Brumbies 2019

[RoffsChoice]

On White returning, anyone who knows me well will know that I am thrilled. Legitimately excited. He's a multi-talented, all-round scrumhalf. His only "weakness" is that his running game is average-to-good. My only concern is that it could get in the way of Lonergan, but, even then, I'll take the Australian Parra in a heartbeat.​

 

[Brumby Runner]

Based on his form overseas in the last few years, he’s easily the second best halfback eligible for Australia....

I'd argue, Slim, that he was the second best before he went overseas.

 

[RugbyReg]

On White returning, anyone who knows me well will know that I am thrilled. Legitimately excited. He's a multi-talented, all-round scrumhalf. His only "weakness" is that his running game is average-to-good. My only concern is that it could get in the way of Lonergan, but, even then, I'll take the Australian Parra in a heartbeat.

so will be a step up from Powell who's running game is average to average.

 

[RoffsChoice]

Being pretty generous there, Reg. Lacklustre to mediocre. Do enough so the coaches don't feel inclined to focus on it but not enough that you're actually good at it.

 

[RoffsChoice]

I'm getting 2014 vibes all over again. We'd be on 29 points and third overall if we hadn't screwed up our close games. Not happy to see the same problems we had under Larkham begining to rear their head again.

 

[Tomikin]

I'm getting 2014 vibes all over again. We'd be on 29 points and third overall if we hadn't screwed up our close games. Not happy to see the same problems we had under Larkham begining to rear their head again.

We just havent clicked yet but we have a good run home so never know. P

 

[RoffsChoice]

I get your point that we have six games to turn it around, but I'm not that big a fan of the "we just need to click into gear" argument for a team that has had similar selection and direction over the last twenty-six games. This is especially true when the problem is the difference between finals last year and top of the conference right now.

 

[Slim 293]

We just havent clicked yet but we have a good run home so never know. P

The Brumbies still have another bye to come, so they really needed that win this morning to keep them in the hunt.........

Relying on other teams to lose has never worked out that well for them.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Slim, two of the games to yet be played are derbies versus the Tahs and Reds. A win in those would counteract the bye, so the success or otherwise is still pretty much in the hands of the Brumbies.

 

[Slim 293]

Slim, two of the games to yet be played are derbies versus the Tahs and Reds. A win in those would counteract the bye, so the success or otherwise is still pretty much in the hands of the Brumbies.

Most definitely, although a win today would've added a nice buffer, especially with the Tahs tough away trip missing a number of key players, and the Rebels having two away games against the top Kiwi teams.

Still, if the Brumbies win all their remaining matches they have a good chance of the finals, but I'm not overly confident.

 

[Tomikin]

Most definitely, although a win today would've added a nice buffer, especially with the Tahs tough away trip missing a number of key players, and the Rebels having two away games against the top Kiwi teams.

Still, if the Brumbies win all their remaining matches they have a good chance of the finals, but I'm not overly confident.

Definitely not confident, we are so hit and miss its not funny, but we are still in with a shot. I hope we take it.

 

[RoffsChoice]

It's nowhere near as bad as it was under Larkham in 2014 and 2015, but we're still in a situation where we dropped 19 competition points through lapses in concentration in 2018, and we're basically halfway to replicating that after dropping 13 points in 2019. I get that mistakes happen, and that they're a big part of the game, but that just makes it more concerning that we haven't managed to deal with this by now.

The point isn't our ability to turn it around. We saw how the Brumbies managed to take 18 points from the last five games last season, but they would have been the second best team in 2018's Super Rugby if they didn't fuck up the way they did. 53 points, second only to the Crusaders, better than the Canes and the Chiefs. Instead of turning it around in the final six weeks and squeezing into 8th with the last game, as amazing a story as that could have been, we may well have had a home QF and SF. Even if we only avoided half of our errors, we would have topped the Australian conference and been the 5th best team in the comp.

