Brumbies 2012

[Ruggo]

Sounds like the deadwood is being culled. Deadwood not in a playing sense but in an attitude sense. It has to be a fresh start for The Brumbies under White so getting rid of the players with ties to older days is a good thing. Moore has to be the next captain.

 

[fatprop]

Forwards coach Justin Harrison has been told he won't be required in 2012.

you would think Larkham would need to learn his trade somewhere lessor as well

 

[RedsHappy]

BJ and RH, can either of you explain to me why Andy Friend had to be humiliated by being garbage bagged out the door?

If it was to satisfy the senior players they have certainly shown what they could do without him.

If it was to satisfy the assistant coaches let's see how many of them Jake White retains.

If it was a chance for Andrew Fagan to show what an uncompromising, decisive, results-driven CEO he is we now know how well that has worked.

In the modern era people have become accustomed and indifferent to loyal servants of companies and organisations being sacked and escorted from the premises without time to clear out their drawers. In a more enlightened age Friend would have been tapped on the shoulder and told he would not be reappointed in 2012. Did Fagan think he would try to sabotage the joint if he were left in place? Someone seems to have done that after he has gone.

Bruce, for me:

- you may have noticed elsewhere on this subject I noted that Friend should have been let go (with no forward signalling or gossip out of the Brumbies or its RU) either at the end of the 2010 season, or at the very end of this one, period. That would have allowed Friend a 'I'm resigning after achieving XX and am now going on to pastures new, etc...'. That this 'shoulder tapping with dignity' (using your good phrase) did not occur - when it easily could have, even with a JW signing - by Fagan et al is just Symptom No 239 that the ACTRU's governance culture and Board competence as leaders are both highly sub-standard. And by his dumping of Friend mid-term in the manner he did, it was a manifest display of Fagan's weakness in the role, not his decisive strength. I DO endorse the JW signing as noted, but what should have happened in this scenario (when say JW needed a decision now, not in July) was that this was done with suitable discretion (an impossible concept for anything in Brumbie-land), and then permit Friend to positively resign and announce same as above in a decent manner, whilst offering handover and assistance to JW at the end of the 2011 season, and I am sure Friend's natural decency would have responded well to that approach and he could have been relied upon to support the change process, even though personally disappointed by it.

Having said all the above, I suspect Friend is deeply relieved to be done with the ACTRU and its bacteria-infested ways. I further note that no ACTRU Board member nor Fagan has stood and had the decency to take any form of senior leadership responsibility for the serious crisis that has engulfed the Brumbies, a team that, according to its Interim Coach, has absolutely no determination or guts or capacity for hard work, etc. But that's all the players' fault, of course.

[Btw, Symptom No 25 of defects in the whole Tah's culture and governance system was when, following KB (Kurtley Beale)'s announced 2012 departure for MEL, the NSWRU or other parties in Driver (a) clearly leaked to Growden the very next day that 'the Rebels are nothing but oddles of money and it was only that lured KB (Kurtley Beale) down there' (insulting to KB (Kurtley Beale) amongst other things) and, next, (b) 'the Rebels' have a really bad drinking culture'. Then not one single NSWRU officer or Tahs official stood up and took any responsibility of any kind for KB (Kurtley Beale) leaving and/or made no offer to constructively review a single aspect within NSW rugby as to why he might have left, so that the highly costly experience (losing such a long-nurtured young star) could potentially be learnt from.]

 

[RedsHappy]

you would think Larkham would need to learn his trade somewhere lessor as well

Agree. FP, my suspicions re Larkham's maturity and objectivity in this new Brumbies' role grew rapidly when he kept issuing statements to the effect that Gits should and would shine again for the Wallabies this RWC year, how great he was playing etc. It was all too gushing, and too soon. My pure speculation, but for me it smelt of a Gits-love that may just have correlated a tad with him somehow landing the job.

 

[Ash]

No surprise with Harrison. Was amazed they picked him up at all. His reported attitude and past behaviours just don't scream "coach" in any way, shape or form to me.

What was actually surprising was that the Brumbies hired Harrison as a coach in the first place.

 

[Empire]

I will say concerning Harrison or Googy, that when he came to Easts last year he was a very humble, open and friendly bloke. He was great at training and helping the club, and a great many learned plenty from him. I find the comments regarding attitude a touch off the mark. All know of the scandal in the UK, but he was hardly a harbinger of doom and debauchery at our club.

As for his coaching with the Brumbies, perhaps it was a step too far to jump straight into the professional arena. That said, given some time coaching at a lower level (Premier division - ACT, Sydney, Brisbane etc) I believe he could move up the ranks. Too much too soon.

