Rebels 2014

[Deputy Van Halen]

I think it's funny how in the space of a week it's gone from Dumper coaching the Rebels being a 'coup' as he's clearly a master coach it's just he was stuck behind Deans an unable to show his true form in the previous wallabies set up. Now the claws are out and Tony is a hospital pass from the ARU to avoid a termination payout and the only reason the team beat the Cheetahs is because they disobeyed his game plan.

Who knows what the truth is, nobody on this board that's for sure. I'm a rebels fan so losing a game like this is nothing new, however I feel there is a LOT more potential in this team than any other over the last couple years so I'm willing to suffer through a few more losses if it means it's a learning experience for this young squad.

I do think there was a bit of hubris in making so many changes vs the force but building depth would have been the key goal as opposed to just resting players. The Force were rightly pissed off and smashed us off the park in the first 20 minutes, imagine if they had that motivation every week? I expect we'll see a fairly similar lineup to the Cheetahs game and at the very least Hegarty and Jones have to start.

 

[Train Without a Station]

I think Dumper just learned the hard way, that he doesn't quite have as much quality depth as he originally thought. That's all.

 

[Tomikin]

I think Dumper just learned the hard way, that he doesn't quite have as much quality depth as he originally thought. That's all.

If he didnt know that before the force game then his been dreaming

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[Train Without a Station]

That's a bit of a simplistic view.

Caydern Neville was a Wallaby tourist for example. He is actually more credentialed than Pyle and Jones. You wouldn't expect him to be significantly below par.

Lahiff came with big wraps and has performed well when given time on the park, must have been a shock to see how ineffective he performed.

Much the same with PAE. I doubt even Dumper thought he was as good as, or better than Weeks, but I'm sure the drop was a big shock as he has been performing well enough to be in the 23.

Roberts hasn't shown anything so that was a dud call.

I'm sure he didn't expect Colby to be so underdone either.

 

[Tomikin]

That's a bit of a simplistic view.

Caydern Neville was a Wallaby tourist for example. He is actually more credentialed than Pyle and Jones. You wouldn't expect him to be significantly below par.

Lahiff came with big wraps and has performed well when given time on the park, must have been a shock to see how ineffective he performed.

Much the same with PAE. I doubt even Dumper thought he was as good as, or better than Weeks, but I'm sure the drop was a big shock as he has been performing well enough to be in the 23.

Roberts hasn't shown anything so that was a dud call.

I'm sure he didn't expect Colby to be so underdone either.

But isnt that why he had 3 tough pre season games. . Talk about Colby that was his first stint at 7 for them..

With training and pre season he should know and if your out injured then you start on the pine

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[Tomikin]

P.S we are not talking about the cheifs giving them a touch up.. it was the force

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[swingpass]

That's a bit of a simplistic view.

Caydern Neville was a Wallaby tourist for example. He is actually more credentialed than Pyle and Jones. You wouldn't expect him to be significantly below par.

Lahiff came with big wraps and has performed well when given time on the park, must have been a shock to see how ineffective he performed.

Much the same with PAE. I doubt even Dumper thought he was as good as, or better than Weeks, but I'm sure the drop was a big shock as he has been performing well enough to be in the 23.

Roberts hasn't shown anything so that was a dud call.

I'm sure he didn't expect Colby to be so underdone either.

i have to say that i agree with this assessment. the front row selections were probably a close run thing anyway, and apart from Smith, who i think is just a quality above the others, i can see the reasoning for the selections. whether it was wise to make all 6 changes is a matter for debate and in retrospect was unwise and may have unsettled the team.

my main criticism was the really appalling kicking (poor choices and poorer execution) into the wind in the first 20 minutes, which seemed a preordained tactic to play field position, and all it did was give the ball back to a rampaging team on a roll.moreover none of the rebels on the field was able to grab hold of the game and short circuit the force before it was all over. all the players seemed shell shocked including the captain.

we will have to wait and see the season long implications of this game. i agree that as a group the rebels look a more professional, better drilled, more competitive outfit than previously. this early season loss on the road and lets face we were due to lose one in perth eventually, just like crusaders, reds, brumbies before us, might be the lesson required. i hope so.

as for team tactics, the underlying theme from TT from day one has been to smother the opposition with field position and great defence. he has said so and so have both assistants when questioned on TV at half time. if you don't have the cattle you cant execute the plan, and i'm not sure that as yet we have a johnny sexton/wilkinson/etc to plug the corners effectively.

i'm hoping for us to totally flog the crusaders

 

[Train Without a Station]

Whilst I'm sure Tony thought the team would not be quite the same quality as against the Cheetahs, Roberts was the only selection that seemed silly, you cannot bank on one of your best, most consistent performers in Woodward having an absolute shocker of a game either. Didn't 2 kicks which he let bounce lead to tries alone? Once that momentum is against you it's got to be hard to stop.

Then you factor in that 4 of your forwards aren't quite having the impact that the blokes in their jersey did last week, whilst your playing into a fluffybunny of a head wind.

