Reds vs Sharks Rnd 4 2012

[RedsHappy]

Weight of 'local' money no doubt. Lucky then that there's just one or two of us Reds true believers left.

 

[PaarlBok]

Weight of 'local' money no doubt. Lucky then that there's just one or two of us Reds true believers left.

Nah gamble is against my beliefs, brings bad luck.

 

[emuarse]

Nah gamble is against my beliefs, brings bad luck.

In that case here's $10 to put on the Sharks.

 

[suckerforred]

So what you're suggesting is that while this is going on, our back row plays 'Poker'
, and discuss the good looking chicks in the crowd.
Think of rugby as a chess game, for every move there is a counter-move, with 'check' being a try.

I'm not sure what you are getting at here, and what I said to bring it up. Someone else put it more eloquently - he brings them down but doesn't drive them back. If you are haveing a go at his distribution skills I still don't have a problem.

 

[Scotty]

Emu is just saying that it isn't just the 10's job to make the tackles on the wide forward, or straightening back runners. Our backrow will be doing most of the work.

Concentrate too much on one player, to the detriment of the game as a whole.

 

[Scotty]

I would be keen to hear your thoughts on Davies distribution skills Speccy. I think the most important skill we need out of our full back at the moment is to provide a solid linkage to Shipperly and Digby.

A reason that a Lucas or Harris might be good in the FB role. (Added to the reason they can actually kick.)

However, I'm happy to give Morahan more chances. He reminds me of Latham in his running (and his early career average defense) - just not his kicking.

 

[biggsy]

Im Hoping this 3week tour will be 3 from 3, it will be a hard task in SA but they did it last year and nothing has changed beside cooper. One thing this year so far is the REDS are back to a 80min team. They have won there opening games to the more easier teams in he comp. But they also have been pushed to there limits by them and have had to play 80min which they have and have won. We Know already what happens when players slack off thinking the games is over with 10 seconds to go.
It won't be smooth sailing this year for the reds with big wins and bonus points. But I do like though how they have been thinking about the importtance of the for and against numbers. I think it shows that the reds know it going to be a tough year
REDS WIN 23-12

 

[MrTimms]

Lucas into 10 - Harris to 12
Mozz to the Bench - Rod to 15
Daley to the Bench - Holmes to 1
Van to Lock - Simo to the Bench
Lance out of the 22 - Frisby onto the bench

1. Greg Holmes
2. James Hanson
3. James Slipper
4. James Horwill (c)
5. Van Humphries
6. Scott Higginbotham
7. Beau Robinson
8. Radike Samo
9. Will Genia (vc)
10. Ben Lucas
11. Digby Ioane
12. Mike Harris
13. Ben Tapuai
14. Dom Shipperley
15. Rod Davies

16. Saia Fainga'a
17. Ben Daley
18. Rob Simmons
19. Jake Schatz
20. Liam Gill
21. Nick Frisby
22. Luke Morahan

 

[RedsHappy]

Rod Davies at 15 v Sharks at home has to be one of Link's most calculated risks of all time, but there's much to like about all the other changes.

I was really pleased to see Van back last week, and to do so well at it, will be intriguing to see how he handles the start v the Sharks pack.

 

[MrTimms]

And Beau and Gill swapped.

Quite the shuffle up, though considering how they finished the game last week, it is probably right.

 

[RedsHappy]

Love Gill, but I do think Beau showed a full replica of his peak 2011 form last week. He was superb. And Link has stated that he'll regularly swap those two to preserve freshness and lower injury exposure over the whole season.

 

[Blue]

Sharks are decent favorites and rightly so.

Why?

The Reds are unbeaten and travel well. The Sharks have been nothing short of piss poor.

The bookies have it wrong. Take the money.

I have seen nothing in the Sharks play or game plan to suggest that they should be favorites against the reigning champs. They won't get the front foot in the pack because they play with rookie props, the back row is unbalanced and they carry at least one pedestrian at lock. Michalak has been crap, they play a 14 at 13, and they are not sure who to play at 12.

