Brumbies 2024

[Brumby Runner]

Went out to Viking Park and made a few observations (despite standing on the hill behind the posts for most and being able to see FA).

-Charlie Cale the number 8 seems like a good prospect. Some genuine ball running ability. Not about to usurp Bobby V, but a great prospect.
-The sun was shining straight at the scoreboard so I couldn't see the score for the whole game. I actually thought the Drua were winning comfortably and was pleasantly surprised when I found out the Brumbs had actually won. The Drua got out to a flyer and the Brumbs just ground their way back into it.
-The Drua are bloody entertaining and one of the few positives about the recent iterations of Super Rugby.
-Viking Park on a Summer evening was a great atmosphere.

Most Noticeable:

-How good is it watch rugby that doesn't have a TMO. A game of a professional standard that is officiated by only one referee and two touch judges was so good. You actually got to watch the game without the lingering dread of hearing 'CHECK CHECK'. When a try was scored you got to celebrate it rather than wonder if it was going to get pulled back. I found it a much better watch than the Ireland France game of 12 hours earlier.

Bloody stinking hot during the women's game and at the start of the men's, but mellowed into a perfect evening for a rugby match by the end.

Agree on Charlie Cale. Hope to see him at 6 for some game time this year.

Drua have destructive runners across the park and will be more than a match for some others this year. Big, fast players, and terrific ball handling skills.

 

[Homer]

Has Cale bulked up? He looked talented/skillful last year but a bit of a schoolboy playing against adults at times.
Could be the bench role as can fill all backrow spots.

 

[Slim 293]

The Crimes:

The ACT Brumbies are set to pull off a major coup with coach Stephen Larkham preparing to extend his tenure at the club.

ACT Brumbies legend on the verge of huge coaching contract decision

The news is a major boost ahead of the 2024 Super Rugby season.

www.canberratimes.com.au

The Oz:

Melbourne Rebels are in $20 million debt with the ACT Brumbies also heading for voluntary administration as the Super Rugby competition staggers under the weight of debt.

The Australian reported last month that the Brumbies, were considering handing back their licence to RA unless it received greater share of revenue from head office.

Australia’s most successful Super Rugby franchise was pinning its hopes for survival on private equity.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/rugby-union/melbourne-rebels-super-rugby-future-further-in-doubt-as-debt-climbs-to-20m/news-story/3939006dd86e69decb43fa6353aeeec3

Those three sentences literally at the start and end of the article are the only mention of the Brumbies in a story about the Rebels... a bit vague.

 

[Wilson]

Brumbies shut down talk of following Rebels into voluntary administration

ACT Brumbies chairman Matt Nobbs has shut down suggestions the Super Rugby franchise is following the path of the Melbourne Rebels by heading into…

www.theroar.com.au

Not unexpected, but the Australians dig at the Brumbies solvency seems to have been wildly exaggerated:

But Nobbs slammed suggestions the Brumbies were about to head under.

“We would not even go into voluntary administration because we don’t have any (substantial) debt,” Nobbs told The Roar.

“The only debt we have is to Rugby Australia, which originally was a grant, but then was converted by Rugby Australia into an interest bearing loan.

“It was $1.7m, it’s now 1.1m. Everything is up to date, and we’ve never fallen behind.

“We report monthly on our financials. It was a condition of the loan.”

 

[Slim 293]

There's mention of a pre-season injury toll, but... paywall:

Frost set for timely return as Brumbies battle injury toll on eve of season

The lock suffered a knee injury during last year's World Cup.

www.canberratimes.com.au

 

[Wilson]

There's mention of a pre-season injury toll, but... paywall:

Frost set for timely return as Brumbies battle injury toll on eve of season

The lock suffered a knee injury during last year's World Cup.

www.canberratimes.com.au

Mostly locks, with a few others littered about the squad:

Locks:
- Frost ready for the trial this weekend
- Neville picked up a minor hamstring against the Drua, expected to be fit for round 1
- Darcy Swain recovering from a knee injury, unlikely to play the trial and in doubt for round 1

Others:
- Ala'alatoa continuing his recovery, will be out for the "early weeks"
- O'Donnel still recovering from an ACL injury, not expected for round one (article implies a similar time frame to Ala'alatoa)
- Debreczeni has another month on the sideline, missing the "opening weeks" of the season


Lachlan Shaw and Will Sankey expected to get minutes this weekend with the lock injuries. Ryan Lonergan and Noah Lolesio are also good to go and expected to play this weekends trial, Declan Meredith likely to get an opportunity with Debreczeni out. Expect something otherwise close to full strength to be named for this trial.

 

[Slim 293]

Mostly locks, with a few others littered about the squad:

Locks:
- Frost ready for the trial this weekend
- Neville picked up a minor hamstring against the Drua, expected to be fit for round 1
- Darcy Swain recovering from a knee injury, unlikely to play the trial and in doubt for round 1

Others:
- Ala'alatoa continuing his recovery, will be out for the "early weeks"
- O'Donnel still recovering from an ACL injury, not expected for round one (article implies a similar time frame to Ala'alatoa)
- Debreczeni has another month on the sideline, missing the "opening weeks" of the season


Lachlan Shaw and Will Sankey expected to get minutes this weekend with the lock injuries. Ryan Lonergan and Noah Lolesio are also good to go and expected to play this weekends trial, Declan Meredith likely to get an opportunity with Debreczeni out. Expect something otherwise close to full strength to be named for this trial.