 

[fatprop]

Agree. FP, my suspicions re Larkham's maturity and objectivity in this new Brumbies' role grew rapidly when he kept issuing statements to the effect that Gits should and would shine again for the Wallabies this RWC year, how great he was playing etc. It was all too gushing, and too soon. My pure speculation, but for me it smelt of a Gits-love that may just have correlated a tad with him somehow landing the job.

Gits to me is a symptom, the lack of structure, decent lines from support runners and effort off the ball is more of an issue to me.

 

[Crow]

Gits to me is a symptom, the lack of structure, decent lines from support runners and effort off the ball is more of an issue to me.

Don't forget speed of service, I counted 4 rucks in a row without seeing Valentine last match.

 

[Brumby Jack]

I counted 4 rucks in a row without seeing Valentine last match.

Was it because he got subbed off at that stage?

 

[Crow]

No, I recall him arriving at the last ruck. My best guess is that he spent the time under a Lions forward. I've been mistaken before, I'm not going to rewatch to find out, though.

 

[Gnostic]

I will say concerning Harrison or Googy, that when he came to Easts last year he was a very humble, open and friendly bloke. He was great at training and helping the club, and a great many learned plenty from him. I find the comments regarding attitude a touch off the mark. All know of the scandal in the UK, but he was hardly a harbinger of doom and debauchery at our club.

As for his coaching with the Brumbies, perhaps it was a step too far to jump straight into the professional arena. That said, given some time coaching at a lower level (Premier division - ACT, Sydney, Brisbane etc) I believe he could move up the ranks. Too much too soon.

Spot on Empire, and the blame for that has to fall on those who appointed him (the players or the board). Have they ruined his chances at achieving at a coaching level because of this circus? It would be a bad thing if an appointment too soon ruins somebodies career much the same as a youth player stepping up to Pro Rugby too soon. On the same token some intestinal fortitude and self awareness shuld tell some of these blokes that they aren't ready and say, "I'm going to learn the basics first". Unfortunately though we see a lot of arrogance dressed up as self confidence and a "fake it until you make it" attitude.

 

[Brumby Jack]

Marco Caputo won't be around next year. It's firming that Laurie Fisher and Steve Larkham will be the only 2 assistant coaches to Jake White.

 

[fatprop]

Don't forget speed of service, I counted 4 rucks in a row without seeing Valentine last match.

Yeah, but it is a chicken and egg issue often (speed of service)

Speedy service requires someone to chuck it to who wants it and knows who what to do with it. The Tahs have the same issue

 

[Slim 293]

Marco Caputo won't be around next year. It's firming that Laurie Fisher and Steve Larkham will be the only 2 assistant coaches to Jake White.

And the Crimes reports that former Wallaby conditioning coach Dean Benton will also be appointed...

I'm unsure about Fisher as forwards coach... he was forwards coach when the Brumbies dominated under Nucifora, but that pack had some great players... and Munster fans are happy to see the back of him...

 

[RedsHappy]

And the Crimes reports that former Wallaby conditioning coach Dean Benton will also be appointed...
I'm unsure about Fisher as forwards coach... he was forwards coach when the Brumbies dominated under Nucifora, but that pack had some great players... and Munster fans are happy to see the back of him...

As a Jake White supporter (already ;-) ) I must say that I am a tad concerned at what seems to be the rush to get all these support coaches in place so quickly. I would have thought a longer period for JW to do a lot of background checks, look at the whole field of (Aus and w/wide) candidates, and then chose very carefully, would have been more prudent. Not sure going (quickly) backwards to Fisher and Gregan hits the right chord, for me at least.

 

[Brumby Jack]

As a Jake White supporter (already ;-) ) I must say that I am a tad concerned at what seems to be the rush to get all these support coaches in place so quickly. I would have thought a longer period for JW to do a lot of background checks, look at the whole field of (Aus and w/wide) candidates, and then chose very carefully, would have been more prudent. Not sure going (quickly) backwards to Fisher and Gregan hits the right chord, for me at least.

You don't think he already did that since he first put forward his interest? It was probably happening during and part of the negotiating process.

 

[louie]

i like how direct his being. Get this stuff worked out so they have as much time to iron out the problems as possible. He's kicking goals already.

 

[Gnostic]

You don't think he already did that since he first put forward his interest? It was probably happening during and part of the negotiating process.

I think his personal coaching consultant may have had some input.

 

[Clawhammer]

Looks like White may not be such a big Elsom fan: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/05/18/3220241.htm

 

[Blue]

Looks like White may not be such a big Elsom fan: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/05/18/3220241.htm

Who is this Jack White fella?

I don't see anything in the article that would suggest Jake leans either way as far as Elsom is concerned.

But Jack has emphasised a four year plan, and I doubt he sees Elsom as a ling term investment. Two years basically on the sidelines and likely to head overseas anyway. I doubt White will be begging Elsom to stay but will probably like to have him if he could.