S15 Rd 1 - Brumbies v Reds, Friday 13th February

[TSR]

Realistically To'omua is under the greatest threat of losing his WC starting position to K, so I think he will be very keyed up for a big performance.

For what it's worth, I don't think this is a controversial statement. It doesn't actually state that Hunt will win To'omua's spot - just that To'omua is the player whose position is under greatest threat.

I normally detest talking up Newbies, but Hunt is no rookie. I know others don't agree, but IMO Hunt was a better league player than Folau and is better suited to rugby. Given the impact that Folau has had I am backing Hunt to do very well. A lot of the comments now are very similar to the comments being made before Folau played his first game. Time will tell - maybe he will be a disaster, but I would suggest that him failing would be inconsistent with his past achievements.

If he is a success, then IMO it is actually pretty straight forward that the positions he will most likely by picked in would be 12 or 15 (pushing Folau to the wing).

 

[Bobby Sands]

agree, but not as a flyhalf

Bet certainly potentially as a 12, which is the position that Matt currently has in the Wobs.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I personally can't wait to see what K-Hunt brings. He's got some background in the code, so it's not like he has to learn it from scratch. Could work his way into contention as a utility back for the RWC if he's as good as the hype suggests.

 

[Slim 293]

For what it's worth, I don't think this is a controversial statement. It doesn't actually state that Hunt will win To'omua's spot - just that To'omua is the player whose position is under greatest threat.

Yeah, nah..........

 

[USARugger]

Hunt is still looking a little lean from the waist up right now to be going full-time in the 12 channel at test level.

If anyone is in trouble of losing their spot to Hunt (obviously under the hypothesis he comes good this season) it's Beale, at the moment.

Hunt may be playing at 10 for the majority of the season, so even if he shifts back to 15 when QC (Quade Cooper) is healthy again he would only be playing a few games there before the end of Soup this year. He would have to be putting on some Space-Jam level displays in every one of those matches to bump Folau out of the 15 jersey and towards the wing.

Even with his current issues regarding positional play and kicking, Folau will likely have another full season under his belt at 15 and is currently the incumbent by a fucking mile. Hopefully he sorts the positional stuff out by RWC, at least.

I don't really see Hunt getting many/any minutes at 12 now unless we have multiple injuries in the midfield. That'd make it pretty hard for him to usurp Matty.

The way the things are currently shaping up he could potentially be fantastic utility cover on the bench with a big, booming boot and none of the defensive issues/relative inexperience that many of our other bigger boots have. We're going to be playing in Europe in a RWC - having someone who can pin the opposition in the corners for 15 minutes when/if we are up, or put us in great field position when we're chasing the game is a very valuable asset.

Beale can't really do either of those things right now and also has defensive issues which have been brutally exposed in multiple tests over the past 18-24 months. If JOC (James O'Connor) is hitting even 80% of his ceiling and playing for full games, there's not room for the "X-Factor" argument in the face of K's defense and kicking (and whatever else he may be bringing to the table ~8 months from now).

I'm hoping for the sake of our already empty coffers that Beale was put on a severely reduced top-up following the shitstorm that was the end of last year.

 

[Scrubber2050]

Folau became a superstar overnight in our game. The media drove it and Izzy backed it up with attacking flair scoring a bagful of tries.

It was great for the Tahs and Aussie rugby in general. It is only recently that reality has set in and some criticism of his play is in the forums.

Will Hunt be as successful WHo knows? But the bloke certainly has talent and time will tell.

There is no question that his rise to Wallaby status is also closely associated with how the Reds perform. They win Hunt looks better. They lose Hunt doesn't look quite as good

 

[TOCC]

Izzy had plenty of average games in the first half of the season with poor positioning and decision making....

K Hunt is in one of the prime decision making positions, he will make poor decisions and be caught out in attack/defence... He might be a success in the long term but don't expect an instant superstar....


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[emuarse]

There's been a lot of chat on this thread regarding Hunt, To'omua, & co but I think this game will be more about the loosies.
Fardy, Pocock, and Butler V Thomson (Browning), Gill, and Schatz.
These guys will have a big influence on the game.
The Brumbies loosies will need Fardy to perform. Last year he wasn't really involved until the end of the season.
Pocock I have no doubt will be his normal robust self and be a true pest to the Reds moves.
But I think the Reds will be better as a three-pack, & have better replacements off the bench in Browning/Thomson and Robinson (subject to selection).

