Brumbies 2012

[Lee Grant]

Looks good, smells good, probably tastes good; let's see if it works good. I sincerely hope that it does for you rugby nuts down there. Good luck.

 

[qwerty51]

I know great for the Brumbies but to me it's step backwards to creating the 2nd tier.

 

[louie]

I know great for the Brumbies but to me it's step backwards to creating the 2nd tier.

Not really. Keeping all the good players in Sydney is a backwards step. Having more club players playing against super 12 quality will help the talent pool grow.

 

[spectator]

I heard some high praise about Joe Tomane's preseason work.

Tomane combines massive size with above ordinary athleticism. If his head is in the right space he might be anything.

 

[Slim 293]

White orders Brumbies to stay in capital

BY CHRIS DUTTON, RUGBY UNION
09 Nov, 2011 04:00 AM

The ACT Brumbies will cut all ties with the Sydney club competition next year and Jake White has implored his players to get more involved in the Canberra community.
In a major boost for the John I Dent Cup, the Brumbies will play in Canberra's premier rugby division with White keen to have more control over his squad when they're not playing Super Rugby.

But former Brumby and Gungahlin Eagles coach Owen Finegan admits forcing players to end their relationship with Sydney teams could be met with some angst.

The Brumbies' 35-man squad has been equally divided between Canberra's seven clubs with players available for John I Dent Cup selection if they are not in White's game-day 22.

In the past, players not selected in game-day squad have played in the Shute Shield in Sydney.

Some Brumbies - including Stephen Hoiles (Randwick), Ben Hand (Eastwood) and Michael Hooper (Manly) - have long-standing ties with their Sydney clubs.

And Finegan, who was affiliated with Randwick while he was playing for the Brumbies, conceded players with established associations could find it difficult to switch allegiances.

''I think it's a smart move, especially with a young group at the Brumbies that you want playing together ... it's a fantastic idea,'' Finegan said.

''Have players staying in Canberra and build the game here, it's going to let people and the fans have a closer association with the Brumbies.

''But individually there will be some people who have established themselves with Sydney clubs and aren't happy with the decision.

''It will be tough for them, especially someone like Ben Hand who has just won a premiership with Eastwood ... but it's going to be a drawcard for recruitment and retention and that will improve the club competition.''

Finegan will have props Dan Palmer and Ruaidhri Murphy, hulking No8 Ita Vaea and backs Henry Speight and Cam Crawford at his disposal next year.

How many games they play will depend on their involvement in the Brumbies top squad.

An extended Super Rugby campaign could limit the on-field involvement of the Brumbies with the last regular-season game not until July14.

But White is making his players available to help at training sessions and functions if the clubs request their presence.

It's a system White's predecessors failed to employ successfully.

Former coach Andy Friend wanted his players to remain in Canberra as well, but the chance to play in the tougher Sydney competition continued to lure them away from the capital.

White wants total control over his roster next year.

He already controls what they eat and when they sleep and with the squad committed to playing in Canberra he can monitor how long they are on the field, even when they're not playing Super Rugby.

''It will work, there's no reason why it won't work,'' White said.

''I'm confident people in the community will want to watch players at their own club and those people will in turn want to watch the Brumbies play.

''There's no negativity at all [from anyone] ... it's about making sure the players are playing in Canberra and feel like they're a part of Canberra.''

Wallabies Stephen Moore (Easts), Ben Alexander (Uni-Norths) and Pat McCabe (Wests) are unlikely to play given their high workload with Super Rugby and the Test season.

Colby Fainga'a, Jesse Mogg and Joseph Tomane were the only Brumbies who played in Canberra's first-grade competition this year.

Hand and scrumhalf Nic White helped Eastwood to the Shute Shield title last season.

Robbie Coleman left the Queanbeyan Whites last season to play in Sydney but was keen to rejoin his former club.

''Sydney was a good option and a different experience this year,'' Coleman said.

