Stirling Mortlock

[fatprop]

Is he showing enough to keep his spot?

He is still a great leader, but his attacking drives seem to have disappeared.

 

[disco]

He's still our best, don't forget his inside men aren't giving him a lot of good pill & the same for AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) he's hasn't seen a lot of space but the are both tackling like machines.

 

[Gagger]

It's not his attacking drive that's worrying me, it's the mis-timed charges out of the line like we saw through the 3Ns and EOYT

 

[Spook]

bump

He hasn't performed this S14.

 

[fatprop]

The thing he has not done all season is drive forward using his famed leg drive to get the Brumbies on the front foot.

 

[RugbyReg]

I think Stirlo is worth persevering with this year, as a leader. But I think others (Cross, Digby, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)) will get game time at 13. Perhaps in the early tests, perhaps as replacements in the major ones, and then at the end of the year. But from next year, I don't think its such a sure thing.

Future leaders, as in to take us to the RWC? Smith? Moore? Gits? All Brumbies, interestingly.

 

[disco]

I think Stirlo is worth persevering with this year, as a leader. But I think others (Cross, Digby, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)) will get game time at 13. Perhaps in the early tests, perhaps as replacements in the major ones, and then at the end of the year. But from next year, I don't think its such a sure thing.

Future leaders, as in to take us to the RWC? Smith? Moore? Gits? All Brumbies, interestingly.

Well Ioane has been the best 13 in the comp so far but he will meet Mortlock head on this week so we will soon find out.

I also see Horwill as a future leader, if Mortlock doesn'y make it to RWC 2011 then George Smith should captain & then Horwill after that.

 

[fatprop]

I think Stirlo is worth persevering with this year, as a leader. But I think others (Cross, Digby, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)) will get game time at 13. Perhaps in the early tests, perhaps as replacements in the major ones, and then at the end of the year. But from next year, I don't think its such a sure thing.

Future leaders, as in to take us to the RWC? Smith? Moore? Gits? All Brumbies, interestingly.

Well Ioane has been the best 13 in the comp so far but he will meet Mortlock head on this week so we will soon find out.

I also see Horwill as a future leader, if Mortlock doesn'y make it to RWC 2011 then George Smith should captain & then Horwill after that.

Cross would have to be the favoured replacement, he runs great lines and can set up his outside well. Ioane should spend more time on the wing for the Wallabies this season.

I would have Moore as captain if Sterling is "rested"

 

[Biffo]

fading ... fast ... gone this year

 

[PhucNgo]

His form early on was pretty good, but the body's fading. I wouldn't be surprised if he's carrying an injury. He's the kinda guy that would play through a host of niggling (read debilitating) ailments.

 

[Gagger]

From Rugbyheaven

Selectors will stick with me: Mortlock

Peter Fitzgerald, Canberra Times | May 6, 2009 - 10:38AM

Stirling Mortlock has faith the Wallabies selectors will stand by him this year, declaring yesterday "they know what I'm capable of".

Mortlock has been under fire for his chequered Super 14 form this season, which has led to Brumbies coach Andy Friend moving the Australian captain from his preferred outside centre position to the wing.

The move has raised questions about whether Mortlock will retain the Wallabies' No13 jersey which has primarily been his for the past five years.

But the 31-year-old believed Wallabies coach Robbie Deans and his assistants would consider past and present form when selecting their team for the Tests this year.

"I don't have any concerns," Mortlock said.

"The selectors pretty much know what everyone is capable of."

Last year Adam Ashley-Cooper ended up playing quite a bit of Test match football at 15 but didn't play much 15 at the Brumbies.

"I think I've played enough Test matches at 13 and a bit of 12 last year. They know what I'm capable of, I've just got to make sure I'm contributing to the [Brumbies] and playing well and if the majority of us are doing that and we're going well, those selections in a month's time will take care of themselves."

Mortlock will again play on the wing for the Brumbies on Saturday night when they host Auckland in the penultimate round of the Super14.

Friend named his side yesterday, moving Adam Ashley-Cooper to fullback to replace the injured Mark Gerrard and promoting Francis Fainifo into the starting line-up on the other wing.

Friend confirmed he consulted Wallabies coach Deans before switching Mortlock to the wing for the first time this season against the Pretoria Bulls on April 17.

He has since been in further contact with Deans and insisted he had no issues with the move.

"He knows what [Mortlock] can do so he's quite comfortable about it. He's fine with it," Friend said.

"I made mention to him that we were looking at doing that, just to see if there was any feedback from that at the time and he was like ,'Yeah that's sweet Friendy'.

"There's been a lot of talk about Stirling not playing his 13 position but I had a good chat to him about it yesterday, we've spoken to Robbie about it, everyone's fine with that.

"The only people who aren't are the people who are looking for a story."

Mortlock said he was looking forward to lining up on the wing against the Blues this weekend.

It will be the third time this season he has started on the fringes, allowing Gene Fairbanks and Tyrone Smith to link at inside centre and outside centre respectively.

Mortlock, who is eight points in arrears of former Canterbury Crusaders great Andrew Mehrtens as the leading pointscorer in Super rugby history, accepted he was destined to play out the rest of the Super 14 season out wide.

"Me being on the wing, I've got no concerns at all doing that so we can get everyone out on the paddock," he said.

"We've had a little lack of cohesion in attack from the midfield this year and at the back end we've started to find that cohesion and that's been primarily from the introduction of Gene [Fairbanks at 12] and Tyrone's been playing really well at 13."

Can't be good when you're the 3rd best centre in the team?

 

[barbarian]

Can't be good when you're the 3rd best centre in the team?

Think it's more a case of being the best winger of a group of 4 pretty handy centres. If you are going to have an inexperienced/lesser player in the backline, it's better to have them playing in a position they are comfortable with. That is why Mortlock has taken the wing jersey and Fairbanks and Smith have moved into the centres.

 

[Gagger]

Can't be good when you're the 3rd best centre in the team?

Think it's more a case of being the best winger of a group of 4 pretty handy centres. If you are going to have an inexperienced/lesser player in the backline, it's better to have them playing in a position they are comfortable with. That is why Mortlock has taken the wing jersey and Fairbanks and Smith have moved into the centres.

I like the positive thinking but
a) look at Morty's last quote in the article. He's admitting he's 3rd choice
b) they tried Tyrone on the wing a coupla games ago and he did a pretty good job. Deffo not as sluggish as ol' Morty looked last week, so I don't think its through lack of another option.

 

[fatprop]

I still think he looks wounded

 

[barbarian]

I like the positive thinking but
a) look at Morty's last quote in the article. He's admitting he's 3rd choice
b) they tried Tyrone on the wing a coupla games ago and he did a pretty good job. Deffo not as sluggish as ol' Morty looked last week, so I don't think its through lack of another option.

Not really. He's admitting the current pairing are gelling well together, and Tyrone is going well at 13. Never says he is 3rd in line, just that it is in the best interests of the team that he is on the sting.

 

[louie]

mortlock on wing is fine by me. plays well there, good positioning, awesome d. also brings a lot to the team.
works the best for the team

 

[Spook]

Louie, the Brums needs some pace out wide. Fanifo and Mafi are a start.

 

[Gagger]

Louie, the Brums needs some pace out wide. Fanifo and Mafi are a start.

so that puts him........

 

[Spook]

Louie, the Brums needs some pace out wide. Fanifo and Mafi are a start.

so that puts him........

Exactly.

 

[louie]

Louie, the Brums needs some pace out wide. Fanifo and Mafi are a start.

true but you can't tell me there a better side without mortlock!
he has to fit somewhere and he's better on the wing then nowhere. i like him on the wing.