Reds 2021

[TSR]

Hunter was moved to 12 because To'omua was injured, Petaia was the preferred 13 and Paisami was rewarded for what he had shown the Wallabies staff. He did a good job there and he has shown he is capable of being far more than a 1 trick Pony.

Until his Wallabies slip up, Petaia was shooting the lights out at 13.

No one is playing in a position they aren’t comfortable in.

 

[Cancelled Account]

Hunter puts on a good shot, but he has a few defensive issues that I am sure he is working on in the 13 channel. He has proven to be a more effective 13 than Jordy over the past season. Put Jordy on the wing, as he clearly is more defensively effective there, and can be as effective in attack at 14. If Jordy has to go to the bench, for Vuni, than I guess he has to, and put Flook/Henry on the bench to give deserved boys a chance who deserve it, both in terms of talent and good behaviour. Hunter has done nothing to give up his favoured 13 jersey. In my view, we are trying to see what we can get out of Vuni, and if we want to change our whole attack to do this, I suppose it supports the immense pay check by the RA. I personally believe that playing players who have proven themselves at positions at which they are not comfortable is ridiculous. I really don't have anything against Vuni, but is the Wallabies plan to move Hunter to 12 to see what Vuni can do?

Let’s see what the lads bring home on Saturday. With Hamish out, I’m excited to see what Paisami and Petaia can do in the centres and even more excited to see what Filipo and Vuni get up to out wide. Flook needs a bit more time on a Super Rugby field before I would say that he is a solid bench spot. Give him time. Henry needs a full year developing before I would suggest a bench spot.

 

[dru]

Let’s see what the lads bring home on Saturday. With Hamish out, I’m excited to see what Paisami and Petaia can do in the centres and even more excited to see what Filipo and Vuni get up to out wide. Flook needs a bit more time on a Super Rugby field before I would say that he is a solid bench spot. Give him time. Henry needs a full year developing before I would suggest a bench spot.

Yep. Have to say if they had done this at the start of the season I wouldn't have been a fan. I don't think that Paisami has performed in a way yet, to remove Stewart, but it is logical with Stewart dropped on other matters. Both Paisami and Petaia have a chance here to show the Reds why Wallabies fans expected this make up. Thorn is right - it is something Stewart may live to regret.

There does have to be some strategic change for the change in backline. it is not at all a "like for like". Hopefully the boys settle quickly rather than lack of familiarity and cohesion later being thrown as criticism of the player abilities. Presuming the process, system and players go well - it is evidence of maturity in the Reds coaching team as well as the Reds squad. A test on many levels.

Big game on many levels.

 

[Cancelled Account]

Yep. Have to say if they had done this at the start of the season I wouldn't have been a fan. I don't think that Paisami has performed in a way yet, to remove Stewart, but it is logical with Stewart dropped on other matters. Both Paisami and Petaia have a chance here to show the Reds why Wallabies fans expected this make up. Thorn is right - it is something Stewart may live to regret.

There does have to be some strategic change for the change in backline. it is not at all a "like for like". Hopefully the boys settle quickly rather than lack of familiarity and cohesion later being thrown as criticism of the player abilities. Presuming the process, system and players go well - it is evidence of maturity in the Reds coaching team as well as the Reds squad. A test on many levels.

Big game on many levels.

Yeah I agree. Stewart is a player I wanted to see go the next level this year. Where was his bloody head at waltzing in still drunk when his position wasn’t a given. He might come back stronger than ever but it’s going to be a big fight if the backline perform better in this game. I’m confident that Paisami and Petaia will work well in the centres but it will come down to JOC (James O'Connor). He’ll need to change his positioning and play more flat rather than deep in attack. That’s not an easy transition.

 

[dru]

Yeah I agree. Stewart is a player I wanted to see go the next level this year. Where was his bloody head at waltzing in still drunk when his position wasn’t a given. He might come back stronger than ever but it’s going to be a big fight if the backline perform better in this game. I’m confident that Paisami and Petaia will work well in the centres but it will come down to JOC (James O'Connor). He’ll need to change his positioning and play more flat rather than deep in attack. That’s not an easy transition.

Or you organise first receiver between JOC (James O'Connor) (allowing a little deeper) and Paisami. Which I think had been happening anyway.

Since Quade, I haven't seen too many 10s happy being flat. Who knows with JOC (James O'Connor) though, he has taken much of the 10 positioning to heart and may flatten up.

 

[PhilClinton]

With Reds players being released to clubs this year, I'll be interested to see what happens with Nasser.

Asiata has been ahead of him on the bench, and BPA is back now (although not here next year).

Nasser will need some big games at hooker in club land to prove he cuts the mustard in that position.

 

[Jets]

Asiata was on the bench in the first game, Nasser was there in the second. BPA is being used in this game, and will probably be the best option of them all.

I'd say Nasser needs to play as much club footy as possible so he can develop as a 2. It's best for everyone.

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

With Reds players being released to clubs this year

Really great to hear for those players and the comp. Keep washing your hands everyone.

I'll be interested to see what happens with Nasser.

There is also Faessler whom pushed Mafi to loose head last season.

 

[Dark Shark]

Asiata was on the bench in the first game, Nasser was there in the second. BPA is being used in this game, and will probably be the best option of them all.

I'd say Nasser needs to play as much club footy as possible so he can develop as a 2. It's best for everyone.

Agreed. Unlike Asiata the week before, Thorn left Nasser on the bench for whole game. No way is Nasser going to learn a technical position like that gathering splinters.

