Reds 2018

[Thinker]

At least some of the instability/fighting within the staff may be done with next year, team advertising for Head of Phys Prep.

Shame, only bloke in whole HP unit qualified to be there was Marsh.

 

[dru]

I think Kerevi as captain is almost publicity based. He can't talk to refs and he isnt integral in decisions making, tactics, or defensive organising. That will change anyway with slips returning, but I would like to see Higs move into the leadership group.

I would like to see one of the Force assistants come over, or even use Gaffney as a consultant like they do, because our assistants need some mentoring and stiles, like Cheika, when it comes to being Head Coach, is far more focused on attitude and the mental side as opposed to the tactics. We need a senior tactician.

I get why certain people go apoplectic when there is a suggestion to look to a return on Link.

Honestly though, what is Chook Fowler doing and if no one from the Reds is talking to him, why not? Best strategy/Tactition we have seen at the Reds if not all of Australia. Genia killed that one. Time to get past it and bring the Chook back.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Simmons must be thinking about os offers now the Wallaby doors are closing

Sent from my D5833 using Tapatalk

 

[upthereds#!]

Wouldn't be surprised to see Simmons recalled for Rugby Championship

 

[SOLE334]

The REDS and the BLUES share a similar history in terms of breeding rugby talent, and both have suffered the ill fate of losing significant talent to every other franchise in their respective country.
The point is, we have a very successful U/20s (winning 2 yrs in a row) program that has been a flow on from our schoolboys (gps, cas,etc) comp.

An interesting article(2015),by G Paul on Auckland schoolboys competition being sponsored by the Blues SRF to stream 1st XV games as a recognised pathway for their recruitment. Heres a snip from it.

"the initiative is being funded by the Auckland Rugby Union, which believes First XV is probably better placed than provincial rugby to generate audience and revenue - and to unearth superstars of the game"

They have already unearthed some significant gems which includes the Ioane boys and recently Caleb Clarke and J Papalii.

From our 20's, I hope we secure the talents of :

• Angus Bligh
• 7(captain)
• reserve 8 (Pat T)
• 2(AU/20s)

 

[RugbyReg]

New position with the Reds open.

http://m.seek.com.au/job/33568046?savedSearchID=14230813&tracking=JMC-SAU-eDM-JobMail4.01-3881

 

[Strewthcobber]

^^^^^^
Ms Lona Sarson, GM People & Culture
Big job......

 

[Thinker]

New position with the Reds open.

http://m.seek.com.au/job/33568046?savedSearchID=14230813&tracking=JMC-SAU-eDM-JobMail4.01-3881

I guess hard for an experienced professional to hang around when being forced to work with a bunch of amateurs.

I won't repeat any inside info, but both S&C staff from the start of the year won't be there next year and there have been big conflicts between the coaches & s&c staff all year. I guess this gives them someone to blame so they are not accountable and therefore don't learn anything.

The plus side is another <30% win season, so won't be expecting things like this year.

Also worth nothing that a lot was made about Thorn's "extra fitness sessions" with the players. Yet, we apparently aren't fit enough and are terrible in contact.

 

[USARugger]

Yet, we apparently aren't fit enough and are terrible in contact.

We definitely aren't fit enough and a lot of guys have serious issues with contact on both sides of the ball, even worse the guys who had issues last year are just as bad if not worse than they were then, now.

 

[bloodred]

I see earlier the mention of Hamish Stewart and Jake Strachan as being back up tens. Let's not fall into the trap of putting too much pressure on these guys. I haven't seen Stachan play but Stewart is not long out of school, he played well in the U/20 games I watched, but the opposition was poor. Let him develop and not ask too much too soon. Australian rugby is always looking for the next big thing, lets just bring them on at their pace

 

[SOLE334]

^^^^^^
Ms Lona Sarson, GM People & Culture
Big job..

uuum which one of you fullas upset Lona? The ad has been removed already fro SEEK...

 

[TOCC]

I personally don't think the fitness is really that far off, to me it seems more like an attitude and cultural issue.. Reds players simply don't know how to win and lack the mental fortitude to close out games. In every match there's a moment where they are competing, something goes wrong or against them and all of a sudden their heads and shoulders drop.

