Reds 2014

[BPC]

From the Australian earlier today:

"THE Queensland Reds have forked out between $600,000 and $700,000 from their own Super Rugby salary cap to sign code-hopper Karmichael Hunt after the ARU declined to provide him with a top-up.

While there has been no official announcement that the Reds have signed Hunt, it is an open secret that it’s a done deal."

Is signing Karmichael and JOC (James O'Connor) the right strategy to shore up the Reds team for 2015? I'm not convinced.


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[Train Without a Station]

It's right to improve a glaring weakness, our outside backs. Honestly, especially with JOC (James O'Connor) (less so with Hunt) I see it as only a short term stop gap solution and it will only save coaches by seeing improvement, not set us on a championship course. I consider that troubling.

 

[BPC]

To be honest, I would be more worried about JOC (James O'Connor) given his pays disciplinary and attitude problems than Hunt's lack of experience.


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[Train Without a Station]

Good money for Hunt who will be a 15 and will also be able to cover 12, 13 and possibly 10 is good. I see him as more versatile than Harris without the goal kicking. Most importantly he will always be a starter.

JOC (James O'Connor) on the other hand will only be a 14 or 15 replacement in a championship team. Spending big money on that type of player takes up money that could be better directed at other. Playing a second choice winger will have much less of a detrimental affect than almost all other positions.

 

[tranquility]

K is good goal kicker too!

 

[Train Without a Station]

Has he ever kicked for goal in NRL?

 

[wamberal]

Good money for Hunt who will be a 15 and will also be able to cover 12, 13 and possibly 10 is good. I see him as more versatile than Harris without the goal kicking. Most importantly he will always be a starter.

JOC (James O'Connor) on the other hand will only be a 14 or 15 replacement in a championship team. Spending big money on that type of player takes up money that could be better directed at other. Playing a second choice winger will have much less of a detrimental affect than almost all other positions.

The same JOC (James O'Connor) who played 10 for Australia against the Loins?


Whatever his faults and failings, he is a very talented rugby player. As a Reds member, I welcome him with open arms.


He is good enough to start for virtually all our Soup teams, and especially the Reds.

 

[Scoey]

The same JOC (James O'Connor) who played 10 for Australia against the Loins?
Whatever his faults and failings, he is a very talented rugby player. As a Reds member, I welcome him with open arms.
He is good enough to start for virtually all our Soup teams, and especially the Reds.

I'm probably not alone, but for the posters that don't have a little supporter logo or three up in their top corner, I like to try and work out their allegiances. Some are quite open while others keep their cards a little closer to their chest. I gotta say @wamberal I didn't have you pegged as a Reds member type. Thumbs up!

 

[Train Without a Station]

The same Lions tour where Deans was pillared by all for playing a winger/fullback at 10 and the team not functioning well as a result? The guy aint a 10 and that stint certainly proved it.

He failed to perform at 12 with any distinction at the Rebels with his defence being shown as suspect, despite him being a very good tackler - all would agree with that, against players like McCabe and Tom Carter.

He's a great winger/fullback. But Hunt is better under the high ball so will be better suited at 15. Which leaves him as a winger who is back up 15.

What great teams with areas they need to improve in their forwards, have prioritised recruiting wingers over filling their holes in their pack?

Graham is hoping JOC (James O'Connor) will just create tries from nothing on the wing. Sort out the weakness in the pack and the tactics and you'd be scoring tries on that wing.

 

[tranquility]

Has he ever kicked for goal in NRL?

I thought he had. It doesn't say so on his WIKI, but that could be for a myriad of reasons. He always kicked for Churchie, and all the rep sides (QLD Schools etc).

 

[Highlander35]

JOC (James O'Connor) played 2 or 3 good games at 12 for the Rebs, primarily with Cipriani at 10, and Beale at Fullback.

The rest of the time, he stunk. nuff said. More than capable of covering 10/12 for a half, maybe 60 minutes, but to plan for him to be there is to plan for doom.

