Melbourne Rebels 2011
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Stirling Mortlock (74)
Slim 293
Stirling Mortlock (74)
Wha?
I'm no more critical than anyone else on here...
In regards to my comments on this thread I've always been a huge Mortlock fan but it seemed evident in the past couple of years that he's been losing his magic...
I think he still has something to offer though... but I don't think Rebels fans should be surprised to see him not operating at an intensity he once had...
I was happy to see Huxley return to the field last year but he resorted to kicking everything... and it infuriated me when the Brumbies played the Crusaders in the final round and his constant kicking led to several 'Saders counter attacks that led to tries...
How's Gerrard been travelling? I would've thought he'd be a better fullback option... his kicking was much better and he did at least offer a strong running option...
I'm no more critical than anyone else on here...
In regards to my comments on this thread I've always been a huge Mortlock fan but it seemed evident in the past couple of years that he's been losing his magic...
I think he still has something to offer though... but I don't think Rebels fans should be surprised to see him not operating at an intensity he once had...
I was happy to see Huxley return to the field last year but he resorted to kicking everything... and it infuriated me when the Brumbies played the Crusaders in the final round and his constant kicking led to several 'Saders counter attacks that led to tries...
How's Gerrard been travelling? I would've thought he'd be a better fullback option... his kicking was much better and he did at least offer a strong running option...
Lee Grant
John Eales (66)
From Knights to Wallabies bolter
Wayne Smith
The Australian
February 07, 2011 12:00AM
THE advantage of launching Australia's fifth Super Rugby team this year was that it might throw up some new Wallabies contenders in a World Cup year, and that's precisely what has happened with Melbourne Rebels centre Cooper Vuna.
The Auckland-born former Newcastle Knights player has made an impressive return to rugby union, the code he played in New Zealand up to the age of 15, scoring a try in each of the Rebels' four trials to date, including a barrelling effort to open the scoring for Melbourne against the Crusaders at AAMI Park on Saturday night.
There has never been any question about Vuna's ability to find the tryline -- he did, after all score four tries against the Brisbane Broncos in August last year -- but his strong running, well-judged lines and bruising defence have even his Rebels teammates speculating about his World Cup selection prospects this year.
Wayne Smith
The Australian
February 07, 2011 12:00AM
THE advantage of launching Australia's fifth Super Rugby team this year was that it might throw up some new Wallabies contenders in a World Cup year, and that's precisely what has happened with Melbourne Rebels centre Cooper Vuna.
The Auckland-born former Newcastle Knights player has made an impressive return to rugby union, the code he played in New Zealand up to the age of 15, scoring a try in each of the Rebels' four trials to date, including a barrelling effort to open the scoring for Melbourne against the Crusaders at AAMI Park on Saturday night.
There has never been any question about Vuna's ability to find the tryline -- he did, after all score four tries against the Brisbane Broncos in August last year -- but his strong running, well-judged lines and bruising defence have even his Rebels teammates speculating about his World Cup selection prospects this year.
Lee Grant
John Eales (66)
Studious Vuna Adapts To New Position
NZPA
Sonny Bill Williams may be the midfield's man of the moment but another NRL convert preparing for his Super 15 debut prefers to study historic footage of Ma'a Nonu as he fast tracks his rugby education.
Homework has understandably been a priority for Cooper Vuna considering the Melbourne Rebels second five-eighth had not played rugby since Otahuhu College when he was recruited by the expansion club's head coach Rod Macqueen.
The man who masterminded Australia's World Cup triumph in 1999 coaxed Vuna from the Newcastle Knights at the end of last season, a calculated risk as the 23-year-old has spent his rugby league career on the wing.
Once the Rebels were established in January last year Macqueen identified the 101kg Aucklander as a potential blockbusting midfielder, a linebreaker to complement former Wallabies centre Stirling Mortlock.
