Reds 2018

[Brumby Runner]

Being a troll in other words, BH? I thought we were all committed to outing trolls wherever they appear rather than just excusing them.

 

[Zero_Cool]

I am pretty sure it is just so people like you get outraged and complain about it on the internet.

Honestly, I wasn't sure it wasn't an April Fools day gag, but surely they would have put Izzy in if that were the case.

 

[emuarse]

Zero Brumbies, two Rebels I get they got pumped, but the 'Tahs only won by 7. Zero Brumbies, yet all but two from the Waratahs were clearly better than their counterparts (and even then it was someone from the Rebels?

I'm not disputing it being justified in being stacked with 'Tahs, sure maybe 10 but not even one Brumbie good enough to hold up as a token. How can a team that gets pumped by more than 31 have more players than a team who picked up a losing bonus point -- to a team who had 13 in the 'weekly side'.

I get it being dominated by the Waratahs but 13 of the 15 is a bit much don't you think?

It's only Paul Cully writing for the SMH which is Sydney centric.
I would'nt lose any sleep over it

 

[cyclopath]

Being a troll in other words, BH? I thought we were all committed to outing trolls wherever they appear rather than just excusing them.

Odd nobody complained or outed him after he filled the team with Rebels or Reds in recent weeks. No, wait.
But as I said, .........

That's Paul Cully's thing though. Most weeks it is very heavily weighted to whichever team(s) win. I'm not sure anyone but him puts much credence in the process.

I really don't see why anyone gets excited by it. But, then again, I guess I do.

 

[Braveheart81]

Wasn't this Beth Newman's team of the week on Rugby.com.au?

The reaction of "Too many Tahs" seems to only go in one direction. These posts aren't full of people complaining that a beaten Waratahs side was hard done by when no one gets selected.

 

[SouthernX]

13 Warratahs out of 15.

That's not a team of the week, That's a Cheika Wallabies lineup.

The time we get rid of this underperforming Cheika and his clear NSW Biasism and install more Queensland Reds. Thats when Australian Rugby will return back to greatness.

Ok back on topic

 

[TSR]

After a possible touch of experimentation/rotation/resting last game it’ll be interesting to see what Thorn sees as his best available side this week. I’m picking BPA & Tuttle to return, DP to get another shot at 12, leaving CFS to stay on the wing, and Higgers back into the starting side. So-

Slipper BPA Tupou
Rodda Douglas
Korcyzk Timu Higgers
Tuttle Lance
Daugunu DP Kerevi CFS
Toua

Mafi (though wouldn’t mind Ready being given a crack), Smith, Fa’agase, Tui, ASY (Angus Scott-Young), McDermott, Stewart, Nabuli/Lucas

 

[SouthernX]

I think Tui gets his jersey back. His too good of a talent to leave on the bench. Douglas certainly stepped up and performed but Tui is head and shoulders better then him IMO TSR

 

[TSR]

Don’t get me wrong SouthernX, I like Tui. In fact I think he could be outstanding. But he has no game fitness and I think I Douglas has been very good.

If Higgers has come back via the bench I think it is pretty likely that Tui will.

 

[SouthernX]

Don’t get me wrong SouthernX, I like Tui. In fact I think he could be outstanding. But he has no game fitness and I think I Douglas has been very good.

If Higgers has come back via the bench I think it is pretty likely that Tui will.

Ok thats a good point about game fitness and Higgers selection logic probably plays here too but how do we account for the bye week when it comes to game fitness?

All the Reds squad probably spent a good portion of their time smashing milton mangos and red tulip easter eggs and Thorns smashing them in cardio today as we speak.

 

[TOCC]

I wouldn’t worry too much about Tui’s fitness, Rodda and Douglas have just had a taxing month on the road, they’re probably carrying their fair share of niggling injuries which are hampering their ability to train to capacity anyway.

 

[Zero_Cool]

I agree with TOCC, I can see Douglas dropping to the bench because of that workload, but equally Tui should come back through the bench like Higgers.

My prediction is

Slipper / BPA / Tupou​

Rodda / Douglas​

ASY (Angus Scott-Young) / Higgers / Timu​

​

Tuttle / Lance​

Daugunu / Kerevi / CFS / Toua​

Stewart​

(Perhaps Stewart at 12 and pushing Kerevi and CFS out one position; I feel like Thorn will be thinking 'I've tried Paia'aua at 12 with this backline, and Stewart has been decent to this point.)​

 

[Wilson]

Pretty sure the travel snafu was a big part of why Higgers came back from the bench - not enough time to train in the lead up week as a starter.

Tui on the other hand has two weeks, I don't see any issues with him starting.

 

[Zero_Cool]

Pretty sure the travel snafu was a big part of why Higgers came back from the bench - not enough time to train in the lead up week as a starter.

Tui on the other hand has two weeks, I don't see any issues with him starting.

One thing I nearly didn't consider is that Douglas will be more effective at the breakdown. With Pocock lurking I'd rather trust Douglas to sort him out than Tui at this stage. But one could argue that after Tui destroying the line any pilfers won't really matter because the Brumbies will be monstered in their own 22 and give it right back.

 

[emuarse]

Have you noticed that the Reds are getting very little media coverage to date.
I think this might be intentional on Thorn's part.
Do it by deeds, not words.
Also the Brisbane Times is really the SMH, and is totally Waratah centric.
Can't they afford a few dollars for a freelance rugby writer to cover for the Brisbane Times?

 

[Braveheart81]

Can't they afford a few dollars for a freelance rugby writer to cover for the Brisbane Times?

Isn't that normally Phil Lutton's job?

He's probably focused on the Comm Games.

 

[Zero_Cool]

Isn't that normally Phil Lutton's job?

He's probably focused on the Comm Games.

Any games but the Reds games... #BroncosCity

 

[SouthernX]

Have you noticed that the Reds are getting very little media coverage to date.
I think this might be intentional on Thorn's part.
Do it by deeds, not words.
Also the Brisbane Times is really the SMH, and is totally Waratah centric.
Can't they afford a few dollars for a freelance rugby writer to cover for the Brisbane Times?

It's not even a real newspaper.

Fairfax Media have been making people redundant for better half of this decade and you want them to hire a Queensland Rugby reporter

 

[Strewthcobber]

And herein lies the problem with Thorn's approach.

If you want coverage, you have to generate it

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

 

[Wilson]

I think there's been a reasonable amount of coverage but atm they're focused on plugging away and doing the job. I expect it will pick up as they return home from touring and the com games finish, particularly if we beat the tahs.