Reds v Crusaders - Round 6

[Dark Shark]

I'm sure his stats are going to look pretty good because to his credit he has a huge engine and is doing a lot of work and he's making metres running out wide, and completing a lot of tackles...

But...

Ultimately, I thought this was another game that showed why he hasn't really progressed, and may miss out again for the Wallabies.

Again, as a ball carrier he's just running straight at defenders and mostly just going straight to ground.

I'm happy to be wrong though, as I was really excited for him back in 2020...

Petaia on the other hand, I feel on current form would be a lock for a Wallaby wing spot.

Yes, have always thought that Wilson is terrible in contact. Goes straight down and can never keep his feet. His post contact movement would be measured in millimeters not meters.

this was the issue that Rennie was always indirectly alluding to when he was not selecting him. And Wilson still has not changed.

Wilson is also mostly ineffective at the maul, no real ability to clear out and can never get his head over the ball to protect it and even though first or second to a breakdown more often than not he then elects to stand out as a receiver and frustrates me no end when Reds either lose ball or get penalty against for not releasing as opposition have not been cleaned out.

 

[Marce]

I already watched the first half cause I only watched the second half on live and it's looks like Vunivalu played injured or with some pain. In case it is not he should go back to Fiji tonight

 

[gel]

Why not? It's the main weapon of international halfbacks. Dupoint, Faf de Klerk, Gibson-Park, Aaron Smith all of them kick perfectly. Doesn't he want to play the World Cup?

I absolutely agree that these things are the key to elite level halfbacks.

But Im talking personal motivation. He's some distance behind White, and that hasn't motivated him to do better as yet. The results are patchy at best, so being better than the opposition isn't high on the agenda. He's getting re-signed irrespective of his skillset, so there's no motivator there.

Getting well paid at the moment, and without any pressure from other team mates like he would if he played in France or England at the moment where you need to perform at the best week in week out or else there's any number of world class players ready to take your spot on a new contract. (Is that even a friggen sentence? - I dunno, maybe a stroke)

Not getting injured and not giving away stupid yellow cards like Gordon has in the past is probably all he needs to do to book himself a plane to France and keep himself getting paid.

I dunno what his actual thinking is though. I'm only going by everything he does on the field which means either :
A) this is his peak and he simply can't be better no matter how much he trains, or
B) he hasn't been motivated to do anything to improve any aspect of his game thus far.

And that goes for all the other Reds players too.

 

[SouthernX]

I already watched the first half cause I only watched the second half on live and it's looks like Vunivalu played injured or with some pain. In case it is not he should go back to Fiji tonight

I reckon he looks like a player whos scared to test the hammies.

now he’s got his 2 year extension. If he is in fact injured - Do you play it slow or tell him to let it loose?

 

[Fireworks]

Why play Vunivalu when he's not 100% / not willing to get out of second gear. Given both Jock and Petaia have to start, I'd play Daugunu instead, prone to penalties and errors but at least he goes hard. I'd be also be inclined to give Lynagh a start if available next week with JOC (James O'Connor) dropping to the bench. Goal kicking has been an issue and Lynagh is clearly the better goal kicker out of him, JOC (James O'Connor) and Henry.

 

[Marce]

But Im talking personal motivation. He's some distance behind White, and that hasn't motivated him to do better as yet. The results are patchy at best, so being better than the opposition isn't high on the agenda. He's getting re-signed irrespective of his skillset, so there's no motivator there.

He's the starter halfback of Queensland Reds. Does he need more motivation than that? Beat the Kiwis, beat NSW, beat ACT. That's all the motivation a professional player needs at this level

 

[gel]

He's the starter halfback of Queensland Reds. Does he need more motivation than that? Beat the Kiwis, beat NSW, beat ACT. That's all the motivation a professional player needs at this level

You'd think so, wouldn't you.

So how long has he been the starting halfback at the Reds and what evidence is there that he has done anything to improve his passing/kicking thus far?

Or any of the other starting players at the Reds.

He's a hot take - lynagh's tactical kicking strength will be diminished the longer he is at the Reds. People will be writing on here in two years about how they can't understand how he didn't kick on given he showed so much promise.

 

[RugbyReg]

How ridiculous. Coming back from a broken hand and making a couple of mistakes that others make all the time and you want him out of the team? JOC (James O'Connor) (James O'Connor) made more mistakes and there were other worse performances, should we just get rid of all of those who had games below their average?

yep

 

[Derpus]

You'd think so, wouldn't you.