So far the transition has gone relatively smoothly, although old habits die hard. The first time he was tackled during the Rebels' opening trial against Tonga he attempted to get up and play-the-ball.
Vuna sheepishly recounted his oversight before last night's third pre-season match against the Crusaders in Melbourne, an encouraging 14-19 loss to the admittedly depleted seven-time champions.
"My first carry ... I got up straight away like I was playing league. It was pretty funny."
A quick learner, Vuna was all seriousness against the Crusaders, creating up then scoring the Rebels first try, showcasing his physicality by bursting through the defensive line and linking with Mortlock before regaining the ball and powering over.
It was the brand of try Vuna was acquired to produce. He has no pretensions as an SBW-style offloader and neither is he equipped with a kicking game.
"It's more of a crash position for me, crashing the ball up and setting up plays for the next phase," he said.
Vuna has still managed to touch down in each of the Rebels' trials, including a hat-trick against the Pacific Islanders.
He still lacks positional awareness at times but alongside Mortlock, and with a highlights reel of Nonu to consult on his hard drive, Vuna hopes to find his feet in the right place when the Rebels start their campaign against the New South Wales Waratahs on February 18.
"It's a lot different to sitting on the wing, it's a challenging role for me to learn," he told NZPA.
Vuna reckoned he was absorbing Mortlock's expertise on a daily basis at training and in game situations while 56-test veteran Nonu was analysed on his laptop.
"Because I'm new to it I'm trying to base my game around other players," said Vuna, who started his NRL career at the Warriors in 2004 and represented Tonga at league's World Cup four years later.
"I'm looking hard at Ma'a's running and positional game, what he does when he's not in the play. Obviously he's one of the best centres out there."
Former Sydney Roosters centre Ryan Cross, who has played 18 tests for the Wallabies since switching codes in 2007, is another valuable case study while Vuna was also encouraged by how Wendell Sailor and Lote Tuqiri made the transitions from Kangaroos to Wallabies, even if they did not deviate from their specialist wing positions.
Vuna hopes to emulate that trio and also represent the Wallabies; his progress is being tracked by head coach Robbie Deans although involvement in this year's World Cup seems unlikely.
"My aspiration is to play rugby at the highest level so, yes, I'm talking about the Wallabies," he said.
Meanwhile, Vuna, his partner Necia and their three-year-old son Lincoln have adapted to life in Melbourne, even if his boy also struggled with his bearings when watching Dad playing the Tongans.
"I tried to play-the-ball and he had the 'Newcastle' chant going," Vuna laughed.
NZPA
Sonny Bill Williams may be the midfield's man of the moment but another NRL convert preparing for his Super 15 debut prefers to study historic footage of Ma'a Nonu as he fast tracks his rugby education.
Homework has understandably been a priority for Cooper Vuna considering the Melbourne Rebels second five-eighth had not played rugby since Otahuhu College when he was recruited by the expansion club's head coach Rod Macqueen.
The man who masterminded Australia's World Cup triumph in 1999 coaxed Vuna from the Newcastle Knights at the end of last season, a calculated risk as the 23-year-old has spent his rugby league career on the wing.
Once the Rebels were established in January last year Macqueen identified the 101kg Aucklander as a potential blockbusting midfielder, a linebreaker to complement former Wallabies centre Stirling Mortlock.
So far the transition has gone relatively smoothly, although old habits die hard. The first time he was tackled during the Rebels' opening trial against Tonga he attempted to get up and play-the-ball.
Vuna sheepishly recounted his oversight before last night's third pre-season match against the Crusaders in Melbourne, an encouraging 14-19 loss to the admittedly depleted seven-time champions.
"My first carry ... I got up straight away like I was playing league. It was pretty funny."
A quick learner, Vuna was all seriousness against the Crusaders, creating up then scoring the Rebels first try, showcasing his physicality by bursting through the defensive line and linking with Mortlock before regaining the ball and powering over.
