Waratahs 2018

[Derpus]

I read it on here somewhere. Someone wrote that the muscle came off the bone completely. They seemed to inside knowledge.

Yeah, that was widely reported. It required surgery. I still would not have thought it would require a year to heal though.

 

[Up the Guts]

Foley, Taqele, Beale, Rona, Folau will make up a pretty potent backline. Bit worried the forward pack will struggle to set up a good platform though and consistently make the advantage line. Defensively the backline may have issues as well.

 

[Blackadder]

Hanigan needs to put on more muscle and hopefully during the preseason he does.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

What are people thinking about the matchday 23 this year?

The biggest points of contention for me are 13,14,11 and 4,5,6,8.

Ideally, I'd like:

1. Robertson
2. Latu
3. Kepu
4. Simmons
5. Hanigan
6. Dempsey
7. Hooper
8. Holloway
9. Gordon
10. Foley
11. TQN
12. Beale
13. Simone / Foketi
14. Newsome
15. Folau

16. Ryan
17. Roach
18. ?
19. Palmer
20. Staniforth
21. Phipps
22. Mason
23. Kellaway

I also wouldn't mind seeing TQN trialled at 13 after that Barbarians performance.

The Hanigan / Dempsey dilemma at 6 is made all the worse by the fact that Hanigan doesn't offer much starch in the 2nd row, but then again, neither do Staniforth or Simmons.

I understand there's a lot of hype about Staniforth, and his NRC fans often quote his insane work rate but, personally, I don't care if a player has 24 carries a game if they're for an aggregated 3 metres.

I want to see a bit more impact from him, and hopefully off the bench him and Palmer can provide that. Once they get subbed, the backrow barndance can begin as Hanigan can play 6, Dempsey can play 7 or 8 etc.

I'd also like to see Foley given some rest games this season to freshen him up as he's played an insane amount of footy this year and hasn't played to his best form. Mason is a quality player, and there's no better apprenticeship that he could have than under Beale.

Hoping Rona recruited as obvious 13 candidate otherwise on TQN just not convinced me is the real deal on the wing but his games at 13 has me thinking he could be a better outside centre....so yep I would not mind seeing him in this position for a few trial matches and see where it goes beyond that..

 

[fatprop]

I have continuing doubts that Holloway will make the match day squad, especially with McCalman rumoured.

I also think Staniforth has a very good chance of being one of the starting locks

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[wamberal]

I agree. Holloway has always struggled to make the step up.


Just as Luke Jones did, albeit at the next level up.


Does this happen in New Zealand? My very superficial view would be that it doesn't, because the standard of competitiveness at every level of their game is ferocious.


As for Taqele, I know I am dreaming, but I would love to see him playing with an 8 on his big back.

 

[RugbyReg]

I have continuing doubts that Holloway will make the match day squad, especially with McCalman rumoured.

I also think Staniforth has a very good chance of being one of the starting locks

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I just did a post over on the Reds 2018 thread about the balance of our pack, and I think the Tahs have a similar challenge. I think Staniforth and Simmons are pretty similar players. Staniforth's work effort in the NRC was outstanding. I think he led the 'most runs' stat. But his effectiveness was pretty limited. I think it may have been Braveheart (or someone else sorry) who suggested he may be better off reducing the number of runs and increasing the effectiveness of them. It just seems like an unbalanced pairing with neither having much of a power game. Of course there is some big impact in the backrow with Dempsey and Hooper to be joined by either Hanigan or Holloway. As you suggest, if McCalman comes in, then a 8 McCalman, 7 Hooper, 6 Dempsey combo is pretty damn attractive, with both Holloway and Hanigan on the bench.

 

[fatprop]

I just did a post over on the Reds 2018 thread about the balance of our pack, and I think the Tahs have a similar challenge. I think Staniforth and Simmons are pretty similar players. Staniforth's work effort in the NRC was outstanding. I think he led the 'most runs' stat. But his effectiveness was pretty limited. I think it may have been Braveheart (or someone else sorry) who suggested he may be better off reducing the number of runs and increasing the effectiveness of them. It just seems like an unbalanced pairing with neither having much of a power game. Of course there is some big impact in the backrow with Dempsey and Hooper to be joined by either Hanigan or Holloway. As you suggest, if McCalman comes in, then a 8 McCalman, 7 Hooper, 6 Dempsey combo is pretty damn attractive, with both Holloway and Hanigan on the bench.

