Waratahs 2021

[wamberal]

I like Ed Craig too but I think you're overstating his ability.

From what I saw he was the form hooker in Shute Shield last season, and was a major factor in us getting to the final. Yes, he is a bit old school, does a helluva lot in the tight and is bloody good at the set pieces. That series of attacking scrums in which we destroyed the Gordon pack repeatedly proved something, and frankly could (perhaps should) have won us the game.

 

[Derpus]

From what I saw he was the form hooker in Shute Shield last season, and was a major factor in us getting to the final. Yes, he is a bit old school, does a helluva lot in the tight and is bloody good at the set pieces. That series of attacking scrums in which we destroyed the Gordon pack repeatedly proved something, and frankly could (perhaps should) have won us the game.

That was the most Australian sequence of play I've possibly ever seen. Couldn't believe they came away with no points.

 

[The Grey Man]

You realise that every team plays their hooker out wide in attack. This has been common across world rugby for a fair amount of time now.

Horton had an excellent season last year.

Joe Cotton is 21 and played Australian under 20s and I think is highly promising.

Porecki is a veteran who looks like a reasonable option this season.

I like Ed Craig too but I think you're overstating his ability.

I do understand the way Hookers are used (and have been used across world rugby) but I stand by my former comments.

Plenty of ordinary players have represented Wallabies, Wallabies Under 20's and Aust Schools. The mere fact that Joe Cotton was in the Under 20's just indicates that a bunch of selectors at a particular time though he was deserving of a slot in the team in comparison to the rest of the group of eligible candidates at that time.

Souths don't get too many TV games, but what I have seen of him for Tahs and Souths suggests he is more in the Mac Mason, Andrew Deegan category than the Daniel Carter category.

FYI, Ed Craig was also an Under 20's player. Same year as Jordy Uselese.

Moot point for this thread anyway. Ed is on the bench for the Rebels this Friday to start against his 2020 Super Club: Reds.


Glad you all think there is no problem with the three current contracted Tah's hookers.

Nice post Mr Craig.

Though we were not supposed to attack the poster.

I have already disclosed in previous posts that I am Ed Craig's No 1 Fan, as are most of the Woodies faithful. Is there anything wrong with that. I am upfront and transparent about that.

It is interesting that people automatically claim some sort of family relationship when someone posts about a player competing for a position that their family member, friend or close relative also plays in.

I am not related to Ed. Just want to see someone from other than the usual glamour clubs and schools get ahead.


Rant over.

Long suffering Tahs supporter. Even longer, but with less suffering, Woodies supporter.

 

[Braveheart81]

I'd have no issue if Ed Craig had been given a Waratahs contract. I don't think he'd be our first choice and I'm not 100% sure he'd be our second choice. It would depend who he was contracted instead of.

He hasn't been the first choice at either the Reds nor Rebels.

Maybe the Tahs rationale is that they think Porecki is a better player as their backup now and think both Horton and Cotton have higher ceilings. I think that is a reasonable position to take.

Maybe Craig will top them all. There's nothing to say he will at this stage though.

 

[fatprop]

Though we were not supposed to attack the poster.

Welcome, we don't encourage attacks on posters, but we usually let through an attempt at humour

 

[Rugby Mum 2]

Welcome, we don't encourage attacks on posters, but we usually let through an attempt at humour

I thought it was pretty funny.

 

[Rugby Mum 2]

Glad you all think there is no problem with the three current contracted Tah's hookers.

There are 4. You forgot Robbie Abel.

 

[I like to watch]

Who?

 

[Blackadder]

So far the blame for Tahs season must be shared.

Firstly Penney:

Recruitment and retention: Penney made the decisions on who to keep and who to let go and recruit so that is mostly on him. The Tahs have lost a hell of experience and Penney did not recruit at least some sort of similar experience to help teach the kids coming through. They don't have to be rock stars or wallabies but a few guys that have been there and are decent. Not players that were never good in the first place.

Game plan: At the beginning of last year with experienced player the Tahs were getting beaten so Penney's game plan wasn't working and it showed. He inherited a mess but the team was struggling to click. This year he went for kids and they look worse. Pointless poor kicking, hot potato football.

Coaching team: He signed Whittaker again despite the bloke having zero clue how to coach attack. The bloke has had no clue since day one. Sucked under Gibson, sucked under Penney and Penney said let's keep him. The team has no clue in attack. That is on Penney for keeping Whittaker.

Team morale: The team looks lost on the field. Many players look disinterested and with all the comments on culture this must fall on the coaching staff.

Management:

Vision: The Tahs management are the same ones who kept signing and re-signing Gibson despite he lack of ability, lack of decent recruiting, lack of a game plan etc etc. They also allowed him to ignore the youngsters coming through as he had no clue had to coach them.

Money: Where has he money gone? The Tahs had to be under a million dollars under the cap but they are even further under the cap. I understand that the Tahs don't have a field but don't bloody play in areas that are not going to have fans turn up AND then go back.

