Rebels 2014

[en_force_er]

With Pyle leaving, Thompson already gone, and Neville unreliable (though very good this week), I'd love to see us look to Mumm.

He'd be an instant addition to the leadership group and while he was always a bit shite in Aus rugby (other than the year he got his first test cap) he's looked very good captaining Exeter, a surprisingly successful side of journeymen.

He'd also really fit the kind of player the Rebels like to sign, those that fit their pretty corporate kind of image.

I agree with @en_force_er. We don't really have the advanced stats to make a purely numbers driven analysis of a players game. They're interesting, but far too basic to tell us anything we didn't already know.

The eye test said to me that Higgers had the better game, but that neither were great. Jones is really throwing down though, form lock in Australia at the moment.

I agree completely with this post and even though I came out defending Higgers this particular performance wasn't what we'd need from a Wallaby 8.

McCalman is much more industrious than Higgers and I think they'd actually balance pretty well as a 6/8 combo, not the starting combo but maybe to finish the match.

The only issue with Jones is we already have Fardy and you probably don't need two players filling that role in a test 23.

Jones has been in great form. Gets over the advantage line in nearly every hit up. When Skelton matures, he and Jones will form a very good 2nd row partnership.

I wouldn't write off Coleman. He's getting wraps from the right people (though going unnoticed by others compared to Skelton) and has been in a professional environment for a similar amount of time to Skelton.

Jones being a small work-rate heavy lock and Coleman or Skelton being the big bopper would be a very balanced test combo.

It's a watch this space proposition.

 

[Highlander35]

Mumm signed a 2 year extension with Exeter. That leaves only Chisholm as an Aussie lock playing overseas.

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[en_force_er]

Mumm signed a 2 year extension with Exeter. That leaves only Chisholm as an Aussie lock playing overseas.

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Chisholm doesn't stick out too much when I watch him. He gets stuck into the tight stuff and leads well though. He's still an absolute physical specimen as well.

Can we throw all of our monies at Coleman then? I'll call it here, he's the most promising large lock in Australia. Move aside Skelton.

 

[Dumbledore]

Neville was actually better on Friday than Pyle has been all year. I'd give him another start. It was nice having a dominant scrum for one thing.

 

[swingpass]

why would mumm or chisholm or anyone playing in Europe for a lot more money want to come back and play for mid/lower ranking super team ?
there is no sense in it.
these are blokes who have played for australia, aren't realistically ever going to do so again ands are enjoying their superannuation OS. why would they want to come back to live in melbourne

 

[KevinO]

Injury update as Oztimmy is away,

Telusa Veainu returns from a right thumb injury ahead of schedule, while utility back Jack Debreczeni has fully recovered from a right knee injury.

Both will partake in Melbourne's Premier Rugby Competition, The Dewar Shield, this weekend.

http://www.melbournerebels.com.au/news/article/injury-update-monday-april-21st-2014

Only leave Mitchell, Sexton and Timani in Team Rehab

 

[KevinO]

Neville was actually better on Friday than Pyle has been all year. I'd give him another start. It was nice having a dominant scrum for one thing.

Agree, if he had been showing that form off the bench he would have got a start a few weeks ago. Against a SA pack next up it's worth starting Neville.

6 wins from our last 7 at home so the Sharks won't be taking it lightly anyway.

 

[Dumbledore]

Neville's start against the Force in Round Three was one of the worst efforts I've ever seen from a player in the Soup. Not surprised it's taken this long for him to be trusted again. Still, he's put in a big game and deserves the chance to go again. I'd start Burgess and Kingston but leave everything else - maybe even start PAE, I thought he had a nice game.

 

[en_force_er]

why would mumm or chisholm or anyone playing in Europe for a lot more money want to come back and play for mid/lower ranking super team ?
there is no sense in it.
these are blokes who have played for australia, aren't realistically ever going to do so again ands are enjoying their superannuation OS. why would they want to come back to live in melbourne

One or two years to finish off the career at home is becoming a pretty standard career trajectory.

IDK why, perhaps reliving the glory days? Maybe they set up the athletes with opportunities to pursue coaching/uni studies so they can prepare for life after rugby.

 

[oztimmay]

Injury update as Oztimmy is away,

Telusa Veainu returns from a right thumb injury ahead of schedule, while utility back Jack Debreczeni has fully recovered from a right knee injury.

Both will partake in Melbourne's Premier Rugby Competition, The Dewar Shield, this weekend.

http://www.melbournerebels.com.au/news/article/injury-update-monday-april-21st-2014

Only leave Mitchell, Sexton and Timani in Team Rehab

Thanks . Much better report that the usual guy, you might do him out if a job.

 

[oztimmay]

Neville's start against the Force in Round Three was one of the worst efforts I've ever seen from a player in the Soup. Not surprised it's taken this long for him to be trusted again. Still, he's put in a big game and deserves the chance to go again. I'd start Burgess and Kingston but leave everything else - maybe even start PAE, I thought he had a nice game.

