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Brumbies 2020

Strewthcobber

Simon Poidevin (60)
What's Hamish Stewart up to? A bit quiet in the second half of this reason for the Reds. Rather Stewart over McGahan any day. Stewart at 10, 12 or 15. I would be looking at the young 18 year old signed with the Reds. Oz schoolboys 10 last year. Gordon I think?
Reds are prefering Stewart over McGahan as well
 

Tomikin

David Codey (61)
The reason for Wright at 11 is that he is a former 10 who can control and open the game on the left and better passing game on his right.

Thoughts on Muirhead?
I think Murihead is awesome, so is Loleiso, I think they are in the running for the wing spots, just seemed like the end of the year it was Pulu, Speight, Wright although 6 - 2 bench and Wright covered more positions.
 

Tomikin

David Codey (61)
What's Hamish Stewart up to? A bit quiet in the second half of this reason for the Reds. Rather Stewart over McGahan any day. Stewart at 10, 12 or 15. I would be looking at the young 18 year old signed with the Reds. Oz schoolboys 10 last year. Gordon I think?

We already have Pasitoa signed up for next year, and think he would be competing with Gordon, so probably no need for another young 5/8 on the books. Stewart would be a good shout.

I wonder if we will end up with Simone at 10, they talked this year of him playing there and was the backup 10 to Leo by the end of the season. I like him at 12 but you never know.
 

Brumby Runner

Jason Little (69)
He seems to have the ball skills to fill in at 10, but his form at 12 at the end of the season was almost faultless. Think he should stay at 12 and the Brumbies need to find or develop a 10 from elsewhere.
 

Ted McMahon

Stan Wickham (3)
Simone is the latter half of the season has marked his position at 12. If a move to 10 is predicted, slotting Noah into 12 could see promise. Noah best position is 12, and wasted on the wing imo. Not sure how Kuenzle functions at 12 to be strong bench 22. Let's not forget Goddard. Any reports on form? NRC and pre-season will be the indicator.
Recruiting someone like Stewart has merit and i am sure the powers to be have considered if he hasn't been resigned. Cant see the Reds not re-signing him. Gordon would be locked up so that theory is probably out the door.
We do have options for next year in the backs but not the strongest of each position comparing other super teams.
 

mst

Peter Johnson (47)
Simone is the latter half of the season has marked his position at 12. If a move to 10 is predicted, slotting Noah into 12 could see promise. Noah best position is 12, and wasted on the wing imo. Not sure how Kuenzle functions at 12 to be strong bench 22. Let's not forget Goddard. Any reports on form? NRC and pre-season will be the indicator.
Recruiting someone like Stewart has merit and i am sure the powers to be have considered if he hasn't been resigned. Cant see the Reds not re-signing him. Gordon would be locked up so that theory is probably out the door.
We do have options for next year in the backs but not the strongest of each position comparing other super teams.

IMHO Stewart would be a poor buy. He is more suited to Fullback or maybe at best 12 as the Reds have discovered and a position we have several options available to cover. He certainly is not an option at 10. He unfortunately has been shifted around to find where they can best mitigate some of his skill deficiencies. The Reds have done well (and so has he) to rectify his fundamentally floored kicking out of hand technique.
 

RoffsChoice

Jim Lenehan (48)
Thoughts on Muirhead?
Great Super-level player, with the potential to be an average-to-good test player in a few years. He's (rightly) known for his speed, but his best atributes are his defending at the end of the line, his awareness when it comes to dropping back to cover a kick, and his own kicking ability. He also has a nose for the line and is about as well-rounded as a traditional winger can be these days. With Speight gone and Taliauli seemingly out of favour, I would be picking Murihead as our starting winger.
Recruiting someone like .........
I believe Lord Laurie when he says that we have the players we need. Let's retain and then take certain improvements, not chop and change.

We do have options for next year in the backs but not the strongest of each position comparing other super teams.

I don't think this is the case. Assuming retention of players not confirmed to be leaving, this is the backline depth in the teams next year:
backs depth.PNG

And yes, I know that Foketi has been playing at 12.

So our first-choice backline would likely be:
Powell-Kuenzle-Muirhead-Simone-Kuridrani-Pulu-Banks
Our second-choice would likely be:
Lucas-Pasitoa-Taliauli-Lolesio-Ikitau-Wright-Hansen

There is a gap in quality between the backlines overall, but the quality of the individuals is (with a few exceptions) about as good as it is for the starters. Basically, it is the same backline which scored the second-most tries in Super Rugby 2019.

Meanwhile, the best backlines of the other teams are:
Rebels: Lomani-To'omua-Koroibete-Hodge-English-Maddocks-DHP
Reds: McDermott-Stewart-Campbell-Lucas-Petaia-Speight-Hegarty
Waratahs: Gordon-Mason-Clark-Hunt-Foketi-Newsome-Beale

How many of those backline are improvements on this year? You might think the Rebels looks particularly good, but it's strictly worse than the backline which managed to lose six of their last eight games of the season. The Reds backline is strictly worse than this year (no Kerevi). The Tahs backline is just....... well, enjoy breaking tackles when you play against them.

While I agree that 13 is probably the only position where we have a player who is strictly better than their conference counterparts, our backline as a whole has more (and better) depth and is generally more well rounded.
 

Tomikin

David Codey (61)
One Question RoffChoice you put Issac Lucas as inside centre for Reds, I've only ever seen him play Flyhalf or Fullback, any reason for that ?
 