I don't know what the hell is going on at the Tahs but heads need to role across the board.

 

[Cancelled Account]

Spot on.

 

[wamberal]

So far the blame for Tahs season must be shared.

Firstly Penney:

Recruitment and retention: Penney made the decisions on who to keep and who to let go and recruit so that is mostly on him. The Tahs have lost a hell of experience and Penney did not recruit at least some sort of similar experience to help teach the kids coming through. They don't have to be rock stars or wallabies but a few guys that have been there and are decent. Not players that were never good in the first place.
.

At the very least I think we might have expected a helluva lot more than we are getting from the two starting locks.

 

[wamberal]

Who?

Imagine being the fourth best hooker for this rabble.

 

[sendit]

This is all down to the Tahs not having signed Ed Craig

 

[hifflepiff]

I do feel for the Tahs players. Being at the game last night I thought there were a lot of players that had good involvements and if they were in another team would have looked good. But collectively they looked awful.

 

[wamberal]

This is all down to the Tahs not having signed Ed Craig

A quick check of the squad shows us that Gordon and Eastwood (the two finalists, in case you have forgotten) between them provide 6 out of the 36 players.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

 

[Boof1050]

So far the blame for Tahs season must be shared.

Firstly Penney:

Recruitment and retention: Penney made the decisions on who to keep and who to let go and recruit so that is mostly on him. The Tahs have lost a hell of experience and Penney did not recruit at least some sort of similar experience to help teach the kids coming through. They don't have to be rock stars or wallabies but a few guys that have been there and are decent. Not players that were never good in the first place.

Game plan: At the beginning of last year with experienced player the Tahs were getting beaten so Penney's game plan wasn't working and it showed. He inherited a mess but the team was struggling to click. This year he went for kids and they look worse. Pointless poor kicking, hot potato football.

Coaching team: He signed Whittaker again despite the bloke having zero clue how to coach attack. The bloke has had no clue since day one. Sucked under Gibson, sucked under Penney and Penney said let's keep him. The team has no clue in attack. That is on Penney for keeping Whittaker.

Team morale: The team looks lost on the field. Many players look disinterested and with all the comments on culture this must fall on the coaching staff.

Management:

Vision: The Tahs management are the same ones who kept signing and re-signing Gibson despite he lack of ability, lack of decent recruiting, lack of a game plan etc etc. They also allowed him to ignore the youngsters coming through as he had no clue had to coach them.

Money: Where has he money gone? The Tahs had to be under a million dollars under the cap but they are even further under the cap. I understand that the Tahs don't have a field but don't bloody play in areas that are not going to have fans turn up AND then go back.

I don't know what the hell is going on at the Tahs but heads need to role across the board.

The other one you haven't mentioned is the untouchable Rodger the Dodger! Hes pretty overseen the whole shit show! When is someone gonna give him the punt?

 

[Jimmyjam]

So far the blame for Tahs season must be shared.

Firstly Penney:

Recruitment and retention: Penney made the decisions on who to keep and who to let go and recruit so that is mostly on him. The Tahs have lost a hell of experience and Penney did not recruit at least some sort of similar experience to help teach the kids coming through. They don't have to be rock stars or wallabies but a few guys that have been there and are decent. Not players that were never good in the first place.

Game plan: At the beginning of last year with experienced player the Tahs were getting beaten so Penney's game plan wasn't working and it showed. He inherited a mess but the team was struggling to click. This year he went for kids and they look worse. Pointless poor kicking, hot potato football.

Coaching team: He signed Whittaker again despite the bloke having zero clue how to coach attack. The bloke has had no clue since day one. Sucked under Gibson, sucked under Penney and Penney said let's keep him. The team has no clue in attack. That is on Penney for keeping Whittaker.

Team morale: The team looks lost on the field. Many players look disinterested and with all the comments on culture this must fall on the coaching staff.

Management:

Vision: The Tahs management are the same ones who kept signing and re-signing Gibson despite he lack of ability, lack of decent recruiting, lack of a game plan etc etc. They also allowed him to ignore the youngsters coming through as he had no clue had to coach them.

Money: Where has he money gone? The Tahs had to be under a million dollars under the cap but they are even further under the cap. I understand that the Tahs don't have a field but don't bloody play in areas that are not going to have fans turn up AND then go back.

I don't know what the hell is going on at the Tahs but heads need to role across the board.

I'm certainly no Penney fan, but this disaster pre-dates him and has been a couple of years in the making... Gibson and Hore take a bow...

 

[sendit]

A quick check of the squad shows us that Gordon and Eastwood (the two finalists, in case you have forgotten) between them provide 6 out of the 36 players.

Wow yea, when you put it like that, that’s way too many Eastwood/Gordon players. They should halve that number at the very least

 

[Blackadder]

I'm certainly no Penney fan, but this disaster pre-dates him and has been a couple of years in the making. Gibson and Hore take a bow.

I was always speaking of the problems of those two but kept getting shouted down.