Brumbies 2012

[dobduff11]

Kimlin should stick to Lock, he hasn't mastered either position yet and has oodles of talent. Ply your trade son

Might possibly even have noodles of talent.




My sincerest apologies

 

[yourmatesam]

Might possibly even have noodles of talent.

Only if they're from the Brumbies Performance Kitchen and served by a lucky volunteer!

 

[Cat_A]

Does anyone else think the headline is reminiscent of a hunt for a bushranger? It could quite easily read: Reward offered for Ned Kelly (for instance - insert own favourite criminal here).

 

[tranquility]

Might possibly even have noodles of talent.




My sincerest apologies

I'll pay it.

 

[Bilby]

Has anyone ever been on one of the supports tours with the team ? Thinking of going this season - how do you rate your experience

 

[Brumby Jack]

Bilby,

Looked at the Christchurch one in 2010. Was going to be more expensive than if you book yourself and actually ended up staying in the same hotel as the team.

I tried to get tickets with the supporters going over but it was an 'all or nothing' deal and their seats were in the nosebleeds.

 

[Bilby]

Ummmmmmmmmm.....thanks BJack ......no use spending all that $ to get a nosebleed

 

[Brumby Jack]

The Brumbies are in their 2nd week of training for the year and are preparing for trial matches against the Western Force in Darwin on February 4 and Queensland in Cairns on February 11. They also have a trial against an ACT XV in Canberra on February 16.

Normally trial matches are just a process of giving players some game time and working on some combinations but the Brumbies will be looking to run with their best team in most, if not all, of the trials. The match against the Force will likely see all squad members get some game time since coach Jake White has not actually seen some of the squad play before.

From this match he hopes to confirm his best starting XV and strengthen the combinations as they work towards the SupeRugby season opener, also against the Western Force, on February 24 in Canberra. The Brumbies have the bye in round 2 and are targeting these next few weeks as crucial in the teams development.

In some good news for the Brumbies, Pat McCabe says he is ahead of schedule in his recovery from surgery on his shoulder, but has not set a confirmed date for his return and will consult with medical staff on when this may occur.

 

[yourmatesam]

Brumbies posted some pics of McCabe running the other day, positive news!!

 

[Opensider]

Just wondering on everyone's opinion on who will be the breakthrough outside back for the Brumbies in 2012? Holmes, Mogg, Crawford, Cox, Sitauti or Kuridani?​

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I doubt that Holmes will get his chance given they are more likely to put Lealifano back to Fullback if injuries occur. The thing that Holmes has got going for him is his goal kicking (something the Brumbies are lacking in the squad).​

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My understanding is that Jesse Mogg can only be called on if there is sufficient injuries which is unlikely given the balance of the backs in the squad.​

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I haven't seen Tom Cox play so can't really comment.​

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I've seen a bit of Sitauti in sevens but he seems to run away from his support a lot in attack. Kuridani is a man mountain.​

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I think though that Crawford would be the pick of the group. Bernie was really keen on seeing him in the trials last year but unfortunately he was injured in the first game. I believe that he's a well rounded 'footballer' (rather than athlete), quite quick, good kicking game and seems to get a lot of offloads away in the tackle. He carved up for Norths last year.​

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[Lee Grant]

Opensider,

One of the exciting things for the Brumbies this year is that nobody knows the answers to the questions you asked, or hinted at.

The danger is that it may take too long to answer them. How many twists of the Rubik cube will it take to find the best backline; even if everybody stays healthy, which they won't?

As usual, it is likely that what the forwards do will be more important than the names of the backs.

 

[SuperGrover]

Just wondering on everyone's opinion on who will be the breakthrough outside back for the Brumbies in 2012? Holmes, Mogg, Crawford, Cox, Sitauti or Kuridani?​

​

​

Maybe you left him out because he's already known to a wider audience than the rugby tragic, but I'm thinking Joseph Tomane will be the big winner from the Brumbies rebuilding. I just hope he gets a shot at 13 in one of their trials.

 

[Slim 293]

I would be starting Tomane out on the wing...

I know his history as a schoolboy rugby player, but after time in the other game where he's mostly played wing I'd feel safer with him being out there to start with...

 

[Slim 293]

No more leadership group for Brumbies

BY CHRIS DUTTON, RUGBY UNION
11 Jan, 2012 04:00 AM

ACT Brumbies coach Jake White will abandon the concept of a leadership group in the hope that it empowers his squad to have a greater say during the Super Rugby season.