I think like Hanigan, you can teach better efforts but I don't think you can teach workrate. Someone must be able to teach Hanigan to be better at cleanouts etc etc I am hoping for a more effective, mobile, aggressive pack In Cron I will trust

 

[wamberal]

I think like Hanigan, you can teach better efforts but I don't think you can teach workrate. Someone must be able to teach Hanigan to be better at cleanouts etc etc I am hoping for a more effective, mobile, aggressive pack In Cron I will trust

Cron has been very effective at SS level. No apparent reason why his ability should not be effective at Soup level. Let us hope so, anyway. I would love to see the Tahs playing with the cohesive and verve of the Shoremen.

 

[fatprop]

Cron has been very effective at SS level. No apparent reason why his ability should not be effective at Soup level. Let us hope so, anyway. I would love to see the Tahs playing with the cohesive and verve of the Shoremen.

And we are also seeing the standard performance lag as Shoreman players are now starting to fill up the Tahs roster, Cron is going to be more aware of those units and they will understand his approach

 

[Inside Shoulder]

I agree. Holloway has always struggled to make the step up.


Just as Luke Jones did, albeit at the next level up.


Does this happen in New Zealand? My very superficial view would be that it doesn't, because the standard of competitiveness at every level of their game is ferocious.


As for Taqele, I know I am dreaming, but I would love to see him playing with an 8 on his big back.

which code?

 

[Derpus]

I agree. Holloway has always struggled to make the step up.


Just as Luke Jones did, albeit at the next level up.


Does this happen in New Zealand? My very superficial view would be that it doesn't, because the standard of competitiveness at every level of their game is ferocious.


As for Taqele, I know I am dreaming, but I would love to see him playing with an 8 on his big back.

Holloway doesn't do any of the hard stuff. He looked good a few seasons ago, but mostly making breaks wider out from the ruck. We have Hooper for that.

 

[Derpus]

At the very least, with Simmo, Hanigan and Staniforth we should have a functional line-out.

 

[wamberal]

which code?

The Da Vinci one?


If he is okay to play on the wing, why on earth would he not have most of the skills to play at 8?

 

[fatprop]

The Da Vinci one?


If he is okay to play on the wing, why on earth would he not have most of the skills to play at 8?

Workrate, energy, agility, fitness, attitude

 

[Derpus]

Workrate, energy, agility, fitness, attitude

Are you saying he does or doesn't exhibit those attributes?

 

[Tomikin]

What are people thinking about the matchday 23 this year?

The biggest points of contention for me are 13,14,11 and 4,5,6,8.

Ideally, I'd like:

1. Robertson
2. Latu
3. Kepu
4. Simmons
5. Hanigan
6. Dempsey
7. Hooper
8. Holloway
9. Gordon
10. Foley
11. TQN
12. Beale
13. Simone / Foketi
14. Newsome
15. Folau

16. Ryan
17. Roach
18. ?
19. Palmer
20. Staniforth
21. Phipps
22. Mason
23. Kellaway

I also wouldn't mind seeing TQN trialled at 13 after that Barbarians performance.

The Hanigan / Dempsey dilemma at 6 is made all the worse by the fact that Hanigan doesn't offer much starch in the 2nd row, but then again, neither do Staniforth or Simmons.

I understand there's a lot of hype about Staniforth, and his NRC fans often quote his insane work rate but, personally, I don't care if a player has 24 carries a game if they're for an aggregated 3 metres.

I want to see a bit more impact from him, and hopefully off the bench him and Palmer can provide that. Once they get subbed, the backrow barndance can begin as Hanigan can play 6, Dempsey can play 7 or 8 etc.

I'd also like to see Foley given some rest games this season to freshen him up as he's played an insane amount of footy this year and hasn't played to his best form. Mason is a quality player, and there's no better apprenticeship that he could have than under Beale.

Really about Stainforth if one thing he does do is hit the line hard.. His not a pillow which is one of his best attributes..

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[Inside Shoulder]

The Da Vinci one?


If he is okay to play on the wing, why on earth would he not have most of the skills to play at 8?

I think he looks more like a league prop from the 70s. wonder how he goes in the beep test......

 

[wamberal]

I think he looks more like a league prop from the 70s. wonder how he goes in the beep test..

An old fashioned loig prop playing on the wing for the Tahs? I was one in the sixties, and I am very happy there was no such thing as a beep test. How embarrassing.

 

[Quick Hands]

SANZAAR would have minimum requirements for fields and I'd suggest a big screen is one of them.

You just bring in a big screen on the back of a truck. Manly do it for every NRL game at Brookvale, I don't think it's that hard. Not that I'm advocating playing super rugby at NSO though.