Reds 2018

[RugbyReg]

Some good talent in the pack but getting the balance right will be key.

You'd think the tight 5 is pretty set?

1 Slipper
2 Ready
3 Tupou
4 Rodda
5 Tui

Now Mafi (as a QLD C lad) and BPA could all be considered good shouts for 2, but I'm hoping Ready finds his form of a couple of years ago.

So we have some balance there with Slipper's work rate ying to the Tupou running game yang.

Similarly Rodda plays tighter and Tui is the impact runner.

So whoever plays hooker needs to do plenty of tight work I reckon.

Given that, we need to pick our back row carefully. I think Timu should be there and Smith (assuming he is fit) and Higgers you'd think would be frontrunners. But is that a well balanced backrow? Is it too loose?

Timu has a great running game, but actually does a fair bit of work too, which works in his favour. I think Higgers is most under pressure but it'd really take a great off-season by the likes of Korzcyk or event Scott-Young. Hopefully Adam in particular can bulk up a bit and get bring some physical presence to his game, ala Matt Cockbain.

 

[Happy to Chat]

Some good talent in the pack but getting the balance right will be key.

You'd think the tight 5 is pretty set?

1 Slipper
2 Ready
3 Tupou
4 Rodda
5 Tui

Now Mafi (as a QLD C lad) and BPA could all be considered good shouts for 2, but I'm hoping Ready finds his form of a couple of years ago.

So we have some balance there with Slipper's work rate ying to the Tupou running game yang.

Similarly Rodda plays tighter and Tui is the impact runner.

So whoever plays hooker needs to do plenty of tight work I reckon.

Given that, we need to pick our back row carefully. I think Timu should be there and Smith (assuming he is fit) and Higgers you'd think would be frontrunners. But is that a well balanced backrow? Is it too loose?

Timu has a great running game, but actually does a fair bit of work too, which works in his favour. I think Higgers is most under pressure but it'd really take a great off-season by the likes of Korzcyk or event Scott-Young. Hopefully Adam in particular can bulk up a bit and get bring some physical presence to his game, ala Matt Cockbain.

George Smith is out for the Super Rugby season, has had an operation I heard.


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[Scrubber2050]

^^^^^^^
Enter young Wright ?

This lad looks good

 

[TOCC]

Losing Smith is tragic, promoting Wright has some real benefits. additionally Gunn returned to form in 2017 and was one of the best in a bad bunch for Brisbane City.

I agree the tight 5 is probably straight forward, besides hooker.

Best back row for me Rd 1 would have to be:

6. Higgers
7. Gunn
8. Timu

Bring Wright and Korczyk off the bench... Depth in the back row is looking light on with the loss of Tui, Houston and G.Smith


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[Ruggo]

Time for a young fella to step up and make it his own. Feel sorry for George but there is a silver lining. I think we have a better idea now of Thorn's vision now we have the squad and support staff locked down. The SAS fella is a great signing. If we can play with the fitness and poise to close out a full 80, we will go well. We all know the talent is there but we need the attitude to match it. Without any hyperbole, I think things are looking up for the Reds.

 

[Ruggo]

Higgers will play tighter me thinks more like he did in his stint at the Rebels. This current Reds side has size out wide whereas previous years didn't. That is why Higgers played the way he did those years. Thor will also play tight and the times you see him out wide will only be off the lineout. Semi-wide around the fringes is an area the Reds have the cattle to do some real damage. Higgers, Timu and Tui depending on what we commit to the breakdown all have attribute that see them as dangerous runners around that fringe. It all hinges around Cooper's ability to manipulate the opposition to suit. Done well we will be threatening right across the park.

 

[TOCC]

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Thorn stick with Tuttle-Stewart in the halves, depends how that relationship goes. It would solve some defensive deficiencies, Stewart is a pretty solid defender and his game seems to complement Paia’aua more then Quades does.


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[dillyboy]

^ really??

Stewart has impressed but I can't see Quade being benched unless he has some colossal blunders in the first yew rounds (or gets injured/suspended)

 

[Ruggo]

Quade will get the gig but he will be expected to rectify his defense

 

[TOCC]

^ really??

Stewart has impressed but I can't see Quade being benched unless he has some colossal blunders in the first yew rounds (or gets injured/suspended)

Yes I expect Quade to start.... but like I said I wouldn’t be surprised if Stewart does in his place, it will depend on how Thorn and Quade get on.

 

[dru]

it will depend on how Thorn and Quade get on.

This seems to be repeating a bit. Why presume there may be a problem? Quade has demonstrated an "all for the team" attitude from what I saw of things since he has been back. Why would Thorn have a problem with it? If the suggestion is that Thorn may wish to push the names around for some kind of point, I suspect he is not the right bloke for the job and we have other issues.

 

[Scrubber2050]

Another one gone -

 

[gel]

Another one gone -

Meaning?

Who?

 

[TOCC]

This seems to be repeating a bit. Why presume there may be a problem? Quade has demonstrated an "all for the team" attitude from what I saw of things since he has been back. Why would Thorn have a problem with it?

Some coaches are better at engaging with Quade then others, we’ve seen that enough at both Reds and Wallabies levels over the years. Some people get on and some people clash. Thorn and Quade are both polarising characters, they may get on like a house on fire, or Thorn they may dislike each other’s personalities. It’s not completely unreasonable to suspect they mightn’t get on, that being said they are both professionals.

 

[Scrubber2050]

Now there is no doubt in MY mind that Moore was "pushed"

 

[Scrubber2050]

This seems to be repeating a bit. Why presume there may be a problem? Quade has demonstrated an "all for the team" attitude from what I saw of things since he has been back. Why would Thorn have a problem with it? If the suggestion is that Thorn may wish to push the names around for some kind of point, I suspect he is not the right bloke for the job and we have other issues.

Dru Agree wholeheartedly. There won't be a problem.

 

[USARugger]

But can Thorn ever find it in his heart to forgive Quade for his egregious assault on Sir Ruchie?

 

[Rugger Mate]

Now there is no doubt in MY mind that Moore was "pushed"

 

[Rugger Mate]

no Doubt he would have been pushed, and so he should have been.! Should never have been signed, another poor admin decision from QRU. But hey Australian Rugby bends over backwards for FORMER stars. How the hell Moore got to start that last test was just ridiculous and devaluing the Aussie Jersey. When this country stops treating it like an old boys club rugby will do well. THorn might just have started , by telling Moore that he would be 3rd choice hooker next year.

 

[TOCC]

Signing Moore could rightfully be considered a mistake given no players delivered a return on their investment in 2017... but I disagree on the rest, Moore wasn’t a former star, and it’s not bending over backwards to sign a player who is still of super rugby standard and offers an incredible amount of experience.

Starting Moore in the last test didn’t devalue the jersey at all, that’s absurd. Moore started in the last test so that the best scrummaging hooker(TPN) could be brought on when the lesser experienced props(Tupou & Faulkner) came off the bench. The option of starting TPN required having AA and Robertson on the bench. Uelese looks like a good young kid, but he isn’t a test hooker yet, he was taken on tour because they will need to fast track him for 2018.

I don’t get this hate for Moore, he has been an incredible servant for Australian Rugby, maybe he played one season longer then he should have, but then again where were the alternatives waiting to step in and fill his shoes. It’s rare a player finishes his career in Australia these days, I’m grateful that he was, the experience that he has been able to pass on will be invaluable in years to come.


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