 

[dru]

I'm loving the file games on Stan. Just rewatched the first game of 2011. Reds v Force. A couple of observations:
1. Kids are not kids. They are rugby players and plenty of them play the best rugby of their life at 20-22. Forwards even front row included. Not just backs.
2. JOC (James O'Connor) always was, always will be, awesome.
3. Graham was a great coach. WTF happened when he returned to Q?
4. Vale Quade, Genia, Horwill, Finger (both of them), Digby, Higgenbotham, Slipper, Hansen, Holmes.

Great times.

 

[hammertimethere]

I thought it was pretty class of BPA to talk publicly about his decision making re. going to Montpellier

"But the nature of it is that a lot of rugby players were tradies and there's a few other garbos I know; we came from hard yakka so to get an opportunity like this you can't say no.
"For my wife and I it was about generational wealth; we want to set up our family's future first and eventually come back here to Australia and finish off and if that's at the Reds then even better.
"If I play some good footy there's nothing stopping me from coming back and I'll back myself to learn a lot from playing French rugby."

 

[Adam84]

The garbo speaks of generational wealth better then those who actually grew up in it

 

[Gervais_rugbylives]

Let’s see what the lads bring home on Saturday. With Hamish out, I’m excited to see what Paisami and Petaia can do in the centres and even more excited to see what Filipo and Vuni get up to out wide. Flook needs a bit more time on a Super Rugby field before I would say that he is a solid bench spot. Give him time. Henry needs a full year developing before I would suggest a bench spot.

Today showed me that Hunter can play 12 although he does play some low percentage kicking plays, but still looks better at 13 and I have heard from very credible sources that he prefers to play at 13. If anything, I was disappointed in Jordy even though he got the try at the very end. On Flook, he probably needs another year developing before a bench spot even though Thorny gave him the 23 jersey this week, the kid is only 19. However, Henry is 21, spent a year last year training with the Brumbies squad, played for Brisbane city the year before and is up to 94kg on top of winning the Macdougall medal last year. Being a wests/GPS supporter and following a lot of the careers of these boys, I can say he is ready for a bench spot right now. Had Hamish not been dropped I don't think Flook would have been 23. Also apparently a flu/cold was going through the squad so he may not have even been their preferred number 23. In terms of the full 23, I am most curious about Hamish now that everybody is obsessed with the Hunter/Jordy combo in the centres.

 

[TSR]

I think we’ll continue to see squad rotation.

Stewart will get another shot, maybe as early as this week or maybe they’ll give 2Ps a bit more time.

 

[Cancelled Account]

I did see Lawson Creighton as part of the warm up, possibly 24th man. Lawson a good option for backup flyhalf and fullback (after Stewart) moving forward. I like your reference to the ‘2Ps’. A couple more games not changing out any of the backline. JOC (James O'Connor)’s attacking game was good and got better throughout the game. We are into a winning combination. I want to see Stewart really fight for his way back in.

 

[Cancelled Account]

Today showed me that Hunter can play 12 although he does play some low percentage kicking plays, but still looks better at 13 and I have heard from very credible sources that he prefers to play at 13. If anything, I was disappointed in Jordy even though he got the try at the very end. On Flook, he probably needs another year developing before a bench spot even though Thorny gave him the 23 jersey this week, the kid is only 19. However, Henry is 21, spent a year last year training with the Brumbies squad, played for Brisbane city the year before and is up to 94kg on top of winning the Macdougall medal last year. Being a wests/GPS supporter and following a lot of the careers of these boys, I can say he is ready for a bench spot right now. Had Hamish not been dropped I don't think Flook would have been 23. Also apparently a flu/cold was going through the squad so he may not have even been their preferred number 23. In terms of the full 23, I am most curious about Hamish now that everybody is obsessed with the Hunter/Jordy combo in the centres.

Flook was Australian u18 captain and will start in the Junior Wallabies, not to mention that he debuted in Super Rugby last year. I’m confident in saying that he has ticked every milestone in his journey, and from reports is regarded highly by Thorn. To elevate Henry above Flook without ticking any of these milestones has me puzzled. Flook is an outside centre and wing, where Henry is an inside centre. The bench is utilised around the starting players and their positional strengths and utility.
Paisami and Petaia are Wallabies players. Why are you even comparing Henry with tier 1 players????

 

[TSR]

The commentators last night made reference to the lack of Stewart as the reason Vunivalu didn’t see more ball.

But, as has been pointed out on here, Stewart has hardly passed the ball in Super Rugby this year, instead being used as a crash ball runner/defensive stopper & breakdown body. I also note that Daugunu got plenty of ball last night - albeit partly because he Brumbies sent every kick off there. I do want to see us play more expansively to our backs given the strike power we have there, but that needs to be a collective effort across the group including Stewart, Paisami, Petaia & Campbell.

In the meantime I’m happy to just sit back and support whoever is on the field. Stewart has done his time in purgatory so hope he’ll be back in the mix soon but the one thing I think we can be confident in is that no one is going to get gifted a jersey.

On a related note I thought JOC (James O'Connor) was superb last night and rewarded Thorn’s faith in him.

 

[SouthernX]

Henry offers position versatility that Flook might not have... lot of coaches tend to go utility back when selecting the bench’s.

Not making argument of Henry over Flook RR but that is worth pointing out.

 

[TSR]

Yeah - but I think Henry is fighting with Hegarty & Stewart for that roll.

Flook is a genuine outside back.

 

[Cancelled Account]

Henry offers position versatility that Flook might not have. lot of coaches tend to go utility back when selecting the bench’s.

Not making argument of Henry over Flook RR but that is worth pointing out.

Apples and Oranges