Rebels 2015

[hammertimethere]

Inman not starting for you lot would be a waste. If Harris plays 12, Mitch would be 13 and Ellison on the wing

 

[elementfreak]

Ellison would be wasted on the wing. I liked Inman/Ellison in the centres this year.

 

[Ruggo]

I suspect you will use Harris at FB.

 

[RugbyReg]

You read the Harris reasons and a big part was the chance to establish himself at 10 or 12.

 

[Highlander35]

Could see Hegarty or Debreczeni used at fullback and second playmaker, where their running games could be utilised.

Then Mike at 10, same centers, Engo on the left, then probably Crawford, Shippers or Kingston on the right.

 

[daz]

Inman is out of place at 12, we need a second play maker so I would go with Harris at 12 and Ellison at 13 with Inman to come on with 20 minutes as a Impact sub.

Seriously? My natural bias aside, but every man and his dog thought that the Inman/Ellison combo at 12/13 was a real winner this season. Now that the first fumbling, get-to-know-you season is out of the way, the second year should be a lot better.

I will say that Mitch finally has some competition for his spot. 1,280 minutes of super rugby this season and he played 1,255 of them. Most minutes played this year for the Rebels. It's really not good for one man to be the only option for a spot.

Then he went and played just about every second in the NRC.

Mentally and physically, he is burned, shot and fucked. I would have thought his program would be a bit better regulated.

 

[KevinO]

My natural bias aside, but every man and his dog thought that the Inman/Ellison combo at 12/13 was a real winner this season.

Daz, our backline did not fire all year except for the Cheetahs game. The combo may have looked liked it worked but it didn't. Not one game did the Rebels score 4 trys and not all the blame can go down to the forwards not getting the ball to the backs quick enough.

Harris is a quality 12 and should not be wasted playing full back, we have two good developing 10's that should be competing for that spot.

 

[daz]

Daz, our backline did not fire all year except for the Cheetahs game. The combo may have looked liked it worked but it didn't. Not one game did the Rebels score 4 trys and not all the blame can go down to the forwards not getting the ball to the backs quick enough.

Harris is a quality 12 and should not be wasted playing full back, we have two good developing 10's that should be competing for that spot.

I agree with what you are saying, but I've always believed new structures do take a bit of time to bed in. We had a new coach delivering a completely new message, a significant influx of new key position players and young established players only really coming into their own during the year.

I really don't know how Tony plans on structuring the team, and I'm not big on trying to second guess the coach.

If Harris is the guy to take us forward at 12, then so be it. Like I said, I genuinely want hard competition for spots; it creates an edge to training and pushes the team to do better. I am not a fan of players knowing that they will pull on a jersey just because no-one else is able to play there.

 

[swingpass]

i also think that Harris will play 10/12 and if not for his pop gun kicking Hegarty would be a good choice at 15, which may see Debreczini play there. personally i would continue to groom Jack D at 10 however, for the long term. English will play 13/14, and the blond flyers fight out the other wing spot with Veianu. Not so certain how much Shipperley will play at all after the ankle injury. its good to have some real competition for spots.

as an aside does anybody know whats happened to Lahiff, no reports that he is in team rehab and no appearances for Country in the NRC. he seems to be third or even fourth choice LHP at the present

 

[KevinO]

McMahon on the bench for the Wallabies.

 

[oztimmay]

Rebels bias mode on: would ahve been a chance to see what Tom could do on the wings. Luke also deserves a run too, at least to give Carter a rest. Might not have started him yet, but deserves his chance.

 

[KevinO]

Rebels bias mode on: would ahve been a chance to see what Tom could do on the wings. Luke also deserves a run too, at least to give Carter a rest. Might not have started him yet, but deserves his chance.

Even though Cheika is Tahs, I don't think he will have to much time for Skeleton at International Level. He is not the right guy for 80 minutes performance so it will give Jones a short hopefully.