So how long has he been the starting halfback at the Reds and what evidence is there that he has done anything to improve his passing/kicking thus far?

Or any of the other starting players at the Reds.

He's a hot take - lynagh's tactical kicking strength will be diminished the longer he is at the Reds. People will be writing on here in two years about how they can't understand how he didn't kick on given he showed so much promise.

One of the few players who seemed to improve over time at the Reds was Tupou who's scrumming started out quite suspect and grew into a real strength. Petaia is gradually improving too.

Otherwise yeah - the Reds are a talent graveyard. Not that the Tahs are much better. I remember at one point Turinui thought LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) had all the attributes to be one of the best 5/6's in the world. He just faded until he was barely making the Reds anymore and then left (and is obviously now excelling elsewhere).

Maybe RA need to study what the Bumbreeze do and force all the other franchises to implement the same system.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Maybe Rugby Australia need to study what the Bumbreeze do and force all the other franchises to implement the same system.

What, bore everyone to tears with their stupid rolling maul and Anti-Jailbreak agenda?

 

[Derpus]

What, bore everyone to tears with their stupid rolling maul and Anti-Jailbreak agenda?

Beats losing 99% of the fuckin time ay.

But no, I meant around player development not game plan. Maaaaybe we could implement some professional coaching pathways?

 

[qwerty51]

What, bore everyone to tears with their stupid rolling maul and Anti-Jailbreak agenda?

This really isn't a fair assessment this year

 

[Realrugby63]

yep

After one game? That’s excellent thinking…

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Beats losing 99% of the fuckin time ay.

 

[liquor box]

Beats losing 99% of the fuckin time ay.

But no, I meant around player development not game plan. Maaaaybe we could implement some professional coaching pathways?

That is probably up to Rugby Australia, we had a coaching and recruitment pathway, NRC U20's, NRC and then Super Rugby.

I am guessing it may be easier for ACT Rugby and the Brumbies to set up pathways in a region where you can visit each of your young prospects by driving for an hour to watch them play compared to a 4 hour flight, then a 4 hour drive to remote QLD games.

I am sure if the Reds and QLD Rugby decided to completely ignore anything apart from SEQ then they could become stronger immediately.

 

[Rugby King]

Why play Vunivalu when he's not 100% / not willing to get out of second gear. Given both Jock and Petaia have to start, I'd play Daugunu instead, prone to penalties and errors but at least he goes hard. I'd be also be inclined to give Lynagh a start if available next week with JOC (James O'Connor) (James O'Connor) dropping to the bench. Goal kicking has been an issue and Lynagh is clearly the better goal kicker out of him, JOC (James O'Connor) (James O'Connor) and Henry.

They all have bad days.
Henry is normally high 80% low 90% and has been for 5-6years

 

[NoName]

You'd think so, wouldn't you.

So how long has he been the starting halfback at the Reds and what evidence is there that he has done anything to improve his passing/kicking thus far?

Or any of the other starting players at the Reds.

He's a hot take - lynagh's tactical kicking strength will be diminished the longer he is at the Reds. People will be writing on here in two years about how they can't understand how he didn't kick on given he showed so much promise.

I guess this post annoyed one or two people into some action

 

[RugbyReg]

I guess this post annoyed one or two people into some action

Interesting first post.

Why do you say that?

 

[molman]

This Vunivalu performance is terrible.

I only got a change to watch this game tonight and having read some of the comments re: the Wallabies selections, people really weren't wrong. It's really hard to fathom what is going on with Vunivalu's selection and entirely apparent why Thorn hasn't selected him for the game this weekend.

I can't work out if there is a sunk-cost fallacy occurring with RA and the Red's around Vunivalu. Would have been smarter to have invested in someone like Mack Hansen.

 

[Dan54]

I only got a change to watch this game tonight and having read some of the comments re: the Wallabies selections, people really weren't wrong. It's really hard to fathom what is going on with Vunivalu's selection and entirely apparent why Thorn hasn't selected him for the game this weekend.

I can't work out if there is a sunk-cost fallacy occurring with Rugby Australia and the Red's around Vunivalu. Would have been smarter to have invested in someone like Mack Hansen.

Hindsight's a great thing, but even then noone knows how Hansen would of gone if he stayed in the Aus system.