Reds 2011

[TOCC]

agree disco, although i tend to think we might see Shatz competing with Leroy for the number 8 position moreso then blindside flanker

 

[liquor box]

You've hot the nail on the head, he is 4 or 5 years into a professional program, with the additional aid of dieticians etc,all this time.
Only if the goalposts have changed dramatically(and therefore his program & diet) would you expect an exponential increase in an offseason.

Maybe some South African "sports" drinks would do the trick?

 

[Rothschild]

I went to one of the trials a couple of years ago at Carrara. Was it v the Highlanders? Think Caleb Brown injured himself running out at the start of the game. Regardless it was far from a full house. Very very far.

No one is saying it was a full house, but it we are talking about trials for goodness sakes. I have even been to Ballymore, something I always swear I will never do again, and their crowds also have not been what one might call excessive either. Brisbane also has over 6 times the population of the GC.

My point is, the GC crowds while not being capacity are also not meagre as some pointed out. The GC has a population of 250,000 and the crowds would be in comparison with the games held in Gosford for example . That eastern stand at Carrara holds over 4000 and was full on the nights I was there, the western stands were largely blocked off to patrons, why? - who knows. For trial matches the the crowd pretty well fitted the expectations of the game and if I remember rightly Qld were shite.

Also, GC rugby supporters as a whole are not your affluent lot. They are largely working class islanders who are watchful of their cash expenditure. Yes there are your better off toffs from TSS and the southern end of the coast but these, by and large would be a minority. In planning the ARC, the ARU should have been chasing the average Joe and $65 for a five game pass for unknown quality games is a big committment considering he also would have a couple of youngsters plus the missus to drag along, repeating the quality of the matches was yet to be determined.

Caleb Brown, now totally retired from rugby, and looking great, studying law on the GC. He has a few sobering educational words to say about QR training policy and the all important push for putting on the bulk too quickly, particularly for school leavers. He was required to go from 90 to 100 kg in his first year and we all saw the result of that increase. The young body just can't take that increase over such a short period. Nevertheless he isn't bitter at all, he had a half decent run for a while and is now in a new life.

 

[spectator]

so lets see if I get this right,
You join GAGR in July, don't say a word for nearly 5 months and all you are concerned with is taking a stand on crowds at Gold Coast games nearly 4 years ago.
You really have too much time on your hands - what's your point.
So despite the stands being full, I'm obviously wrong and the GC bulletin, that fine tabloid of upstanding unbiased journalism is correct, move on, we all have.
Now, lets go watch the grass grow.

Unneccesarry Rothschild. You asked him to back up his statement, which he duly did, whatever the merits of the GC bulletin.

 

[Lee Grant]

Caleb Brown, now totally retired from rugby, and looking great, studying law on the GC. He has a few sobering educational words to say about QR training policy and the all important push for putting on the bulk too quickly, particularly for school leavers. He was required to go from 90 to 100 kg in his first year and we all saw the result of that increase. The young body just can't take that increase over such a short period. Nevertheless he isn't bitter at all, he had a half decent run for a while and is now in a new life.

Good to hear that young Caleb is happy with his lot.

Interesting to hear something from a young ex-player that one has often thought was the case. I'm not having a go at the Reds as I don't expect that the other Oz Super outfits do anything differently. I'm sure that there are young players who can take an S&C load that others can't but I doubt that S&C folks from pro rugby in Oz are astute enough to decide who can and who can't.

You can understand why pro outfits in Oz may push their young players more than their contemporaries in the other 3N countries, assuming that is the case. They have given the youngsters some of the precious spots on the roster because of the lack of depth of senior players in Oz - and they want a return on their investment of awarding the spot.

Part of reason of apparently not having enough senior players is that we don't have a semi pro domestic competition as the other countries do to develop fellows in their early 20's to take the next step. After a year or two in an ARC we would see that some players, who are ostensibly just goodish at club level, are really Super material.

Instead Oz Super teams warehouse young guns and try to bring them up to the pro level artificially.

 

[Often Wrong]

so lets see if I get this right,
You join GAGR in July, don't say a word for nearly 5 months and all you are concerned with is taking a stand on crowds at Gold Coast games nearly 4 years ago.
You really have too much time on your hands - what's your point.
So despite the stands being full, I'm obviously wrong and the GC bulletin, that fine tabloid of upstanding unbiased journalism is correct, move on, we all have.
Now, lets go watch the grass grow.

Can't see how two posts in five months indicate I have too much time on my hands: quite the opposite I would suggest.
My point was that it was hypocritical to complain that playing a trial match in Cairns is unfair to the Gold Coast when in reality the Coast has had multiple opportunities over the past few years and has patently failed to take full advantage of them.
However your arguments are persuasive and we should all now be convinced that dedicated rugby fans on the Gold Coast will definitely flock to games in their veritable hundreds, provided:
1. champagne rugby can be guaranteed
2. it's not raining; and
3. admission is free
Apologies to those who've been bored to tears by these exchanges.

 

[Rothschild]

Can't see how two posts in five months indicate I have too much time on my hands: quite the opposite I would suggest.
My point was that it was hypocritical to complain that playing a trial match in Cairns is unfair to the Gold Coast when in reality the Coast has had multiple opportunities over the past few years and has patently failed to take full advantage of them.
However your arguments are persuasive and we should all now be convinced that dedicated rugby fans on the Gold Coast will definitely flock to games in their veritable hundreds, provided:
1. champagne rugby can be guaranteed
2. it's not raining; and
3. admission is free
Apologies to those who've been bored to tears by these exchanges.

