Highlanders v Waratahs. Invercargill.

[TheRiddler]

I guess McCaffrey and Alcock must be playing badly in Shute and McCutcheon going well? What do those who have seen them think.

Alcock didnt play last weekend as he was warming the bench at ANZ (thanks Hickey,. good job). The week before he scored a try for Gordon against Warringah and had a good all round game. The week before that he played for the Tahs and was just about man-of-the-match!

From the Tah website McKibbin apparently had a blinder against Randwick in Shute. Anyone there have a comment?

I watched the first half last night and wasnt that impressed. Lots of spilt ball, missed passed and errant kicking. On that form, he should have been a shoe in! Having said that, he did set up a beaut try for Easts with a pinpoint cross field kick pass.

 

[centreman]

Bit tough on Sidey Fatprop as he hasn't been given any opportunities other than 10 min. against the reds.
To me it highlights the Tah coaches ultra conservative approach by not blooding fringe squad players like McKibbin,Nedalo or Sidey to see what they can do.
If Inman or Andrew Smith or Will Chambers for that matter were at the Tahs I suspect they would still be waiting for a start.

 

[RugbyReg]

I saw Sidey play in the trial v QLD and he was pretty damn poor.

 

[fatprop]

Bit tough on Sidey Fatprop as he hasn't been given any opportunities other than 10 min. against the reds.
To me it highlights the Tah coaches ultra conservative approach by not blooding fringe squad players like McKibbin,Nedalo or Sidey to see what they can do.
If Inman or Andrew Smith or Will Chambers for that matter were at the Tahs I suspect they would still be waiting for a start.

In a short comp like the S14 you don't blood players, that is for the seconds games.

The only argument you may have is with McKibbin as you aren't going to drop either Turner or Mitchell; and Sidey has been not great in the trials or at training either

 

[centreman]

I disagree fatprop.
Games such as the Lions and Cheetahs could have been used to try at least one new player in the backline.
The Crusaders certainly did with no ill effect.
The Tahs have been lucky not to get major injuries in the backs other than Horne but if they do they will then be relying on inexperience.
Looking at this seasons stats Sidey has been on the bench 3 times and only got on once, neither Nedalo or McKibbin have been called into the 22.
Whats your inside knowledge of the Tahs training?

 

[matty_k]

At the time the 'Tahs needed to give their run on back line as much practice as possible. They were hardly playing 100% beforehand.

 

[fatprop]

I disagree fatprop.
Games such as the Lions and Cheetahs could have been used to try at least one new player in the backline.
The Crusaders certainly did with no ill effect.
The Tahs have been lucky not to get major injuries in the backs other than Horne but if they do they will then be relying on inexperience.
Looking at this seasons stats Sidey has been on the bench 3 times and only got on once, neither Nedalo or McKibbin have been called into the 22.
Whats your inside knowledge of the Tahs training?

That may have made sense if the Tahs backline was showing fluidity, but it hasn't and the starters just need as much time as possible. The reserve backs they were building up was Horne for a few games.

Inside knowledge?, just what has been reported here and seeing him at Junior Tahs matches. Face it, if he was going anywhere near great he would be starting.

 

[centreman]

You're right I cant disagree with that.
Lets hope that Horne is back soon cos Carter sure isn't the answer at OS.
Maybe give Anesi a go there.
As an ex centre I despair at the Tahs centres lack of penetration and that includes Barnes who has probably only made one line break this year and is yet to score a try.

 

[#1 Tah]

Nadolo is too slow and too fat. that is my inside knowlge (his old randwick coach told me this)

In a short comp like the S14 you don't blood players, that is for the seconds games.

The only argument you may have is with McKibbin as you aren't going to drop either Turner or Mitchell; and Sidey has been not great in the trials or at training either

Mckibbin is a halfback, had a blinder V the Wicks and coaches my Easts side.

 

[fatprop]

Nadolo is too slow and too fat. that is my inside knowlge (his old randwick coach told me this)

In a short comp like the S14 you don't blood players, that is for the seconds games.

The only argument you may have is with McKibbin as you aren't going to drop either Turner or Mitchell for Nedalo ; and Sidey has been not great in the trials or at training either

Mckibbin is a halfback, had a blinder V the Wicks and coaches my Easts side.

sorry fixed

 

[topo]

I can't work out why Ducka Caldwell got the chop. He seems to have been going OK when he has come off the bench and is close to regaining the strength he lost when he was ill last year. I think he will be seriously pissed off to be replaced in the squad by Chris Thomson, who has been given many chances and shown that he is just not up to S14 standard.
McCutcheon has been playing very well in Shute Shield and probably would have got a run earlier if he wasn't on 7s duty. He was definitely Uni's best player on the weekend. He won't disappoint.

 

[TheRiddler]

Mckibbin is a halfback, had a blinder V the Wicks and coaches my Easts side.

