Ewen McKenzie Resignation

[Westie]

If that's the case, why didn't Link pull the trigger and take the captaincy from him. He did have the power as coach.

Seems like a lot of people here believe that Michael Hooper sucks eggs based on what KB (Kurtley Beale) and others are telling him. I personally think that for a young bloke thrust into the role (not sure he was reedy for it either) he has grown into the role and thought he did an amazing job last night.

That is the question and is at the heart of the problems with oz rugby.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

So you'll just blindly support whatever. Fuck that.

The point is more subtle.

 

[Dave Beat]

So a leader of a team (link) drives an upset / emotional employee (Patson) to the airport - she possibly needed some comforting (no crap responses please) given what had transpired.

I've seen Link presentations before - he gets great pride and success on getting into and understanding player engagement. There is nothing wrong with that and it has proven to be very successful - I'm on Links side here, he will be a great loss.

PS still think Hooper will go on and be one of best ever - and then I read Allan Jones

 

[Quick Hands]

Why the angst with RUPA QH?

One of the issues which has led to this mess is an overprivileged playing group. The RUPA are in it to do the best for their members i.e. a small group of full-time professional players. Over the years they have jealously guarded over-generous pay and conditions. They should have no role in setting the terms of an enquiry or setting the standards of discipline of the Wallabies. They certainly have a role to play in negotiating pay and representing their members in times of trouble. IMO they've been allowed far too much input by weak administrators for too long.

 

[Westie]

The point is more subtle.

Time for subtlety ended Saturday night.

 

[Quick Hands]

And hopefully soon Beale, but I doubt the tahs will allow it.

WARNING....WARNING...

WARATAHS CONSPIRACY ALERT.

 

[Westie]

This is where GAGR shows their true colours.

We don't abandon the Wallabies, we are the true supporters, we stick with them through the trials and turmoils they experience.

They are our team, like our child. They might fuck up, but we will always love them.

If we, the die hard fans stop supporting them, then who will?

We cannot hope for progress by throwing in the towel, Australian rugby needs us.

Progress doesn't follow blind faith

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Progress doesn't follow blind faith

There's not a lot of blind faith being shown around here.

 

[lemoen]

Everyone keeps posting Mike Hooper is still learning, that he will be a great leader one day. It is always one day, dont we need one today?
I always thought that the captain should be a guaranteed started, but now I don't really mind that much. We've always heard how John Smith was a great Bok leader, keeping Bismarck to the bench, even when they had guys like Vic Matfield on the pitch.
This year, was Horwil really that bad compared to all the other lock options?

 

[No4918]

So apparently an NRL player was arrested and several involved in a fight on the weekend. No one gives a shit. No manages or coaches have resigned.

What is wrong with the ARU that we have ended up in such a mess? (don't answer, several threads full of problems with the ARU). I'm just starting to lose the outrage and disappointment that I felt on Saturday. I will not claim to stop supporting the team but am fed up with all levels of the system.

 

[Quick Hands]

There's not a lot of blind faith being shown around here.

But there's a fair bit of wilful blindness.

 

[Dctarget]

Progress doesn't follow blind faith

Nor does it follow complete abandonment. My message (it might have been a bit convoluted) was that surely Australian rugby has been through enough shit without having to deal with its inner faithful leaving. It needs our support.

 

[Bullrush]

I agree with Robinson when she says that the players have every right to defend their team-mate, but as an organisation it's not a good look to have inconsistent messaging like that.

No, no, no, no no.

Well, yes. They do have a right to defend their mate if they want BUT by doing so they put the Wallaby jersey second. To me, what Beale did wasn't just disrespectful and insulting to Patston but also to the institute of the Wallaby jersey, culture, history and traditions. As a current Wallaby, to think that sending those texts/messages were OK or funny says something about what it means to Beale to be a Wallaby. For anyone to come out and publicly support him, they are doing no less to the Wallaby jersey than what he did and that's to walk all over it.

I'm fine with players privately supporting him and saying,

'Mate, what you did was pretty fucked up and not OK at all. Whatever happens to you from here on in, you need to cop on the chin and learn from it and hopefully you'll be back. Whatever you need from me to help you do that, mate - I'm here. But I'm not publicly going to defend you. That would be disrespecting this yellow/gold (can't remember what you guys like to call it ) jersey that I've looked up to and fought for and sacrificed so much for and love. It's also possibly putting my future in it in jeopardy and that is unacceptable as my family relies on me doing this job, being in this jersey, to make the best living I can for them. So mate, I love you and I'm here for you but you need to face this and accept responsibility for what you've done to this lady, to this team, to our game and to yourself.'

That's what I'd personally be pretty sweet with and what I'd expect from mates.

IMO, there is just no way Wallaby players - let alone the Cap and VC - can publicly support what he did and make statements hoping that he is kept around.

