Melbourne Rising 2014

[Mr Wobbly]

Did I read something that said Telusa Veainu was not signed next season ? After his performance last night Rebels wouldn't want to lose such a talent.

Telusa is on a two year contract - 2014/2015.

 

[Dave Beat]

But they don't. They have Super Rugby teams to run which are really very different teams. There is a different head coach and generally a reasonably different side that is essentially the first team.

Most players across the NRC will be training as part of Super Rugby sides from Oct/Nov because many uncontracted NRC players will be vying for professional contracts by training for free across the Summer trying to win contracts. It isn't really just Melbourne and Perth which have an advantage over everyone else.

All the teams have the same issues where players are involved in club rugby after the Super Rugby season finishes, particularly those players who aren't normally in the matchday 23 during Super Rugby season.

Clearly the Sydney and Brisbane teams assembled later than they otherwise could have. That said, all the Sydney teams didn't start at the same time. Teams need to get their squads together for training whilst club rugby is still going on otherwise they will continue to struggle.

Teams and players need to juggle their involvement in club rugby finals with their NRC preparation. Only beginning to focus on NRC once club rugby is over will surely leave teams struggling regardless of how good their rosters are.

From my mobile so hard, at least 2/3rds of the starting team have trained together within the Super group - just a tad different to a team coming together 3 weeks prior to comp.

 

[Dctarget]

From my mobile so hard, at least 2/3rds of the starting team have trained together within the Super group - just a tad different to a team coming together 3 weeks prior to comp.

Think of it as something similar to the AFL draft, if you get the Wooden Spoon, you get first pick at the draft, similarly the rebels are being 'compensated' for being completely fucked in the Super Rugby.

Actually if you think about it, by the Rising having an abundance of SS rugby players, they are developing less non contracted players. Whereas every other team is developing more talent and depth - so you really should be pitying the rebels! enjoy your day


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[fatprop]

Lopeti Timani highlighted all his strengths and weaknesses last night.

Does so many powerful, great things, and then drops the ball or gets turned over or chucks a dud pass

 

[Jimmy C]

Anyway - the smaller crowd lets the clever buggers in the stand exercise their wit on a grand scale. The two Fijian fellas were classic, as was the comment about the ref wasting our $7.50 with all of the reset scrums.

Great vibe.

That was my mate, but he was actually sledging Perth for wasting our $7.50 by standing around and missing tackles.
He'll be stoked you got a laugh out of it.
I suppose the other $7.50 could have gone towards the scrum resets

 

[Jimmy C]

Any news coming out about Jonah Placid's knee?
Fingers crossed it isn't too bad.

 

[Dave Beat]

No offence Dave Beat but it's starting to come across as sour grapes. How about basking in the glow of the Tahs being champs of the real competition, and letting us cellar-dwellers enjoy actually winning a f*cking game or two.
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Tex, not sour grapes at all, I support the Rebs just don't agree with some of their operations / roll on to the rising.

 

[Tex]

Any news coming out about Jonah Placid's knee?
Fingers crossed it isn't too bad.

Looked ugly on the field but he didn't seem too dejected on the sidelines.

 

[Jimmy C]

Watched the highlight reel this morning and it showed Jonah's iced up but walking on it after the game (even though it was of a hobble). If he was allowed to put weight on it, I would assume they aren't too concerned.

 

[199madmave]

I must say I am not sorry (thrilled) to see the Sydney Stars (aka Sydney Uni) at the bottom of the table. They wanted a stand alone team as they thought they were basically as good as the super 15 teams - obviously not!!!

 

[qwerty51]

Sydney Uni are undefeated, what do you mean?

 

[Train Without a Station]

I must say I am not sorry (thrilled) to see the Sydney Stars (aka Sydney Uni) at the bottom of the table. They wanted a stand alone team as they thought they were basically as good as the super 15 teams - obviously not!!!

Mate seriously no fucking need for comments like that.

