Brumbies vs Reds, week 3 2011

[MrTimms]

Good to see Beau starting...

 

[Aussie D]

Ok Reds Team announced


No unforced changes to the starting line up. and A revamped bench with Toua missing out.

I must say I am a bit disappointed in seeing the same backline running out again. the Forwards balance seems to be a bit better.

[/pedant]So Horwill was fit to play but has been dropped? [pedant]

What has happened to Ben Tapuai? I think the selection of Ben Lucas is a good idea as it will hopefully take pressure off Quade. Hopefully Aiden will get plenty of game time at the back end of the game.

 

[Godfrey]

[/pedant]So Horwill was fit to play but has been dropped? [pedant]

What has happened to Ben Tapuai? I think the selection of Ben Lucas is a good idea as it will hopefully take pressure off Quade. Hopefully Aiden will get plenty of game time at the back end of the game.

Urm...Horwill being left out is a forced change (injury).. therefore no unforced changes. Also Toua isn't in the side...so he won't get any game time.

Sorry to be so corrective, but I'm sure a "pedant" will appreciate it.

I'm pretty disappointed to see Toua not get a run, I thought he was great when he came on against the Waratahs.

 

[fatprop]

Palmer will chew up Daley and spit him out.

The Tahs had the Reds scrum under pressure from the first scrum which had Saia Fainga'a popping up under pressure, the Brumbies scrum is just as effective

 

[tranquility]

I'd be surprised with all the chopping and changing if either team gets out of first gear this game, not from lack of trying though.

Individuals have played okay for both these teams this year but so far almost all their combinations have been just awful.

3 forwards Ewen has clearly defined as opensides in the one 22, but why? I get the Reds lacked openside penetration in their 1st few games but the answer is finding the right one, not using multiple of them. If the Reds need extra forward reserves anywhere it's in the front row.

Toua looked great last game and harked back to the youthful Reds of 2010 that played with a spring in their step, why take him out of the 22?

Quirk is actually not a 7, it was purely a stop gap method. At 19, he still has some growing and will end up being about as big as Higginbum but actually useful as he has good technique and body shape in contact. He will come on at 6 later in the game, it will be very interesting to see how the backrow goes with both Quirk and Gill on the field. I said about 12 months ago, that Quirk, Gill and Shatz could become one of the great QLD backrows - but who knew they would all be pushing so hard for selection so early. Shatz is only being kept out of the side as Link needs some mid tier experience from blokes like Leroy and Higginbum, but gee it looks like they are going to get eclipsed by the young blokes soon.

I can't understand why Aidan was dropped from the 22 this week either? I thought he was a good show for the XV this week, but Luke is a good player and perhaps it is Link just using his squad wisely - keeping the lads hungry. Benny Lucas's career is at a real crossroads, he needs to play well at fullback this week, and in the coming weeks because it appears that Link is grooming Ian Prior for the backup 9 role. Also interesting to see AWH straight back into the side after injury, I guess he and Mcduling were the only locks available however. Where the mother duck is Radike? strap your bloody finger up and get out there mate.

I will be a very interested onlooker this week, and will be disappointed if anything but a win.

 

[Brumbies Guy]

So Horwill was fit to play but has been dropped?

He's injured

Hopefully Aiden will get plenty of game time at the back end of the game.

He isn't in the 22?

 

[en_force_er]

Quirk is actually not a 7, it was purely a stop gap method. At 19, he still has some growing and will end up being about as big as Higginbum but actually useful as he has good technique and body shape in contact. He will come on at 6 later in the game, it will be very interesting to see how the backrow goes with both Quirk and Gill on the field. I said about 12 months ago, that Quirk, Gill and Shatz could become one of the great QLD backrows - but who knew they would all be pushing so hard for selection so early. Shatz is only being kept out of the side as Link needs some mid tier experience from blokes like Leroy and Higginbum, but gee it looks like they are going to get eclipsed by the young blokes soon.

I agree which is why I was careful to say that Ewen defines him as an openside, at least at this stage.

I think Shatz should become a lineout jumping 6 in the vein of Elsom in his youthful peak, rather then at 8. I'm not sure who the Reds long term 8 will be, maybe that blonde lock from the Schoolboys side last year?

 

[Moses]

[/pedant]So Horwill was fit to play but has been dropped? [pedant]

You got the pedant tags back to front! The / is used to close a tag.

 

[sunnyboys]

Schatz has always been listed as an 8. I hope quirk/gill/schatz do stay with the reds and develop into a long term good quality backrow for us. at the moment its a real struggle for us.

we need to be honest with ourselves, and acknowledge that the Reds pack hasn't got many genuine stars. Horwill is about it. Simmons and Slipper are building but young. Hanson has opportunity staring him in the face. Fainga'a and Daley just aren't quite there, despite their enthusiasm. Higs is yet to fulfil the press written about him. And the rest are average super rugby journeymen.

It is still a work in progress, with much work to be done.

 

[Slim 293]

Shame about A Smith being ruled out because Speight needs to be dropped...

