Brumbies 2017

[MarkJ]

If Larkham does go, I'm not sure appointing another coach from within the Brumbies system is the way to go. What we've seen from the Brumbies this year is pretty much just a continuation of what we got under Fisher & Friend - the constant recycling game with very little attacking edge. They all seem too beholden to the Brumbies style established by Macqueen & Jones, which doesn't really work with the game as it is now.

Say what you like about the Jake White game plan, but at least it was something different and seemed more successful.

 

[mst]

With it looking like the Reds are going to end up appointing Stiles, I would be happy if the Brumbies jumped and grabbed any of the discards like Blackadder, Lancaster, Meyer. Jono Gibbes, or Scott Wisemantel - the latter being a very interesting option and an opportunity to being an Aussie back in to Super Rugby.

 

[dru]

With it looking like the Reds are going to end up appointing Stiles, I would be happy if the Brumbies jumped and grabbed any of the discards like Blackadder, Lancaster, Meyer. Jono Gibbes, or Scott Wisemantel - the latter being a very interesting option and an opportunity to being an Aussie back in to Super Rugby.

There is, from a Reds perspective, so much to be depressed by that post.

BTW if the Reds, and Force, are beset by an ARU attitude that Aussie franchise coaches are better (for the WBs), what makes you think the Brumbies should do better on the international front?

 

[mst]

There is, from a Reds perspective, so much to be depressed by that post.

BTW if the Reds, and Force, are beset by an ARU attitude that Aussie franchise coaches are better (for the WBs), what makes you think the Brumbies should do better on the international front?

Very true about the international front. Also if i were a Reds supporter I would be depressed always!

The more I cogitated about the names I listed, considering where the Brumbies are at right now, and I would even be happy to forgo a process, the name I would be chasing is Wisemantel.

From what I have been able to glean about him, he would suit the Brumbies being mainly a backs coach, and appears well credentialed. Also - fresh blood.

 

[Brumby Jack]

Don't be surprised if Matt O'Connor's name comes up if Larkham does leave.

He is a Canberra boy after all.

 

[dru]

Don't be surprised if Matt O'Connor's name comes up if Larkham does leave.

He is a Canberra boy after all.

And there's the point for Brumbies fans to cogitate despondency. Has his strengths and abilities. The co -coach thing possibly didn't give him a real chance, but 3 wins in 2016.

 

[mst]

Don't be surprised if Matt O'Connor's name comes up if Larkham does leave.

He is a Canberra boy after all.

I worry that this is starting to get a little like the RSPCA mandate - re-homing old dogs!

If ever the game and particularly the Brumbies needed some fresh blood that's "Aussie Super Rugby free" its now.

 

[Slim 293]

Very true about the international front. Also if i were a Reds supporter I would be depressed always!

The more I cogitated about the names I listed, considering where the Brumbies are at right now, and I would even be happy to forgo a process, the name I would be chasing is Wisemantel.

From what I have been able to glean about him, he would suit the Brumbies being mainly a backs coach, and appears well credentialed. Also - fresh blood.

His credentials being an assistant/backs coach to a number of fairly average teams?

I haven't seen anything in his resume that would suggest he would be any good as a head coach...........

 

[mst]

His credentials being an assistant/backs coach to a number of fairly average teams?

I haven't seen anything in his resume that would suggest he would be any good as a head coach.....

I believe our current coach has a much shorter resume, and less international experience in comparison. So does the newly appointed Reds coach, and current Tahs coach.

As for fairly average teams, I agree with you. Waratahs, Walliabes, Japan, and Montpellier are fairly average teams. I doubt working under Dywer, Jones, McKenzie, or White would provide much benefit at all.

 

[Brumby Jack]

If Wisemantel does come, it will only further strengthen ties with the Brumbies foreign exchange club.

 

[mst]

If it comes with some Altrad love I will take it!

I hear Fisher has also started a foreign exchange club. Can't trust those ex-Aussie coaches at all!

 

[Slim 293]

I believe our current coach has a much shorter resume, and less international experience in comparison. So does the newly appointed Reds coach, and current Tahs coach.

As for fairly average teams, I agree with you. Waratahs, Walliabes, Japan, and Montpellier are fairly average teams. I doubt working under Dywer, Jones, McKenzie, or White would provide much benefit at all.