It was the brand of try Vuna was acquired to produce. He has no pretensions as an SBW-style offloader and neither is he equipped with a kicking game.
"It's more of a crash position for me, crashing the ball up and setting up plays for the next phase," he said.
Vuna has still managed to touch down in each of the Rebels' trials, including a hat-trick against the Pacific Islanders.
He still lacks positional awareness at times but alongside Mortlock, and with a highlights reel of Nonu to consult on his hard drive, Vuna hopes to find his feet in the right place when the Rebels start their campaign against the New South Wales Waratahs on February 18.
"It's a lot different to sitting on the wing, it's a challenging role for me to learn," he told NZPA.
Vuna reckoned he was absorbing Mortlock's expertise on a daily basis at training and in game situations while 56-test veteran Nonu was analysed on his laptop.
"Because I'm new to it I'm trying to base my game around other players," said Vuna, who started his NRL career at the Warriors in 2004 and represented Tonga at league's World Cup four years later.
"I'm looking hard at Ma'a's running and positional game, what he does when he's not in the play. Obviously he's one of the best centres out there."
Former Sydney Roosters centre Ryan Cross, who has played 18 tests for the Wallabies since switching codes in 2007, is another valuable case study while Vuna was also encouraged by how Wendell Sailor and Lote Tuqiri made the transitions from Kangaroos to Wallabies, even if they did not deviate from their specialist wing positions.
Vuna hopes to emulate that trio and also represent the Wallabies; his progress is being tracked by head coach Robbie Deans although involvement in this year's World Cup seems unlikely.
"My aspiration is to play rugby at the highest level so, yes, I'm talking about the Wallabies," he said.
Meanwhile, Vuna, his partner Necia and their three-year-old son Lincoln have adapted to life in Melbourne, even if his boy also struggled with his bearings when watching Dad playing the Tongans.
"I tried to play-the-ball and he had the 'Newcastle' chant going," Vuna laughed.
Dumbledore
Dick Tooth (41)
Vuna looked excellent. He's too good a stepper to be an out and out bosher, but he's seriously physical, not dissimilar to A. Finger. Just had a look at the stats actually, Finger is 182cm and 92kg where Vuna is is 182cm and 101kg so he's a big unit!
Stu Wilsons Gloves
Stan Wickham (3)
Welcome aboard Dumbledore.
2
2010reinhm
Guest
Who was player number 28 for the Rebels against the crusaders ?
en_force_er
Geoff Shaw (53)
I know it's early days for Vuna but it's amazing how he went from being probably only average as far as starting NRL wingers go to a pretty dominant union inside center.
I suppose it goes to show, some blokes are meant for Union and some for League.
I suppose it goes to show, some blokes are meant for Union and some for League.
Brumbies Guy
John Solomon (38)
He was very impressive last season, 16 trys from 17 games.. he was one of my favourite players to watch in the NRL. Wouldn't class him as average in any sense.
Dumbledore
Dick Tooth (41)
No idea, they only had 26 players listed. Was just looking at the highlights video on the Rebels site, whoever he is, he made a couple of really nice breaks.
Brumbies Guy
John Solomon (38)
Looked like Betham
2
2010reinhm
Guest
yeah i noticed him on the highlight vid too
T
TOCC
Guest
Vuna was more then just a 'average' winger, granted he wasn't a superstar, but he was one of the better wingers in the NRL
en_force_er
Geoff Shaw (53)
I said average starting winger... perhaps I'm using deliberate exaggeration to emphasis my point but you get what I'm saying.
From a bloke who played in the league WC for Tonga to one being touted as a Wallaby, that's special.
T
TOCC
Guest
Its not really surprising, he was one of the form wingers in the NRL in 2010, i wouldn't have been surprised to see his name thrown up for other rep honours in 2011 if he had of remained in the code.. Like Brumbies Guy pointed out, 16 tries from 17 games is definitely not your average starting winger...
Brumbies Guy
John Solomon (38)
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