Strewthcobber
Simon Poidevin (60)
Realistically though, the attempt by QLDers to try to claim underdog status with the squad they've got is just unreal. Donald Trump unreal.
Does Mr Trump have a Betfair account
Realistically though, the attempt by QLDers to try to claim underdog status with the squad they've got is just unreal. Donald Trump unreal.
This post totally disregards the quality of the Reds squad. Ten Wallabies, seven of whom have got 20+ caps. (Maybe 6, I don't think Kerevi has that many but he's an absolute gun!) If you end up 7/8 or 8/7 then Stiles should be fired immediately.
Lets just look at this "tough" draw. The two best NZ teams you have at home. You play 3 NZ teams away. You should win 2 from 5 and only the Hurricanes game looks a write-off. Reasonable expectation would be 2 NZ wins but 3 would be very possible. Five easy conference games. The team you must beat to win the conference you play only once. AT HOME. After a bye. Realistically if you lose more than four then your team has seriously underperformed. Nine Wallabies plus Hunt in the top 15.
You do realise that we have pretty much the same draw as your guys right? Except that we play the Brumbies twice and Rebels once and you guys get the Rebels twice and Brumbies only once. You guys get the Canes away but it doesn't really matter where you play them if they pick up where they left off last year.
If you assume (I think we all are) that the likely top three AUS sides will be Brumbies, Reds & Tahs in no particular order of preference and Force and Rebels will likely be the bottom two (sorry guys, no offence intended) then the Reds play 3 matches against the other two top sides and 3 against the bottom two and you guys play 2 matches against the other two top sides and 4 against the bottom two. The comments about the relative strength of the two sides has been covered well.
But all that aside, there's no such thing as an easy draw in Super Rugby and that was pretty much my point but since you decided to pick apart my post to claim underdog status then I thought I probably should point out, you guys clearly have the easier draw of the two teams.
I'll preface my comment by saying no one is claiming that we don't have a strong side. We do, but it takes more than that to turn 3 years as cellar dwellers into Champions. These things take time and that's pretty much the point most of us are making. Don't forget that we have spent the last 3 years watching our team lacking any kind of structure, game plan or intent. From our viewing point, this season looks tough. We are coming from a lot further back in the field than the Tahs and pretty much everyone else.I was not claiming the Tahs had a hard draw; just debunking the claim that the Reds had a tough one. For me, its a neutral draw - maybe on the easier side. Hardest thing is getting the Hurricanes at home after circumnavigating the globe. The Rebels, for example will probably be 0 and 6 and totally out of it because of who they play early. One of the Saffer teams have just one home game in the first seven. Those are tough draws.
I don't see the Australian conference as you do. I see the Reds and Waratahs as streets ahead of the other three teams with the Reds the stronger of the two. The Force is the conference smokey. The Waratahs B team absolutely thrashed the Brumbies first choice selection two weeks ago.
Foley played quite a few games at fullback in the period you're referring to, Scoey, don't blame Bernard for all the crap games the Tahs played then.
How good WILL our team be when a certain little general comes back half way through the year..
I'd shit myself but I don't see how that's even possible. Isn't there quite a bit of time left on that contract?