 

[The torpedo]

I personally don't think the fitness is really that far off, to me it seems more like an attitude and cultural issue.. Reds players simply don't know how to win and lack the mental fortitude to close out games. In every match there's a moment where they are competing, something goes wrong or against them and all of a sudden their heads and shoulders drop.

I agree and what's more, It is one of the main reasons why the reds have been poor (alongside kicking, defence and discipline).

 

[The torpedo]

And - for this argument: here's what the score was @ the 60 min mark, compared to the final score (home team on left):

Round 1 - Reds 18 Sharks 26 (won 28-26)
Round 2 - Force 15 Reds 19 (lost 26-19)
Round 3 - Reds 20 Crusaders 7 (lost 20-22)
Round 4 - Lions 25 Reds 0 (lost 44-14)
Round 5 - Jaguares 22 Reds 8 (lost 22-8)
Round 6 - Reds 12 Hurricanes 19 (lost 15-34)
Round 7 - Brumbies 31 Reds 10 (lost 43-10)
Round 8 - Reds 47 Kings 17 (won 47-34)
Round 9 - Bye
Round 10 - Reds 26 Waratahs 20 (lost 26-29)
Round 11 - Chiefs 39 Reds 17 (lost 46-17)
Round 12 - Rebels 19 Reds 24 (won 24-29)
Round 13 - Bye
Round 14 - Reds 26 Force 21 (lost 26-40)

So overall, we were a) leading 6 games @ the 27-min mark (won 2), in contention (i.e. losing by 15 points or less @ the 60-min mark) in 3 games (won 1) and game is effectively over @ the 60-min mark in 3 games.

So if all our games finished @ the 60-min mark, we have 6 wins, 6 losses, 27 points & we are 2nd in the conference, 1 point behind the Brumbies

 

[Moonrat]

From our 20's, I hope we secure the talents of :

• Angus Bligh
• 7(captain)
• reserve 8 (Pat T)
• 2(AU/20s)

You would have to be related to suggest that Bligh is a keeper! Tall yes, heavy set yes, Super rugby player No.
I think he would be at the end of a very long line of potential, also Lock talent is truly covered with Rodda and Tui, experience from either Simmons or Douglas with additional development from Hocking.

 

[gel]

I personally don't think the fitness is really that far off, to me it seems more like an attitude and cultural issue.. Reds players simply don't know how to win and lack the mental fortitude to close out games. In every match there's a moment where they are competing, something goes wrong or against them and all of a sudden their heads and shoulders drop.

A thousand likes is not enough to do justice to what this post said.

 

[chasmac]

It seems that the forwards are watching and waiting for George Smith to do something amazing. This is not how a team should operate. Might be worth starting Smith from the bench purely to give the others a mental wake up. IE. which one of you passengers is going to do the heavy lifting now that he is out of the picture.

 

[Thinker]

The fitness thing can't be judged in isolation, such as by looking at last 20 minutes.

This is one reason we are in this mess. Stiles produced a good scrum at both the Reds and Force but has a career win % at 25%. Like it or not he is a worse HC than Graham was. Was his excellent scrum in spite of the teams he coached losing or was it the reason for the poor record?

Rugby teams are not simple systems, this is something that is not appreciated at any level of rugby in Aus.

 

[upthereds#!]

^^^^^^
Ms Lona Sarson, GM People & Culture
Big job..

absolute crap, the Reds don't even have an HR department.

 

[dru]

In my mind the problem starts and finishes with Coaching.

We were happy with giving Stiles a go due to his local development. Raised eyebrows particularly with the supposedly exhaustive international search v2.0

I was also willing to give the assistants a go once selected.

We've seen enough now to understand their value and it is wanting. Sad to reach this conclusion, but honest. Not only a hopeless w/l record. It done in the poorest Aus conference in my memory:

Let's not follow the years of head-in-the-sand from the Graham era. It needs action. Maybe Stiles stays, shifted to a more appropriate role as we develop him from a proper HC.

But something needs to change at coaching level, if not management level.