Cheers!

I forgot Neville limped off on the weekend, but otherwise that list doesn't read too badly with a couple of other known outs, and would rather have an injury "crisis" at this time of the year.

That's a real shame about Debreczeni, but looking to see how Lolesio bounces back after his stint with Toulon.

 

[Wilson]

Cheers!

I forgot Neville limped off on the weekend, but otherwise that list doesn't read too badly with a couple of other known outs, and would rather have an injury "crisis" at this time of the year.

That's a real shame about Debreczeni, but looking to see how Lolesio bounces back after his stint with Toulon.

Yeah, a few unclear time frames and the locks aren't ideal, but only really an issue if another one goes down or Neville's time frame gets pushed out. Good opportunity for Sankey though, I had figured the Reds were going to snap him up before they grabbed Cormac Daly and he went down to Canberra for an opportunity. He should now get the best possible opportunity to make his case before the season kicks off now.

Debreczeni out should also really cement Lolesio at 10 and Toole, Muirhead, Wright in the back 3 to start the season. As much as it would be good to have Debreczeni there, all those guys getting a clear run early on to make their case is probably for the best, particularly with a 2nd round Chiefs rematch to test how the balance is coming along.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Wilson, I think the right wing is a spot that needs to be strengthened in defence. It won't surprise me to see Tom Wright move back there with Declan Meredith at 15. Meredith handled the 10 spot really well against the Drua but Noah must be favourite to start there in the early season at least.

When fit, I would like to see Debreczini move to the fullback spot with Meredith covering both 10 and 15 from the bench.

I would not be unhappy for Corey Toole to return to 7s until he puts on a bit more beef or becomes more assertive in contact.

With both Neville and Swain out, I reckon Tom Hooper moves to TH Lock and Ed Kennedy/Lachlan Shaw come off the bench. Shaw was quite impressive in his debut last week.

 

[Wilson]

Shaw is definitely a talent, but I do wonder if they're keen to bring him on a little slower given his age and the fact that they're still trialing Sankey. It may also be that Mowen thinks he's got something specific to offer, given he appears to have followed him down from Easts.

For mine the back 3 issue is more about kicking and territory control - thats where the Toole, Muirhead and Wright grouping was found out on occasion last year, most notably in the semi final against the chiefs. Wright definitely could've progressed in that department but with neither Toole or Muirhead offering much in the way of a "2nd fullback" style of winger it might not be enough. Absolutely agree with Debreczini at the back and Wright on the wing going forward, I think that's the best balance, particularly for the Brumbies style. I think Wright needs a good shot at fullback before reverting to that though, unless he is not as interested in the position as he has been previously.

 

[Slim 293]

The shock new location for Canberra Stadium

The potential new site is synonymous with rugby league.

www.canberratimes.com.au

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr's preference is for a new $500 million, 30,000-seat stadium to be built on a new site in what's being dubbed the Bruce sports, health and education precinct - rather than look to rebuild the existing stadium where it is.

But Barr revealed the ACT government was looking at 11 locations in Bruce - of which three were the clear standouts.

One was the existing location, another was adjacent to the current stadium, but the third and preferred was to move closer to the public transport corridor on the corner of Haydon Drive and Battye Street.

There's already an oval there and it's also where the NSWRL Bruce headquarters were.

It's the former training base of the Canberra Raiders, who along with the ACT Brumbies, would be one of the main tenants.

It's thought either a complete knockdown of Canberra Stadium followed by a rebuild or a staged knockdown and rebuild would be too problematic.

A partial knockdown would lead to reduced capacity for several years as the Raiders and Brumbies played on a building site.

A complete knockdown would force both teams to find new homes - potentially Manuka Oval.

 

[Members Section]

The shock new location for Canberra Stadium

The potential new site is synonymous with rugby league.

www.canberratimes.com.au

Will stage 3 of the light rail ever happen? & also will it go anywhere near the stadium?

 

[Adam84]

A stadium in Bruce is 1970s thinking

 

[KOB1987]

A stadium in Bruce is 1970s thinking

Welcome to Canberra

 

[Brumby Runner]

Was that your wrong footed effort KOB. I'm sure you could do a lot better using your best foot.

 

[KOB1987]

I will never forgive the place after going down there to participate in a sports event in the early 2000's, only to come down in the morning to drive to said event and find my brand new car on bricks with no wheels. In a security car park mind you.

 

[Brumby Runner]

That's mind boggling. There does seem to be a lot of hoons and criminal types down here for such a small city.

 

[mst]

Cheers!

I forgot Neville limped off on the weekend, but otherwise that list doesn't read too badly with a couple of other known outs, and would rather have an injury "crisis" at this time of the year.

That's a real shame about Debreczeni, but looking to see how Lolesio bounces back after his stint with Toulon.

Noah seemed to be in a pretty good space, happy to be back and ready to go based on the quick chat we had with him post the trail game. I got the impression that he believed he got the better working holiday package in the end. Also his hosts were apparently reluctant for him to leave.

 

[whitefalcon]

It seems like Sapsford might have become the first choice 12 now?

Or is Tua injured?

 

[Slim 293]

Brumbies set to back Lolesio for the future and try and retain him until 2027, regardless of what happens with the Rebels...

Brumbies go all in on star as Super Rugby market gets ready to explode

The Brumbies are resisting the temptation to look at alternatives.

www.canberratimes.com.au