Reds 2017

[Strewthcobber]

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

 

[gel]

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.

Nice try.

 

[Tomikin]

Like the real madrid of Rugby!! ;-)

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[TOCC]

I thought there was a fishing thread in the hobbies part of the forum?

anyway, finally found time to watch the Reds trial last time, I won't repeat was others have already said, but Rebels looked disinterested and tired, I believe they've been up in QLD for the past 2 weeks so maybe a bit fatigued.

Reds were looking fit, even the Wallabies like Moore and Slipper with a shortened pre-season looked bloody fit, Sef Faagase looks more like a back rower then a loose head prop, and his scrummaging was still strong.


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[USARugger]

Any chance the Reds are going to upload the full match? I see they've uploaded the scoring plays to Youtube - was hoping it would be the full broadcast recording for those of us who enjoy sleeping from time to time.

 

[TOCC]

You can still watch it on the original feed

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[TOCC]

Pickle signed until 2019


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[USARugger]

Jeeze QC (Quade Cooper) is just criminally bad under the high ball even when he's not under pressure.

Houston definitely hasn't transitioned as well as I'd have liked to see.. he was visibly larger last time he was in Super Rugby too. He has to pick up his carrying or I don't see how he's supposed to come off the bench and add to our attack.

Pickle's passing was definitely all over the place, lots of balls at the knees/head.

Karmichael looking like a rugby player again is great news. He got used a lot like Digby was a few years ago which is a nice little peek into the Reds-Under-Stiles-and-Only-Stiles-This-Year attacking structure off of set piece. The Rebels really had to respect the first two gaps with Kerevi running unders lines and Hunt running off the inside shoulder of QC (Quade Cooper) at the same time, smart coaching because I think this is the absolute best way to empower QC (Quade Cooper) by a country mile.

Fixating those inside defenders gives him the time to find a runner and put them into a gap off of the first phase, stretching the hell out of the defense and sending them scrambling backwards and usually wide. What I think has always separated him from other 10's is what he's able to pull off in these circumstances - this is the strongest part of his game, by far. Obviously these are ideal circumstances for any 10 who wants to play rugby, but QC (Quade Cooper) is remarkably exceptional at this aspect of attack. When we can get the defense playing League for half a phase or more he's able to unlock defense in a way that very few players can.

That was long-winded but what I'm trying to say is that what I saw from the trial at least indicated to me that the current coaching staff actually understands how to enable their playmaker to make plays. This alone will be a huge step up from the last time we saw QC (Quade Cooper) out for QLD.

The set piece we're rolling out this year is a vital cog in that machine, and we should be able to do stuff off of the scrum that Link could only have dreamed of.

First trial so hopefully we see the handling errors cleaned up from here. I thought we transitioned well through the phases before the inevitable knock-on as the line was being broken and Duncan helped a lot with this (the transition through phases).

I'm going to rewatch either tonight or tomorrow and take a closer look at the defensive side of things, was slightly distracted at points during my first watch so I missed some defensive phases.

Overall I'd say a B/B- for the trial. Probably closer to a B- because frankly I don't think the Rebels really showed up. Their attack stymied itself too many times and some of the boys just did not look interested on defense. Reds need to get their edge back and start putting teams that play this way to the fucking sword - bonus points matter.

 

[Simon.]

Yeah when you have QC (Quade Cooper) running at you with Kerevi on one shoulder and Hunt on the other, you're going to have a bad time. It's a pity QC (Quade Cooper) never recovered his own footwork to his 2011 level after his injuries, but there's still enough there that he'll go himself if the defence opens up to cover the other two.

I really wonder what a slimmed-down Houston will bring to the Reds without that ball-carrying ability. Slim Leroy just seems like a toned down version of Higgers. Although if he can learn Higgers' style he'll be an asset.

 

[Scoey]

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.

 

[Hawko]

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 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.

 

[thebreakdown]

Very impressed with the young rookies about to take the season for qld reds. They seem hungry and up for it. Styles obviously looking for future prospects. The tens was definitely a great step to introduce these young men into another level. Good things ahead for Reds future. Well done Styles, he's planning ahead. Pretty excited this year but next season well, Watch this space!,,


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[Scoey]

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.

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.

To put in perspective, the Tahs under Foley unperformed for years. They get a new coach (Chieka) and recruit a bunch of guys like Hooper, Folau, Skelton etc and everyone gets all excited. You guys go from 11th in '12 under Foley to 9th in '13 with the new look Tahs. 3rd in Aus conference - should've done much better but the new systems needed bedding in, the culture had to develop, they had to learn Chieka's 'style'. The following year it clicks and you guys finally win the whole thing.

We might kick arse this year. It's possible. But I'm still confident that my appraisal is more realistic than your somewhat simplistic view.

 

[Lindommer]

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.

 

[Micheal]

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.

Haha, erm..

Michael Foley wasn't playing at fullback for the Tahs from 2011-2012 but, as Scoey said, the years in which he coached (2011-2012) we certainly underperformed.

My main man Nard Foley though was excelling at fullback during these years. It was a great apprenticeship for a backline pivot without the pressure of runnign the team from flyhalf.

 

[TOCC]

Reds have a horrific month of travelling straight up, with games in Perth, Brisbane, Johannesburg and Buenos Aires. Throw in the Canes and Crusaders during that period and it's far from an easy draw.

Tahs have a favourable travel schedule, 2 weeks in South Africa and then don't have to travel past New Zealand again until the last round in Perth.

 

[The torpedo]

How good WILL our team be when a certain little general comes back half way through the year..

Rumour?

Or personal opinion?

 

[USARugger]

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?

 

[TOCC]

I doubt Frisby would have signed for 2 more years if Genia was returning...


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[Moono75]

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?

You can shit yourself if you have a big night out on the turps, have a greasy breakfast, coffee and OJ....apparently.