PODSLAM 77: What's In A Number? w/ Andrew Blades
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Riptide
Dave Cowper (27)
The good cop/bad cop routine worked but was thrilled by the detailed questioning by G&GR's resident analyst-coach.
Am I alone in being a little bemused by Blades long-winded answers at times. It may be harsh, but having Deans and Blades articulate their strategy/tactics to the Wallabies just doesn't inspire enormous confidence at all.
Am I alone in being a little bemused by Blades long-winded answers at times. It may be harsh, but having Deans and Blades articulate their strategy/tactics to the Wallabies just doesn't inspire enormous confidence at all.
I was happy to hear his opinion with some opportunity of detail, a bit of rambling is better than stock cliches anyday, one of the reasons I love rugby is that there are so many different options in strategy and they all have consequences.
Like playing one less forward in defensive lineouts so they had another defender in the backline, now when I heard that eventually I thought it may have been down to Cooper defending at 10. That was the follow up question I was looking for, but I didn't come up with the question until the answer stewed for about 12 hours.
Interviews like this, over the phone, with deadlines look bloody hard.
GaffaCHinO
Peter Sullivan (51)
Thought the same thing but remember cooper didnt play the first test and they still dropped one out.
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Scott Allen
Trevor Allan (34)
Blades told us the tactic was primarily to cover the offloading capability.
It was used in both matches - 5 times in the first match and 1 in the second match. Tony McGahn also said immediately after the Welsh series that it was a tactic they would be considering so wasn't just for Cooper.
It was used in both matches - 5 times in the first match and 1 in the second match. Tony McGahn also said immediately after the Welsh series that it was a tactic they would be considering so wasn't just for Cooper.
thanks makes more sense
Richo
John Thornett (49)
Am I the only one shocked that the ARU doesn't employ it's own statistician? I would have thought that this was an area in which competitive advantage is readily available. For example, breaking down statistics in minute detail can help break perception vs reality problems, and it can give new insights into your own team and the opposition. America is really leading the way with what are called "sabermetrics" by many. I would expect a big lag in rugby, but surely the ARU needs a stats and video package guy (don't know if they have a video guy) on the coaching staff.
(pssst. Scott. That should be you!)
Fascinating podcast though, guys. Well done!
(pssst. Scott. That should be you!)
Fascinating podcast though, guys. Well done!
dave
Stan Wickham (3)
No! We don't want to lose him from GaGR!!
I also found it surprising that they outsource this. Cost cutting perhaps? How long has it been outsourced?
However this isn't to say they don't look at the numbers they get and say, "Well that stat is wrong." But from the sounds of it Blades thought the stats they did get from this group were accurate. Discouraging. You only need to look at the game to know the set peice isn't exactly where it should be.
It could be that Blades was covering his butt a little bit. After all the set piece is his responsibility, is it not? And it looks as if the lineouts, at least, are getting worse. I also found it interesting what he was saying about the scrum performance during the Welsh series. Clearly our scrum was inferior against the Welsh but once again Blades was making it sound as if its faults were in fact a tactic. Bizarre.
It could also be that this, all things are rosy, positive attitude when speaking to the media is a bit of PR. Deans does it as well. Clearly the WBs "brand" suffers from losses. Maybe the party line for public consumption is that everything isn't as bad as it's portrayed elsewhere. This would help keep the fans hopeful that a WBs win is always more than possible and gets people through the gates. Purely conjecture on my part though.
Can you try and interview Ryley Batt in the near future?
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