Waratahs 2017

[fatprop]

Yeah a fit Lance makes the Force a different side.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

[Froggy]

Yes, I think it's a much better Force side than last year. If Lance can stay fit the backs will work, I think their problem is depth. An injury to TPN, Lance (let's face of it, both have injury form), Adam Coleman or DHP would make a huge hole.
However, we face them with all these guys available, our number one side looked rusty on Thursday evening, particularly in defence, and we will need to be a lot better to get away with this one.

 

[Hawko]

In the Reds thread you just said the Waratahs and Reds were streets ahead of the other three Aussie teams?

And I think they are. I expect Reds and Tahs to be 1/2 with the Tahs missing the playoffs to the fourth NZ team by a whisker. But I think the Force is a real danger game - early in the season, everyone still rusty. Remember that the Hurricanes lost round one last year.

 

[fatprop]

It appears Gibson is smart enough to admit errors

No more dickheads

One of Gibson’s biggest calls was to sign Guildford, who was unwanted by European and Kiwi clubs after long battle with alcoholism.

.......................“I found that if you have too many people that take up too much time, you’re not getting enough time with star performers who are on task,” Gibson said.
“Part of our responsibility as coaches is to see the good in people, I genuinely felt that Zac deserved an opportunity. There are always a number of players you think you can help.
“The issue of having too many players who require a lot of management is that it takes up too much of your time.

So

Gibson’s new recruiting method means that 83 per cent of the 2017 squad is from NSW.

“I purposely tried to recruit players between 23-28 years,” Gibson said.

“I really tried to keep young players that have come through the age group system together.

“I’ve found that whichever team I’ve been involved with, if you have players that come from the area you represent you have a really strong motivation to play well for that team.

“That’s something unique and special in rugby these days.

“What we’ve found is that’s very strong here in NSW and a really neat quality, when you’re immersed in professionalism it often gets lost but I treasure the loyalty that can engender.

and

Expecting them to have the skills of Kiwis

Gibson, 41, is also secure enough in his coaching ability to admit he got his tactics wrong.
“Last year I tried to turn our forwards into ball-playing forwards,” Gibson said.
“During the start of our season, from rounds six to eight, we were guilty of making a lot of errors because we were putting a lot of pressure on our forwards to execute skills they didn’t necessarily have.
“I put my team in a bit of a hole and we were making a lot of errors. I tried to say ‘This is the way we want to play’, as opposed to looking at what we were capable of and looking at what our strengths are.
“I felt we were really structured last year. I definitely believe that part of a coach’s job is to take that fear away, you want your players almost to be unbridled.
“I’ve spoken to the team about having confidence to make excellent decisions.”

http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/d...s/news-story/4bfac84ede73be2877fd0be9658e2645

 

[GTPIH]

Any news on Kellaway's shoulder injury?

 

[gowaratahs]

Kellaway must be fine...

Waratahs team: Tom Robertson, Tolu Latu, Sekope Kepu, Dean Mumm, Will Skelton, Jack Dempsey, Michael Hooper, Michael Wells, Nick Phipps, Bernard Foley, Rob Horne, Irae Simone, Israel Folau, Reece Robinson, Andrew Kellaway.

Reserves (one to be omitted): Hugh Roach, Paddy Ryan, David Lolohea, Ned Hanigan, Brad Wilkin, Matt Lucas, Bryce Hegarty, Taqele Naiyaravoro, David Horwitz.

Foley is under a concussion cloud, and will be replaced by Hegarty if he's fails at training on Thursday - allowing Horwitz onto the bench. He was awful early last year when Foley was injured, I really hope we don't have to rely on him.

Points of interest -

Fitzpatrick starting out as 3rd on pecking order at hooker - interesting...

Robertson to loosehead as foreshadowed, Lolohea has a chance to stake a claim to squad regular if he performs while Ta'Avao recovers.

Brad Wilkin with a chance to show his wares while Jed injured.

Lucas preferred to Gordon - for now. Good to see Gordon playing against quality opposition last week, he'll learn big from that.

Irea Simone in from the get-go - go you good thing!

Kellaway still at FB, when wing seems such a better option. Hegarty could easily push him to the bench within weeks.

Horne is back, but not match-fit.

Banana skin game, due Waratahs usually starting poorly when they don't play 3 proper trials. Same opponent 2 years ago, and got belted coming off 2 trials (KB (Kurtley Beale) was particularly dreadful). Needing cohesion before the SA trip, or last year's GF loser the Lions will tear them up at Ellis Park.

Go Tahs!

 

[Forcefield]

Short backrow.

 

[No4918]

Short backrow.

It's the new black.

