Round 4 : Rebels v Reds. Friday Night (Melbourne)

[Sully]

The Reds doubled your score and it's the refs fault.

 

[KevinO]

The Reds doubled your score and it's the refs fault.

I wasn't blaming the ref, but I think Berry is always favoring the Reds, not just against the Rebels but all teams. His not allowed to ref a Wallabies game cause of potential bias, how can he be allowed do a reds game?

 

[The Nomad]

I wasn't blaming the ref, but I think Berry is always favoring the Reds, not just against the Rebels but all teams. His not allowed to ref a Wallabies game cause of potential bias, how can he be allowed do a reds game?

Nick Berry lets a lot of 50:50 calls go full stop, he likes to let play go on without needless interruption. Who that favours is very subjective.

For me, if it hasn’t changed to outcome of the phase, play on….

 

[PhilClinton]

I wasn't blaming the ref, but I think Berry is always favoring the Reds, not just against the Rebels but all teams. His not allowed to ref a Wallabies game cause of potential bias, how can he be allowed do a reds game?

Shouldn’t we be trying to get more former players to ref? They know the game best.

What kind of message does it send if we also say “thanks for doing this thankless and crucial job for the game but you aren’t allowed to ref teams xyz because we also think you’re potentially a bias cheat”.

 

[TSR]

I wasn't blaming the ref, but I think Berry is always favoring the Reds, not just against the Rebels but all teams. His not allowed to ref a Wallabies game cause of potential bias, how can he be allowed do a reds game?

Maybe because he’s a professional ref and he isn’t actually biased that is just your perception.

 

[Scooter]

The one needing to be dropped is Foote, the Rebels are playing like a second level SA team. All bash and no brains what a waste.
Tupoa is becoming a problem, and seems to lack commitment. Maybe it is building confidence after injury thing but the easiest way to get injured again is to not go hard.

When Wessels and the Rebels parted ways, the Rebels did a "worldwide" search and found the best person for the job was the person in the office next door. Surely Foote was part of the problem.

Then last season when Foote was re-signed we had a horrible record.

Both signings were perplexing to me.

 

[PhilClinton]

The one needing to be dropped is Foote, the Rebels are playing like a second level SA team. All bash and no brains what a waste.
Tupoa is becoming a problem, and seems to lack commitment. Maybe it is building confidence after injury thing but the easiest way to get injured again is to not go hard.

Tupou too busy cashing his cheques and worrying who he will need to chase in 2025 to ensure his contract gets paid out.

 

[RugbyReg]

Tupou probably a sign that RA oversight of all High Performance is critical. The Reds have been dealing with him his whole professional life. Every Xmas he goes back to Tonga and his conditioning becomes a risk. But the Reds are ready for it and work on him (probably also working with him while he is over in Tonga) so come season start he is good to go.

But this was all new to the Rebels and clearly they weren’t ready for it.

If RA controlled this then you’d hope we wouldn’t be in this situation where (I am guessing) our most expensive domestic player, and arguably most marketable, is about the get dropped.

 

[Wilson]

Tupou probably a sign that RA oversight of all High Performance is critical. The Reds have been dealing with him his whole professional life. Every Xmas he goes back to Tonga and his conditioning becomes a risk. But the Reds are ready for it and work on him (probably also working with him while he is over in Tonga) so come season start he is good to go.

But this was all new to the Rebels and clearly they weren’t ready for it.

If RA controlled this then you’d hope we wouldn’t be in this situation where (I am guessing) our most expensive domestic player, and arguably most marketable, is about the get dropped.

Seems to have been a bit of a problem in the past for the Rebels with players coming back from the break not in the best nick - Foote has previously spoken about Hosea coming back from the break in poor enough condition he felt he had to kick him out of training for a week.

That said, Stiles should've been at least somewhat aware, he was coaching him for his first few years at the Reds.

 

[TSR]

From what I’ve read and heard people like Stiles and Mafi lured Tupou to the Rebels on the basis he would get it easier there. In Stiles case I understand he was trying to make the point it would prolong Tupou’s career and he’ll get better quality each game.

On evidence so far it seems they’ve created a rod for their own back.

Edit: I should add that when I heard Stiles talking about it the logic seemed sound enough - his arguement being that the focus with a guy of Tupou’s build should be in getting a shorter but more explosive contribution from him.

 

[PhilClinton]

Mafi had some issues with the way he was being handled in terms of injury prevention and rehab at the Reds which ultimately led to him wanting to leave. He is Taniela’s best mate so there is little doubt that he was a key encourager of the move and the lighter workload.

 

[Adam84]

whatever the case it’s disappointing to see his current state, Australia need him fit for the the Wallabies. He has a few months to work on it before Wallabies, hopefully getting dropped is the rocket he needs to pick up his act.

 

[Tomikin]

Hasn't Thor been injured he said his come into the season undone because of that..

 

[Marce]

Im watching the replay. It's half time and it looks like the game is decided. Should I continue watching or should I watch another game? Lol

 

[Marce]

2 tries in 8 minutes by Rebels lol

 

[KevinO]

Seems to have been a bit of a problem in the past for the Rebels with players coming back from the break not in the best nick - Foote has previously spoken about Hosea coming back from the break in poor enough condition he felt he had to kick him out of training for a week.

That said, Stiles should've been at least somewhat aware, he was coaching him for his first few years at the Reds.

4 players failed the starting fitness test when returning for pre-season, Tupou wasn't one of them. All 4 were not from your main match day 23.

 

[Dctarget]

I didn't watch the game but Rebels MVP was Isaac Kailea, he really had a good game?

 

[Wilson]

4 players failed the starting fitness test when returning for pre-season, Tupou wasn't one of them. All 4 were not from your main match day 23.

Seems like a bit of an issue, but the worry there is probably what the passing grade is if Tupou passed the way he's playing. Hard to know how that compares across the states, but I guess that just goes to the point of needing alignment on S&C from the top.

 

[KevinO]

Seems like a bit of an issue, but the worry there is probably what the passing grade is if Tupou passed the way he's playing. Hard to know how that compares across the states, but I guess that just goes to the point of needing alignment on S&C from the top.

I don't know if Tupou started back at the same time, might have had extra leave after the RWC. I know it was one of the young props, one backrower and two of the local backs.

 

[KevinO]

I didn't watch the game but Rebels MVP was Isaac Kailea, he really had a good game?

Yes, was the most involved his ever been, also no one really stood out as awesome so it's no surprise.