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Reds 2020

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Desmond Connor (43)
I believe this will have more relevance at the end of the season, and if the mean age captures only the squad of 25.

Interesting that the Waratahs have more career games and will potentially be wooden spooners, although sit along side the likes of the Crusaders in terms of average age.

The Reds with the youngest squad now may prove to be the Super Rugby premiers in 4 years.
 

molman

Peter Johnson (47)
Because statistics interest some people..

Adam84, I wasn't being facetious, I was genuinely asking why. Why was that list of numbers actually interesting because Roberts Rugby just posted it with the word 'interesting' so I was curious what it was specifically that 'he' found interesting.

I believe this will have more relevance at the end of the season, and if the mean age captures only the squad of 25.

Interesting that the Waratahs have more career games and will potentially be wooden spooners, although sit along side the likes of the Crusaders in terms of average age.

The Reds with the youngest squad now may prove to be the Super Rugby premiers in 4 years.

I'm not sure that it will show much beyond a novel data point without some real analysis and context. What some of the numbers even mean in that table is not particularly clear.

The Waratahs for example have so many Super Rugby caps tied up in a handful of players (Beale alone is like ~13% of that Waratahs number if "Career Games" means Super Rugby caps? he has around ~140 Super Rugby caps from memory, Hooper is pretty similar I believe) so in aggregate they look similar to some other teams but in reality would be so different. My gut feeling is that the better Kiwi teams have a better spread of age and experience across their whole playing group.


Then there is the question of how meaningful the number of 'Career Games' is if it is just the number of Super Rugby caps without considering all the other avenues of experience. JOC (James O'Connor) would have a lot more Super Rugby caps if he'd stayed in Australia so that number probably doesn't really capture the playing groups experience at a certain tier if they've played abroad. You'd also have to consider the total number of playing minutes to know how meaningful that metric is in terms of a reflection of experience at a certain level/standard.

Should the Red's in particular be successful this season with a average age lower than historic average team ages then yes I guess that might be interesting, though with the general average age of Super Rugby squads tending to trend down in recent years I don't find it as surprising as some might make it out to be. I tend to subscribe more to the notion of cohesion being more meaningful, like Ben Darwin's theory/metrics. I would suspect that the Reds would be rather high having had a core group together for a number of years across a range of formats and competitions.
 

TSR

Mark Ella (57)
I rate Lukhan higher as a 6 than you do Bobby, but I still agree with the general thrust of your point.

I would’ve had Salakia-Loto in the row, ASY (Angus Scott-Young) at 6 and picked one of Blyth & Hockings.

Having said that I am not sure that contributed significantly to our loss. We actually played better in the first half before we made any subs.
 
B

Bobby Sands

Guest
I rate Lukhan higher as a 6 than you do Bobby, but I still agree with the general thrust of your point.

I would’ve had Salakia-Loto in the row, ASY (Angus Scott-Young) at 6 and picked one of Blyth & Hockings.

Having said that I am not sure that contributed significantly to our loss. We actually played better in the first half before we made any subs.

Fair enough.

What do you like about Lukhan at 6 that he does offer at 4/5?

Genuinely curious, as to me all it leads to is I’ll discipline and missed tackles in wider channels.
 

PhilClinton

John Hipwell (52)
I’d like to see Lukhan come off the bench, start Hockings. Blythe had poor discipline in the last game and didn’t seem to function well in the line out surprisingly. Lukhan for the last 30mins gives us a big physical presence to bash bodies at the back end of games.
 

TSR

Mark Ella (57)
Fair enough.

What do you like about Lukhan at 6 that he does offer at 4/5?

Genuinely curious, as to me all it leads to is I’ll discipline and missed tackles in wider channels.
I think he carries better wider out. He uses footwork and his long arms to offload and that creates opportunities for us to get behind the defence. He tends to carry a bit upright, and I think that can work wider whereas it is an issue in tight.

That said, on balance, I still think his best spot is lock and I thought he was very good there the first two games. I think he should be persisted with there - both for his own development and because I think it is better for the team overall. He needs to work on his body height in contact, but otherwise he has all the right attributes to be an excellent ball carrying lock.
 
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Bobby Sands

Guest
I think he carries better wider out. He uses footwork and his long arms to offload and that creates opportunities for us to get behind the defence. He tends to carry a bit upright, and I think that can work wider whereas it is an issue in tight.

That said, on balance, I still think his best spot is lock and I thought he was very good there the first two games. I think he should be persisted with there - both for his own development and because I think it is better for the team overall. He needs to work on his body height in contact, but otherwise he has all the right attributes to be an excellent ball carrying lock.

Very fair.
 
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RugbyReg

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
Can’t sign everyone.

Anyway obviously our prop depth is struggling at the moment. Anyone know when Hoopert is due back?

Feao out for the season right? Surely we try to sign a cover? What’s the status of the Japan season? Could we get Talakai back? Or Fagaase?
 

The Nomad

Bob Davidson (42)
^^Freakish talent and would have been great in our game, but much preferred being in NQ and struggled being away from family.

Not sure a Reds contract would have changed this.
 
J

JeepsTragic

Guest
Can’t sign everyone.



Anyway obviously our prop depth is struggling at the moment. Anyone know when Hoopert is due back?



Feao out for the season right? Surely we try to sign a cover? What’s the status of the Japan season? Could we get Talakai back? Or Fagaase?



Fair enough. To respond to your question - why did they ditch Ruan Smith? Did the Rebels offer him a starting spot or did the Reds cut him?

I suppose it doesn't matter much when an attacking dominate scrum gets penalized 5m out from the opposition line. what was that about? Pushing too hard? From what I saw that was a fair reflection on how he handled the whole game. The reds were playing under a different set of rules.
 

RugbyReg

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
Fair enough. To respond to your question - why did they ditch Ruan Smith? Did the Rebels offer him a starting spot or did the Reds cut him?

I suppose it doesn't matter much when an attacking dominate scrum gets penalized 5m out from the opposition line. what was that about? Pushing too hard? From what I saw that was a fair reflection on how he handled the whole game. The reds were playing under a different set of rules.

I thought it was on compassionate grounds, but others have suggested it was more discipline related which, personally, I find hard to believe.
 
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Bobby Sands

Guest
I thought it was on compassionate grounds, but others have suggested it was more discipline related which, personally, I find hard to believe.

I have no oil, that’s a mistake on my part.

Compassionate grounds it is - I thought I heard the other here.
 

SouthernX

Peter Johnson (47)
Not me RedsTragic.

I watch these games and have so much hope and excitement. I understand the reality of playing rugby on the road and that refs won’t give you a decent rub. It would of been nice to come away with a win or 2 but we finally got the hardest stretch of our season out of the way and we should see results coming soon.
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
Enough time has past now and I feel comfortable sharing. Who else finds watching the Reds emotionally draining? I can't watch them but can't not watch either, I find myself finding things to do around the house whilst watching the tele. By full time I am totally shattered.


To me, this is at the very core of being a sports fan and avid supporter of a team.

It is emotionally draining, win, lose or draw (unless it's completely one-sided) but without that being present, the upside you get from when your team is successful isn't nearly as great.
 
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