''With all the boys staying down here I think the competition won't be far off the Sydney standard.

''It's easier for me coming back, but I think it's the right idea for the Brumbies and we'll all be down here trying to impress.''

I love this attitude...

 

[Blue]

I love this attitude...

Jake is huge on loyalty, discipline and brotherhood. He dumped Matfield from his squad's early days for being lazy and having attitude.

Oh and fitness. No wonder he wants to know what they eat. Case in point, see John Smit under white vs under PdV. There is a whole person in difference. No way Jake would have tolerated that. He would also have regularly monitored the likes of Frans Steyn who came back from France looking like he ate a whole fat French cow. Nobody bothered to keep track of his shape. Jake would have and Frans would have known he would be held responsible. Instead under PdV nobody gave a toss.

Jake leaves no stone unturned. I love that about him and look forward to more slightly left of field initiatives out of Canberra.

 

[kambah mick]

Saw Tomane earlier in the week and he seemed very fit and enthusiastic. His attitude seems good.

 

[Slim 293]

I know great for the Brumbies but to me it's step backwards to creating the 2nd tier.

I don't see how that is possible?

Particularly how opposed Sydney clubs are towards having a 2nd tier competition...

 

[Brumbieman]

Am I alone in thinking its a good thing for the Brumbies that McCabe is injured?

I dont question his heart or defence, I wish the whole team tackled like he did and put as much onto the field as he does.

The problem though is that he is just useless in attack. He gets the ball, picks out the strongest shoulder of the nearest defender, and runs as hard, and upright, as he can directly into it. I wouldn't pick him at this stage, even on the wing or fullback. He just completely shuts down any attacking movement that gets going, and strangled the Wallabies attack at the World Cup.

How many times did he pass it? 3, or 4 times?

 

[Slim 293]

No...

 

[lex]

Am I alone in thinking its a good thing for the Brumbies that McCabe is injured?

I dont question his heart or defence, I wish the whole team tackled like he did and put as much onto the field as he does.

The problem though is that he is just useless in attack. He gets the ball, picks out the strongest shoulder of the nearest defender, and runs as hard, and upright, as he can directly into it. I wouldn't pick him at this stage, even on the wing or fullback. He just completely shuts down any attacking movement that gets going, and strangled the Wallabies attack at the World Cup.

How many times did he pass it? 3, or 4 times?

Brumbieman,

You're not alone. That's rather what I was getting at when I said that I thought McCabe might have a problem finding a place in the team (page 33 of this thread) depending on how the new recruits perform. But you analyse it much better.

 

[Bowside]

Am I alone in thinking its a good thing for the Brumbies that McCabe is injured?

I dont question his heart or defence, I wish the whole team tackled like he did and put as much onto the field as he does.

The problem though is that he is just useless in attack. He gets the ball, picks out the strongest shoulder of the nearest defender, and runs as hard, and upright, as he can directly into it. I wouldn't pick him at this stage, even on the wing or fullback. He just completely shuts down any attacking movement that gets going, and strangled the Wallabies attack at the World Cup.

How many times did he pass it? 3, or 4 times?

I think it was 5 passes.

I think at the moment he is too one dimensional to crack it at the highest level. But he is still young and maybe he will develop his game and prove us all (sans slim) wrong. I like his attitude though, very tough of him to play with a bung shoulder.

 

[RugbyReg]

John Mitchell did all this "Play for the Force, must play in WA" didn't he? Until Mitch Hardy (a former Sydney club player) nixed the idea?

 

[Slim 293]

Am I alone in thinking its a good thing for the Brumbies that McCabe is injured?

I dont question his heart or defence, I wish the whole team tackled like he did and put as much onto the field as he does.

The problem though is that he is just useless in attack. He gets the ball, picks out the strongest shoulder of the nearest defender, and runs as hard, and upright, as he can directly into it. I wouldn't pick him at this stage, even on the wing or fullback. He just completely shuts down any attacking movement that gets going, and strangled the Wallabies attack at the World Cup.