RugbyReg

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
One Question RoffChoice you put Issac Lucas as inside centre for Reds, I've only ever seen him play Flyhalf or Fullback, any reason for that ?

hes played every position in the backlone bar 9 in senior rugby. In fact I'm not sure about wing.

He'll be tried at 10 first apparently.

Wileman has left the Reds for sure, to the tahs apparently (not an inside centre)

Apparently McGahan will do the same.
 

Up and under

Stan Wickham (3)
Great Super-level player, with the potential to be an average-to-good test player in a few years. He's (rightly) known for his speed, but his best atributes are his defending at the end of the line, his awareness when it comes to dropping back to cover a kick, and his own kicking ability. He also has a nose for the line and is about as well-rounded as a traditional winger can be these days. With Speight gone and Taliauli seemingly out of favour, I would be picking Murihead as our starting winger.


I believe Lord Laurie when he says that we have the players we need. Let's retain and then take certain improvements, not chop and change.



I don't think this is the case. Assuming retention of players not confirmed to be leaving, this is the backline depth in the teams next year:
View attachment 10874
And yes, I know that Foketi has been playing at 12.

So our first-choice backline would likely be:
Powell-Kuenzle-Muirhead-Simone-Kuridrani-Pulu-Banks
Our second-choice would likely be:
Lucas-Pasitoa-Taliauli-Lolesio-Ikitau-Wright-Hansen

There is a gap in quality between the backlines overall, but the quality of the individuals is (with a few exceptions) about as good as it is for the starters. Basically, it is the same backline which scored the second-most tries in Super Rugby 2019.

Meanwhile, the best backlines of the other teams are:
Rebels: Lomani-To'omua-Koroibete-Hodge-English-Maddocks-DHP
Reds: McDermott-Stewart-Campbell-Lucas-Petaia-Speight-Hegarty
Waratahs: Gordon-Mason-Clark-Hunt-Foketi-Newsome-Beale

How many of those backline are improvements on this year? You might think the Rebels looks particularly good, but it's strictly worse than the backline which managed to lose six of their last eight games of the season. The Reds backline is strictly worse than this year (no Kerevi). The Tahs backline is just... well, enjoy breaking tackles when you play against them.

While I agree that 13 is probably the only position where we have a player who is strictly better than their conference counterparts, our backline as a whole has more (and better) depth and is generally more well rounded.



Roffs Choice...a good summary of available talent at each Australian franchise for season 2020.
Plenty of young players coming through following the post-World Cup exodus particularly from the Aussie 20's.

A few observations...

* I believe Noah Lolesio will get first crack at 10 at the Brumbies, although his U20's World Cup form proved that he is a world class 12 in the making.

* The Rebels look pretty thin on outside backs.

* Ben Donaldson is a 10 not a winger. Following his performance for the Aus 20's in the semi-final against Argentina, he impressed a lot of good judges, Stephen Larkham included.

* Has Karmichael Hunt resigned for season 2020 ? Rumour has it that he is being moved on.

* I expect big things from Tom Wright next year. Not sure of his best position, but the kid can play.

* Will be great to see Jordan Petaia back out on the field fully fit.
 

RoffsChoice

Jim Lenehan (48)
* I believe Noah Lolesio will get first crack at 10 at the Brumbies, although his U20's World Cup form proved that he is a world class 12 in the making.

Totally agree that his future is at 12, and it gives me a lot of hope for the future (in Canberra at least!)

* The Rebels look pretty thin on outside backs.

Recruiting is yet to happen, but, in a squad already struggling to build cohesion, lack of retention is a serious issue.

* Ben Donaldson is a 10 not a winger. Following his performance for the Aus 20's in the semi-final against Argentina, he impressed a lot of good judges, Stephen Larkham included.

Donaldson just included where his position was listed, happy to see a good crop of 10s coming through.

* Has Karmichael Hunt resigned for season 2020 ? Rumour has it that he is being moved on.

Unclear. Probably not staying, but included under the assumption that everyone who isn't confirmed as leaving is staying.

* I expect big things from Tom Wright next year. Not sure of his best position, but the kid can play.

Feels like a Mat Rogers fullback when I see him play, so I imagine he could slot in at 12, 15, or either wing. He may end up being our super-sub à la Bartholomeusz.

* Will be great to see Jordan Petaia back out on the field fully fit.
I hope to see him succeed Kuridrani as Australia's 13 one day, his defensive positioning and ability is already so well developed and his ability to break a tackle and draw the man before offloading is very impressive.
 

Ted McMahon

Stan Wickham (3)
Roffs
Powell-Kuenzle-Muirhead-Simone-Kuridrani-Pulu-Banks looks good. Lolesio and Wright are close. Thanks for the informative summary on the other teams. That puts it is prospective but i guess we will see some movement in the next couple of months.
 

Rugby Supporter 14

Stan Wickham (3)
Up and Under, you are pretty much on the ball with your update's.

*Brumbies sources say Noah and Irae where kicking and working together with the brumbies back coaches 1 on 1. Noah at 10 and Irae at 12 last week.

*Ben Donaldson, has proved he is a good 10 or 15 and is keeping his options open, if the waratahs don't look after him.

*KH, has not been offered an extended contract and is leaving his options open.

*TW will fit into a number of positions 12, 13, 11,14 and will be great for the brumbies.

*JP, is going to be a great asset for Australia rugby, Red's sources say that they are trying to get NL and JP back together at the Mighty Reds in a couple of years.
 
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