The Ones to watch in 2011

[Gnostic]

Agree also with Noddy on the Force hookers but young "Huge" Pyle plays for the Rats and is not Super quality at the minute IMO.

I don't think that 2009 schools stars: PAE, Jones or Gill should get on the park for their respective teams but if they do it will be interesting to see how they cope. For those more likely to get on the park I will be most interested in:

Force: Charles, Whittaker, Inman
Rebels: Weeks, Kingi, Mitchell, Vuna, Blake (work rate, scrummaging)
Brumbies: Palmer, Kimlin (health)
Waratahs: Tilse, Fitzpatrick, Douglas, BKH, Pakalani, McKibbin, Horne (health)
Reds: Chambers, Slipper, Holmes, Simmons, Cooper (defence)

I think we will see a return of the dominant Giteau from the past now thaqt he has signed and is leaving Oz. He will want to give performances giving the two fingers to the ARU and his knockers, and now that the pressure is off so to speak he will do so (as long as he plays 12).

 

[qwerty51]

Tim Nanai-Williams
Tom Chamberlain
Mitch Inman
Ben Mowen
William Alberts

 

[DPK]

Tim Nanai-Williams
Tom Chamberlain
Mitch Inman
Ben Mowen
William Alberts

Here's hoping. Looks like the secret Mortlock cloning program the ARU put in place is starting to show results in the form of that bloke.

 

[Slim 293]

Phil Waugh sees the WC, and will step up and go all out every game

I'm pretty sure he'll be seeing it from home...

 

[Bullrush]

From the Blues:

Matthew Luamanu and Jared Payne.....hopefully Stephen Brett and Alby Mathewson have HUGE Super seasons as well.

 

[Ruggo]

Agree with Lee, Cooper in defence.

Morty will be the one to watch. A new challange and a healthy body will see the big fella back to his destructive best.

Ben Lucas will get more game time and I have him as one to watch.

 

[DPK]

From the Blues:

Matthew Luamanu and Jared Payne.....hopefully Stephen Brett and Alby Mathewson have HUGE Super seasons as well.

I thought he was brilliant last year. Better than the skidmark that is Cowan.

 

[BrumbiesPolynesian]

From the Blues - Payne, Matthewson, and Brad Mika
Brumbies - Henry Speight
Hurricanes - Julian Savea, Jack Lam
Crusaders - SBW, Fruean, Dagg
highlanders - Toby Arnold, Jard Hoeta
Reds - Chambers and Ioane
Force - Smith and Ripia
Rebels - Vuna, Cipriani
Tahs - Pakalani, Palu

 

[Jethro Tah]

There are so many players names we can throw out from Melbourne because there are so many unknown quantities and equally as many vacant positions in the back-line.. It will be interesting to watch them play purely for this reason

Luke Rooney

 

[Jethro Tah]

Cooper in defence.

I agree. This factor alone could decide the Wobs' chances at the WC.

 

[#1 Tah]

Afusipa Taumoepeau, was explosive for Easts last year (I know, I know, its only club footy...)

 

[en_force_er]

Afusipa Taumoepeau, was explosive for Easts last year (I know, I know, its only club footy...)

He has been pretty good in the trails so far as well, I'd say combining his form with his utility factor he can be hoping for at very least a Rebels bench spot.

 

[Reddy!]

I honestly believe that the big one to watch this year is Sonny Bill Williams, I think he will be amongst the top 5 players in the competition. To suggest that he won't is just silly.

From the Aussie teams...

Reds - Horwill, Anae, Chambers, Cooper, Daley, Davies, A. Fainga'a, S. Fainga'a, Genia, Gill, Hanson, Harris, Higginbotham, Holmes, Houston, Humphries, Hynes, Ioane, Lucas, Morahan, Quirk, Samo, Schatz, Shepherdson, Shipperley, Simmons, Sitauti, Slipper, Tapuai, Tomiki, Wallace-Harrison.

...and that is all I think.

 

[#1 Tah]

I honestly believe that the big one to watch this year is Sonny Bill Williams, I think he will be amongst the top 5 players in the competition. To suggest that he won't is just silly.

From the Aussie teams...