 

[Dene]

1. Toby Smith, Cruze Ah-Nau, Max Lahiff
2. Shota Horie, Pat Leafa, Tom Sexton
3. Paul Alo-Emile, Laurie Weeks
4. Luke Jones, Sam Jeffries
5. Caydern Neville, Steve Cummins
6. Colby Fainga'a, Scott Fuglistaller
7. Sean McMahon, Jordy Reid
8. Scott Higginbotham, Lopeti Timani
9. Luke Burgess, Nic Stirzaker, Ben Meehan
10. Bryce Hegarty, Jack Debreczini
11. Tom Kingston, Telusa Veainu
12. Mike Harris, Mitch Inman
13. Tamati Ellison, Male Sa'u, Sefanaia Naivalu
14. Tom English, Dom Shipperley
15. Cam Crawford, Jonah Placid

I wrote this to organise first-choices in my head. Lots of movement possible in the backline, but I like the look of this starting 15. Any news on Sa'u?

 

[Biffo]

someone has probably posted this above but i won't go looking for it.
i have some information, claimed to be genuine inside, that TT sees Debreczini as a fullback.
TT is wrong.
the boy is a ten, with the ability to direct the Rebels very well for a long, long time.
leave him there and get to work upskilling his skills (sic), developing his game management and lifting his consistency.

the Rebels have the makings of a very good team.
perhaps, with the Waratahs to be banished from Australian rugby, i should shift my allegiances to them?

 

[oztimmay]

 

[Ruggo]

I really hope the Rebels can build off what the Rising has shown in the NRC. It shouldn't be to hard to transplant it.

 

[fatprop]

1. Toby Smith, Cruze Ah-Nau, Max Lahiff
2. Shota Horie, Pat Leafa, Tom Sexton
3. Paul Alo-Emile, Laurie Weeks
4. Luke Jones, Sam Jeffries
5. Caydern Neville, Steve Cummins
6. Colby Fainga'a, Scott Fuglistaller
7. Sean McMahon, Jordy Reid
8. Scott Higginbotham, Lopeti Timani
9. Luke Burgess, Nic Stirzaker, Ben Meehan
10. Bryce Hegarty, Jack Debreczini
11. Tom Kingston, Telusa Veainu
12. Mike Harris, Mitch Inman
13. Tamati Ellison, Male Sa'u, Sefanaia Naivalu
14. Tom English, Dom Shipperley
15. Cam Crawford, Jonah Placid

I wrote this to organise first-choices in my head. Lots of movement possible in the backline, but I like the look of this starting 15. Any news on Sa'u?

The biggest challenge looking at this squad is who will chosen to play, lots of close decisions, but a starting side of ....

1. Toby Smith,
2. Pat Leafa
3. Laurie Weeks
4. Sam Jeffries
5. Caydern Neville
6. Luke Jones
7. Sean McMahon
8. Scott Higginbotham
9. Nic Stirzaker
10. Jack Debreczini
11. Tom English
12. Mitch Inman
13. Tamati Ellison
14. Cam Crawford
15. Jonah Placid

could be interesting

 

[Mr Wobbly]

FWIW, I wouldn't mind seeing this team run out in round one.

1. Toby Smith
2. Shota Horie
3. Paul Alo-Emile
4. Luke Jones
5. Caydern Neville
6. Sean McMahon
7. Colby Fainga'a
8. Scott Higginbotham
9. Luke Burgess
10. Mike Harris
11. Dom Shipperly
12. Mitch Inman
13. Tamati Ellison
14. Tom English
15. Bryce Hegarty

16. Pat Leafa/Tom Sexton
17. Cruze Ah-Nau
18. Laurie Weeks
19. Sam Jeffries
20. Scott Fuglistaller/Lopeti Timani
21. Nic Stirzaker
22. & 23. from Kingston/ Crawford/ Veainu/ Sa'u/ Debreczeni

 

[Wilson]

I'll be amazed if Harris isn't regularly starting, he's close to the most experienced player in what is a relatively young squad and your most accurate kicker.

 

[Mr Wobbly]

Thinking out aloud here but, picking a back row is tough, could go with any number of combinations (in no particular order):

6. Higgers, Jones, MaMahon, Fainga'a, Reid
7. McMahon, Fuglistaller, Fainga'a, Reid
8. Higgers, Timani, Jones(?)

I reckon any of these could work...

6. McMahon 7. Fainga'a 8. Higgers
6. Jones 7. McMahon 8. Higgers
6. Higgers 7.Fug 8. Timani

I do expect that Jones will play in the second row and Higginbotham at 8 though