 

[Dave Beat]

Everyone keeps posting Mike Hooper is still learning, that he will be a great leader one day. It is always one day, dont we need one today?
I always thought that the captain should be a guaranteed started, but now I don't really mind that much. We've always heard how John Smith was a great Bok leader, keeping Bismarck to the bench, even when they had guys like Vic Matfield on the pitch.
This year, was Horwil really that bad compared to all the other lock options?

Hooper would still be my first pick as C, and I think one day he will be one of our best ever. That game on Saturday was great to watch, passion, and skill. You need to train and practice a game plan like that, anyone who knows rugby should know a playing group can't walk out and play like that.

McCaw was also simply awesome, that was the best game I've seen him ever play - his contribution was equivelant to 3 players.

My thread ARU (Australian Rugby Union) or Aussie Rugby the boys showed the difference on Saturday night.

 

[Phil]

Hooper would still be my first pick as C, and I think one day he will be one of our best ever. That game on Saturday was great to watch, passion, and skill. You need to train and practice a game plan like that, anyone who knows rugby should know a playing group can't walk out and play like that.

McCaw was also simply awesome, that was the best game I've seen him ever play - his contribution was equivelant to 3 players.

My thread ARU (Australian Rugby Union) or Aussie Rugby the boys showed the difference on Saturday night.

Dave,agree with you 100% about Hooper,the way they played on Saturday and McCaw.I think McCaw was the difference between the 2 teams and we would have won convincingly if he had not been there.Unfortunately,he was!

 

[Train Without a Station]

Hooper has shown lately he has a long way to go as a captain.

But nobody who has bagged him has proposed any better option from the starting team. Replacing him would rely on Horwill being a certain starter.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Hooper the player is a superstar and consistently one of our best. Hooper the captain has a bit to learn IMHO. The problem is who else to pick. There are very few candidates. My hope is that Squeak gets his body right and can take back the captaincy, because I think his gravitas and calmness are needed in the playing group.

 

[Bairdy]

One last thing to post on this thread - Thank you Link for all the hard work you put into the Wallabies over the past 16 months (and Australian rugby beyond that). Unlike others I thought that the Wallabies had bridged the gap with our leading competitors (draw and 1 point loss to the ABs - Wellington I thought was an aberration; win and hard fought loss to the Springboks) over the past 12 months and almost achieving a grand slam at the end of last year (only defeated by some piss poor officiating - 'not enough obstruction' wtf). Good luck in your future endeavours, except if you happen to be coaching against a team I support!

Agreed. Huge loss to Australian rugby.

Gave his blood, sweat and tears in the green and gold.

Coached abroad, did his time at three Australian provinces, and was a Wallabies assistant. Was offered the job in 2007 but turned it down in because he thought himself not ready and qualified then.

His service to rugby as a player and coach is something to be admired, and he will be sorely missed

But he is just another coach we cannot afford to lose but have let slip through our fingers, especially if the reports about the Argentina talks are true.

While we had struggled to consistently beat NZ and South Africa, the signs from last weekend's game were pointing towards an upward trajectory. But we will never know what this team could have been with McKenzie.

He deserved better than to be half-heartedly applauded out of a press conference, and made to walk down that corridor alone in disgrace. A poignant symbol if ever there was one.

 

[Dave Beat]

Agreed. Huge loss to Australian rugby.

Gave his blood, sweat and tears in the green and gold.

Coached abroad, did his time at three Australian provinces, and was a Wallabies assistant. Was offered the job in 2007 but turned it down in because he thought himself not ready and qualified then.

His service to rugby as a player and coach is something to be admired, and he will be sorely missed

But he is just another coach we cannot afford to lose but have let slip through our fingers, especially if the reports about the Argentina talks are true.

While we had struggled to consistently beat NZ and South Africa, the signs from last weekend's game were pointing towards an upward trajectory. But we will never know what this team could have been with McKenzie.

He deserved better than to be half-heartedly applauded out of a press conference, and made to walk down that corridor alone in disgrace. A poignant symbol if ever there was one.

Bloody true, well said.

 

[Dave Beat]

One last thing to post on this thread - Thank you Link for all the hard work you put into the Wallabies over the past 16 months (and Australian rugby beyond that). Unlike others I thought that the Wallabies had bridged the gap with our leading competitors (draw and 1 point loss to the ABs - Wellington I thought was an aberration; win and hard fought loss to the Springboks) over the past 12 months and almost achieving a grand slam at the end of last year (only defeated by some piss poor officiating - 'not enough obstruction' wtf). Good luck in your future endeavours, except if you happen to be coaching against a team I support!

Again well said - these last two posts are what Aussie Rugby is about.
Lets get behind the good and support it.
Taking an axe to our game and chipping away with sledging comments, without good contributions isn't required at the moment.