I for one refuse to get taken in by the Sharks hype again.

 

[Tangawizi]

The $1.30ish on offer for the Reds with 12.5 start looks a bit too good to pass up. Haven't copped many floggings lately.

 

[Troy]

The bookies have it wrong. Take the money.

I have thanks Like the look of that team and at $2.50 worth the punt..

 

[Scotty]

Love Gill, but I do think Beau showed a full replica of his peak 2011 form last week. He was superb. And Link has stated that he'll regularly swap those two to preserve freshness and lower injury exposure over the whole season.

The problem with starting with Beau is that he no longer looks an 80 minute player. Start with Gill and you have the option of bringing Robinson on beside him for a dual openside role at the end of the game.

Link might just run with that option on a horses for courses though.

 

[Sandpit Fan]

Happy with that team list. Lance looked to have damaged his shoulder at one stage last week.

As others have said, I reckon Davies at 15 is a bit of a punt. I know he played there at school, but he didn't look comfortable under the single high ball that came his way in the Force game. Can't remember if he dropped it cold or just fumbled it, but not a good look.

Hope he carves up and proves us all wrong.

Sent using Tapatalk

 

[Brisbok]

Why?

The Reds are unbeaten and travel well. The Sharks have been nothing short of piss poor.

The bookies have it wrong. Take the money.

I have seen nothing in the Sharks play or game plan to suggest that they should be favorites against the reigning champs. They won't get the front foot in the pack because they play with rookie props, the back row is unbalanced and they carry at least one pedestrian at lock. Michalak has been crap, they play a 14 at 13, and they are not sure who to play at 12.

I for one refuse to get taken in by the Sharks hype again.

You raise some valid points and I agree the Sharks have been very poor. But the Reds haven't exactly been setting the competition on fire so far this year either!

This week they have a 14 playing at 15, a 12 playing at 13 and a scrumhalf/flyhalf/fullback at 10. The starting backline has been completely re-vamped in comparison to the previous games so none of the combinations have settled. They have new players in the key backline positions of 10, 12 and 15.

...and they are playing away. Yes the Reds travel well and yes it is easier to fly East to West than it is the other way.

I'll stick by my, "When in doubt, back the home team" theory, although I expect it to be really close.

 

[emuarse]

Queensland:​

Rod Davies, Dom Shipperley, Ben Tapuai, Mike Harris, Digby Ioane, Ben Lucas, Will Genia, Radike Samo, Beau Robinson, Scott Higginbotham, Van Humphries, James Horwill (capt), James Slipper, James Hanson, Greg Holmes. ​

Reserves:​

Saia Fainga'a, Ben Daley, Rob Simmons, Jake Schatz, Liam Gill, Nick Frisby, Luke Morahan.​

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/lucas-at-fiveeighth-as-mckenzie-rings-the-changes-20120315-1v74l.html#ixzz1p9mAt7e4​

The thread weavers here should take a bow - this is the team the majority of back-seaters were angling for​

 

[tigerland12]

Obviously the Samo and Robinson inclusions were at no way related to Shatz and Gill's form, it was just a matter of the right combinations for the right games, so I'm happy with that decision.

Holmes for Daley speaks for itself, I'm sure if Fainga'a had a bit more game time he would be ahead of Hanson, who was pretty average last week.

Suprised that big Rob Simmons was dropped, but his form is pretty average at the moment and Van looked like he hadn't lost anything over the off-season.

I have an issue with Davies at fullback. Morahan has been "solid" but not poor, but that aside throwing Rocket, whose an inexperienced fullback at S15 level, against a strong Sharks side is a bit of a risk. I would of made this change against one of the percieved weaker sides.

 

[No4918]

Lucas's versatility really costs him and it becomes apparent when you see the backs on the bench for this week. Think it was definitely the right decision but the inclusion of Frisby means we could be in trouble if someone goes down early.