Yes the Stars are struggling. It's been compounded by the following players being unavailable due to injury, or Wallaby injuries making them regular Wallabies when they likely would have played:

1. Tolu Latu
2. Laurie Weeks
3. Nick Phipps
4. Bernard Foley
5. Dave Dennis
6. Peter Betham
7. Tom Carter
8. Tom Kingston
9. Michael Hodge
10. Jono Lance

That's up to 10 players they are missing. Have we heard one word of complaint from them about the strength of the Melbourne team? Nope. Plenty of pissing and moaning from Brisbane for example though.

With attitudes like this I hope with more certainty around the competition, the Stars are able to attract more than East's 2nd grade hooker, etc. for 2015 and fucking roll the Rising.

 

[Highlander35]

If the Stars had all the Soup players that Sydney Uni claimed, it'd look something like this:

1. Tilse
2. Charles
3. Weeks
4. Carter
5. Skelton
6. Dennis
7. McCutcheon
8. McCalman
9. Phipps
10. Foley
11. Kingston
12. Inman
13. English
14. Betham
15. Folau

16. Latu
17.
18. Ryan
19. Jeffries
20.
21. Stirzaker

And the remaining backs made up of a strong group, including Hodge and Lance from the tahs, and Mitchell from the Rebels.

While I think this way of creating a team is probably "cheating" a little, its a pretty good side.

 

[Train Without a Station]

I was just trying to refer to the players that actually would be playing for them in 2014 if it wasn't for circumstances beyond their control (injury or injury to first choice wallabies) . E.g. Kingston like Weeks would go back.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Mate seriously no fucking need for comments like that.

Yes the Stars are struggling. It's been compounded by the following players being unavailable due to injury, or Wallaby injuries making them regular Wallabies when they likely would have played:

1. Tolu Latu
2. Laurie Weeks
3. Nick Phipps
4. Bernard Foley
5. Dave Dennis
6. Peter Betham
7. Tom Carter
8. Tom Kingston
9. Michael Hodge
10. Jono Lance

That's up to 10 players they are missing. Have we heard one word of complaint from them about the strength of the Melbourne team? Nope. Plenty of pissing and moaning from Brisbane for example though.

With attitudes like this I hope with more certainty around the competition, the Stars are able to attract more than East's 2nd grade hooker, etc. for 2015 and fucking roll the Rising.

That would be a very strong team with all those players available. But realistically, Phipps and Foley were never going to play NRC. Injuries perhaps have hit the Stars harder than other teams this year.

 

[Train Without a Station]

That would be a very strong team with all those players available. But realistically, Phipps and Foley were never going to play NRC. Injuries perhaps have hit the Stars harder than other teams this year.

I disagree. With Cooper and Genia both fit and in form there's a good chance that one, or both would play. We need to consider injuries to 1st choice wallabies that make their players 1st choice wallabies as well. These are factors that affect them beyond their control.

Much like when the Rising thumped Brisbane City, City were missing:

1. Browning
2. Horwill
3. Hanson
4. Cooper
5. Turner
6. Quirk

In addition to others, all for a variety of reasons.

 

[Braveheart81]

10. Jono Lance

Sorry to be pedantic, but Lance is an Eastern Suburbs player so would probably be in the NSW Country Eagles if he was available.

 

[Train Without a Station]

Sorry that is correct. Any word why he isn't playing?

 

[Braveheart81]

Sorry that is correct. Any word why he isn't playing?

He had an arthroscopy at the end of the Super Rugby season so he took the NRC off.

 

[Lee Grant]

I see that Fereti Sa'aga is on the bench for the Rising and will debut if he gets on the park.

He was the starting LHP for Aus Schools last year in many of their games and played the same position for Samoa in the Under 20 IRB Championships this year.

He will likely play for Oz Under 20s next year.

For many this will be the first time they see him play. Don't expect a 19 year-old prop to be a world beater in senior rugby this year, especially one who used to be a backrower, but look to see if the lad has a future.

I think he has.
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