I don't really like playing two opensides but I guess Chapman will be back next week...

Strange that LILO is on the bench ahead of Tyrone?

And is Stubbs currently injured?

 

[sunnyboys]

I noted that in an article yesterday Gill has gone from 87kg up to 94kg. He'll need to be 100kg min to really be able to play at the top level. hopefully they allow his young body to develop more before pilling on any more muscle. dont want his knees and ankles getting ruined.

 

[Tank]

Palmer will chew up Daley and spit him out.

The Tahs had the Reds scrum under pressure from the first scrum which had Saia Fainga'a popping up under pressure, the Brumbies scrum is just as effective

Could be a bit of a concern...

and whilst a lot of us have been calling for Holmes to replace Daley in the run on, Link knows something about Daley we all don't because not only is he still running on, he is now the forwards leader.

Discussion on him being VC gents??

 

[sunnyboys]

Tank. I posted my thoughts above. Daley just seems a bit small or lacking in strength. maybe its technique... i dont know. But he has never really withstood any half decent tighthead prop. except for a short period last year against bulls/stormers.

 

[Jets]

My thinking would be that the left Aiden out so he could play 15 for the 2nd XV. It is a long season and I guess things will become more desperate if they loose on the weekend. AWH would have to be there for his experience. Probably not a bad idea with the 5-2 split on the bench.

 

[Ash]

Daley is very effective around the field, just not so effective in the scrum. I would personally use Holmes for 50 minutes then bring on Daley. Would love to see Daley's scrummaging improve.

The Reds' scrum on their own ball was mostly stable against the Tahs when Kepu was on, even with Daley struggling a bit. Still haven't seen a damn replay, but at the ground I recall one scrum on Reds' loosehead (prior, of course, to Benny Robinson being on) where the Reds lost the hit, then they kept the scrum perfectly static and the backs got good ball. I don't think Kepu has really gotten over his opponent in the scrums (Somerville, Slipper) either game so far for the Tahs, which is why I am wondering why Benny Robinson isn't back to starting yet. But I Lee Grant...

The Reds at least had glimpses of last year's form vs the Tahs - they didn't even have glimpses of it vs the Brumbies. Hopefully the Reds can improve after a slow start.

Personally, I'm not so worried about the same (or similar, with sadly Hynes struggling with a potentially career ending injury) backline being trundled out. The same backline started to click in the second half vs the Tahs and found some line breaks (despite the Tahs' defence still holding wonderfully), but they lacked the composure of last year by forcing a pass or chipping when it obviously wasn't on (eg Toua on Turner). Miserably enough, the Reds' performance against the Tahs was actually an improvement in a few ways than the one vs the Force. With a more balanced pack, and a little more composure shown after finding some breaks, I am hoping for an improved Reds performance this week.

 

[Ash]

And oh yeah, agree that Daley is often beaten by his opposing THP, and has been beaten (in my opinion) by both Baxter and Fairbrother so far.

 

[Jets]

Could be a bit of a concern...

and whilst a lot of us have been calling for Holmes to replace Daley in the run on, Link knows something about Daley we all don't because not only is he still running on, he is now the forwards leader.

Discussion gents??

Link has always stated how impressed he has been with Daley's character and even put up his name when talking about a captain at one stage. He has been named as Vice captain for the game too. It can also be a good tactic to start a weaker prop so that the stronger prop can come on early if required. What I didn't understand against the Tah's was why Link would take off Slipper and leave Daley on.

 

[tranquility]

Daley apparently has a Pocock-like worth ethic on the training paddock, which partly explains why coaches (Link and Robbie) love him. Even before he secured his starting spot last year he was captaining the side in trials. It is a real shame that he is an undersized prop, because if he can get his scrummaging right he will be a real asset. On a funny side, I have spoken to blokes who played in junior rep sides with him and they said he had such little understanding of union of a game when he was younger that no matter what the situation called for, if he was at the back of the ruck the team was getting a pick and drive. It's funny because at junior level it might seem like his a more limited footballer, but it is the tough stuff that he does in the tight that has allowed him to become a good senior player.

 

[en_force_er]

Until we extend the bench to 8 players allowing for 2 props Daley won't ever be the man you want on the bench as he isn't a utility prop. Occasionally teams start their Utility prop but then if he goes down for whatever reason you risk not being able to form a scrum.

The man screams "I should have been converted into a hooker when I was in Colts" but it's just too late. Nobody wants another Pec Cowan experiment, though I would of liked to have seen Robbie's hooker/prop experiment conducted with Daley rather then Pec because as you say Daley is an impecable team character and thus adds to any squad even if it is off the field.

 

[louie]

Shame about A Smith being ruled out because Speight needs to be dropped...

I don't really like playing two opensides but I guess Chapman will be back next week...

Strange that LILO is on the bench ahead of Tyrone?

why is that strange? Tyrone is crap and hasn't had a good game since his first year. Agree about A.Smith. i really rate him. i was at the game on monday night. didn't seem too bad.