock for one.

 

[en_force_er]

Hard to say en force er, Hoiles is still the club captain so you would think he would start unless his injury doesn't get any better any time soon. The injury hasn't gotten any better and he could very well not play again this season.

It does look like there will be good competition for the backrow, it just needs to happen in some other positions now. i.e lock for one.

True but given coaching changes I could see him slotting into a similar role to Tim Davidson at the Rebels.

 

[qwerty51]

Tom Alexander in the scrum camp? Shit that is more than left-field, it isn't even on the fucking field. I would be pretty dirty if I was Ben Hand or Mitch Chapman, it seems almost everyone got an invite.

It's a scrum camp, it's mainly for the props, probably just need some locks to pack down.

 

[tranquility]

Brumbies looking good for 2012 in my opinion.

 

[Blue]

Alexander would be a good guy to add to the squad. He's a tough second rower, and he's been played in the backrow in the Shute Shield as well.

Definitely. I have seen two of his games on tele this season and was wondering why this guy doesn't have a Super contract. Grafter.

Don't rate Hand or Chapman at all.

 

[Lee Grant]

Slim

Thanks for posting that. Alexander must be in the frame somewhere but being invited to a camp to provide opposition is not necessarily a mark of distinction.


I didn't think that Siliva would be the back up to Moore as has been indicated, just the rookie contract third guy; not that I could foresee a 2nd guy except Hegarty who has actually started in Super Rugby. How did you think he went this year? All I can remember is some poor throwing to the lineout. Maybe he is going elsewhere; I forget.

It is a big risk to have a back up hooker who will turn 21 at the start of the 2012 season. Siliva is big enough but not a hard nosed player yet, though that will have to come. Siliva will be a rookie contract 2nd string; so that left room in my scenario for Mowen to get a full contract.

If Siliva is indeed 2nd string I suggest that the Brumbies get a 2nd rookie hooker who is not really a rookie in the club sense to back up Siliva if he falters when Moore is not available and Hegarty isn't around anymore. Ben Roberts would have been a possibility as a seasoned club hooker. He was called in by the Tahs this year but didn't get on the park IIRR.

Better yet if you can get seasoned player to leave his day job and accept an appointment in the pro academy. It would be a nice trick.