Brumbies vs Chiefs - 2011R01

[Brumby Jack]

if anything they are guilty of late season game fadeouts

Yes well they have Donald...

 

[qwerty51]

Well I hope Coleman goes well, he was nicknamed the baby-faced assassin afterall.

 

[disco]

Good to see Palmer get a start I hope he has a big season as tighthead prop is an area of concern @ national level.

Very excited to see Coleman start although I didn't expect to see him until later on in the year.

 

[Slim 293]

Good to see Palmer get a start I hope he has a big season as tighthead prop is an area of concern @ national level.

Very excited to see Coleman start although I didn't expect to see him until later on in the year.

Yep, despite Giteau at flyhalf (and there are enough of those threads on the forum so let's not get into it anymore here), I'm really excited by some of the Brumbies' rookies...

I wouldn't have expected Coleman so early in the season (well, you can't get any earlier!)... I have to applaud Friend for actually taking some risks in his selections...

As it looks like he's going to get plenty of gametime Palmer could very well overtake a number of props into the Wallaby side...

 

[disco]

I have to applaud Friend for actually taking some risks in his selections...

Yeah agreed & it's not like Friend to take a punt, Can only be good for the squad.

 

[Brumby Jack]

Hold your horses there...watch this space

To'omua has rated himself a 60/40 chance of taking his place on the bench after rolling his ankle on Monday. If he doesn't train on Thursday then he's scratched.
Henry Speight has, unfortunately, had to return to Fiji for the funeral of his grandfather, but should return before or on Friday.

 

[Ruggo]

Hold your horses there...watch this space

Pun intended or are you looking for a hug Brumby Jack?

 

[Brumby Jack]

It seemed appropriate:lmao:

 

[Jets]

Yeah agreed & it's not like Friend to take a punt, Can only be good for the squad.

Is Larkham having an influence in selections?

 

[Gnostic]

RE:- Palmer at THP over Ma'afu maybe the Ponies coaching staff looked at the fact they were the most penalised scrum in the competition last season and have decided to mitigate the risk by selecting perhaps the second best scrummaging THP in Oz.

 

[mudskipper]

Looking forward to seeing the new lads get a run... Coleman, Palmer and Speight... may they make it happen in 2011 for the wild horses...

 

[mudskipper]

Is Larkham having an influence in selections?

You think the assistant coach would get say in the line up... especially a dude with Larkhams experience... He's still the best ever OZ flyhalf in my tinted Brumby eyes...

 

[disco]

RE:- Palmer at THP over Ma'afu maybe the Ponies coaching staff looked at the fact they were the most penalised scrum in the competition last season and have decided to mitigate the risk by selecting perhaps the second best scrummaging THP in Oz.

To be fair I thought Alexander was a bigger problem than Ma'afu & when I finally did see something in Ma'afu (Bledisloe 3) he's not had a run since.

 

[Gnostic]

Equal culpability IMO, but in Palmer they have a rock on which to build a very effective scrum. Hopefully Alexander has been getting some intensive training on how to pack with head above hips in the off season.

The real problem for the Ponies is that their recruiting people have no idea at all.

Consider for instance that Alexander gets injured who will play LHP in that case? Most likely Palmer but with both him and Ma'afu in the run on that is one mighty ponderous set of props.

 

[Hawko]

As it looks like he's going to get plenty of gametime Palmer could very well overtake a number of props into the Wallaby side...

Dingo would not pick Palmer under any circumstances. He chooses props for their work around the field and then hopes the scrum won't fold.

 

[Slim 293]

To be fair, Ma'afu actually scrummaged consistently very well for the Brumbies last year... and occasionally put in some good work around the field...

His highlight for last season was against the Blues... the Brumbies might've lost but he dominated Woodcock in the scrum and actually put in a lot of work around the field...

Anyways, the one criticism I hear about Palmer is that outside the scrum he isn't very active... I figure he can't be too much worse than Ma'afu in this regard... and if he's a better scrummager then it's a plus for the Brumbies...

 

[Lee Grant]

I thought that Ma'afu became more and more agile for the Wallabies during last year, or maybe I just noticed more participations.

I used to call David Fitter "Pot Plant". Let's see if Palmer is better than that.

 

[cyclopath]

I thought that Ma'afu became more and more agile for the Wallabies during last year, or maybe I just noticed more participations.

I used to call David Fitter "Pot Plant". Let's see if Palmer is better than that.

If he holds up the right hand side and doesn't get folded, he can be a potted a plant as he likes, I reckon.

 

[fatprop]

If he holds up the right hand side and doesn't get folded, he can be a potted a plant as he likes, I reckon.

As long as he gets to the post and doesn't cost them a try a game as a quick, stepping unit isolates him in the backline

 

[Gnostic]

To be fair, Ma'afu actually scrummaged consistently very well for the Brumbies last year... and occasionally put in some good work around the field...

His highlight for last season was against the Blues... the Brumbies might've lost but he dominated Woodcock in the scrum and actually put in a lot of work around the field...

Anyways, the one criticism I hear about Palmer is that outside the scrum he isn't very active... I figure he can't be too much worse than Ma'afu in this regard... and if he's a better scrummager then it's a plus for the Brumbies...

How can that be true when the Brumbies had the most penalised scrum in the comp. If Ma'afu wasn't at fault at least 50% of the time it means Alexander is one of the worst scrummagers in Oz.

Palmer isn't as bad as some say away from the scrum, he just plays a very tight game. With a "loose" playing LHP in Alexander it may well actually give the Brumbies a very well balanced pack. IMO the biggest concern for the Brumbies scrum, is as I said above, Alexander really needed to address his packing issues. If he hasn't they are in for a world of hurt penalty wise as after last year I think the Refs are watching Alexander like they do Big Al, even a hint of going early, angles or head below hips and he will get done.