Reds 2014

[Ash]

Anae's had a pretty big fall this year, down to unwanted in the matchday 22 behind Daley and Owen.

Would like to see McDuling given a shot as the reserve lock at one stage.

 

[Sully]

I don't understand Anae's dropping a much better loosehead than Daley and not a complete pot plant around the park. And can play hooker and tight head in a pinch.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

 

[Brumby Runner]

Cheers mate, sound like me might as well shut down the franchise and start again. The QLD Hurricanes maybe?

Don't need to shut down but I do think the Reds need to rethink how they are approaching the Super comp in recent years. Essentially limiting the playing group to locals coming up through the support structures doesn't seem to be working. I applauded the recruitment of Turner but that has soured with his injuries. Before that, the major change to the playing roster and game day squad occurred in 2010 and 2011 under Link. Three years later I haven't seen much renewal of the squad Link put together back then. Toua and JJT have come through but both are still very raw. need to get some older heads and proven performers in quick smart and give them a coaching outfit that can meld them into a team playing competitive football. I don't mean older heads in the form of EOD or Robbo. Best days are now behind both of them.

 

[Ignoto]

Didn't Albert have his kid a week or two ago?

Knowing how important family is for some of those Islanders, I can imagine he's taken some time off to spend with mum and bub.

 

[RedsHappy]

Worthy fuel for the coaching debate:

I wonder who the 'Reds mate' could have been?

http://www.theroar.com.au/2014/04/30/waratahs-and-reds-its-the-coachs-fault/

 

[Troy]

Worthy fuel for the coaching debate:

I wonder who the 'Reds mate' could have been?

http://www.theroar.com.au/2014/04/30/waratahs-and-reds-its-the-coachs-fault/

Just as it states in the article

I'm afraid I don’t have any answers for you on those questions. What I do know is that it isn’t as simple as many people make out when they say coaches are the problem when a team isn’t performing.

I don't see how it can simply be laid at RG door.

Once the pressure of making the finals falls away, I do think we'll see what the team is capable of.

 

[Train Without a Station]

To just say it's all RG's fault would be a simplistic view. It may very well be, however the problems could also just as easily be laid at the feet of the players due to malaise, egos, minor injuries affecting fitness or any number of issues which affect player performance.

Ultimately a coach lives and dies by the results though.

A good coach should be able to motivate a team, instil discipline in their approach which sinks through to skills, ability to execute a game plan, etc.

I'm willing to give RG a bit more of benefit of the doubt here, we don't know the exact situations behind the doors. Previously it has been mentioned Genia's unwillingness to listen to coaching. Issues like this with out of control player egos can be difficult to manage. If this is true things like this will affect the influence a coach can have over the group.

However I will say that if the departure of Link has left the players unable to be motivated to play and train the same way as they once did, then RG is not a great coach, as this is part of his job to facilitate this.

 

[Ash]

According to one of Scott Allen's comments, Richard Graham took over recruitment at the Reds in 2013. Would make sense if true, so there's no excuses for him not working towards the team he wants from this year.

It concerns me a little that the Reds mentioned big backrowers as an issue, then dropped Browning from the 23.

Not too fussed with the impact we are getting from Ed O'D from the bench either, would rather see McDuling given a shot from the bench, with Ed O'D recalled to start if Simmons or Horwill go down / need a break.

Anyone know when Shipperley and Turner are due back?

 

[RugbyReg]

According to one of Scott Allen's comments, Richard Graham took over recruitment at the Reds in 2013. Would make sense if true, so there's no excuses for him not working towards the team he wants from this year.

not entirely true. there would have been players signed in 2012 for two years that he may not feel the need to have in his squad.

 

[Train Without a Station]

That's right Reg and as you know I've been happy to defend RG, but I also think that if he can only coach the group that he solely selects than he isn't a high quality coach.

If that was the case he would not be able to adapt and coach to the strengths and limitations of the squad available, but rather only his own strengths and limitations.

 

[RedsHappy]

^^

In fact it was officially press released that RG started with the Reds in September 2012, so from that year's pre-season onwards. A very long running-in period until Round 1 S15 2014 by any stretch.

The article below that affirms the above start date also clearly quotes RG as saying that, alongside Link, he'll be both devising team strategy and selections for the Reds.

http://www.news.com.au/sport/rugby/...sland-reds-coach/story-fndpt9s1-1226477336878

 

[Ash]

Reportedly RG was wrong in that assumption (that he'd have control over tactics and selections), and the story goes RG was shocked to turn up on that first day and discover it was still Link's team. Story goes that Link and RG did not get on well from that day on.

No idea on the truth of those rumours.

I think, though, it is safe to say that RG is not as good a defensive coach as Tattsy Taylor.

I hope that the Reds have a good fitness trainer lined up for next year.

 

[Parse]

Most probably Link realised that after talking to RG that if he followed RG's idea he'd end up 3 from 9 halfway through his last season with the Reds....

 

[tranquility]

I think, though, it is safe to say that RG is not as good a defensive coach as Tattsy Taylor.

I'm not even sure they can be put in the same sentence at this stage, unfortunately.

 

[I like to watch]

^^

In fact it was officially press released that RG started with the Reds in September 2012, so from that year's pre-season onwards. A very long running-in period until Round 1 S15 2014 by any stretch.

The article below that affirms the above start date also clearly quotes RG as saying that, alongside Link, he'll be both devising team strategy and selections for the Reds.

http://www.news.com.au/sport/rugby/...sland-reds-coach/story-fndpt9s1-1226477336878

Yeah that's what RG said/thought.
Who thinks he had veto rights over Link about anything last year?
I'm tipping he wasn't even allowed to change the brand of coffee they were drinking,

 

[Ruggo]

Don't need to shut down but I do think the Reds need to rethink how they are approaching the Super comp in recent years. Essentially limiting the playing group to locals coming up through the support structures doesn't seem to be working. I applauded the recruitment of Turner but that has soured with his injuries. Before that, the major change to the playing roster and game day squad occurred in 2010 and 2011 under Link. Three years later I haven't seen much renewal of the squad Link put together back then. Toua and JJT have come through but both are still very raw. need to get some older heads and proven performers in quick smart and give them a coaching outfit that can meld them into a team playing competitive football. I don't mean older heads in the form of EOD or Robbo. Best days are now behind both of them.

No problem giving Link his credit but Mooney left him with some great talent that have been very much part of the foundation through the Link year. The twins are a fantastic example.

 

[tranquility]

Mooney gets a fair wrap on here, and sure he coached a high skill based game not dissimilar to what Hill did with the Rebels. However he didnt coach good fundamentals If he stayed we would not have turned the corner. I agree that Link didn't do everything, but I think Tattsy and Chook deserve more credit than Phil.

 

[Train Without a Station]

Never thought I'd ever say this, but very well said tranquility. Mooney did good things but to give him credit really ignores him taking to 13th basically the same group link took to 5th

 

[Ruggo]

Never thought I'd ever say this, but very well said tranquility. Mooney did good things but to give him credit really ignores him taking to 13th basically the same group link took to 5th

Maybe you could say that Link was forced by circumstance to adopt an attacking rugby base (left by Mooney). Let's not polish history and remember Link before the Reds was a very much conservative coach. I would dare say Link as a coach developed just as much at the Reds as the team did under his stewardship.

 

[Train Without a Station]

I thought he was a horrible appointment, he had been sacked at his last 2 appointments. Turns out that had taught him a lot and he had developed from his time at the Waratahs.

Most importantlyhe came in and was pretty quickly able to coach to the strengths of his squad and what best suited the current rules/interpretations. Not his strengths and what best suited him.