Likewise, there's every chance that we can go on to take 30 points from our last six games and finish on 50, but I bet you'd be a heap more comfortable right now if we were on 33 points with the Rebels and Tahs both more than three wins behind us.

 

[Brumby Jack]

Poey out another 3 weeks

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/st...mbies-star-to-miss-three-more-weeks/?cs=14280

 

[RoffsChoice]

So, if Pocock is back in time for the Sunwolves away, that means that the maximum playing time he can achieve this season is 620 minutes, not counting play after the siren or overtime. However, if we don't make the finals, that means he can only achieve 380 minutes, less than five full games. It will also mean that the maximum time he can play in front of the Brumbies home fans is 86 minutes.

Or, in other words, damn that pre-season Wallabies player destroying training camp.

 

[dru]

So, if Pocock is back in time for the Sunwolves away, that means that the maximum playing time he can achieve this season is 620 minutes, not counting play after the siren or overtime. However, if we don't make the finals, that means he can only achieve 380 minutes, less than five full games. It will also mean that the maximum time he can play in front of the Brumbies home fans is 86 minutes.

Or, in other words, damn that pre-season Wallabies player destroying training camp.

Plenty of discussion about the condition of players that present to Cheika. None about how Cheika presents those same players on return.

 

[Latts1992]

George Smith has just been released by Bristol. Time to bring him back for one last hurrah as injury cover?

 

[Rebels3]

Plenty of discussion about the condition of players that present to Cheika. None about how Cheika presents those same players on return.

Injuries are completely different to strength, power and endurance levels. Cheika, just like his Super Rugby counterparts are very good when it comes to player welfare and their injuries.

Also there is compulsory breaks between last game of the season and when preseason can start under the collective bargaining agreement. Any injuries occurred during a preseason are fairly unfortunate and just part of been in a high performance culture, it happens in every sport.

We don’t need to pile on issues that RA actually does very well and ahead of the game in most cases compared to others. There is plenty more to point the finger at.

 

[dru]

Injuries are completely different to strength, power and endurance levels. Cheika, just like his Super Rugby counterparts are very good when it comes to player welfare and their injuries.

Also there is compulsory breaks between last game of the season and when preseason can start under the collective bargaining agreement. Any injuries occurred during a preseason are fairly unfortunate and just part of been in a high performance culture, it happens in every sport.

We don’t need to pile on issues that RA actually does very well and ahead of the game in most cases compared to others. There is plenty more to point the finger at.

Oh for goodness sake. I’m hardly “piling on issues”.

I’m not going to bother checking Cheikas returns but note that Tahs have a prop just returning and it’s not the only ones.

In Europe where the club owns the player they go off big time on these issues. I don’t think it’s an unreasonable comment at all. Fans are entitled to be disgruntled with key players returning injured. It isn’t just Pocock either.

 

[Braveheart81]

Oh for goodness sake. I’m hardly “piling on issues”.

I’m not going to bother checking Cheikas returns but note that Tahs have a prop just returning and it’s not the only ones.

In Europe where the club owns the player they go off big time on these issues. I don’t think it’s an unreasonable comment at all. Fans are entitled to be disgruntled with key players returning injured. It isn’t just Pocock either.

The prop returning? Tom Robertson did his ACL. That was with the Wallabies but it wasn't in pre-season training (it was in Argentina last year from memory).

You've got to wonder why Pocock played the better part of 2 games for the Brumbies if he was so badly injured from the pre-season Wallaby fitness sessions.

Clearly multiple players suffering soft tissue injuries in that pre-season Wallaby fitness camp is an issue and the blame for that has to lie with Cheika.

Players returning to their Super Rugby side and then getting injured again seems like a long bow to suggest that is Cheika's fault as well.

 

[dru]

Players returning to their Super Rugby side and then getting injured again seems like a long bow to suggest that is Cheika's fault as well.

Actually that’s fair enough. Misread the detail here.