Rebels 2012

[waratahjesus]

Hence why I don't bother with this forum at times. If I wanted to listen to NSW bullshit (in a Rebels thread), I'd read Growden's articles.

Come on gav, don't be "that guy". You know the difference between banter and factual opinion. No need for such a high horse.

 

[Slim 293]

U probably do. There has been a group at pretty much every sporting team like it for years that rule on player behavior etc. The Tahs have gone over the top with it, but it's nothing new.

There will be more problems in Melbourne with player behavior due to the fact it's such a boring place. Only so many times Kurts can ride the tram before he decides to act up.

I think he'll find that unlike Sydney, Melbourne is filled with entertainment venues and not just pokie machines...

 

[Army_Gav]

Come on gav, don't be "that guy". You know the difference between banter and factual opinion. No need for such a high horse.

Thought this was a thread about the 2012 Rebels squad etc. not a Melbourne/VIC vs Sydney/NSW as Sir Arthur points out.

If it's free reign, I'll be in the Tahs thread shortly.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Thought this was a thread about the 2012 Rebels squad etc. not a Melbourne/VIC vs Sydney/NSW as Sir Arthur points out.

If it's free reign, I'll be in the Tahs thread shortly.

oh yeah....wish I hadn't supported Melbourne: I love guerilla warfare directed at those princesses in tah land


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[Bruce Ross]

The Rebels have a sharp young no 9 in Nick Stirzacker who I believe is one to watch in the future. I hope he gets a run during the season.

Very impressed with Stirzacker (is that the correct spelling?). The kid has a sharp pass and seems to have vision. The only caveat I would place on my rating of him is that I have only seen him play a handful of times.

You "have only seen him play a handful of times", 2blues, and so have the rest of us. Nick Stirzaker played Australian Schools in 2009 then had a gap year before playing Colts and lower Grades for Sydney Uni last year. He is part of the Extended Playing Squad at the Rebels.

The young bloke has as crisp a pass as you would hope to see, but I hope that he is not rushed into Super Rugby too early. Give him time to fill out his 80kg frame and learn his craft. The opposite approach to development was used with Nick Phipps who had three years in Colts then a year of lower Grade club rugby plus Aussie Sevens before being contracted to the Rebels.

 

[Lee Grant]

Agree with the old fella.

Zacker is a definite talent but has to learn his trade and get his years of S&C in before he should be used on a regular basis. Actually I am not so concerned about his having to learn on the job in pro rugby. He won't be the first or last to do so, but he'd be better off doing an apprenticeship in Sydney 1st Grade first.

Strength and conditioning is another matter. I realise this will not resonate with the "if he's good enough he's big/old enough" crowd but few of these folks have boys the same age. My horse is not so high talking about wingers or fullbacks, but care should be taken in using players who play in high traffic areas and have not had enough S&C.

And yes, I know all the counter arguments. They have been offered so many times.
.

 

[2bluesfan]

The young bloke has as crisp a pass as you would hope to see

Very true. The kid has that part down very well.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Give him time to fill out his 80kg frame and learn his craft. The opposite approach to development was used with Nick Phipps who had three years in Colts then a year of lower Grade club rugby plus Aussie Sevens before being contracted to the Rebels.

Do you mean that is his present weight or the weight you see him paying at?
I reckon picking a half who is going to make it is almost the hardest call in the game.

 

[Keithy]

I beleive Stirzaker will be returning to Uni to play grade this year because the Rebels aren't keeping the players in Melbourne. Unless the Rebels have major injury problems then Stirzaker will have time to grow his frame and play plenty of club rugby.

Phipps development was the opposite because he wasn't a schoolboy star. The kid didn't play Aust. Schools and was playing Colts 3/U19 1st year out of school. Nick Ryan, Uni's previous Colts Director, took a shine to the kid and worked very hard to develop his skills. Don't know if Phipps would have got a Rebels contract without Hill and Ryan's influence. But hey he has made every post a winner. Stirzaker may have to wait a while if there are no injuries.

 

[Army_Gav]

We've ruled out Pocock? What???

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...ack-cooper-cronk/story-e6frg7o6-1226255771808

Boland also ruled out the Rebels making a play for high-profile Wallabies David Pocock and Quade Cooper, who are coming off contract at the end of the year.​

"They are in the same category as Cooper Cronk," Boland said. "Fantastic players, but we couldn't afford them.​

"If a Wallaby-level player who fits our criteria becomes available we would be interested."​

QC (Quade Cooper) sure, for various reasons. Mainly, I don't want us recruiting any more backs. We are up to our ears in centres.

​

 

[Bruce Ross]

Give him time to fill out his 80kg frame ...

Do you mean that is his present weight or the weight you see him paying at?
I reckon picking a half who is going to make it is almost the hardest call in the game.

Stirzaker is listed on the Rebels site as 80kg and 179cm, IS. At that height I would like to see him carry at least 90kg before becoming a regular Super player, particularly as he would be playing in a "high traffic area" to quote the ever-youthful Pundit from the Peninsula.