By that logic Richard Graham would be at the top of the list........

Did you look at the years when he was with those teams?

Not much to brag about...........

And I don't think he's ever worked under McKenzie?

 

[Tomikin]

Hopefully Larkham's still around next year his done a fair job so far and hopefully with another year under his belt he will just get better, maybe high an attacking coach underneath him for some more Idea's but I'm happy to persist for the moment. Still finished top of the Australian conference and brought through some good young players as well.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Hopefully Larkham's still around next year his done a fair job so far and hopefully with another year under his belt he will just get better, maybe high an attacking coach underneath him for some more Idea's but I'm happy to persist for the moment. Still finished top of the Australian conference and brought through some good young players as well.

I'm with you to a point T. But I think the two jobs, Brumbies and Wallabies, is probably a bit too much on his plate. I expect he will choose one or the other but not both in coming weeks.

There are some good young players coming on; Powell, Staniforth, Makin, Ala'alatoa, Jooste and Jordan Jackson-Hope. But will Jooste be ready in 2017 - still only 18/19 or thereabouts. With Matty going, we look to have a bare cupboard for backup No 10s, the most important backline spot in the team. And I'm still far from convinced that Christian is in his right, best, spot at 10. To me, he always played better at 12. So, next year we might have two pretty handy No 12s in Christian and Godwin if the rumours are correct, but No 10s are very scarce.

Without another Super Rugby ready No 10 on the books, I think we'll continue to struggle. Any ideas on who might be available?

 

[Slim 293]

I think this year proved, for at least the Brumbies, that To'omua at 10 and Lilo at 12 was the right way around............

 

[Sully]

I think this year proved, for at least the Brumbies, that To'omua at 10 and Lilo at 12 was the right way around....

Then you have to ask yourself why they played the entire season the other way around?

 

[Brumby Runner]

^^^^^^^ Cheika's influence I think. He saw Matt as a 12 only and possibly pressured Larkham into playing him there. Had Cheika had even the slightest inclination of playing To'omua at 10, then he would have done so at some stage against the English. Hell, we all could see we needed a change-up at 10 to be competitive with, or to beat, the Poms.

Actually, the view of To'omua as a 12 had its gestation way back on the 2013 or 2014 EOYT when the combination of Quade at 10 and Matt at 12 was so exciting and successful. At that time, Larkham had the opposite view and continued to play To'omua at 10 and Lealiifano at 12 but the public pressure to go the opposite way (including here on GAGR) and I presume an intervention by the national coach probably led to them playing in their current spots, much to the detriment of both I daresay.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Do To'omua's head knocks have anything to do with it?

 

[Gnostic]

^^^^^^^ Cheika's influence I think. He saw Matt as a 12 only and possibly pressured Larkham into playing him there. Had Cheika had even the slightest inclination of playing To'omua at 10, then he would have done so at some stage against the English. Hell, we all could see we needed a change-up at 10 to be competitive with, or to beat, the Poms.

.

Just as with the Brumbies and the Reds this is a shallow analysis of why the Wallabies failed. The Brumbies had so much ball in many of their losses just like the Wallabies against the Poms and the Reds with whoever they had at 10. The fact is that all three sides did nothing at all with the ball. The whole structure was poor and was more concerned with maintaining possession than actually trying to do anything with it. I don't think it was a coincidence that two of those sides mentioned had Larkham as attack coach and achieved almost identical results.

I sincerely hope Larkham remains at the Brumbies and the Wallabies get another backs/attack coach. Maybe in the future when he has more experience as a coach he could try his hand again at test level.

 

[Brumby Runner]

^^^^^ @Gnostic, do you think that Kerevi was playing better or worse than Foley in the second test? To'omua came on as a replacement and Kerevi came off. I've not yet seen anybody say that Kerevi wasn't one of the better players in the Wallabies. I am strongly of the opinion that a To'omua/Kerevi combination would have had more attacking flair than the Foley/To'omua combination that was used.

And to set the record straight, I didn't say that the failure to use To'omua at 10 was why the Wallabies failed. I am saying that it would have been a better position for him to play imo but that Cheika apparently doesn't see it that way.