White will wait until closer to his team's first trial before deciding who will replace Stephen Hoiles as the Brumbies' captain.

While his predecessors opted to have a handful of senior players in a leadership group helping the captain, White wants an open environment to encourage his players to have appropriate input when necessary. It's part of his plan to ensure his young squad is enthusiastic and brimming with confidence in his first year in charge.

But while the departure of Hoiles, Matt Giteau, Rocky Elsom and a host of international players has left a leadership hole, White is far from fazed at not having a captain six weeks out from the season.

Instead, he believes it's ''healthy'' for his squad and he could wait until the Brumbies' trial against the Western Force in Darwin on February 4 before making an announcement.

''I see it as a massive positive we have no captain yet, it's not like we're all over the place,'' White said.

''I think there's more vibe and more energy from everyone, and that's what I want.''

In previous years the Brumbies were blessed with leaders of the ilk of Brett Robinson, George Gregan, Stirling Mortlock, George Smith, Stephen Larkham, Hoiles and Giteau.

But while the Brumbies no longer boast an extended list of stars, White has no doubt he has plenty of candidates capable of stepping up as the skipper. Stephen Moore, Ben Alexander and Pat McCabe are all established Wallabies while recruit Ben Mowen is a former Australian under-21s captain and will be the Brumbies' chief lineout caller.

Prop Dan Palmer is the scrum leader, Matt To'omua calls the plays in the back line and Nic White, Peter Kimlin and Christian Lealiifano have shown leadership qualities.

Regardless of who White chooses, he has already made the decision to get rid of the leadership group. The former South African World Cup-winning mentor prefers one leader with equal input from the rest of his players.

''I'm watching the dynamic of the group and I haven't had to rush into anything. We've got aspiring leaders and people are showing they want to be part of the team,'' White said. ''My style is I will have interaction with players on various days and I want everyone to feel they're contributing. One day I might have lunch with one group or meet with another, there doesn't need to be a leadership group. If you make a leadership group of five guys, there's a sixth guy wondering why he's not in it.

''Maybe it has worked for the Brumbies in the past, but it was also a different group of players and coaches ... with a young group in terms of combinations, I want to afford everyone the opportunity to feel a part of it.''

With the Brumbies' round one clash against the Force on February 24 fast approaching, White will unleash a full-strength line-up in the first trial in Darwin. He wants to test his players to make sure he finds the right combinations for the season.

White has started his team planning with a clean slate. Very few positions in his line-up have been cemented and form in the trials will guide White's vision for round one.

Back-rower Mowen said the Brumbies were still developing their combinations, but was confident the team was on the path to success.

''We know the standards we're trying to set for preparation and converting that into games,'' Mowen said. ''What we've shown is we're starting to correct things and move towards that game situation.

''At this stage everyone needs an opportunity to prove themselves, everyone will play in those trials and that makes it hard to get consistency.

''But we've accommodated that well and I think we're moving in the right direction.''

• BRUMBIES TRIALS:

• February 4: v Western Force in Darwin
• February 11: v Queensland Reds in Cairns
• February 16: v ACT XV at Viking Park

 

[mudskipper]

Crawford and Holmes already have a good combo from Norths... Crawford is a bit like Joe Roff he knows were to be on the field at the right time...

But its teh pack that has to hold their own or the backs will never have time to show what they have...

 

[Slim 293]

I think our starting pack will be pretty solid.

Excellent front row and backrows, and an established locking partnership with Kimlin/Hand.

Injuries will test the depth though. Losing Moore or Palmer at any point would be a killer.

 

[Slim 293]

Brumbies' HQ plans' positive reception
BY STEPHANIE ANDERSON
11 Jan, 2012 04:00 AM

The ACT Brumbies club has been buoyed by support for its proposal to build 150 units at its Griffith training headquarters.

The Super 15 club's development proposal, which it says is vital for its financial future, is before the Legislative Assembly planning committee.

Committee members are due to report on the controversial plans as soon as next month, after receiving 46 submissions in support of the redevelopment.

The submissions came from a range of interested parties, ranging from ordinary fans to high-profile business identities.

But the plans also attracted submissions from nine opponents.

Captain Cook Crescent resident Elke Mackenzie outlined concerns about increased traffic, stating that the proposal would mean ''an increase of at least 150 car movements in the morning and in the evening''.

Committee deputy chair Caroline le Couteur said she and fellow committee members Alistair Coe and Mary Porter were due to report by February.

