Waratahs 2025

[Dctarget]

Blyth/Philip rotating with Amatosero and cameos from Doyle isn't half bad. Still not as good as Williams/Swain/Carter or Salakaia-Loto/Canham.

 

[Rob42]

I reckon Sinclair will be gone or heavily reduced. Ben Grant has grabbed his opportunity really well. Miles still has a heap of potential and Phillip coming as well as Blyth who is decent, not necessarily better than Sinclair but younger and bigger so does give that improved scope. Sinclair has had a quieter year than previous so it's hard to demand carrying an undersized, older player.

Aho and Halaholo are fringe squad members that most sides carry and can have a deal one year and not the next. Aho is a kiwi so who knows if they hold a guy like that whereas Halaholo a local 21 year old.

There will be more movement I imagine. Looking at selections this year I half expect Foketi to go elsewhere and he would have been on fairly good money within the group but has fallen behind Walton, O'Donnell.

We are still seeing a coaching group create the playing squad they want. Playing with a majority inherited squad which everyone should expect turnover and going on the last 3 seasons is not a bad thing as much as we want to back our boys....

There was a news article about this week being the last home game for various players, and Sinclair was also mentioned there, suggesting he's not returning, though I don't think that's been announced officially.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Yeah I thought I saw that as well but not showing on articles now which is interesting.

Blyth/Philip rotating with Amatosero and cameos from Doyle isn't half bad. Still not as good as Williams/Swain/Carter or Salakaia-Loto/Canham.

Not as strong but an improvement and gives them support to blood guys as appropriate and let hem develop. All the Super Rugby sides for Aus now have a good starting pair then it falls off. Carter is getting old, Neville seems done and the Reds are without Smith and Blyth. I love Smith as a player and it's a shame he's 28 but could see him come back for someone for a couple seasons at 31... Think they'll love him in the NH and won't see him back.

Hooker is the glaring one still. Porecki isn't good for an entire season and any genuine contender has 2 starting calibre guys in that spot.

 

[Homer]

Tahs announced Sinclair is gone along with 5 others. in 2026 will have Grant, Phillip, Amotesero and Blyth in the 2nd row.
Samu, Gamble, FLW (Fergus Lee-Warner), Doyle, Talataina and Adamson in the backrow.

 

[Dctarget]

Tahs announced Sinclair is gone along with 5 others. in 2026 will have Grant, Phillip, Amotesero and Blyth in the 2nd row.
Manu, Gamble, FLW (Fergus Lee-Warner) (Fergus Lee-Warner), Doyle, Talataina and Adamson in the backrow.

and a rookie named Pete Samu.

 

[Strewthcobber]

What do we think those "systematic" issues in the McKellar/Gordon articles out of yesterday's Crusaders game?

For mine the first fix is backline defense. It's obviously the Tahs weak link and probably should cost the defense coach his job.

The Tahs are by far the team that gives up the most line breaks from a missed tackle in all of pro rugby. Reds are at 12.5% as a comparison

 

[Wilson]

What do we think those "systematic" issues in the McKellar/Gordon articles out of yesterday's Crusaders game?

For mine the first fix is backline defense. It's obviously the Tahs weak link and probably should cost the defense coach his job.

The Tahs are by far the team that gives up the most line breaks from a missed tackle in all of pro rugby. Reds are at 12.5% as a comparison

View attachment 21801

Not too surprising that defence would be a problem - aside from it being all about connection that takes time to build, McCaffery certainly looks like the weak link in that coaching lineup, at least in terms of experience (particularly as a specialist).

I did take part of that comment to be about the systems at the club, not just the systems on the field though - McKellar talked about people being " too comfortable, just happy to be here and wear the tracksuit" and Gordon said: "It's more than just a weekly thing here. This is a change that we need to make that will set the organisation and the group up for years to come. ... It's the whole organisation.".

Given effort on the field is the one thing the tahs do seem to have in spades (to their detriment at times), I can only assume this means they're not seeing the commitment and effort on the training paddock throughout the week, and there aren't the systems or culture or whatever to drive a change in that behavior or push a higher standard amongst the squad. That means that individual players (and the team as a whole) are not up to speed or capable of sticking to the systems the coaches are outlining. Certainly it sounds like there's going to be a few more players jettisoned from the squad in the weeks to come.

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

Tahs announced Sinclair is gone along with 5 others. in 2026

Who were they? We know about heaven and leota. Looked like Vailanu was done too. So that's four of the six

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Who were they? We know about heaven and leota. Looked like Vailanu was done too. So that's four of the six

Kalapu was one of them.

 

[rugbyAU]

"Against the Crusaders on Friday, in front of the worst crowd of the season (11,284) at Allianz Stadium, the home comforts that had once provided so much hope were destroyed in a disastrous first half where they conceded 31 points. At the same time, over the road at the SCG, 39,082 fans watched the Sydney Swans beat Carlton."

Sums it up pretty well how grim things are

 

[Derpus]

So Mahe Vailanu is leaving? WTF? I thought he could be anything

Maybe because he isn't Australian? I agree. I thought he was the best of our hookers and thought he should have been starting while Porecki limped back onto the bench.