 

[Scrubber2050]

Izzy had plenty of average games in the first half of the season with poor positioning and decision making..

K Hunt is in one of the prime decision making positions, he will make poor decisions and be caught out in attack/defence. He might be a success in the long term but don't expect an instant superstar..


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agree with that TOCc but the bloke was fast tracked into the Wallabies,

Was that deserved - maybe, maybe not,

Hunt certainly doesn't have the same media presence as Israel, His potential selection at Wallaby level will be based on form alone,

 

[Brumby Runner]

Bet certainly potentially as a 12, which is the position that Matt currently has in the Wobs.

Can only see it happening if Matt replaces Foley at 10. But is that really likely to happen?

 

[No4918]

Can we at least wait until round 4 to start axing Wallaby incumbents and installing guys with 4 Super Rugby caps?

 

[BDA]

If anyone is in trouble of losing their spot to Hunt (obviously under the hypothesis he comes good this season) it's Beale, at the moment.

Ow how I wish that were true

 

[BDA]

To'omua is a lock for the wallabies squad in my opinion. Hunt is an outside chance but surely not at the expense of To'omua. To'omua was basically our best player against England, I doubt Cheika will have forgotten that, especially since he's our best option to shut down a rampaging Tuilagi.

I have Foley, Kuridrani, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Folau, HB, JOC (James O'Connor), Horne, To'omua, Cooper as locks for the world cup. Fighting for selection are Speight, Lilo, Beale, Tomane, and possibly Hunt.

The reality of the situation is that there is going to be injuries (touch wood) to more than 1 of the above players. Thankfully we have some damn fine back-up options. The only thing we don't really have is a specialist fullback with a big boot (which we really need, based on what we saw on the EOYT). That's why Hunt is so appealing and why I hate the fact he's being played at 10.

Back to the game. the make up of the benches will be very interesting. I expect things to be close coming into the final 30 minutes and bench impact could play a part. The Reds could inject the likes of JOC (James O'Connor) / Thomson off the bench. They have a better back up half back IMO. The front row could be a different story.

I really don't expect Moore to play more than 20 minutes.

 

[Brumby Jack]

David Pocock will be the captain for this game which means Moore is on the bench

 

[Bobby Sands]

Pocock on K.

“He was a couple of years ahead of me and obviously I watched him keenly,” Pocock said.

“I really looked up to him at school.

“He was one of the best schoolboys I’ve seen playing rugby, and it’s fantastic to have him back in the game.”

 

[something]

i hate the fact that Hunt is being played at 10 as well. I see him as the only person with a chance of displacing Izzy at 15. He needs time to make that position his own if he is to do this.

JOC (James O'Connor) can cover 10 pretty easily at super level.

 

[Scrubber2050]

i hate the fact that Hunt is being played at 10 as well. I see him as the only person with a chance of displacing Izzy at 15. He needs time to make that position his own if he is to do this.

JOC (James O'Connor) can cover 10 pretty easily at super level.

Probably agree but JOC (James O'Connor) has not had a crack at 10 for the Reds at all. Hunt is a possibility of pushing Folau to the edges, BUT to me ATM I'm am interested in the Reds and putting the BEST available person at 10 - to me ATM that bloke is Hunt.

 

[something]

Probably agree but JOC (James O'Connor) has not had a crack at 10 for the Reds at all. Hunt is a possibility of pushing Folau to the edges, BUT to me ATM I'm am interested in the Reds and putting the BEST available person at 10 - to me ATM that bloke is Hunt.

good point, part of me thinks he won't do too well though - especially against To'omua who is probably the best defensive 10 in the world right now. He stood too deep against the saders and didn't seem overly deceptive - cept for that ball to ant.

 

[Sully]

JOC (James O'Connor), Hunt, JOC (James O'Connor), Hunt, JOC (James O'Connor), Hunt, JOC (James O'Connor), Hunt.

It's more like a merry-go-round than a conversation.

 

[something]

could we merge To'omua, hunt and JOC (James O'Connor) into one player..... ?

karjatt o'huntua