Waratahs v Chiefs - Friday 11 April 2025

[The Ghost of Raelene]

I don't remember seeing Foketi at 13 before? Seems strange swapping Walton and Foketi

Think it's purely been a call on O'Donnell who had a poor game in D last week. On the bench though and still the guy long term IMO. Walton has had his best season as well. Glad DM seems to make calls on guys for a poor showing. Gotta do better.

If he sticks to this philosophy I can't imagine what the lineup will be next round...

 

[Strewthcobber]

If Bell gets injured and missed the B&I Lions due to playing too many minutes because the Waratahs are an incompetent fucken organisation in bringing through and managing talent, I'll be dirty..
Out of the 'wallaby cohort of props', 3 props are yet to miss a game in 2025, Tupou, Bell and Roberston..

	Total Mins	Average Mins	Total Games
Roberston	468	66	8
Bell	404	57	7
AAA	351	58	6
Tupou	337	48	7
Slipper	324	54	6
Hodgman	265	53	5
Nongorr	220	44	5
De Luttis	195	48	4

Can you put that on the Wallabies 2025 chat so we can get off Lolesio for 5 mins?

 

[Adam84]

including my comments about the Waratahs - happily

 

[Strewthcobber]

Think it's purely been a call on O'Donnell who had a poor game in D last week. On the bench though and still the guy long term IMO. Walton has had his best season as well. Glad DM seems to make calls on guys for a poor showing. Gotta do better.

If he sticks to this philosophy I can't imagine what the lineup will be next round...

Hopefully that was just a young guy, a new pro fatiguing in the 60-70 minutes, because they are small margins, and his missed tackles lost the game through there (although Creighton doesn't get away scott free either)

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

I think so. It happens to players and it was only his 5th start in Super Rugby with a side that isn't great so it is harder than slotting into a top one. He'll be fine and has shown a lot to like.

 

[PhilClinton]

The Tahs and their lack of prop rotation is fucking brain dead as per usual.

What's the plan? Keep playing these blokes in the hope that they win some games and make finals? And then when it's clear they're totally cooked and not going to be around at the back end of the season, give them some time off then?

It's looking like a scenario where the Tahs props get rested for their last couple of regular season games, then don't play finals. So potentially a couple of months without real games before Wallabies duties. Unreal!

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Lack of Prop recruitment. The guys below just aren't at the standard required.

Rest them now, lose games, miss finals and they don't play for ages. Play them now, try and win games, make finals but they're gassed and will lose as Super Rugby is a bit of pop gun comp that 1 v 2 will end up the final and if your'e 4,5,6 who cares...

I'd would have sat Bell last week, played this week and next in Fiji with a Bye after that giving him 2 weeks off in a 4 week block.

 

[Heavyd]

Ticketek sales looking woeful. Given a Kiwi team though there might have been some interest from Sydney’s massive kiwi community but given Waratahs performance last week even they are not interested in coming to a 50-0 drubbing

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

I hope they win and keep the home record but the buzz wears off on Super Rugby if you aren't in the top couple sides and don't have the chance of a home final. Fans have seen them handed their ass on away trips and they still sit 6th currently....Likely much lower by the end of the round. Makes you dismiss the whole thing tbh. Feels like the Big Bash to me. Keen at the start, lots of points is fun.... then it gets a bit flat as they don't seem to knuckle down.

 

[KentwellCup>ShuteShield]

Is Kellaway based at Easts now? Weird considering the Kellaways are almost Randwick Royalty.

 

[KentwellCup>ShuteShield]

Waratahs unbeaten at home - Tahs by 15

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Is Kellaway based at Easts now? Weird considering the Kellaways are almost Randwick Royalty.

Doesn't list a SS Club on the Tahs site. His other Club is Hunters Hill where he was a junior.

 

[Wilson]

Lack of Prop recruitment. The guys below just aren't at the standard required.

Rest them now, lose games, miss finals and they don't play for ages. Play them now, try and win games, make finals but they're gassed and will lose as Super Rugby is a bit of pop gun comp that 1 v 2 will end up the final and if your'e 4,5,6 who cares...

I'd would have sat Bell last week, played this week and next in Fiji with a Bye after that giving him 2 weeks off in a 4 week block.

Bell is well ahead of the next guys, but Kailea and Lambert are clearly of super standard. I'd say they're much more able backups then some of the players the other Australian sides have been forced to play during wallaby rest.

 

[Derpus]

I hope they win and keep the home record but the buzz wears off on Super Rugby if you aren't in the top couple sides and don't have the chance of a home final. Fans have seen them handed their ass on away trips and they still sit 6th currently....Likely much lower by the end of the round. Makes you dismiss the whole thing tbh. Feels like the Big Bash to me. Keen at the start, lots of points is fun.... then it gets a bit flat as they don't seem to knuckle down.

You could have called a Chiefs Crusaders final after the 3rd or 4th round. I think the only thing stopping that is one of the Blues or Hurricanes finding their mojo.

 

[Rob42]

I hope they win and keep the home record but the buzz wears off on Super Rugby if you aren't in the top couple sides and don't have the chance of a home final. Fans have seen them handed their ass on away trips and they still sit 6th currently....Likely much lower by the end of the round. Makes you dismiss the whole thing tbh. Feels like the Big Bash to me. Keen at the start, lots of points is fun.... then it gets a bit flat as they don't seem to knuckle down.

Off-topic, but this would have been one of the benefits of an ANZAC Day Bledisloe - it would have created another narrative to generate interest in SRP (Super Rugby Pacific). NRL does this really well with State of Origin - there's a few weeks when all the excitement is about the start of the season, then as soon as it starts to settle down, everyone starts talking about SOO selections. Could have been the same in SRP (Super Rugby Pacific).

 

[parkfootyenthusiast2]

I'd consider myself a casual Tahs fan this year, have watched the games, havent kept up with the lore. What's the go with Tane Edmed this year? Can't get a gig in a side that's been decked in the mouth repeatedly without him? I don't dislike Lawson Creighton but I havent seen much of him to think he should be holding Tane out of the side?

 

[KOB1987]

I'd consider myself a casual Tahs fan this year, have watched the games, havent kept up with the lore. What's the go with Tane Edmed this year? Can't get a gig in a side that's been decked in the mouth repeatedly without him? I don't dislike Lawson Creighton but I havent seen much of him to think he should be holding Tane out of the side?

I am totally confused by that as well. But you would think that Schmidt is on board with whatever is going on, perhaps he's been sent to clubland for a few games to work on some specific aspect(s) of his game.

 

[KOB1987]

The way the Tahs have been written off by everyone this is the sort of game the come out and put in a belter. As mentioned above they are 3/3 at home this year.

Tahs by 1.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

I'd consider myself a casual Tahs fan this year, have watched the games, havent kept up with the lore. What's the go with Tane Edmed this year? Can't get a gig in a side that's been decked in the mouth repeatedly without him? I don't dislike Lawson Creighton but I havent seen much of him to think he should be holding Tane out of the side?

He offers nothing more. Same standard of player but when Edmed was crook they got the home win with Creighton and they kept the side. He’s not got a look in since and now word he’s being chased by the Brums and it seems like he’s been binned.

 

[Wilson]

Big news from Horan in the pre-show there - apparently Tupou has (or is very close to) agreeing to terms with a French club for next year