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Rebels 2017

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Rebels3

Rebels3

Jim Lenehan (48)
I'd like to see

1. Smith
2. Hanson
3. Weekes
4. Jeffries
5. Cummins
6. Reid
7. McMahon (c)
8. Timani

9. Meehan
10. JD
11. Koribete
12. Hodge
13. English
14. Naivalu
15. Maddocks


That's a big, quick, mobile backline. Biggest issue is kicking options in the back 3, for this reason i think we could see either JD or especially Hodge played at 15 for a portion of the season. Stirzacker is to convince me he is a better player than Meehan.

The forward pack is looking solid, however not overly convinced with our locking combinations, hence i actually believe we are better suited having Timani at lock due to the backrow strength (I want him playing no.8 for the sake of the wallabies tho). The front row depth is shaky, however i am a big fan of Lomax.

Lock, 5/8 and full back are the biggest issues.

The Rebels season will be defined by one prefereably 2 of either Cummins, Jeffries, Toolis or Retalick turning into a lock that is capable of pushing for international selection.
 
GoMelbRebels

GoMelbRebels

Nicholas Shehadie (39)
Rebels3 said:
I'd like to see

1. Smith
2. Hanson
3. Weekes
4. Jeffries
5. Cummins
6. Reid
7. McMahon (c)
8. Timani

9. Meehan
10. JD
11. Koribete
12. Hodge
13. English
14. Naivalu
15. Maddocks


That's a big, quick, mobile backline. Biggest issue is kicking options in the back 3, for this reason i think we could see either JD or especially Hodge played at 15 for a portion of the season. Stirzacker is to convince me he is a better player than Meehan.

The forward pack is looking solid, however not overly convinced with our locking combinations, hence i actually believe we are better suited having Timani at lock due to the backrow strength (I want him playing no.8 for the sake of the wallabies tho). The front row depth is shaky, however i am a big fan of Lomax.

Lock, 5/8 and full back are the biggest issues.

The Rebels season will be defined by one prefereably 2 of either Cummins, Jeffries, Toolis or Retalick turning into a lock that is capable of pushing for international selection.
Click to expand...
What about Bip at 10? Thoughts on that NRC experiment?
 
AFL_Converted

AFL_Converted

Billy Sheehan (19)
Rebels3 said:
I'd like to see

1. Smith
2. Hanson
3. Weekes
4. Jeffries Wii
5. Cummins
6. Reid
7. McMahon (c)
8. Timani

9. Meehan
10. JD
11. Koribete
12. Hodge
13. English
14. Naivalu
15. Maddocks


That's a big, quick, mobile backline. Biggest issue is kicking options in the back 3, for this reason i think we could see either JD or especially Hodge played at 15 for a portion of the season. Stirzacker is to convince me he is a better player than Meehan.

The forward pack is looking solid, however not overly convinced with our locking combinations, hence i actually believe we are better suited having Timani at lock due to the backrow strength (I want him playing no.8 for the sake of the wallabies tho). The front row depth is shaky, however i am a big fan of Lomax.

Lock, 5/8 and full back are the biggest issues.

The Rebels season will be defined by one prefereably 2 of either Cummins, Jeffries, Toolis or Retalick turning into a lock that is capable of pushing for international selection.
Click to expand...
I like the pack there. I was hoping for more from Tools but was impressed by his NRC. Hopefully the soup coaching will bring him up and Highlander is proven right as we really need depth. Don't think Reid is a 6 but hard to leave him out. I am curious why nobody is considering Mafi. Have I missed something? Did we lose him or is he injured?

I cannot agree with English at 13 over Inman. Inman was did not have a great season last year at 12 but his appearances at 13 were excellent IMHO. He ran at gaps, showed a side step (yes, I had forgotten he had it too) and passed the ball. English is more agile and slippery in the tackle but his appearances at 13 at soup level have been a disaster. Let's leave him on the wing or use him as cover off the bench.

Out 15 has to be a long kicker whilst keeping Hodge at 12 so if Maddox's has that then great, but I'd rather we ease him in off the bench
 
swingpass

swingpass

Peter Sullivan (51)
i think the only certain backline starters (injury permitting) will be Stirzaker, Hodge and Naivalu. I'd also partner Hodge with Inman (to start with anyway), one would think Koroibete would be close to a certainty also (never know with TT). as to who plays 10 and 15 anyones guess, i would NOT be surprised to see Meehan and JD respectively. The Rebels have a surfeit of good but not great other outside backs to cover all eventualities. In the early games English could well start on a wing in order to ease Marika K into the game, Volavola will no doubt also get game time off the bench initially.
 
amirite

amirite

Chilla Wilson (44)
swingpass said:
i think the only certain backline starters (injury permitting) will be Stirzaker, Hodge and Naivalu. I'd also partner Hodge with Inman (to start with anyway), one would think Koroibete would be close to a certainty also (never know with TT). as to who plays 10 and 15 anyones guess, i would NOT be surprised to see Meehan and JD respectively. The Rebels have a surfeit of good but not great other outside backs to cover all eventualities. In the early games English could well start on a wing in order to ease Marika K into the game, Volavola will no doubt also get game time off the bench initially.
Click to expand...

On the money he is rumoured to be getting, I'd say Koroibete will start.
 
wamberal

wamberal

Phil Kearns (64)
amirite said:
On the money he is rumoured to be getting, I'd say Koroibete will start.
Click to expand...


I hope it was worth it commercially.