Now I have it, you actually don't read what is written. 5 months for your first comment and you get it wrong from the start.
Please show me where i was hypocritical - I NEVER complained of Cairns getting a gig - never.
see you in another 5 months and we look forward with anticipation to the debunking of another misread comment.

 

[Ruggo]

Pull your heads in fellas. So much positive stuff to talk about at the Reds and you boys want to to into a personal shit fight. Take it elsewhere.

 

[Newter]

agree disco, although i tend to think we might see Shatz competing with Leroy for the number 8 position moreso then blindside flanker

Schatz at #7 for the Reds, surely. He's not a specialist but then Braid's value last season was never his pilfering, it was his hardness in contact one off the ruck when they needed quick go forward, and his high defensive work rate. Both of which Schatz did pretty well whenever he got a run.

Keep Leroy at the back, or maybe try Wallace-Harrison.

 

[RugbyReg]

Schatz at #7 for the Reds, surely. He's not a specialist but then Braid's value last season was never his pilfering, it was his hardness in contact one off the ruck when they needed quick go forward, and his high defensive work rate. Both of which Schatz did pretty well whenever he got a run.

Keep Leroy at the back, or maybe try Wallace-Harrison.

that's where I reckon he played his best footy for the Brumbies.

 

[Bruce Ross]

Now I have it, you actually don't read what is written. 5 months for your first comment and you get it wrong from the start.
Please show me where i was hypocritical - I NEVER complained of Cairns getting a gig - never.
see you in another 5 months and we look forward with anticipation to the debunking of another misread comment.

Nice to see us making the new bloke welcome.

 

[Ruggo]

being a bit shallow on the pilfering front I would like to see us go hard at the breakdown with aggressive counter rucking. We have the size in our cattle to go for it. With he tight five depth we have, we should be able to maintain the rage for the full 80. I also like the though of the space provided by the opposition having to commit to the breakdown and not fan out. With an equal number of attackers to defenders I would back the Reds backline any day of the week. With the exception of scrums of course I wouldn't mind seeing Saia Fainga'a step into more of an on ball role. He is always one of the first to the breakdown. On a defensive lineout, line him up at the back of the lineout and slot in somebody else at the front. Just some food for thought.

 

[Ruggo]

that's where I reckon he played his best footy for the Brumbies.

We would have some talls in our line out, that's for sure.

 

[Jets]

If you had

4. Horwill
5. Simmons/Humphries
6. Higgers
7. Shatz
8. Wallace-Harrison

That's 5 jumpers in the run on team. I would be happy with that as a back 5.

 

[RugbyReg]

its a different game since AWH played though. I reckon he'll be a lock and lock only (injuries permitting).

Leroy and the Schatz-man for 8.

 

[TOCC]

yeah i agree RugbyReg, admittedly i cant remember a whole lot of AWH, but he seems to fit the current mould of a lock and potentially a blindside flanker, cant see him playing the 8 role though, especially the sort of 8 role that the Reds have become accustomed to with Leroy.

Whats interesting is that we still have the likes of Robinson and Coridas in the academy, both of whom stand in good stead to earn a few starts throughout the year. Hopefully a fully fit again Lei Tomiki is able to add extra competition and depth to the blindside role, his form(what few matches he did play) in 2010 doesnt warrant a start but we will have to wait and see what a fully fit Tomiki is capable of. Then to top it off there is the prodigal son, Liam Gill, who going by his 2010 rate of development could force his way onto the starting side in 2011.

Whatever the case, i think its safe to say that the Reds have more depth in there forward pack(minus hooker and seven) then they have in many years, when you consider the depth at prop, lock and the raft of options in the backrow, its looking good. They might not all be superstars, but there quite a few 'Super Rugby' quality players.

 

[Red Rooster]

Talking of pilfering - I heard Link say at a coaching presentation recently that Ant Fainga'a was the most successful pilferer at the breakdown and Braid was ranked 3rd or 4th in 2010

I note in the discussion above that no-one has considered Samo. You may not know that Samo played at No.8 in the second half of the season for Southern Districts in Sydney this year and scored a few tries and played pretty well. Don't forget Ed Quirk as well who came on at 7 in the game v the Highlanders and did pretty well for a first hit out

 

[TOCC]

I think Samo offers maturity and depth at lock, but I just don't see him been up to starting to many games

 

[Jets]

If Robinson finds the form he had at the Tah's I would be happy with him at 7. It would give a chance for Gill to develop with some time off the bench. I can't comment on Tomiki as I haven't seen him play but have heard some good things. Link seems happy to play Shatz and Quirk at 7 too and suddenly the Reds have a heap of options there.

Hooker is the biggest area of concern in my eyes. Fainga'a plays a great role for the team and we need Hanson to step up. His club form makes you think that he could do it but I would be happier if he had some solid Super game time under his belt. Anae is a bit of an unknown. Was and awesome prop at age grade level and Hooker was always where he would end up.

 

[RugbyReg]

Talking of pilfering - I heard Link say at a coaching presentation recently that Ant Fainga'a was the most successful pilferer at the breakdown and Braid was ranked 3rd or 4th in 2010

I note in the discussion above that no-one has considered Samo. You may not know that Samo played at No.8 in the second half of the season for Southern Districts in Sydney this year and scored a few tries and played pretty well. Don't forget Ed Quirk as well who came on at 7 in the game v the Highlanders and did pretty well for a first hit out

Link's an astute guy. I remember him saying that about Fainga'a. The Jackal.

Samo at 8? Surely not. An impact man off the bench, maybe a start or two as rotation. But 8? Wow.