Might be interesting to look at bringing veainu into the match day squad for some outside pace. I can't work out why tom isn't getting a start of sau, but I'm judging this on his chiefs performance which I thought was flat. Dunno how he went against the force. Looks like Lorenzo will be over the headache he sustained and will be fine. Nice to get out of a big relatively ok.

They have to start getting Neville game time in order to prepare for Pyles departure. Hoping that mongrel that earned him a EOYT spot comes back very soon, would come in very handy. Think the big rig ranga has to start getting some benchtime this year to see how he cuts it, don't wanna leave it until NRC to see his skills.

 

[Dumbledore]

I'd be starting Veainu if fit. But since he's coming back from injury a week in clubland won't help. Sau deserved his start after his game against the Highlanders, when Kingston got injured, but I reckon it's time to give Kingston another crack. Think Tommy English needs to lift his game. He's a bit like Cummins in that if the ball doesn't come his way he just disappears from the game - needs to learn how to get more involved. That's two headbangs for Weeks this year isn't it? That's getting a bit worrying IMO.

 

[oztimmay]

Yep I would veainu off the bench and perhaps start Kingston. That correct, Two head knocks this season. First one was a head clash in a ruck (crusaders) and don't know how he got the one last week. Can't see the big fella wearing honeycomb, but don't really want too see him change his style. From what I've seen his engagement at scrum and ruck time has been normal and I don't see him trying to pull off and stupid TPN style headbutt clear outs. He's been doing a top job this year IMO.

 

[KevinO]

That's two headbangs for Weeks this year isn't it? That's getting a bit worrying IMO.

If we didn't have a bye he would have had to be rested, maybe start PAE and bring weeks off the bench vs the Sharks.

 

[Dumbledore]

Forgot about the bye. In that case Veainu should be on the bench at least. Have to wait and see how Weeks pulls up I guess.

Few other thoughts from Friday. McMahon needs to be careful with his lifting tackles. Every time he does one, normally once a game, I freak out that he's going to lose control and spear the bloke. They're a low percentage tackle in this form of rugby.

Time to look at Woodward again for penalty kicks for touch. Hegarty gets it out but he genuinely kicks it as far as I could. Ridiculous technique and a popgun boot is a bad combo.

Stirzaker is improving after a couple of horror games. Still not where he was when he was being unfairly kept behind Phipps, but improving.

Our attack has regressed a long way this year. Think there's only one team with fewer points than us. Worth bringing Hill back as an attack coach? The improved defence has made us competitive in almost every game, and had to happen if we want any sort of consistent success going forward, but we need to learn to score to beat the big boys. This isn't a competition you can win based solely on defence - we've seen that with the Stormers over the last couple of years.

 

[swingpass]

Time to look at Woodward again for penalty kicks for touch. Hegarty gets it out but he genuinely kicks it as far as I could. Ridiculous technique and a popgun boot is a bad combo.

Stirzaker is improving after a couple of horror games. Still not where he was.

Our attack has regressed a long way this year. This isn't a competition you can win based solely on defence - we've seen that with the Stormers over the last couple of years.

woodward i agree

stizaker i agree not as good as last year.

attack, absolutely. i said somewhere earlier on this thread that i thought our defence would keep us in games, but was unlikely to win many without a primo, field position 5/8 which we simply don't have.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

With Pyle leaving, Thompson already gone, and Neville unreliable (though very good this week), I'd love to see us look to Mumm.

He'd be an instant addition to the leadership group and while he was always a bit shite in Aus rugby (other than the year he got his first test cap) he's looked very good captaining Exeter, a surprisingly successful side of journeymen.

He'd also really fit the kind of player the Rebels like to sign, those that fit their pretty corporate kind of image.



I agree completely with this post and even though I came out defending Higgers this particular performance wasn't what we'd need from a Wallaby 8.

McCalman is much more industrious than Higgers and I think they'd actually balance pretty well as a 6/8 combo, not the starting combo but maybe to finish the match.

The only issue with Jones is we already have Fardy and you probably don't need two players filling that role in a test 23.





I wouldn't write off Coleman. He's getting wraps from the right people (though going unnoticed by others compared to Skelton) and has been in a professional environment for a similar amount of time to Skelton.

Jones being a small work-rate heavy lock and Coleman or Skelton being the big bopper would be a very balanced test combo.

It's a watch this space proposition.

Don't worry I'm more than aware of Coleman. Watching playing in the Shute Shield I questioned when someone would pick him up as he always shown he has potential.

 

[daz]

Mumm signed a 2 year extension with Exeter. That leaves only Chisholm as an Aussie lock playing overseas.

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GAGR's own Cameron Treloar at Bordeaux, in the Top14.

Not saying he would fit at the Rebels (or could even be pried away from his French lifestyle), but for the sake of accuracy he IS an Aussie lock playing abroad.

 

[Lindommer]

Treloar'd be about 32, maybe 33. Pushing it.

 

[Highlander35]

Treloar'd be about 32, maybe 33. Pushing it.

Bullshit. Brad Thorn is still playing, despite his injuries. He's 39. Nathan Hines has signed a new contract with Sale, and he'll be 40 by then. He played the majority of Clermonts games this season.

Nothing wrong with old heads, especially in the second row.

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