Blues v Tahs, round 11 2014

[Pfitzy]

if it was up to me I'd pick Josh Holmes ahead of Phipps, McKibbin and Lucas. I accept that it will not happen in the short term,

And my reasoning was there as well. Holmes is a good halfback in the style of the kiwi halfbacks. Not a little ball passing unit but am extra flanker who can beak the line e.g. Burgess. Very similar players IMHO.

But there is a reason that neither Holmes brother is near a contract at the moment: they aren't doing their core jobs well enough and have not done so for a long time. Josh was playing 12 at the Rats because they had better options at 9!

Don't you have a chiko roll to eat ?

Is that considered funny in Brisbane?

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Hart AB coach 1996-99, SGH coached the Blues 1996-98 (& technical advisor or something in '03), Wales 1998-2002. I do recall plenty of people wanting GH to replace JH after the disaster that was the AB season of '98 but also that he'd already committed to Wales.

I thought SGH applied for the job when Hart got it

 

[#1 Tah]

Now that Benji has decided he has had enough of the big boys game, we can all let out a resounding "meh", and look forward to what should be a great game this weekend. Will the Blues be distracted? Will we see tries from the Tahs? Should be a cracker, can't wait!

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Now that Benji has decided he has had enough of the big boys game, we can all let out a resounding "meh", and look forward to what should be a great game this weekend. Will the Blues be distracted? Will we see tries from the Tahs? Should be a cracker, can't wait!

Important game in many ways.
NSW have won there once in 85 years, i think.
Its a pity the Bledisloe @ Eden Park is the 2nd game but if the Tahs can win at Eden park it would go a long way to underpinning the belief necessary for the Wobblies to break that hoodoo as well - almost irrespective of how many Tahs are in the Wobs.
The Blues arguably have a lot of NZers riding this game - even the ones who don't like them.

 

[Lindommer]

tranquility, me old mucker, come here. No, closer than that. Contribute to this website or fuck off.

 

[Pfitzy]

Will the Blues be distracted?

I think it might have the opposite effect, which worries me

 

[Quick Hands]

Blues haven't had a great season, but you can't put that down to Benji. He's had little to no effect positive or negative that I can see.

The most confident I've been about a visit to Eden Park for a while - still a danger game and no way an easy win for the Waratahs.

 

[Ash]

Heard a report that said that Benji may be left out of the Blues side altogether.

 

[cyclopath]

tranquility, me old mucker, come here. No, closer than that. Contribute to this website or fuck off.

This is not the way to go about things.
If you think someone is trolling - report it (and I am not sure the original post was trolling).
I am only leaving it to make this point.
If anyone tries to escalate this, they will be given a rest - I am sick of the recent spate of cheap trolling / abuse / counter-abuse in match threads. And there have been plenty of offenders.

 

[I like to watch]

And my reasoning was there as well. Holmes is a good halfback in the style of the kiwi halfbacks. Not a little ball passing unit but am extra flanker who can beak the line e.g. Burgess. Very similar players IMHO.

But there is a reason that neither Holmes brother is near a contract at the moment: they aren't doing their core jobs well enough and have not done so for a long time. Josh was playing 12 at the Rats because they had better options at 9!

Josh played 12 for 1/2 a game in 2012 when he came back from Super footy,in attempt to accommodate both him and Brett Sheehan,who was also a Super XV player at the time.

 

[Braveheart81]

Sifting through the Bulls thread and the Waratahs 2014 thread, I think the criticism of Phipps and Dennis is a bit over the top.

I thought Phipps was pretty strong against the Bulls and his passing is fine. McKibbin did well when he came on too but Phipps is playing pretty well and made some crucial plays. I still think Lucas is a way behind them and unlikely to get much game time this season.

As Hawko mentioned, Dennis is crucial to our lineout which isn't particularly good to begin with. Whilst Skelton doesn't deserve to be benched, I'd imagine Potgieter will go back to lock, Dennis to 6 and Palu to 8. Dennis made a few strong plays including forcing a turnover against the Bulls and isn't playing badly in my opinion. Statistically he had a solid game. He's a fairly unpopular player and I think that is the only real reason people think Hoiles should be ahead of him. Personally, I'm not seeing anything particularly special when Hoiles comes on. Dennis is certainly more dynamic running the ball and looking for offloads.