 

[tranquility]

He has been bought as a winger.

However it is obviously pretty handy that he can play 12 (not 10!), some of his early games at 12 for the Force were incredibly eye-catching.

 

[Tomikin]

Good money for Hunt who will be a 15 and will also be able to cover 12, 13 and possibly 10 is good. I see him as more versatile than Harris without the goal kicking. Most importantly he will always be a starter.

JOC (James O'Connor) on the other hand will only be a 14 or 15 replacement in a championship team. Spending big money on that type of player takes up money that could be better directed at other. Playing a second choice winger will have much less of a detrimental affect than almost all other positions.

I don't get that JOC (James O'Connor) was an outstanding 12 outside of Gits for the Force, he is talented enough to play there and probably a better bet then say Beale was..

 

[Braveheart81]

Que?

Beale has played all season at 12 and excelled.

JOC (James O'Connor) got steamrolled by Tom Carter at 12.

 

[Train Without a Station]

Let's be honest BH. He has excelled in attack.

He has been hidden in defence.

I'd like to honestly go back to JOC (James O'Connor)'s games at 12 for the Force to really judge just how good he was. Is it overrated because it was so long ago and he did some flash things in attack interrupted by a lot of unstructured play and defensive reads that ultimately hurt the team?

Considering the Force have always been strong in the forwards and struggled in the backs, with Giteau at 10, JOC (James O'Connor) at 12 and Mitchell on one wing, surely they should have been adequately staffed to perform well enough in the backs.

 

[Tomikin]

Que?

Beale has played all season at 12 and excelled.

JOC (James O'Connor) got steamrolled by Tom Carter at 12.

I meant before this season started, and Beale played 12 and with success.. He would have been seen as the better bet at 12.

We have got to remember that Beale's playing in the Tah's team that finished first and JOC (James O'Connor) was playing in the Rebels that finished towards the Bottom.

If he had gone to the Tahs instead of Beale and played 12, Im sure he would have been just as successful.

But being skilful and talented, doesn't stop you being a twat. No dig at Beale his been great at 12, I Just think people are forgetting how good JOC (James O'Connor) is.

 

[Braveheart81]

Let's be honest BH. He has excelled in attack.

He has been hidden in defence.

Yes, but part of that has been getting him at the back with Folau for counterattack.

I think the fact that teams have been unable to find him out in defence can't really be held against him too much. Everyone knows it's a weakness but so far the Waratahs have only really had the upside of his play.

 

[TOCC]

Yes, but part of that has been getting him at the back with Folau for counterattack.

I think the fact that teams have been unable to find him out in defence can't really be held against him too much. Everyone knows it's a weakness but so far the Waratahs have only really had the upside of his play.

That's the same argument Reds fans used to use for Quade, we all secretly knew he was been hidden in defence

 

[Train Without a Station]

It wasn't always the case though. When we had a more dour fullback they did. If Moz played there, Quade defended in the line.

 

[TheKing]

Yeah mate, he is - plays there for Saracens and USA. His dimensions are almost identical to Horwill and is very athletic for his size (6'7" 255-260lb).

He's got a funny story already, funnier if he's actually coming to Ballymore.

Learned his basketball in Sydney, played basketball in college in the United States, learns his rugby in the USA and then goes to play professionally in the UK after being scouted by Eddie Jones.former Australian head coach.

I'd say the funniest part of his story was that he took some snaps for the NY Jets in the NFL as a tight end! Quite similarly, Daniel Adongo (SA Kings, counties manukau) is also on an NFL roster at the moment, but will struggle to crack a 55 man squad.

NFL players are arguably the best athletes on the planet, and many would be rugby stars. Why not try to poach back some of rugbys talent that has fallen off the map? Imagine the marketing value in that, the investment would pay for itself!

Is Hayden smith with a team at the moment @USA_Rugger?


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