Waratahs 2022

[Braveheart81]

He went from a wallaby cap and regular PONI squad member to not making a squad of 38 behind the two incumbents and Pone, a bloke who didn’t play TT because he was injured, is weak at scrummaging and his only dominant stat is his run metres which is bulked up by doing league style hit ups. I can’t imagine he’d be happy about that. Under 20s THP is a world away from scrummaging against hardened professionals, most get to serve an apprenticeship either at LHP or behind a seasoned THP. If, as some desire, we sign a more established THP, instead of showing faith in his development there and he rides the pine, we could lose the type of player you don’t miss until they’re gone to the Northern hemisphere or to another franchise.

His sole Wallaby cap happened off the bench when a bunch of players ahead of him were injured. It was at LHP.

What's your solution for him? Do we not try and recruit a THP who might challenge him for the starting role because it may drive him away?

Personally I don't think we are likely to find someone that obviously shifts him back to the bench because the only two players in Australia who would do that are Tupou and AAA.

 

[Pfitzy]

LHP is easier

 

[Braveheart81]

@Pfitzy certainly seems to be an easier introduction for young players in the professional ranks.

We don't see a lot starting at THP and moving across but we see plenty going from LHP to THP.

 

[Froggy]

One of the Tahs weaknesses (I don't have time to list them all ) is the scrum, and my watching of this season and last is that the biggest problem there is THP and lock. As everyone says, HJH (Harry Johnson-Holmes) has it all as a prop except scrummaging, his principal role. To not recruit a stronger player due to the risk of losing a weaker one makes no sense. If HJH (Harry Johnson-Holmes) were to sufficiently improve his scrummaging to Super standard, he will displace our new recruit (virtually whoever that may be) as a starter due to the strength in the rest of his game. If not, we have a stronger scrum.

 

[FairWeatherAussie]

End of the day, the main thing the Tahs need is a proper defence coach. I think they were the the top scorer among the Aussie teams in the TT. They were scoring enough points that you would have expected them to, at least, have won a couple of games. But letting in 8 tries a game on average is absolutely unprofessional.

Tah’s first priority should be a worldwide scout for a defence coach with a proven track record.

 

[Tomikin]

End of the day, the main thing the Tahs need is a proper defence coach. I think they were the the top scorer among the Aussie teams in the TT. They were scoring enough points that you would have expected them to, at least, have won a couple of games. But letting in 8 tries a game on average is absolutely unprofessional.

Tah’s first priority should be a worldwide scout for a defence coach with a proven track record.

Its probably easy to score points, when you never reset your attack back to defend.

 

[Pfitzy]

@Pfitzy certainly seems to be an easier introduction for young players in the professional ranks.

We don't see a lot starting at THP and moving across but we see plenty going from LHP to THP.

Without looking into it too deeply, you could have a point on the current cadre, where they do make a switch.

However, since the rules around wheeling changed, loosehead IMHO has become a much more technical and challenging position. Having a loose outside shoulder can be quite challenging if you're used to having both engaged - in that, THP is a much simpler ask for those I've spoken to, and in my own humble opinion.

As a (mostly) THP these days, I can always tell when an opponent comes across to loosehead because they fucking hate it. The demands on your core and leg strength are totally different, and you can't just bore in and fuck up a guy's day repeatedly.

The law change to require 3 front rowers in specialist positions on the bench has certainly changed the thinking about who does what.

 

[eastman]

I agree that the Waratah's attacking prowess needs to be considered in context.

The majority of their points tended to come after the opposition had already scored plenty themselves and the reality is that most teams will never defend with the same ruthlessness / urgency when they have a comfortable lead.

Our attack was never that strong during the contested periods of games.

 

[7137]

One of the Tahs weaknesses (I don't have time to list them all ) is the scrum, and my watching of this season and last is that the biggest problem there is THP and lock. As everyone says, HJH (Harry Johnson-Holmes) has it all as a prop except scrummaging, his principal role. To not recruit a stronger player due to the risk of losing a weaker one makes no sense. If HJH (Harry Johnson-Holmes) were to sufficiently improve his scrummaging to Super standard, he will displace our new recruit (virtually whoever that may be) as a starter due to the strength in the rest of his game. If not, we have a stronger scrum.

