You've nailed it, mate. Barnes is the worst player in the side. He is absolutely awful. Fatprop makes the excuse that he's getting slow ball. Fair enough, but still, he can't kick or pass in the position that is supposed to do those two things really well. Cull!
Piggies? It's weird. They have the cattle. They have the muscle. Just not ... what? The technique? The will? One thing I've noticed about them over the past couple of years is that they've been completely unable to turn scrum dominance into playing advantage. They actually manage to create slow ball out of a dominant scrum! There's something wrong in the Tah collective brain, that's for sure.
Are you being serious? Worst player in the side? I didn't say that, and my post doesn't single out Barnes at all. Yes. Barnes skill execution is very poor, but he has shown the ability to do it. I ask why he seems unable to consistantly perform those skills.
The squad has some issues but overall it is a very good squad. I believe that the reasons for their under performance are:-
1) Poor selection for the game plan to be played.
2) Poor tactical decisions
3) The team is not fit
4) Some squad positions are filled by players who have never been fit and were never likely to be fit.
5) Psychology - the coaches/management says we are going to run the ball and play exciting rugby (whatever that is supposed to be) and plays the same game plan as they have for years. In fact media reports this week indicate that Foley ws in fact the coach last year with Hickey being a Team Manager (should I say coaching director) position. What do the players do, folow the game plan or what the coach has publicly said.
6) Media Propaganda - for a lot longer than this year the Tahs have been crticised for having a kicking game. It is nothing but propaganda of the worst sort, to sell their copy. They kick less than most teams and last night was a case in point. What an informing media should have been reporting on was quality of execution.
7) Board - the board needs to stop the political games and actually put in place a system at the Tahs that can result in success. Success as apart from titles. Leadership comes fromt he top down.
The position of the coach and the board is untenable.