An initial proposal, including the redevelopment of the now heritage-listed Griffith Oval No1, was refused by ACTPLA in September 2010.

Brumbies chief executive Andrew Fagan said the club had not orchestrated the submissions supporting the proposal, but instead informed people who contacted them on how to express their support.

Mr Fagan said, ''We had people contact us to ask how they could make some comment.''

Mr Fagan said the club was trying to focus on its upcoming season now that submissions on the proposal had closed.

''This has been a long process,'' he said.

''In many respects, we're waiting to see where it has gotten us. It is a really important decision in securing our strategic direction. Ultimately the decision is not ours and we're just sitting here expectantly, patiently waiting for a response.''

Colliers International state chief executive P.J. Powderly was among those in support of the plans, because it would provide a more diverse housing mix for the Inner South.

Another submission, by David Kibbey, stated that those in opposition to the plans were ''local residents who want the open space essentially as an extension of their front lawns''.

''A decision in favour of this proposed development will not be unpopular outside of the immediate area,'' he stated.

''Large attractive tracts of land suitable for urban infill, such as at Griffith, should be made available to all Canberrans so that the vibrant and modern city state we want can be developed.''

 

[mudskipper]

I think our starting pack will be pretty solid.

Excellent front row and backrows, and an established locking partnership with Kimlin/Hand.

Injuries will test the depth though. Losing Moore or Palmer at any point would be a killer.

The pack needs to improve around the field, last year was avarege... Mowen, Power and Auleau will help. Kimmo didnt play much and Hand can be more agressive...

 

[yourmatesam]

The pack needs to improve around the field... Hand can be more agressive

Hand needs to harden the fuck up. He is not up to Super Rugby standard. As an ex-lock, it really pisses me off to see soft cocks playing in that position, the tight five should be your enforcers around the park and make sure the opposition know that when they go to the breakdown you are going to come screaming into it at 100 miles an hour and belt them out of there!

Sorry about the rant, but I was really unimpressed with Hand's efforts in the 2011 season (and the Brumbies generally).

Onwards and upwards though, there are plenty of positives to look forward to for the Brumbies and I'm excited about 2012!!

 

[Slim 293]

One tough mutha...

McCabe confident of playing in season opener​

BY CHRIS DUTTON, RUGBY UNION
12 Jan, 2012 04:00 AM



McCabe will meet with medical staff next week and he hopes to return to full training within the next two weeks.


ACT star Pat McCabe is on track to deliver a perfect early-season boost for the Brumbies by returning from a shoulder reconstruction a month earlier than expected.

It was originally thought he would be out of action until round five after he had shoulder surgery last October after the World Cup.

But the versatile back says he is ahead of the planned six-month recovery and remains hopeful of making a surprise appearance in the opening game of the Super Rugby season against the Western Force on February 24.

''I'm progressing well, I'm hopefully about a week or two weeks away from full contact [training], I'm back passing and kicking, just not having bodies running at me in case it gets knocked,'' McCabe said. ''I'll meet with the doctors next week and we're hoping for maybe round one or round three.

''From a physio and doctor point of view, I'm slightly ahead of where they thought I would be at this stage. I'm progressing well and just trying to tick a number of boxes before I get back into training with the team.''

McCabe established himself in the Wallabies' starting XV last year and finished the World Cup as Robbie Deans's first-choice inside centre.

He injured his shoulder during the Super Rugby season, but bravely played on and was rewarded with a spot in Deans's squad for his debut World Cup campaign.

The 23-year-old will be crucial to the Brumbies' hopes of success this season.

With 27 Super Rugby caps, he's the back line's second-most experienced player.

While McCabe filled the Wallabies' No12 jumper, coach Jake White is keen to give Matt To'omua and Christian Lealiifano the chief playmaking duties.

But McCabe's versatility means he's capable of playing outside centre, on the wing or at fullback when he is fit to return.

White wants to test his combinations in the Brumbies' first trial against the Western Force on February 4 in Darwin.

McCabe is unlikely to be ready to play by then, but he is confident he can slot into the team wherever White decides he fits best.

''I'm just trying to progress as quickly as I can without being stupid with [my injury],'' McCabe said.

''It's been an awesome opportunity to improve physically and work on my skills which you don't always get a chance to do.

''It's a chance to improve myself before getting back into the team environment, obviously I'd like to be involved from day one of the trials, but that probably won't happen at this stage.''