I agree that Horne should move back to 12 and that will probably be forced this week with Beale hurting his ankle. Does anyone have any news on how serious it was? Whilst Beale is responsible for most of our attacking play now, the Foley/Beale combination at 10 and 12 has completely stifled Foley's game.

This is another very important game for the Tahs. A win could really solidify our spot in the top 4 whereas a loss will bring us right back towards the logjam down to 9th spot.

 

[BPC]

Whilst Beale is responsible for most of our attacking play now, the Foley/Beale combination at 10 and 12 has completely stifled Foley's game.

I am not a fan of the current Quade-style tactic of having Beale play wing on defence with Horne moving inside. I think Cheika has to make a decision to play Beale or Foley at 10 and Horne at 12. While Beale has more natural talent I would stick with Foley as he usually runs straighter and threatens the line. Beale crabs sideways looking for the gap too often. When it works, he puts Folau into a gap but too often he simply squashes the attack into the sideline.


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[fatprop]

I would be happier with Beale being the "Quade" option if he was any attacking threat from the back on counter

 

[Braveheart81]

I am not a fan of the current Quade-style tactic of having Beale play wing on defence with Horne moving inside. I think Cheika has to make a decision to play Beale or Foley at 10 and Horne at 12. While Beale has more natural talent I would stick with Foley as he usually runs straighter and threatens the line. Beale crabs sideways looking for the gap too often. When it works, he puts Folau into a gap but too often he simply squashes the attack into the sideline.


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Too often in the Bulls game, the Tahs went wide before they had created any space going forward.

The long cut out pass to the winger looks good on paper because when it is thrown, the player is unmarked, but that is how the defence is structured. They have time to fan out and give up a few metres to cover the winger provided they haven't been committed to another attacker earlier in the play.

There was a moment in the second half where the Tahs did make some metres up the middle and then suddenly Foley has the ball in hand with lots of space and defenders backpedalling. That is what we need to do before we get the ball wide. The gaps are well and truly there to exploit at that point.

There needs to be more inside balls to the opposite winger chasing in behind the fly half and more punching the ball up in the midfield looking for space.

When a slight opportunity presents itself, the Tahs are good at taking advantage of it to make a break. We're not good at continuing that break and converting it into points at this stage though.

They just need to be a little more patient. It only takes one decent run or a mismatch for someone like Potgieter or Skelton to bust a tackle and get an offload away for the Tahs to suddenly be making territory and be on the front foot. Those are the times when the ball needs to go wide and the execution needs to be better.

 

[Quick Hands]

Dennis is crucial to our lineout which isn't particularly good to begin with.

I'm not disagreeing with you Braveheart, but this doesn't strike me as a recipe for winning the competition.

EDIT: And I don't think that Dennis is a bad player, it's just who do you pick him in front of:

Palu at 8

Hooper at 7

Potgeiter at 6

Douglas 4/5

Skelton 4/5

 

[Braveheart81]

Certainly on form, you would keep Skelton in the starting side. He has been immense.

Douglas has played a huge amount of minutes so far this season so perhaps this week could be an opportunity to start Skelton and Potgieter at lock, Dennis at 6, Palu at 8 and have Douglas on the bench to come on for Skelton.

I agree with the conversation that out of Douglas, Skelton, Potgieter, Dennis and Palu to cover 4,5,6,8, Dennis is currently the weak link there (but only ever so slightly).

I disagree that Hoiles should be in that same conversation though. Dennis is currently well ahead of him.

 

[Pfitzy]

I could not believe Beale grubbered through for Robinson in the 22 when The Cat could have run in under there posts from there with a decent pass

 

[Pfitzy]

I mean, he deserves benching for that alone! Denying a front rower a try... Fucking backs!

 

[Lee Grant]

As Hawko mentioned, Dennis is crucial to our lineout which isn't particularly good to begin with.

I have mentioned a few times that Douglas should take over the lineout management in sections of of matches as part of Waratahs' succession planning. I haven't noticed it so far; but such planning is a part of any successful organisation and it should be attended to.

And talking of Douglas: I am disturbed about the workload he is getting.

Apart from that I am not fussed about who starts in the second row. I think that rotation is one that works.
.

 

[qwerty51]

Yes Douglas surely needs a rest, so does Hooper and TPN but their too important in games like these. Perhaps the Lions game they can get a rest.