Reds 2013

[Scoey]

So you only support your team when you know they are going to be good?

The ultimate bandwagoner.

I was waiting for that. I know you're fishing but fishing's no fun unless you're getting bites so here goes...

QC (Quade Cooper) playing, is no guarantee they'll be good! But regardless, as I said, I may still get a non-ticketed membership. That's what I have done in the past when I haven't been able to get to the games. I have an Austar (Foxtel for us country folk) subscription for the sole purpose of watching the Reds games I can't get to. I proudly wore my Reds jersey the day after the 92-3 drubbing against your boys Blue, as that was when I felt they needed their supporters the most. Is that what you guys were after?

 

[No4918]

So.... Who is going to be 10 next year? Lucas will probably get first shot but i wouldn't mind him at 9 until Sanchez is back. Going to need the experience with 2 big weeks vs Brums and Tahs that could really set the tone for the year. Dropping both would be a disaster.

9. Lucas
10. Harris
11. Ioane
12. Taps
13. Finger
14. Shipperley
15. Morahan

Won't miss him at all. <----sarcasm (edit to make it obvious)

 

[TSR]

Would like to see Lucas at 10 & Frisby at 9. Slide Harris to 15 with morahan the unlucky omission. Harris needs to improve as a 15, but his kicking is too good to leave out and I want Taps left at 12.

 

[Bowside]

If Coopers gone I reckon Lucas or maybe even Jono Lance to 10. Then bring Lane on slowly (assuming he comes back if Cooper leaves).

 

[Ash]

Won't miss Cooper whilst sliding in Harris at 10? Seriously, even the people who hate Cooper realise how important Cooper is to the Reds and that the Reds are a much better team with Cooper at 10 than Harris.

Case in point is 2012, and the way the Reds struggled initially with Harris at 10. He couldn't get the backline working. The Reds looked best when anyone but Harris was there, but unfortunately they all went down injured. When Cooper returned, they won all three games with him at 10.

Harris is best at 12, maybe at 15 after his appearances there for the Wallabies. But for the Reds, he hasn't been too good at 10 so far, and I think Harris' game is a little too limited to play 10 for the Reds. With Tapuai surely occupying the 12 spot, Harris either gets 15 or a bench spot.

If Cooper is gone, I'd give Lucas first crack at 10 and hope that Lane signs as the back up. Lance and Harris would be fighting it out for the 3rd option.

Given how often Lucas has gotten injured in the past couple of seasons, whoever the 3rd choice is will get plenty of time anyway.

Even without Cooper, the Reds can still field a damn good backline with plenty of depth - Genia, Lucas, Ioane, Tapuai, A. Finger, Shipsanity and Harris/Morahan is still one of the best backlines in Aus with F'Sautia hopefully playing well enough to demand a starting spot soon too. Lance, Davies, Frisby are all more than handy squad players as well. I'd say that you could argue that only the Tahs' full strength backline would look better on paper (Hart/McKibbon, Foley, Mitchell, Horne/Carter/AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)/Horne, Turner, Barnes), with the Rebels close.

The issue will be that Cooper was the magic that unlocked a lot of the Reds' attacking plays.

 

[qwerty51]

You gotta have Harris in there, won games off the back of his kicking. Put him 15 with Lucas/Lance at 10.

 

[liquor box]

maybe it is supporting a team when the organiser of the sport in the country think about what their decisions will do to the S15 teams.

 

[Ash]

I think Cooper is as good as gone, maybe the Reds will still get him in 2013, maybe not. Best to plan for not at the moment IMHO.

Regarding Harris, definitely agree that they need him for his kicking, particularly as the Reds won't score nearly so many tries with Cooper gone. So, it comes down to how Harris goes at 12 and 15, and Taps vs Morahan. I reckon it's Taps, easily, and then unfortunately for Morahan he's on the bench.

Lucas actually looked OK at 10 last year I thought, for the brief time until his injury.

Looking at the back division for the Reds, there's really some injury prone players there. Actually, the amount of injuries in the backs across all of the Aus provinces over the last year has been shocking.

 

[Jets]

Lucas and Lance have to be the 10 options without Cooper. Taps and Harris will fight over the 12 spot as Harris isn't suited anywhere else. Taps and Fainga'a will be the 13 options if Harris plays 12. Morahan at 15 as he suits the style I want the Reds to play.

 

[en_force_er]

How long is Genia out for? Will he make the Lions tour?

 

[I like to watch]

Jets,where do you see CFS playing next year ?
Do you place him in the 22 ATM?

 

[Jets]

If they go for a 4/3 split he'd be on the bench but if it's 5/2 he might struggle, at least to start.

 

[Lee Grant]

The more important thing for CFS is to get his hamstring 100% right. His injury in Super Rugby was not a new one: he missed a lot of his last year at school in 2011 including all the Oz Schools games.

I don't know if it is the same leg, come to think of it; so let's say he should get both hamstrings right with a programme which targets the problem. He should not be subject to general activity until he is 100% ready.

Special treatment uses extra resources but it's the kind of thing that they would do in the NFL - reputedly the leaders in the S & C field for any code of footie. For all I know that's what the Reds are doing but, if not, such a topical regime for this young bloke will be worth it.

For those who missed his brief pro career to date: he is a special player who can play wing or outside centre. He can swerve or step at full pace and has the balance of an elite skier when changing direction; we should be looking at him in a couple of years' time as we are at Ben Tapuai now.

But we won't be if he is a young serial crock.
.

 

[tigerland12]

I'd don't see the value in dropping someone just for Harris's goal kicking. Firstly, we have Ben Lucas who has been a consistantly strong goal kicker his whole career, and secondly, you pick the best player in each position, which right now is Taps at 12 and Morahan at 15.

Also, I don't think it will take too long for Chris Sautia to overtake Shipperely. Shippers is too one dimmensional, has no rugby brain whatsoever.

 

[thierry dusautoir]

I'd don't see the value in dropping someone just for Harris's goal kicking. Firstly, we have Ben Lucas who has been a consistantly strong goal kicker his whole career, and secondly, you pick the best player in each position, which right now is Taps at 12 and Morahan at 15.

Also, I don't think it will take too long for Chris Sautia to overtake Shipperely. Shippers is too one dimmensional, has no rugby brain whatsoever.

I disagree...Rod Davies is one-dimensional and Shipperley is twice the player he is.

Shippers showed last year that he has good feet, rapid pace, and decent Strength in contact. His defence was also somethign i found impressive not just technique but his ability to read and shut down play even when playing 13, which is the hardest position to defend (See Stormers Match where he played 13).

How i ever i concede he might not have the football smarts of someone like Peter Hynes but from school boy game si saw Sautia was no visionary genius either.

But more stength and expeirience that comes with age will do him a world of good.

 

[tranquility]

Sautia reads a game very well. Watch the way he backed up his debut try this season.

 

[thierry dusautoir]

He scored of a set play

 

[thierry dusautoir]

around 4:10 mark wasn't much to it ran the line provided passed the ball followed up, under 12s stuff

 

[tigerland12]

I just think Sautia is much more of a complete rugby player (or soon to be), than Shipperely.

Also Shota Horie isn't with Reds College anymore, has been picked up by the Rabbles.

 

[gel]

He scored of a set play

Something the rest of the existing wallabies have struggled with all season. I'd say that just about makes him special ATM.