We're all fucking geniuses with the benefit of hindsight, aren't we?

I would be extremely surprised if the Rebels, with the best starting XV weren't more than up for this weeks game.

 

[kiap]

That's a bit of a simplistic view.

Caydern Neville was a Wallaby tourist for example. He is actually more credentialed than Pyle and Jones. You wouldn't expect him to be significantly below par.

Lahiff came with big wraps and has performed well when given time on the park, must have been a shock to see how ineffective he performed.

Much the same with PAE. I doubt even Dumper thought he was as good as, or better than Weeks, but I'm sure the drop was a big shock as he has been performing well enough to be in the 23.

Roberts hasn't shown anything so that was a dud call.

I'm sure he didn't expect Colby to be so underdone either.

Line-by-line it seems fine (maybe Roberts apart).

But in Totality™ it was still dumb to rest 40% of a winning side after only one game. Playing away as well. I'd reckon he's learnt from it now.

 

[Athilnaur]

Now that the pain, humiliation has eased (mine, not theirs) I have to echo much of what is said above. In particular DVH's observation of the irony of Totality Tony from mastercoach to Robbie Deans stumpf in one week.

I guess for me I'd summarise the game this way;

1 - Force played superb rugby for 30 minutes. Seriously good rugby, remniscent of the Brumbies win over the Sharks last year
2 - no Tom English - I confess to underestimating how fast this guy has developed in the past 12 months, he was needed
3 - Woodward had an awful game. I imagine it isn't lost on sides how important it is to put pressure on him
4 - the Rebels were shellshocked and I felt Higgers needed to find a circuit breaker, but failed to
5 - I felt the ref was allowing the force to encroach offside but no doubt that comes back to points 1 and 4
6 - questionable kicking / possession tactics given the conditions
7 - Neville had a shocker, poor bugger

Oh well, I enjoyed the week in the sun as I read about my team being lauded as a genuine force, cough, in the comp.

 

[AFL_Converted]

I was a bit worried about Roberts too but the guy is young and could have progressed. It turned out not. He looked about the same as the Sharks last year to me. Perhaps the pressure is too much because he must be showing something at training for two coaches to try starting him at 10.

As for Woodward, don't forget that he was good for one or two clangers each game last year. Let's hope he got them all out of his system for the season now.

What frustrated me was that so many of the kicks were bombs. They did not gain all that much territory and appart from Jones (and he will not be chasing them down) we don't have anybody good enough to regather. The Cheatahs spilled a couple that helped us in round one but most teams have good players to return the ball. I cannot see that tactic being a winner for us this season. If we kick it needs to hit the grass and give our forwards a chance to be a part of it.

Crusaders will be interesting. They have underrated us in the last couple of seasons and started with an alternative first 15. I cannot see them doing that this year given their ladder position but at least our boys won't have spent the week reading how great they are in the papers so I expect us to come out firing.

 

[Cat_A]

I think it's funny how in the space of a week it's gone from Dumper coaching the Rebels being a 'coup' as he's clearly a master coach it's just he was stuck behind Deans an unable to show his true form in the previous wallabies set up. .

I'm pretty sure Bruce Ross has been taking the mickey out of him for years; he's no fly-by-night belittler!

 

[Bruce Ross]

I'm pretty sure Bruce Ross has been taking the mickey out of him for years; he's no fly-by-night belittler!

I probably should be offended, Cat, but I kind of like the ring of "Designated Belittler". And if ever anyone self-selected to be chopped off at the knees it was Totality with his departing Irish media interviews.
.

 

[Braveheart81]

Totality Tony is no match for Belittler Bruce.

 

[Cat_A]

I probably should be offended, Cat, but I kind of like the ring of "Designated Belittler". And if ever anyone self-selected to be chopped off at the knees it was Totality with his departing Irish media interviews.
.

Bruce, please be assured that I hold you in the highest regard; so high in fact, that I routinely search for, and read, all of your posts and enjoy every single one of them!

 

[Bruce Ross]

Bruce, please be assured that I hold you in the highest regard; so high in fact, that I routinely search for, and read, all of your posts and enjoy every single one of them!

Cat, you of all people being a fellow-practitioner, would have known that when I wrote, "I probably should be offended", I was speaking very much tongue-in-cheek. In fact said organ is almost permanently lodged there.
.

 

[KevinO]

So the New Rebel song, same beat but original lyrics.

 

[Tex]

Should've stuck with the Les Mis version. It grew on me by the end and I enjoyed belting it out after a win. This new version has as much feeling as the Freo Dockers' song!

 

[Mr Wobbly]

Should've stuck with the Les Mis version. It grew on me by the end and I enjoyed belting it out after a win. This new version has as much feeling as the Freo Dockers' song!

The players sing it with a bit more gusto (and a lot less tunefully)... skip to 55 seconds in

 

[199madmave]

How long is McGahans contract at the rebels?