While I am hopeful that he will be a superstar, I cannot help thinking that maybe it might have been better to buy a good young Saffer lock who is happy to earn Australian residency qualifications. Or two.
 
amirite

amirite

Chilla Wilson (44)
wamberal said:
I hope it was worth it commercially.

While I am hopeful that he will be a superstar, I cannot help thinking that maybe it might have been better to buy a good young Saffer lock who is happy to earn Australian residency qualifications. Or two.
Click to expand...

Between Hendrik Roodt and Etienne Oosthuizen, Aussie sides have never gotten value here.

The good, but not Super rugby good, SA locks seem to go to France because they've got decent employment laws for Africans.
 
KevinO

KevinO

John Hipwell (52)
Ok, so here it goes.

1. Smith
2. Hanson
3. Weeks
4. Jefferies
5. Retallick/Toolis/Day (Thought Retallick was playing ok at the end of season so would lead with him)
6. McMahon
7. Jordy
8. Timani

9. Stirzaker (If Capt) Meehan if his not captain, make him earn it this year
10. Volavola/Meehan/McGregor/Maddocks/Garden-Bachop (Big pre-season question)
11. Sefa
12. Hodge
13. Inman (I would rather Shipperly or English personally, we have two big ball carrying wings so no need for a center who does the same)
14. Koroibete
15. JD (Was clearly more comfortable at 15 in the NRC and the coaches need to make the call)

16. Leafa
17. Ah Nau
18. Lomax
19. Retallick/Toolis/Day
20. Fainga'a
21. Meehan/Snowden
22. Volavola/Meehan/McGregor/Maddocks/Garden-Bachop
23. English/Shipperly or if it's 6-2 would go Mafi

Starting front row: Will match anyone in the comp, lose a lot when the bench comes on.

Second row: Jefferies needs to bring his NRC form to this level, second lock is a question. Need to work out the lineout, time to stop blaming the Hookers and actually realize our jumpers are the issue.

Back row: Great competition, Reid edges Colby on last years form and than you still have Mafi, Fox and Leota for depth. Would make McMahon captain and sign him on a further 5 year deal.

Scrum Half: Stirzaker was never right last season, came back from injury under done and had a horrible season. Meehan started the season well, if you look at the games we won, Meehan played the majority of minutes at 9.

Fly Half: Lets hope some one stands up and makes a name for themselves in 2017

Wings: Sorted, happy with all options.

Centers: Little bit of a worry at 13, Inman is a seasoned Super Rugby player and great in defense but offers very little in attack.

FB: I'd give it to JD, his kicking game from FB would be able to relieve pressure as well as give him more space to work with.

Overall: Still not finals contenders, should win 5 at Home and 4 away. Not enough to make finals unless we manage a lot of bonus points.
 
swingpass

swingpass

Peter Sullivan (51)
i would be surprised if Stirzaker isn't captain , I don't think he should be either, but at the training sessions i've seen (albeit no McMahon) he has been the only voice heard geeing players up or criticising, other than the coaches.
 
upthereds#!

upthereds#!

Ken Catchpole (46)
absolutely bananas leaving mafi out. Not the player the rebels needed (needed a lineout 6 like higs and thommo) but you got him, have to use him!
 
amirite

amirite

Chilla Wilson (44)
There's always potential guys like Hodge and McMahon will go home, but McMahon in particular has been here a long while.

As much as losing Hodge would suck, and adding in the fact that we have no reason to believe he is looking to move on, I do think Tuipulotu and Naivalu would be a perfectly good 12/13 combination going forward. I'd also love to see us steal a high ceiling playing like Magnay (on-field discipline aside), because it looks like he's stuck behind others at the Reds.
 
Rebels3

Rebels3

Jim Lenehan (48)
upthereds#! said:
absolutely bananas leaving mafi out. Not the player the rebels needed (needed a lineout 6 like higs and thommo) but you got him, have to use him!
Click to expand...


Yeh i agree. But i have to admit that i have a bit of a man crush on Jordi, therefore i couldn't leave him out of my side and i also wanted Timani at no8 for the sake of the wallabies. Both selfish reasons. haha

It wouldn't surprise me to see

1 Smith
2 Hanson
3 Weekes
4 Jeffries
5 Timani
6 Mafi
7 Reid
8 McMahon

That's just about the most mobile pack in the competition, but is the balance right?

As for Stirzaker being a lock at 9.... I am yet to be overly convinced, Meehan looked far better last year and looked more composed at NRC level. Having a Stirzaker/Meehan 9/10 is also a big no no for me. Its a potential turn style against a team with a dynamic 12 or even if they do make their tackles, the lack of dominance in them would lead to offloads and dangerous second phase play. Not saying either of them are bad tacklers but being a good tackler doesn't make you a good defender, hence my complete distaste of tackle % statistics etc. Winning the contact is just about the most important facet of modern rugby in defense otherwise it will just create quick ball or second phase play and we all know how that went against the kiwi sides last year. I just like the idea of a little bit more size to at least mentally deter opposition teams running at that channel all day.
 
upthereds#!

upthereds#!

Ken Catchpole (46)
I would be surprised if the Reds could fit Mcmahon in financially considering their recent pickups. They will lose H.Tui in 2018 (japanese player season limit) but most likely Smith will play 2017 and 2018 with Gunn as understudy, with Gill coming back in 2019 after his Toulon stint and Smith moving into coaching (which is his plan).

Apart from that there is Higs with Korzyke as 6 backup and Houston with C.Timu as 8 backup, plus now ex Aus SB captain Hewat who is a 6/8 in a dempsey kind of mould it seems.
 
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