Waratahs 2015

[barbarian]

I've heard that Chieka still calls Leinster to make sure standards are in being upheld as he doesn't like places that his name is attached to going backwards. I wouldn't be surprised if he does the same with the Tahs at the end of his tenure.

I've heard that Matt Williams still calls the Tahs every week to see how they are going. His calls are not returned.
.

 

[ShtinaTina]

I've heard that Matt Williams still calls the Tahs every week to see how they are going. His calls are not returned.
.

hahaha

 

[qwerty51]

Has anyone got a confirmed list of our squad of 2015? Someone wanna help me out here.

1. Benn Robinson
2. Jeremy Tilse
3. Tatafu-Polota-Nau
4. Tolu Latu
5. Hugh Roach
6. Sekope Kepu
7. Paddy Ryan
8. Michael Ala'alatoa
9. Will Skelton
10. Mitch Chapman
11. Sam Lousi
12. Jacques Potgieter
13. Jed Holloway
14. Dave Dennis
15. Stephen Hoiles
16. Pat McCutcheon
17. Michael Hooper
18. Tala Gray
19. Wycliff Palu
20. Nick Phipps
21. Brendan McKibbin
21. Matt Lucas
22. Bernard Foley
23. Kurtley Beale
24. Jono Lance
25. Adam Ashley-Cooper
26. Peter Betham
27. David Horwitz
28. Rob Horne
29. Matt Carraro
30. Israel Folau
31. Andrew Kellaway
32. Taqele Naiyaravoro
33. Michael Hodge
34. Ben Volavola
35. ?

If all those are correct, we should have one more spot. Is Peterson still contracted?

 

[Eyes and Ears]

Is Michael Hodge still contracted? Is Matt Lucas hanging around to be the 3rd halfback? Did we sign Lalakai Foketi or not?

 

[qwerty51]

Foketi went back to Bayonne, played on the weekend.

 

[Bobby Sands]

Foketi went back to Bayonne, played on the weekend.

 

[Sandpit Fan]

I love being a New South Welshman. Here we sit patiently waiting for the season to start, confident in our players and management. Just shooting the shit about how to colour in flags. Meanwhile the Reds mindlessly run in circles shooting each other down as they rabidly approach their 4000th post.

Great feeling isn't it? Good that you blokes are finally getting to find out what it feels like, but you know what they say, better late than never.

 

[Train Without a Station]

I've heard that Chieka still calls Leinster to make sure standards are in being upheld as he doesn't like places that his name is attached to going backwards. I wouldn't be surprised if he does the same with the Tahs at the end of his tenure.

I find this a little ridiculous. Does he still call Stade Francais? They'd probably be less interested to hear from him though.

 

[Pfitzy]

Yeah probably - you're not about to ring someone you don't have a relationship with after all.

As for finding it ridiculous, well, maybe that isn't Cheika's problem.

Great feeling isn't it? Good that you blokes are finally getting to find out what it feels like, but you know what they say, better late than never.

Lolz. Queensland won a couple of Super titles before rugby went pro, then were arse pie squared for over a decade before Link (the Victorian born NSW player) rescued them. Now they're arse pie again but still lording it like they invented rugby

 

[RugbyReg]

that's one way to look at it.

The other way is that QLD were one the leading world rugby provinces in rugby winning three Super Rugby titles prior to the advent of professionalism. Two minor premierships preceded a dark time for the Reds, despite the game development aspect of QLD Rugby continuing to thrive. Notable that the last time the Reds made the finals was the last time Australian Rugby won a trophy of any measure. That was until superior talent ID opened the way for a discarded former Wallaby to lead them to a Super Rugby championship and another couple of finals appearances. Grass roots would continue to thrive and the state would soon boast the highest participation numbers in the sport in the country, dominating junior age groups for many years, and proof of their excellent pathways were once again evidenced in Brisbane City winning the inaugural NRC whilst the whole of the NSW rugby community sat twiddling their thumbs and pretending that everything was fine as the game continued to crumble on their watch.

the end.

 

[Brumby Runner]

that's one way to look at it.