Tahman, you must have a different definition to 'blinder' to me. Thought his game against the Wicks did the job but certainly didnt set my world on fire.

 

[#1 Tah]

Mckibbin is a halfback, had a blinder V the Wicks and coaches my Easts side.

Tahman, you must have a different definition to 'blinder' to me. Thought his game against the Wicks did the job but certainly didnt set my world on fire.

Fair enough, he had more then his fair share of brain explosions, he seemed to be their best and worst player!

 

[Pfitzy]

If the Tahs are in any way linked with overtures to one M Gasnier it will be proof positive that they are absolutely clueless when it comes to talent identification.

Lightning can't strike twice.

 

[Hawko]

I can't work out why Ducka Caldwell got the chop. He seems to have been going OK when he has come off the bench and is close to regaining the strength he lost when he was ill last year. I think he will be seriously pissed off to be replaced in the squad by Chris Thomson, who has been given many chances and shown that he is just not up to S14 standard.
McCutcheon has been playing very well in Shute Shield and probably would have got a run earlier if he wasn't on 7s duty. He was definitely Uni's best player on the weekend. He won't disappoint.

I watched the tape again this avo and I couldn't see what Ducka did to get canned either. I thought the Tahs forwards went better in the last 15 minutes than in the previous 40 minutes (not good I said, better).

 

[#1 Tah]

I can't work out why Ducka Caldwell got the chop. He seems to have been going OK when he has come off the bench and is close to regaining the strength he lost when he was ill last year. I think he will be seriously pissed off to be replaced in the squad by Chris Thomson, who has been given many chances and shown that he is just not up to S14 standard.
McCutcheon has been playing very well in Shute Shield and probably would have got a run earlier if he wasn't on 7s duty. He was definitely Uni's best player on the weekend. He won't disappoint.

I watched the tape again this avo and I couldn't see what Ducka did to get canned either. I thought the Tahs forwards went better in the last 15 minutes than in the previous 40 minutes (not good I said, better).

Were you drunk? or did you really just watch it again? :nta:

 

[cyclopath]

If the Tahs are in any way linked with overtures to one M Gasnier it will be proof positive that they are absolutely clueless when it comes to talent identification.

Lightning can't strike twice.

Ask Lee Trevino about that.

 

[Hawko]

I can't work out why Ducka Caldwell got the chop. He seems to have been going OK when he has come off the bench and is close to regaining the strength he lost when he was ill last year. I think he will be seriously pissed off to be replaced in the squad by Chris Thomson, who has been given many chances and shown that he is just not up to S14 standard.
McCutcheon has been playing very well in Shute Shield and probably would have got a run earlier if he wasn't on 7s duty. He was definitely Uni's best player on the weekend. He won't disappoint.

I watched the tape again this avo and I couldn't see what Ducka did to get canned either. I thought the Tahs forwards went better in the last 15 minutes than in the previous 40 minutes (not good I said, better).

Were you drunk? or did you really just watch it again? :nta:

Totally sober. Watched the last 20 minutes to try to see what Ducka did/didn't do. Wasn't very enjoyable, mainly because although there were a lot of players trying very hard, no one was playing to a pattern that looked like causing the other defence any difficulty. The last five minutes saw people starting to come out of their shell, but the quantity of aimless kicking even then is not easily understood.

Perhaps a couple of glasses of red would have improved the experience. A bit of Reds gameplan certainly would.

 

[Lee Grant]

I can't work out why Ducka Caldwell got the chop. He seems to have been going OK when he has come off the bench and is close to regaining the strength he lost when he was ill last year. I think he will be seriously pissed off to be replaced in the squad by Chris Thomson, who has been given many chances and shown that he is just not up to S14 standard.
McCutcheon has been playing very well in Shute Shield and probably would have got a run earlier if he wasn't on 7s duty. He was definitely Uni's best player on the weekend. He won't disappoint.

I'm a bit of a critic of Thompson at the S14 level but he had a fine game for the Rats against Manly last Saturday, albeit in a lower tier of rugby. I don't know if that game was factored in or if he is getting a bench gig based on being enthusiastic at training or if Hickey thinks he should have a turn for the goodwill of the marginal players.

Dunno if Ducker has done anything wrong. He had a couple of dummy spits in one game when he came on but I looked at that as a positive, because if I have any criticism of the guy it's because he is too vanilla.

Good to see McCutcheon on the bench. Who knows - at some point in time in the match there may be 3 Oz Schools and Joeys captains on the park at the same time for the Tahs. Boydie will be proud.

Totally sober. Perhaps a couple of glasses of red would have improved the experience.

Always does.

 

[Reddy!]

May I just interrupt whatever discussion that is occurring here and say that the Waratahs have fantastic depth; I just saw their team for this week. Even with 2 of their best props out, they have one of the best young props in the country (although not a loose head) ready to step in. I like it.