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Brumbies 2019

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Bobby Sands

Guest
RoffsChoice said:
Ikitau is kind-of the opposite. Not saying anything about his skills or physicality, but it's clear his primary talent is the mental game. On attack, he knows when to run, pass, or kick, knows when to straighten the attack or when to run at an angle, etc. Defensively, his positioning is excellent, and you can hear him talking to the players around him to keep the defensive shape. His tackling, passing, kicking, etc. is all up to scratch, but nothing special. I think he's a great recruit for 13 cover.
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He was very highly rated in QLD, not sure why he left to be honest. Hope he becomes that super smart, well rounded 13.
 
Wilson

Wilson

Phil Kearns (64)
Slim 293 said:
The Tele reporting that Slipper's move to the Brumbies might be finalised by the weekend...
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Australian article on Jim Mckay's appointment to the Reds has a bit too:

The former Reds and Wallabies captain — who twice tested positive to cocaine use earlier this year and quickly came to realise he had no future in the Queensland squad — is effectively the last player on the Brumbies’ list, save from a still-to-be-determined front-rower.


“It would just be Slipper and one other, a prop out of the NRC,” McKellar told The Australian from Britain, where he is on a coaching fact-finding mission. “Scott Sio, Allan Ala'alatoa and Slipper, plus Les Makin, young Tom Ross from the Australian Under-20s … we’re pretty comfortable with the depth.”
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https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sp...s/news-story/d6730706599d1fcffd8dc958465993f6

That's a direct quote from McKellar, so it does look very much like it's just i's to dot and t's to cross. Looks like he's after one other NRC prop too, Vunipola Fifita would have to be pretty likely at this stage.
 
mst

mst

Peter Johnson (47)
I think its a win all-round. He gets opportunity and the right environment to rehab (demons and injuries) with less pressure and expectations. The Brumbies get a good cheap deal on a good player which offsets some of the risks due to his past issues. It also keeps him in the game and give him a chance to get back into the Wallabies conversation.
 
W

Wendell

Stan Wickham (3)
Despite being a Tahs supporter I am really excited about the future for the Brumbies. Very good finish to the year (smashed us and others) where they were the form team of the comp. Backed up with excellent recruitment from McKeller. The future does look bright in the nations capital.
 
mst

mst

Peter Johnson (47)
Wendell said:
Despite being a Tahs supporter I am really excited about the future for the Brumbies. Very good finish to the year (smashed us and others) where they were the form team of the comp. Backed up with excellent recruitment from McKeller. The future does look bright in the nations capital.
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Recruitment (main and development squads) was done by Damian Hill before he left recently. He will be hard to replace. Having Super Rugby coaching experience with a good eye for talent is not a resource in abundance here in Australia. McKellar has been spoilt having him provide him with such good lists.

I am unsure if overall our list as a strong (especially depth) as last year and am still not sold on McKellars abilities. He was spoilt with resources and even with a walk up start took until it was too late to make it meaningful. He only validated the criticism that he had the players and the issue was the coach.

But the 2019 list has some real possibilities. I will be intrigued to see if he ignores NRC form again and favors old (safe) combinations and names that after being persisted with as the core for many years, still are yet to get us near the chocolates.

IMHO, McKellar is the weakest link.
 
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Wendell

Stan Wickham (3)
mst said:
Recruitment (main and development squads) was done by Damian Hill before he left recently. He will be hard to replace. Having Super Rugby coaching experience with a good eye for talent is not a resource in abundance here in Australia. McKellar has been spoilt having him provide him with such good lists.

I am unsure if overall our list as a strong (especially depth) as last year and am still not sold on McKellars abilities. He was spoilt with resources and even with a walk up start took until it was too late to make it meaningful. He only validated the criticism that he had the players and the issue was the coach.

But the 2019 list has some real possibilities. I will be intrigued to see if he ignores NRC form again and favors old (safe) combinations and names that after being persisted with as the core for many years, still are yet to get us near the chocolates.

IMHO, McKellar is the weakest link.
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With all respect to suggest the head coach is not directly involved with making the final decisions on his team is madness. Coaches pick the players list managers negotiate. Credit where credit is due I think.
From the outside I see a coach that has made significant change to the way the Brumbies Attack. Like all change there were some teething issues but he and the team stuck at it and didn’t go back to old ways. You blokes were firing for the last 6 weeks and we were lucky to win the conference. You would imagine 2nd year in things are in place to improve again.
 
mst

mst

Peter Johnson (47)
Wendell said:
With all respect to suggest the head coach is not directly involved with making the final decisions on his team is madness. Coaches pick the players list managers negotiate. Credit where credit is due I think.
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But Hill's role wasn't just focused on top-end talent and helping lure players to Canberra. He played a key part in relaunching the academy for the first time in six years, identifying a group of talented teens to train.

"Historically recruitment and management of lists have been done by the head coach and chief executive. We were keen to have someone who had that role in a separate position," Thomson said.


Brumbies coach Dan McKellar added: "Hilly's been good to work with. He's a coach first and foremost and I think we worked well together with identifying areas in the squad we need to improve. It helps lessen the work load in and around the negotiation process.


"When he first came to the club we had 25 or 26 players off contract. In the past it was always left up to the coach and CEO. So it was definitely a step forward for us."
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-...te-rugby-coaching-career-20180831-p500xq.html
 
RoffsChoice

RoffsChoice

Jim Lenehan (48)
Honestly, when his playing days are done and if he wants to come back to Canberra, I'd be offering Ben Mowen a talent identification/squad development role. Players as cerebral as Mowen shouldn't be lost to the game, and there aren't enough coaching gigs to offer every ex player.
 
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