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Brumbies 2019

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
Maybe there's also the potential that 4 players suffering soft tissue injuries in the pre-season fitness sessions aged 27, 29, 30 and 31 points to the fact that they didn't have the required conditioning when they turned up.

At least a couple of them (and possibly all four) were calf strains which have always been regarded as old man injuries amongst sportspeople.
 

Derpus

George Gregan (70)
Maybe there's also the potential that 4 players suffering soft tissue injuries in the pre-season fitness sessions aged 27, 29, 30 and 31 points to the fact that they didn't have the required conditioning when they turned up.

At least a couple of them (and possibly all four) were calf strains which have always been regarded as old man injuries amongst sportspeople.
Up to the sports physios and coaches to determine respective levels of fitness and to determine an appropriate training regime to bring them up to speed.

Soft tissue injuries at training should be rare. If they are common and widespread, it definitely points to a coaching issue.
 

RoffsChoice

Jim Lenehan (48)
So, first of all, I think we all agree that there isn't a team on Earth that wouldn't be improved by having David Pocock in their team. Furthermore, unlike a Foley-Cooper argument, picking Pocock doesn't lock you in to a particular playstyle, so it's not like there are teams that would have to change their play to fit him.

The saddest part of Pocock's Brumbies career is that he has been here since 2013 and only started in 51 games for us. Ben Mowen (oh captain my captain) captained the side to as many games from 2012 to 2014, less than half as many years as Pocock has been a Brumby. Yes, the only game Mowen missed was the Lions away in 2012, but he could have missed five games a year and would have played 75 games over the same time that Pocock has played 51.

That aside, much as I am annoyed by the loss of Pocock, this team is (theoretically) good enough without him. I'm annoyed that we aren't seeing Pocock because there has not been, and likely will not be, another player like him, and I would have loved to have seen nineteen games of him this year. I don't blame the pre-season training for our position in the overall table; that's probably the fault of the coaches.
 

RugbyReg

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
The Brumbies have snagged Nick Frost back from the Brumbies. Their recruitment strategies over the last year or so have been excellent. It is what stood them apart from the start and they've recaptured it of late - I'm thinking the likes of Wright, Pulu, Slipper etc

From their release:

Plus500 Brumbies Sign Young Lock Frost
Friday 3 May 2019
The Plus500 Brumbies are delighted to announce the signing of highly promising former Australian Schoolboys lock forward Nick Frost from the Crusaders Development Program.

Frost, a 205cm second rower, has signed for the 2020 and 2021 seasons and has already joined the Brumbies program to further his development throughout the year, beginning his Rugby in Canberra this weekend with the Queanbeyan Whites in the Griffin Legal John I Dent Cup.

The 19-year-old, who has returned to Australia with the support of Rugby Australia, is looking forward to teaming up with the two-time Super Rugby Champions.

“I looked at the long-term and decided that I wanted to play for the Wallabies in the future,” Frost said of the decision to move home.

“It was a good learning experience at the Crusaders, living away from home and growing as an individual and it was an opportunity to play away from home.

“I learned a lot about structure and about how New Zealanders play rugby. It took me a while to learn, but once I got it, it came easily. It was a very enjoyable time. It certainly suited my style as a player but now I’m excited by the prospects on offer here.”

“Canberra seems similar to Christchurch as a small City and it’s easy to do things here. Off-field it feels like a great fit for me with the style of rugby as well as the culture and environment at the Brumbies.

Head Coach Dan McKellar knows exactly what he is getting in the young forward, a physically imposing specimen and a player whose maturity belies his young age.

“Nick is a big boy and what strikes most is his athletic ability,” McKellar commented. “He has a background in athletics and moves very well for a big man. We will work closely with Nick on his ongoing development through this year with his arrival now in preparation for the 2020 Brumbies season.

“It was common knowledge a couple of years ago that Nick left for overseas from being an Australian Schoolboys lock. I have a lot of respect for someone like that, someone who’s prepared to take themselves out of their comfort zone and improve himself. We now welcome Nick in making the move to Canberra.”

-ENDS-
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
Great recruitment for the Brumbies.

Probably also a good lesson that whilst it's disappointing if a young player goes overseas, some of the hand-wringing that goes on is probably a bit over the top.

RA could have maybe thrown money at him to keep him here out of high school and we'd be in the same position we are now just with less money.
 

Brumby Runner

David Wilson (68)
Will Miller is an odd case. Very good player, but typically of Tahs backrowers the last few seasons, not a physically imposing figure. More of the same of Pete Samu and Jahrome Brown I think.
 
