Reds v Bulls, Rnd 7 2020 Suncorp Stadium 6:15pm AEST

[Brumbieman]

If Beiber is fit, why not play him at 13 and keep the Lucas/Stewart axis in place?

Daugunu needs to be on the wing too, that guy looks like he's on fast forward everytime he catches the ball, electric!

 

[RugbyReg]

the biggest decision this weekend is whether goal kicking is a priority. If it is, then Hegarty must surely play (unless Sir Dave can fix things in a few days). So the question becomes does he play 10 (with JOC (James O'Connor) coming back of the bench, playing 12 and relegating Stewart, harshly, to the bench or plays 13 as he did for the Wallabies last year, with CFS staying on the wing. Or else Hegarty plays 15 with Campbell either benched (harsh) or moved to the wing for CFS to play 13 or to be dropped.

If Hegarty is considered the goal kicking solution then he's the first decision to make, and then JOC (James O'Connor).

 

[PhilClinton]

Start of the week I was certain they would start Hegarty mainly due to goalkicking.

But now I'm not so sure. Alred isn't a miracle worker but his guidance will give some more confidence to Jock I'm sure. Combined with the fact he will be kicking in a more familiar environment and the conditions should be pretty good, I can see Jock keeping the kicking duties this week to start.

He could end up turning a corner and knocking them down. Or it be another shocking week which would surely impact whether or not he goes forward as kicker for the season.

 

[Sully]

I wonder if Alred ran the kicking tee out if it would make a difference?

 

[RedsHappy]

I wonder if Alred ran the kicking tee out if it would make a difference?

Well, we may recall how N Jenkins as kicking coach pretty much did exactly this with L Halfpenny in the 2013 BIL series here......seemed to go well enough

https://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/...544115e9f?sv=c5dae393db3b844155e196c237dcdf56

 

[RedsHappy]

the biggest decision this weekend is whether goal kicking is a priority. If it is, then Hegarty must surely play (unless Sir Dave can fix things in a few days). So the question becomes does he play 10 (with JOC (James O'Connor) coming back of the bench, playing 12 and relegating Stewart, harshly, to the bench or plays 13 as he did for the Wallabies last year, with CFS staying on the wing. Or else Hegarty plays 15 with Campbell either benched (harsh) or moved to the wing for CFS to play 13 or to be dropped.

If Hegarty is considered the goal kicking solution then he's the first decision to make, and then JOC (James O'Connor).

If it is so that the Reds have to win 7 more games to enter the Super Rugby finals, then Thorn almost certainly must take no more risks with Campbell as lead place kicker. The damage is already done and I very much doubt there will be a magic transformation to quickly turn him into an 80% kicker, especially under pressure.

Campbell is a limited/lower risk only vs say the Bulls (a team ranked below the Reds and, at home, a game that the Reds should win through tries), but he is a massive risk once the opposition is ranked over the Reds, especially games away.

Hegarty needs to be selected now IMO so that he can get back into the groove psychologically and physically in the making of pressure kicks from out wide. Merely expecting him to come in and out of selection in the run-on team in order to almost randomly shore up place kicking is in itself high risk for this purpose as he will never get into a confident rhythm that way.

 

[dru]

Hegarty is not a solution even middle term, let alone long term. Jock is forming nicely I would not be removing him, and for 10 development Lucas needs to be 23. Why can't Stewart revert to kicker? Wouldn't have suggested it at the start of the season as I didn't think he was going to be a regular starter. He is though.

 

[RedsHappy]

Hegarty is not a solution even middle term, let alone long term. Jock is forming nicely I would not be removing him, and for 10 development Lucas needs to be 23. Why can't Stewart revert to kicker? Wouldn't have suggested it at the start of the season as I didn't think he was going to be a regular starter. He is though.

dru, fair enough in one sense for the reasons you state, but surely, at some imminent point, the Reds have to start really stringing wins together in order to begin rebuilding serious fan interest. We cannot keep focussing heavily just on 'future development' and 'building potential' or there will be nobody bar us rusted-ons left.

(I think the Foxtel viewership Reds v Crusaders last Friday was ~ 49,000. That is low in historical terms and more worrying is the fact that the Cru have a big, passionate expat Kiwi following in Aust of a kind that would have been a good portion of those numbers I'd wager.)

 

[dru]

We cannot keep focussing heavily just on 'future development' and 'building potential' or there will be nobody bar us rusted-ons left.