Reds - Horwill, Anae, Chambers, Cooper, Daley, Davies, A. Fainga'a, S. Fainga'a, Genia, Gill, Hanson, Harris, Higginbotham, Holmes, Houston, Humphries, Hynes, Ioane, Lucas, Morahan, Quirk, Samo, Schatz, Shepherdson, Shipperley, Simmons, Sitauti, Slipper, Tapuai, Tomiki, Wallace-Harrison.

...and that is all I think.

Huh. Funny how its captain then alphabetical order...

 

[Travi34]

There are so many players names we can throw out from Melbourne because there are so many unknown quantities and equally as many vacant positions in the back-line.. It will be interesting to watch them play purely for this reason

Very well said.
From the front line the Rebels shows some amazing results, against underwhelming opposition.

Rodzilla or mini-zilla as he is now, lost 15-20kgs, will be one to watch, he's mobile now, and if he gets his scrumming right, he'll earn a touring spot RWC time.
Weeks, will fight Slipper for his spot on the plane (near the food trolley...)

Jones and Pyle, both could be bolters for the lock reserve, but they are as dependent on their perfomances, as they are on others not performing.

Vuna and Mitchell are hitting some great form, and look untouchable.

Delve, will be the dominant #8 of the competition, and make Palu look like Dick Brown.

Dont expect anything from Mortlock, Freier, Gerrard, Cordingley etc. they are there as playing mentors.

Unfortunately i dont care about other teams...

Absolute Roughy - Chris Slade, ex-pat kiwi, playing for Melbourne Unicorns, been contracted to Rebels. Will play some games off bench, and have some impact, good player.

 

[farva]

Will Weeks start?
He will be fighting Sommerville for the starting TH role wont he, or have I got Sommervilles sides mixed up?

 

[F1Fan]

Phil Waugh sees the WC, and will step up and go all out every game

Surely you jest. He doesnt even have an ARU contract. The only time Phil Waugh will see the world cup is on the promotional road show!

 

[Ishmael]

For the Tahs this year, I really don't think we'll see a lot of previously unheralded players make their mark. The squad's very settled and even the players waiting in the wings, ie. McCaffery, McCutcheon, Fitzpatrick, Dennis, Fitzpatrick, BKH, Ryan, McKibbin, O'Connor, Tilse, have been around for a little while and have established players ahead of them. The players I'll be watching this year are the Beales, the Hornes, the Mowens and even the Mumms and the Turners, to see whether they can use their experience to capitalise on their talents for the benefit of the team and show they have lasting class.

There are a few players that have the potential to be surprise packets, such as Alcock and Peterson, but I highly doubt they'll get on the paddock much, if at all.

From other sides, I'm really looking forward to seeing Tim Nanai-Williams and Patrick Lambie in action. Unfortunately for TNW, though he's a fantastically talented player, for some reason his style strikes me as out of sync with the current AB method. Even if he has a fantastic season, I can't see him being brought into the AB setup. Simply because his best position at the moment is fullback and for some reason I get the feeling that the AB coaching setup are a little fearful of messing with their 15 strategy. With Mils having been there so long and either Jane or Dagg being the logical successor (both having fairly similar styles to Mils' well rounded game; solid defenders with a big boot, great footwork and good tactical awareness) I can't see GH and co opting for such spontaneity at the back, ala JOC (James O'Connor). It's a shame because I reckon TNW is developing into one of the best natural talents NZ has produced in a while.

 

[disco]

honestly believe that the big one to watch this year is Sonny Bill Williams, I think he will be amongst the top 5 players in the competition. To suggest that he won't is just silly.

Top 5 players as in 1st year players or just top 5 players in the comp?

Because if you mean the whole comp then I could probably rattle off 10 players right now that will have a bigger impact on who's wins the title this year.

 

[Reddy!]

Top 5 players as in 1st year players or just top 5 players in the comp?

Because if you mean the whole comp then I could probably rattle off 10 players right now that will have a bigger impact on who's wins the title this year.

Top 5 in the whole competition. He ain't a first year rugby player. He is playing in the best Super Rugby team of all time and with 2 of the best players in the world. Sonny Bill was born to dominate Super Rugby and you know it!

And he doesn't have to win the title; Chris Latham was also one of the best every season and the Reds won jack shit.