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'Tattsy'TaylorFan1

Ward Prentice (10)
Will Miller is an odd case. Very good player, but typically of Tahs backrowers the last few seasons, not a physically imposing figure. More of the same of Pete Samu and Jahrome Brown I think.

Jahrome Brown would be dealing with offers left, right and centre from New Zealand to come home right now. That's maybe why the Brums are going after Will Miller, foreshadowing Brown being signed to a NZ super team.
 

Adam84

Nick Farr-Jones (63)
Yeah Poey didn’t have right fitness level...I can see that happening

Given his recent injury trend is it really inconceivable that theres something missing in his conditioning?

Being fit and possessing functional fitness can be two vastly different things, or, there could be biomechanical issues which if not identified and trained effectively, will cause recurrent complications.
 

Slim 293

Stirling Mortlock (74)
Just going back to the importance of last week's result..........

The Reds win against the Sunwolves has pushed them up to second in the conference, and the Brumbies are now second last.
 

Brumby Runner

David Wilson (68)
It works though, for the Brumbies. They have a gap at 7 next year and they otherwise have plenty of big backrowers.

Apart from Valetini, who? McCaffrey isn't small, but not really a big backrower either. Otherwise, the likes of Douglas and Enever have been used at 6 but they are both locks, not backrowers.
 
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Adam84

Nick Farr-Jones (63)
There’s probably a shortage of big backrowers across all Australian teams at the moment, that leaves rugby with an abundance of 185cm 95-105kg type players.

I cant help but think It’s generational result of targeted recruitment from the NRL teams. All NRL teams have 6-7 highly athletic 105-120kg big bodied back rower type players in their match day squads. Every Australian Schoolboy RU No.8/No.6 for the past 5 years seems to get signed by NRL teams.
 

mst

Peter Johnson (47)
Will Miller is an odd case. Very good player, but typically of Tahs backrowers the last few seasons, not a physically imposing figure. More of the same of Pete Samu and Jahrome Brown I think.

Personally I think if they haven't signed Brown yet they have missed a great opportunity. But then again after seeing treatment Hawera gets I won't be surprised if he Brown goes elsewhere. Performance still doesn't trump favoritism at the Brumbies.

I can't help wonder why not Alcock, Quirk or even Ben Gunther. All better options. Miller is Ok but he just blends in with what we already have. We do Ok without out Pocock so adding in someone who is the same or less imposing than we have is really a waste IMHO. We could have gambled on a good rookie FWIW.
 

mst

Peter Johnson (47)
There’s probably a shortage of big backrowers across all Australian teams at the moment, that leaves rugby with an abundance of 185cm 95-105kg type players.

I cant help but think It’s generational result of targeted recruitment from the NRL teams. All NRL teams have 6-7 highly athletic 105-120kg big bodied back rower type players in their match day squads. Every Australian Schoolboy RU No.8/No.6 for the past 5 years seems to get signed by NRL teams.

Disagree with the shortage. Aussie rugby like to pick fruit, not grow the trees. We need to learn that as we have such limited opportunities some of our best fruit isn't here in Australia or still on the tree and need help being ripened.

We also like to be lazy and settle on mediocrity (and i suspect a combination of romance and sentimentality in some instances). The Brumbies will re-sign Lilo even though we have never had any real success with him playing at 10. The best results in recent past were with him playing at 12.
 

RebelYell

Arch Winning (36)
Personally I think if they haven't signed Brown yet they have missed a great opportunity. But then again after seeing treatment Hawera gets I won't be surprised if he Brown goes elsewhere. Performance still doesn't trump favoritism at the Brumbies.


What 'treatment' has Hawera received? He's not in your best 23 at present, simple. And if any inside back at the Brums could feel stiff for not getting more game time, surely it would be JJH
 

Adam84

Nick Farr-Jones (63)
Disagree with the shortage. Aussie rugby like to pick fruit, not grow the trees. We need to learn that as we have such limited opportunities some of our best fruit isn't here in Australia or still on the tree and need help being ripened.

We also like to be lazy and settle on mediocrity (and i suspect a combination of romance and sentimentality in some instances). The Brumbies will re-sign Lilo even though we have never had any real success with him playing at 10. The best results in recent past were with him playing at 12.

In this analogy..

There’s 50 people in the orchard picking fruit before Aussie Rugby even turns up, by the time Aussie Rugby arrives at dawn the biggest and tastiest fruit has already been picked, occasionally one or two might get missed.
 
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