How many times did he pass it? 3, or 4 times?

Ok, I'll bite...

Why would I want one of our best, and sole backline test representative out injured?

Particularly when we have essentially a new team, and our best combinations preferably sorted sooner rather than later?

Why would I want our potential 13 or 12 not to have the training time honing and improving his skills?

As for him strangling the Wallaby attack... There were other players in the field too...

Based on his world cup perfoances, we could say Genia strangles our attack with all the kicking... But we shouldnt let a few performances at the RWC be a definitive indicator of a players worth...

 

[Lindommer]

Particularly how opposed some Sydney clubs are towards having a 2nd tier competition...

fixed

 

[light]

Ok, I'll bite...

Why would I want one of our best, and sole backline test representative out injured?

Particularly when we have essentially a new team, and our best combinations preferably sorted sooner rather than later?

Why would I want our potential 13 or 12 not to have the training time honing and improving his skills?

As for him strangling the Wallaby attack... There were other players in the field too...

Based on his world cup perfoances, we could say Genia strangles our attack with all the kicking... But we shouldnt let a few performances at the RWC be a definitive indicator of a players worth...

He was expressing his opinion and had reasonably good justification. You don't have to defend McCabe every time someone critiques him, just let it go through to the keeper or we will end up in a never ending cycle which has ruined far too many threads.

 

[Viking]

Am I alone in thinking its a good thing for the Brumbies that McCabe is injured?

I dont question his heart or defence, I wish the whole team tackled like he did and put as much onto the field as he does.

The problem though is that he is just useless in attack. He gets the ball, picks out the strongest shoulder of the nearest defender, and runs as hard, and upright, as he can directly into it. I wouldn't pick him at this stage, even on the wing or fullback. He just completely shuts down any attacking movement that gets going, and strangled the Wallabies attack at the World Cup.

How many times did he pass it? 3, or 4 times?

He is not completely useless in attack. At test level he might not have shown much but at Super level, if you take a look at his form last year he was one of the better attacking Brumbies. He made some breaks and lots of metres. why else would he have been chosen for the wallabies over the likes of the defending kind A.Fainga etc.

 

[Slim 293]

He was expressing his opinion and had reasonably good justification. You don't have to defend McCabe every time someone critiques him, just let it go through to the keeper or we will end up in a never ending cycle which has ruined far too many threads.

The question was asked and I answered it...

It is a discussion board...

He's let his distaste of McCabe be known in other threads which I have not bothered to respond to...

But in the context of being happy he is out injured, in a Brumbies thread, had to be addressed...

 

[Slim 293]

He is not completely useless in attack. At test level he might not have shown much but at Super level, if you take a look at his form last year he was one of the better attacking Brumbies. He made some breaks and lots of metres. why else would he have been chosen for the wallabies over the likes of the defending kind A.Fainga etc.

Exactly, Go back to earlier tests and you can see the good things in not only McCabe, but other players who seemed to suffer at the RWC from whatever failed game plan they tried to develop...

McCabe would probably make an excellent outside centre for us, and I've mentioned earlier the times where he came into the line in that position for the Brumbies and help set up tries...

While it is good that there are some rookies who will get an opportunity in his absence, I would've preferred to have him available from the start to lock him into a position and help develop his game...

I don't want him to be another AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)...

 

[Clawhammer]

He is not completely useless in attack. At test level he might not have shown much but at Super level, if you take a look at his form last year he was one of the better attacking Brumbies. He made some breaks and lots of metres. why else would he have been chosen for the wallabies over the likes of the defending kind A.Fainga etc.

Agree, he'd be one of the first I picked in a Brumbies team. If I was a less lazy man I'd find the statistics but I'm pretty confident he's been among the Brumbies' in terms of metres gained during the time he's been with us.