As for it being hard to pick "a half who is going to make it", those in charge of the national talent development program are apparently able to sort the wheat from the chalf in all of the positions at the age of 15 or 16. Of course the success ratio of those making such calls is helped immeasurably by them also having influence in the selection of the various junior rep and academy squads along the way.

Some of us believe that a broad based development program through junior and senior clubs would be a more logical, productive and certainly fairer system but that would require a serious commitment of resources and a willingness to send coaches out to where the kids are.

 

[suckerforred]

We've ruled out Pocock? What???

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...ack-cooper-cronk/story-e6frg7o6-1226255771808


QC (Quade Cooper) sure, for various reasons. Mainly, I don't want us recruiting any more backs. We are up to our ears in centres.

​

I would be very surprised if Poey left the Force. He is the very definition of loyality and the Force gave him his start. I will probably be proved wrong now.

 

[darkhorse]

Edit: Already had been posted.

 

[RugbyReg]

I would be very surprised if Poey left the Force. He is the very definition of loyality and the Force gave him his start. I will probably be proved wrong now.

yep, I don't think it was so much the Rebels ruling out Pocock as (1) Pocock ruling out the Rebels and (2) the Rebels accountant ruling out Pocock.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Stirzaker is listed on the Rebels site as 80kg and 179cm, IS. At that height I would like to see him carry at least 90kg before becoming a regular Super player, particularly as he would be playing in a "high traffic area" to quote the ever-youthful Pundit from the Peninsula.

As for it being hard to pick "a half who is going to make it", those in charge of the national talent development program are apparently able to sort the wheat from the chalf in all of the positions at the age of 15 or 16. Of course the success ratio of those making such calls is helped immeasurably by them also having influence in the selection of the various junior rep and academy squads along the way.

Some of us believe that a broad based development program through junior and senior clubs would be a more logical, productive and certainly fairer system but that would require a serious commitment of resources and a willingness to send coaches out to where the kids are.

I didn't realise he was so tall.
I am a huge supporter of the broad based development program for a number of reasons, including that at 15 or 16 while potential may be obvious if the kid has it, the kids who are late bloomers are yet to reveal theirs.
Both burgess and Farr-jones could not make there high school 1st XV teams at halfback and neither was kept out by someone who played at the level they ultimately did.
So I'm a big believer in keeping the talent recognition channels as wide as possible for as long as possible.

I will be keeping an eye on stirzacker and hope he lives up to his promise. The temptation will be to play him before he has the requisite s&c when injuries hit.


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[Army_Gav]

yep, I don't think it was so much the Rebels ruling out Pocock as (1) Pocock ruling out the Rebels and (2) the Rebels accountant ruling out Pocock.

Number 2.

It's just the statements contradict one another.

Also, Lipman, Delve (hopefully not), Cipriani will finish up at seasons end.

Backrow is a major issue.

 

[Bowside]

Good to see the rebels ruling out signing cronk. I'd rather they spent their money on young players if they are going to sign league players.

Also, Lipman, Delve (hopefully not), Cipriani will finish up at seasons end.

Backrow is a major issue.

I would say that the whole pack is a major issue. Still need another quality lock as well as replacing delve and lipman and also signing another reserve loosie.

I worry that queensland wont be able to keep all our backrowers beyond the end of the season.

 

[spooony]

If I look at Kurtley's carreer it reminds me of Percy Montgomery. Not the way they play but they way their careers shaped up and the similarities. Kurtley started of in the flyhalf position where The Chiefs exploited him and the flyhalf channel found him to be wanting. Now Montgomery also started out as a Flyhalf but everyone came to know him playing in the centers where Frank Bunce drove a semi trailer truck through the center channel numerous times in the Tri Nations. Then Nick Mallet talked to his high school coach where he was told Fullback was his favorable position then flyhalf then the center. He was switched to fullback and suddenly he was a different player. He matured as well as time went on. Now Kurtley is going the exact same path and I believe as time go on he will mature more and more as the time goes on. He is still young but his head is screwed on the right way and I believe he will go only from strength to strength.

 

[qwerty51]

A lot of people seem to forget that Beale took the Tahs to the GF playing 10 in his first year and I dare say would've won if he didn't go off. He wasn't a fail at 10 by any means.

 

[spooony]

A lot of people seem to forget that Beale took the Tahs to the GF playing 10 in his first year and I dare say would've won if he didn't go off. He wasn't a fail at 10 by any means.

Phil Waugh, Rocky Elsom and Wycliff Palu was assigned to protect them but at the cost of leaving holes elsewhere. In attack he was wonderful but remember in the Super 14 there is season campaigners and they will see if you can take what you dish out. Waratahs had to hide him at defense some occasions he was hiding on the wing. He wast the weakest link in that Waratah defense and the others started realizing that.

I did not say he was a complete fail. I said its not his best suited position. But shifting him around and hiding him wasn't a win either. And they couldn't even score against 14 men loss or no loss of Beale they still would not have won