The scrum was the least of our problems over the last year. In fact it was pretty reliable. I’ve never been a fan of HJH (Harry Johnson-Holmes) at TH, but he’s certainly done a lot better recently.

 

[Drew]

Yes HJHs one test (which is why I wrote “a wallaby cap”) was as injury cover in a World Cup year. It’s still a cap. He never got a chance to build on that as the Tahs board failed to hire a replacement for Kepu. And find a better THP for the money they get paid here, See how that goes. We spend all our money on keeping promising backs out of league. THPs get paid a lot more in the NH, so why would anyone come here to be behind AAA and Tupou for less money and virtually no chance of a wallaby jumper?

 

[Froggy]

I get it, it's hard so don't worry about it

 

[Drew]

Or should we hire a NPC standard THP?

 

[Silverado]

One of the Tahs weaknesses (I don't have time to list them all ) is the scrum, and my watching of this season and last is that the biggest problem there is THP and lock. As everyone says, HJH (Harry Johnson-Holmes) has it all as a prop except scrummaging, his principal role. To not recruit a stronger player due to the risk of losing a weaker one makes no sense. If HJH (Harry Johnson-Holmes) were to sufficiently improve his scrummaging to Super standard, he will displace our new recruit (virtually whoever that may be) as a starter due to the strength in the rest of his game. If not, we have a stronger scrum.

Seems to be working out just fine for Pone and Bell. Who's the new recruit?

 

[Brumby Runner]

I agree that the Waratah's attacking prowess needs to be considered in context.

The majority of their points tended to come after the opposition had already scored plenty themselves and the reality is that most teams will never defend with the same ruthlessness / urgency when they have a comfortable lead.

Our attack was never that strong during the contested periods of games.

From my observations, I would say the error rate, especially in the backs, was greater earlier in the game as well.

 

[Froggy]

Just saw the Stan Sport interview with Coleman, a pretty soft interview as you would expect, but I though he said the right things. He did comment that the board will be allowing him to spend the full cap for next year, that must give Penney the shits, and you have to feel for him. He was non-committal about his assistants for next year. One thing he said, which I imagine we all wish him well with, was that he wanted to make supporters proud to wear the kit.
The reporter asked him if he was going to bring any of his LA Gilitins team back with him, he replied 'only if they have wheelchair access'
Anyway, we all live in hope.

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

Just saw the Stan Sport interview with Coleman, a pretty soft interview as you would expect, but I though he said the right things. He did comment that the board will be allowing him to spend the full cap for next year, that must give Penney the shits, and you have to feel for him. He was non-committal about his assistants for next year. One thing he said, which I imagine we all wish him well with, was that he wanted to make supporters proud to wear the kit.
The reporter asked him if he was going to bring any of his LA Gilitins team back with him, he replied 'only if they have wheelchair access'
Anyway, we all live in hope.

Vailanu and Goddard would be handy.

 

[Caputo]

THP - Ruan Smith and then he can be the first to play for all 5 Australian Super Rugby Teams.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Reflection time tonight - and outcome is why the heck is Nswru Board not had complete broom through it after 7 years of decline. Some changes but has it gone far enough? On recent performances / shenanigans I would suggest not.

RN

 

[Gillys_ghost]

Is there any reason Sam Talakai isn't a decent short term option for THP? he was a very good scrummager for the reds for at least two seasons, and he's from NSW I thought. HJH (Harry Johnson-Holmes) surely just needs time to keep developing. It does really suck that both Naiyaravoro and Skelton were let go, got so much better in different environments, and are now worth so much the Tahs cant afford to get them back because they pretty much fix your side.

 

[Pass it to Dunning!]

Is there any reason Sam Talakai isn't a decent short term option for THP? he was a very good scrummager for the reds for at least two seasons, and he's from NSW I thought. HJH (Harry Johnson-Holmes) surely just needs time to keep developing. It does really suck that both Naiyaravoro and Skelton were let go, got so much better in different environments, and are now worth so much the Tahs cant afford to get them back because they pretty much fix your side.

Skelton and Naiyaravoro weren't "let go". They were offered deals that the Tahs couldn't match, and they took them.