The other way is that QLD were one the leading world rugby provinces in rugby winning three Super Rugby titles prior to the advent of professionalism. Two minor premierships preceded a dark time for the Reds, despite the game development aspect of QLD Rugby continuing to thrive. Notable that the last time the Reds made the finals was the last time Australian Rugby won a trophy of any measure. That was until superior talent ID opened the way for a discarded former Wallaby to lead them to a Super Rugby championship and another couple of finals appearances. Grass roots would continue to thrive and the state would soon boast the highest participation numbers in the sport in the country, dominating junior age groups for many years, and proof of their excellent pathways were once again evidenced in Brisbane City winning the inaugural NRC whilst the whole of the NSW rugby community sat twiddling their thumbs and pretending that everything was fine as the game continued to crumble on their watch.

the end.

Yeah. You'd have to say that in terms of rugby administration and management, Qld have been the Aus premiers for many years.

 

[Pfitzy]

Definitely QLD has their off-field shit sorted which puts them in a better position than the other way around. NSW still have a lot of politics in the back office (because they have more parties) that threaten to hamstring things if the success of the Tahs is threatened.

Grass roots would continue to thrive and the state would soon boast the highest participation numbers in the sport in the country,

I always get twitchy when people start talking about rugby playing numbers - even on GAGR we have articles about it.

http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/wh...keptical-about-the-aru-participation-numbers/


However we can assume that the numbers cooked up by the ARU are being equally well-burned across states, then QLD has snuck ahead after nearly getting there in 2012.

Its enough to say that NSW and QLD are about on par, with QLD experiencing good growth lately (cooking or not) after the 2011 success was reinforced the next year with good performances.

Note that the addition of Sevens numbers will skew the whole argument (in fact, it is already) as we get closer to the Olympics.

Thing is, if rugby was growing as much as the ARU has said in its reports, then the Subbies' and Premier competitions in both our major rugby cities would be going gangbusters.

They're not, as anyone who could read the team listings could see.

I was honestly surprised to see how small the QLD Suburban comp was in Brisbane, though maybe those junior numbers coming through will help. I knew Premier Rugby up there was a few clubs shorter than ours, but then when you look at Gordon/Parra/Penrith, the difference of 3 clubs doesn't seem like that much of a shortfall.

Sydney Subbies has been shedding numbers of late including whole divisions going uncontested for the last 5 years. But despite losing a couple of the top clubs to other competitions next year, and maybe Fifth Division not being contested again, there will still be around 142 Senior Grades and between 20 and 30 Colts (U21) grades getting around. Probably once you take the overflow competition into account you're talking close to 180 teams running around every weekend.

But compare that to when I started playing Subbies and they had all teams filling a Six-Division comp (170+ Senior Grades), with overflow sometimes giving a club 7 senior grades, and its not exactly thriving.

 

[thierry dusautoir]

Matt Lucas hasn't been re-signed. I believe the Tahs EPS has a fair amount of turnover

 

[Muglair]

I have never met Cheika but I would be staggered if he did not consider that an absolute imperative was to leave the Waratahs better than he found it. Without a long term succession in place you can only expect to achieve the dizzy heights of shithouse.

He will have a plan and he will not have even considered it to be extra work.

A shame more of our sporting, business and political leaders don't have the same attitude. Sorry, probably not the right thread for this. Or site

 

[Train Without a Station]

Good to see the irrational Cheika love remains strong.

 

[I like to watch]

How is it any different to the Link love fest that has gripped the site for 3 years?

 

[Train Without a Station]

Hey please tell me if I'm wrong, but I don't remember too many quotes like

"I have never met Cheika - He will have a plan and he will not have even considered it to be extra work. A shame more of our sporting, business and political leaders don't have the same attitude."

I've don't even know the bloke, but I'm sure he's one of the best humans to ever grace our presence.

 

[I like to watch]

I hear what you say, but yeah there were plenty of fawning posts praising Link like some deity.
Obviously supporters of both,are guilty of hyperbole on occasions.

 

[Pfitzy]

Good to see the irrational Cheika love remains strong.

Why is it irrational? He started showing signs of his improvement from halfway through his first season, and took us to a title.

He's been quoted regularly as stating that grassroots development is a priority and knows that fans need to be engaged. He's cut through a lot of the political shit using the team and success as his weapon.

So until he demonstrates otherwise, he deserves the praise he gets.

What the hell is your problem with it? According to most QLD fans, Link was is God and Cooper is Jesus. Link and Carmichael helped turn QLD around and deserves his praise too.

If you're still shitty because Link isn't Wallaby coach any more, then fair enough. But that doesn't mean you have to hate on Cheika.

 

[USARugger]

I like them both but for different reasons.