My only disagreement is that I think we are there already. In fact I think we have been there before Thorn came on board.

Agree on the need to win, but I would not be sacrificing Jock on the basis that the club kicking coaching is holding a gun to his head.

Can't Stewart kick?

 

[PhilClinton]

My only disagreement is that I think we are there already. In fact I think we have been there before Thorn came on board.

Agree on the need to win, but I would not be sacrificing Jock on the basis that the club kicking coaching is holding a gun to his head.

Can't Stewart kick?

It would seem not very well - he hasn't taken any attempts and the ball was handed to Malolua last week and then Hegarty.

I don't get why people here keep saying 'can't so and so kick'... I think if there was a much better option than Jock (outside of Hergarty) in the last few weeks then he would have relinquished the ball to them, its not like 57% is an overly intimidating score to beat.

 

[Bobby Sands]

We need a goal kicker gents, it’s pretty simple.

 

[Jeeper]

Can we get Bobby Tuttle back?

 

[Zero_Cool]

Stewart has kicked well in the NRC and Dugunu has shown the ability to bend them from out wide. But honestly I think we keep running without a kicker. We are leading the comp in tries, our attack is as good as any in Super Rugby, our defense is very good too. Trust in the process.

Even Reg had the Crusaders down by big against the Crusaders, even I was expecting the loss. Without Campbell at 15 we maybe don't score two of those tries, without Lucas (O'Connor is a good replacement) we don't score at least one of our tries. MAYBE if we can play Hegarty on the wing then that's a solution. But I think we trust in picking our best players and letting the rest take care of itself.

This year we need to make finals, but if we can do that without a dedicated goal kicker then all the better.

 

[Sully]

 

[Dctarget]

That's still a pretty handy backline for the Bulls that can do damage from anywhere.

 

[Dctarget]

St.George Queensland Reds v Bulls – Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane on 14 March at 6:15pm AEST

1. Dane Zander – Norths
2. Alex Mafi – Bond University
3. Taniela Tupou – Brothers
4. Angus Blyth – Bond University
5. Harry Hockings – University of Queensland
6. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto – Souths
7. Liam Wright © – Easts
8. Harry Wilson – Brothers
9. Scott Malolua – GPS
10. James O’Connor – Brothers
11. Henry Speight – Bond University
12. Hamish Stewart – Brothers
13. Chris Feauai-Sautia – Souths
14. Bryce Hegarty – GPS
15. Jock Campbell – University of Queensland

16. Ed Craig – TBC
17. Harry Hoopert – Brothers
18. Josh Nasser – University of Queensland
19. Angus Scott-Young – University of Queensland
20. Fraser McReight – Brothers
21. Tate McDermott – University of Queensland
22. Isaac Lucas – Sunnybank
23. Filipo Daugunu – Wests

 

[Dctarget]

A string of changes:

• JO'C to 10, Lucas to 22
• CFS from 14 to 13
• Hegarty to 14
• Zander starts at loose head
• Blythe & Hockings in the row with LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) at 6
• Hoopert to the bench with ASY (Angus Scott-Young)

Not overly happy to see LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) at 6. But that's a pretty handy backrow and hopefully the 2nd row can properly fire. Also would rather Tate at 9. Hegarty on the wing seems more defensive and kicking minded. We have a great winger in Dangunu but I'd imagine going up against Hendricks & Speckman has given Hegarty the nod over Dangunu.

 

[Bobby Sands]

What is wrong with Rodda??

I think Hockings has been absolutely terrible, not sure what the go is there? Quite often he just completely misses cleanouts, and binds onto defensive mauls in the least effective possible spot.

Lukhan back at 6 after his best ever game?

Hegarty is fast, but strange to play him on a wing.

Not sure what’s happening here.

 

[Penguin]

Starting to see some inconsistencies with selections. Always worries me.
Rodda has an ankle issue I believe? JP Smith injured?

 

[The Phoenix]

dru, fair enough in one sense for the reasons you state, but surely, at some imminent point, the Reds have to start really stringing wins together in order to begin rebuilding serious fan interest. We cannot keep focussing heavily just on 'future development' and 'building potential' or there will be nobody bar us rusted-ons left.



(I think the Foxtel viewership Reds v Crusaders last Friday was ~ 49,000. That is low in historical terms and more worrying is the fact that the Cru have a big, passionate expat Kiwi following in Aust of a kind that would have been a good portion of those numbers I'd wager.)

That low viewing figure may have something to do with the game starting at 4pm Queensland time.