 

[Twoilms]

Skelton is poop. I wish we invested in a solid second-row option. Maybe another South African?

 

[Froggy]

I thought Skelton was all right against the Clan. I was really disappointed in him last year, however he's only 24, haven't given up on him yet.

We don't lose a lot if Hegarty replaces Foley, he's been outstanding in the trials. As to Horwitz, again, the guy's only 22, I'm not ready to write him off just yet.

 

[MACCA]

I thought Skelton was all right against the Clan. I was really disappointed in him last year, however he's only 24, haven't given up on him yet.

We don't lose a lot if Hegarty replaces Foley, he's been outstanding in the trials. As to Horwitz, again, the guy's only 22, I'm not ready to write him off just yet.

I agree with the criticism of Horwitzs form to date however, as someone who has seen a lot of his play, reckon he is capable of improving. His first year in Shute Shield was very ordinary, the next year he won the award for the best player in the Comp.
Whether he can sustain the rate of improvement will only be known in time however he is a smart young man and may work out the appropriate game he has to play to succeed.

 

[wamberal]

Horwitz is a very solid player, we wait to see whether he has anything more than a fairly routine set of skills.


It would be nice to see him do something exciting from time to time.

 

[fatprop]

You need solid players, I would guess he does the work

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Foley is out. Hegarty to 10.

 

[I like to watch]

Horwitz is a very solid player, we wait to see whether he has anything more than a fairly routine set of skills.


It would be nice to see him do something exciting from time to time.

He's in his 5th year,how much longer should we wait?
Simone has a better highlights package in tah gear already....

 

[Twoilms]

He's in his 5th year,how much longer should we wait?
Simone has a better highlights package in tah gear already..

Horwitz is rubbish. Displayed his lack of decision making on multiple occasions last season. Gotta be able to make a couple of half decent decisions if you wanna be anywhere near a playmaking role.

 

[Micheal]

Horwitz clearly isn't 'rubbish'. What hyperbole.

He won the Shute Shield's MVP award a couple of seasons back and has been a crucial player for a very strong Randwick outfit since leaving highschool.

He made a few poor decisions last year and missed a couple of tackles, but if you're 22 (then 21) and absolutely killing it in a key play making position then you are the exception, not the rule.

Kellaway also made some honking decisions (and continued to do so in the trials) and was quite poor 1 on 1 in defence last year. Where are the cries for him to get sacked?

I'm perplexed as to why people are so keen to write him off and he actually had a fair few promising moments last season as well. It was a mixed bag.

The Tahs coaching staff saw promise in him and they're yet to be proved either right or wrong definitively.

And no, hes not in his 5th year. What absolute rubbish. That would mean he was signed in early 2012 - the year of his HSC.

He was signed just over two years ago at the end of 2014 after being in the Aus u20s.

This is all very confusing. Different standards for different players I guess.

 

[Twoilms]

Kellaway also made some honking decisions (and continued to do so in the trials) and was quite poor 1 on 1 in defence last year. Where are the cries for him to get sacked?

Actually man, tonnes of people have been saying he's very close to losing his place/should have been dropped.

 

[I like to watch]

Horwitz clearly isn't 'rubbish'. What hyperbole.

He won the Shute Shield's MVP award a couple of seasons back and has been a crucial player for a very strong Randwick outfit since leaving highschool.

He made a few poor decisions last year and missed a couple of tackles, but if you're 22 (then 21) and absolutely killing it in a key play making position then you are the exception, not the rule.

Kellaway also made some honking decisions (and continued to do so in the trials) and was quite poor 1 on 1 in defence last year. Where are the cries for him to get sacked?

I'm perplexed as to why people are so keen to write him off and he actually had a fair few promising moments last season as well. It was a mixed bag.

The Tahs coaching staff saw promise in him and they're yet to be proved either right or wrong definitively.

And no, hes not in his 5th year. What absolute rubbish. That would mean he was signed in early 2012 - the year of his HSC.

He was signed just over two years ago at the end of 2014 after being in the Aus u20s.

This is all very confusing. Different standards for different players I guess.

If winning the catchpole is evidence of being Super standard,then sign multiple winner & perennial finalist Hamish Angus.

Kellaways poor form is hardly a good argument that Horwitz will excel at this level.

2012/13/14/15/16/17 would be 6 seasons
It would appear, however this is his 4th year as a full time professional,but my understanding is that it's his 5th pre season.

Anyway, if we require a maybe adequate defender, that can only ball play behind the line,then maybe he's the answer.
If we are picking him as a ball runner, there are dozens better than him.

 

[Froggy]

Kellaway and Horwitz are 21 and 22 respectively! You guys are writing them off already? Amazing.