The Chewsday Chew – price of success (Ep8-24)

Top of the morning to you all Cobbers.

I hope all is good in your world, that your donkey walks on palm fronds and flowers, that the crowds are cheering you and that you all trust your mates. It’s that sort of week.

As always, I’ll insert here that this is a fan-run site and contributions are more than welcome. Barring the merest check for decency and decorum, feel free to reach out to me at HERE be it with an article an idea, or an opinion piece. And there’s also the ‘Submit a Story’ option on the Home Page. So feel free to have a crack as the more opinions and ideas and folk to share the load, the merrier we (and our wives) all are.

Nutta’s Team of the Super Tourney to-date:

Ok, so anyone lacking enough of a life to be reading me week-in week-out is aware that I’ve been selecting an Aussie Super Team of the Week from the Super competition to date. Eligibility is simple enough: if you’ve been playing for an Aussie franchise, you can get picked. Given we’ve been going a few weeks, I thought to tally some results, divide them by 7, multiply by variables (depending on haircuts) and select a Team of the Tourney so far. So without further ado, here goes…

Week 5 TotW:

1. James Slipper – age shall not weary him, even as he equals Stephen Moore’s 176 Super caps.
2. Mahe Vailanu – continues to be consistent in meat and potatoes plus around ground workrate.
3. Zane Nonggorr – continuing to learn and perform well, but we need more.
4. Jed Holloway – craft and graft as ever.
5. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto – produced an enormous effort in a badly beaten team.
6. Rob Leota – likewise an enormous workrate in a badly beaten team.
7. Carlo Tizzano – had a cracker of a day out. A real chip on shoulder performance.
8. Rob Valetini – was just too physically imposing to ignore.
9. Nic White – has his haters, but was imperious. Credit where it’s due.
10. Noah Lolesio – The. Best. 10. We. Have. Now. Move. On.
11. Corey Toole – pure speed. And he’s quick too.
12. Hamish Stewart – owned the midfield defensively.
13. Sam Spink – had a cracker of a return match.
14. Bailey Kunzel – was played out of position on the wing, but you wouldn’t know it.
15. Tom Wright – where the hell has that form been?
16. Billy Pollard – solid meat and potatoes.
17. Cobus Eloff – great to see the Big Man out there again.
18. Jeff Toomunga-Allen – he qualifies and he was damn effective in a losing side.
19. Ned Hanigan – I’m loving’ this guy’s work.
20. Charlie Cale – fantastic game and one to watch into the future.
21. Ryan Lonergan – Cool, calm and accurate.
22. Ben Donaldson – I’m not a huge fan, but credit where due as he was on song.
23. Andrew Kellaway – becoming a Mr Consistency.

Team of the Super Tourney (to date):

Selection criteria: TotW starting side got 5pts and TowT bench jersey earned 4pts:

Comments on the above:

• Congratulations to LSL. He brings such good play, consistency and mobility in such a big frame. He’s my captain as it stands.
• Big ups to Zane Nonggorr. He’s really coming along. And having Jeff T-Allen to learn from is nothing but a gift. But frankly, there’s not much domestic competition for the no3 jersey. Rhys van Nek may yet turn into something good, but we need more especially from we-all-know-who.
• Tate McD tied with Ryan Louwrens, so I picked Tate reflecting the Qld good season to date.
• The Qld backrow were not good last weekend. But they were good enough in the tourney to date to hold down the starting loose trio and keep Bobby V on the bench.
• Check Noah Lolesio’s stats. The discussion about who should be the Wobbly no10 on current form is pretty much over guys.
• Some may not like Rob Leota at 19 (generally reserve lock). But the next lock was Nick Frost at 1 cap for 5pts. So Rob earned it by the criteria, and as he has also played lock before.
• There were a stack of guys in contention for No22 (reserve midfield) with 1 cap and 5pts including Kuenzle, Gordon, Joey Walton, Sam Spink and others. I nominated Sticky as the pick of that group.

Random thoughts from the random guy:

• Isn’t it great to see the mix up on the Super table? Crusaders last, Force off the bottom, Donkeys near the top. The greatest criticism of Super Rugby in recent years has been the predictability of results. But not so now.
• Congratulations to the Drua for the performances and crowd they turn out for home matches. There are an increasing amount of folk making the trip to Fiji now just for the experience. I have a mate who took his little family ex Sydney last weekend and he says it was the best family trip they have ever had.
• What a great weekend to be a Westralian. Men’s and women’s got up I believe for the first time as a duo. More power to them. And if you get the chance, watch the women’s replay and go check out the Forcies huge, unstoppable, 25-metre driving maul before half time. From a clean lineout win they surged along until happy hooker Cline grabbed the pie and Wood to squirt the sauce successfully from out wide.
• Ok the Reds had a hiccup. The Forcies played well no doubt, but the Reds will bounce back. For me, the interesting one is the Tahs. I can’t help but feel they have a break-out for the good coming soon. But it needs to be soon (as in now guys). Don’t get me wrong, I dislike the Tahs as much as ever. But a strong NSW is just as important as a strong Qld and ACT team to the Wobbs right now.
• I noted on LinkedIn earlier this year that the Crusaders have opened a Business Leadership School/Programme. For approx US$1,000 you go for a two-week intensive course to learn leadership, sustainability and succession planning from the best in the business, apparently. I’m not laughing, I’m genuinely not. I think it’s a fantastic idea/concept leveraging quite possibly the most successful representative side in history into a non-core revenue stream for the betterment of their franchise and thus our game. But talk about bad timing for the poor buggers.

Well that’s enough from me this week Cobbers. Have a pleasant Easter. May your chocolate be not melted, may your hot cross buns be not cold and may your children be safely inside before the sugar rush wears off and the crash commences. And drive safely if you have to drive at all.

Peace, out, and comment away to your heart’s content below.