Reds 2015

[BDA]

JOC (James O'Connor) also kicked the winning goal in the RWC Semi final in 2015. Good signing for the reds provided JOC (James O'Connor) behaves, and yadda, yadda, yadda.

If the Reds can secure Hunt too, they'll really be putting bums on seats for 2015.

Need an abrasive forward to add to the mix too.

 

[Braveheart81]

JOC (James O'Connor) also kicked the winning goal in the RWC Semi final in 2015. Good signing for the reds provided JOC (James O'Connor) behaves, and yadda, yadda, yadda.

Did you read that in your Sports Almanac Marty McFly?

 

[en_force_er]

@en_force_er

I don't know much about the Asian/PI 8s you mentioned but Leguizamon is a very interesting prospect - although I question whether he's really the right man for the job.

I'm a big fan of the bloke but he's always struck me as more of a Scott Higginbotham than a Wycliff Palu. It's a pretty rough analogy so I'll explain a little further..

JML really excels playing 2 men off the ruck where he can use his athleticism to create opportunities for himself and others but he's also much closer to the 100-105kg neighborhood than he is the 115-120kg neighborhood.

He can do just about everything pretty damn well and the work he does in defense is pretty remarkable. For mine he's one of the best 1-on-1 tacklers in world rugby and is equally devastating going high for the ball/body as he is chopping low and taking the feet out from under a player. He's actually remarkably good at both and having a chop-tackle specialist playing next to Liam could be quite nice.

All-around he's an excellent player but he brings the all-around + some X factor game that Higgers did and not necessarily the Dinosaur-like profile of Palu that we seem to need a bit more at the moment.

You're not wrong about 'JML' (as you call him) but in my opinion an 8's job is to bend the line, gaining metres for the backs to play around in the middle of the park and popping up out wide as an extra man when called for. Whether those metres come 1 pass out from the ruck or 2 passes out from the ruck, in first phase or 2nd/3rd, it's not a big deal to me. Just get some metres!

As far as physical weight/build go, playing big is mostly mindset (though it is helped by actually having the bulk behind you). Reed for example is that wider playing 8 you mentioned, whereas Vermeulen plays tight. Check their heights and weights, they are structurally pretty similar.

 

[Lindommer]

His father.....?

 

[Scrubber2050]

yeah, but as Lindo suggests, I have heard his dad is from the Tomic school of parenting.

I normally don't make derogatory comments, so I didn't comment on Mr O'Connor, Senior

 

[USARugger]

You're not wrong about 'JML' (as you call him) but in my opinion an 8's job is to bend the line, gaining metres for the backs to play around in the middle of the park and popping up out wide as an extra man when called for. Whether those metres come 1 pass out from the ruck or 2 passes out from the ruck, in first phase or 2nd/3rd, it's not a big deal to me. Just get some metres!

As far as physical weight/build go, playing big is mostly mindset (though it is helped by actually having the bulk behind you). Reed for example is that wider playing 8 you mentioned, whereas Vermeulen plays tight. Check their heights and weights, they are structurally pretty similar.

Their height/weight are similar but for mine those are two very, very differently built men.

Funny too because Vermeulen is a bit like a doppelganger for Palu and Read more similar to Higginbotham.

Agreed that JML (easier than typing Leguizamon, to be honest) plays 'bigger' than his height/weight would bely.

 

[Dumbledore]

yeah, but as Lindo suggests, I have heard his dad is from the Tomic school of parenting.

From what I've heard, that's a very generous assessment.

I'm glad to see the Reds are willing to have a crack at him. Living in Europe by himself for a year or so will have done him a world of good, much easier to grow up when you aren't surrounded by yes men. And then you'd have to figure they're backing their leadership and off-field structures to properly integrate him into the team. By all accounts at the Rebels he was a phenomenally hard worker and trainer, just a dickhead who thought he was above the team - which talent wise he was in fairness.

It's easy to forget just how good JOC (James O'Connor) can be, and has been, for Australia IMO. He's been a shocking bloke, but he's got 43 caps by the age of 23 for a reason.

If the Reds can sign Hunt, which I've heard they have - to be announced at the end of the AFL season - then suddenly your backline starts looking very, very, fucking handy. A proper ball-carrying forward, some better coaching, and you're in business again, a team can turn around sharpish these days.

Worst case scenario, JOC (James O'Connor) gets lippy and has his nose broken by Big Jim Horwill - he fucks off to Toulon and is never heard from again.

Best case, Genia decides he feels like playing properly again, Quade gets his confidence back, JOC (James O'Connor) returns to doing freakishly good things amongst a team of his equals, Hunt becomes the best fullback Queensland have had since Latham, and the Reds win the title again - refocussing everyone's hate for the Brumbies to where it really belongs.

 

[Scrubber2050]

and Tahs

 

[Marcelo]

Our new mortal weapon:

 

[USARugger]

Best case, Genia decides he feels like playing properly again, Quade gets his confidence back, JOC (James O'Connor) returns to doing freakishly good things amongst a team of his equals, Hunt becomes the best fullback Queensland have had since Latham, and the Reds win the title again - refocussing everyone's hate for the Brumbies to where it really belongs.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Best case, Genia decides he feels like playing properly again, Quade gets his confidence back, JOC (James O'Connor) returns to doing freakishly good things amongst a team of his equals, Hunt becomes the best fullback Queensland have had since Latham, and the Reds win the title again - refocussing everyone's hate for the Brumbies to where it really belongs.

This could be the problem if JOC (James O'Connor) thinks he can play 10, and deserves to play 10, as good as Quade. He will really need to content himself with a wing or FB spot for the two years if he is to knock on the door for the Wallabies.

 

[Marcelo]

Baby, baby, baby ooooh
Like
Baby, baby, baby noooo
Like
Baby, baby, baby ooooh
I thought you'd always be mine, mine...

 

[Mr Doug]

Now that JOC (James O'Connor)'s a definite Red for 2015, as a Reds fan I will support him as I do the rest of the squad, sometimes for better, sometimes for worse!
It's up to him to earn our respect, on and off the field.

 

[BDA]

@ Brumbies Runner - I think he will. Over the last 12 months a lot of people have commented that JOC (James O'Connor) is better off remaining on the wing, in particular Richard Graham and Quade Cooper. I think he clearly understands that we will be a winger (and/or fullback) in 2015/2016. I also suspect that JOC (James O'Connor) is smart enough to realise that his best chance of making the WC squad is as a specialist winger. Link doesn't rate him as a 10 and the line is long at 12 (To'omua, Beale, Lilo, Godwin).

There will be 3 specialist wingers taken to the RWC, so clearly that is his best chance to make the squad. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) will make the squad so I'd expect 3 of Cummins, Tomane and Speight to be there. JOC (James O'Connor) has an advantage over those other options as he is more versatile than all 3 and can cover 15.

 

[Dumbledore]

This could be the problem if JOC (James O'Connor) thinks he can play 10, and deserves to play 10, as good as Quade. He will really need to content himself with a wing or FB spot for the two years if he is to knock on the door for the Wallabies.

There is absolutely nothing to suggest that he thinks like that. His career at 10 has gone something like this.

2011 EOYT - Let's give James a shot at flyhalf and see how it works out.

Australia 60 - Barbarians 11, JOC (James O'Connor) with 20 points.
Australia 24 - Wales 18, JOC (James O'Connor) with 9 points and a direct try assist

Australian commentariat - God he was pretty bloody good wasn't he? Should have been trialled earlier, Quade's in trouble next year.

2012 - Moved to the Rebels, injured by Barnes, misses entire Test season

2013 - Moves to 10 for the Rebels, plays poorly, not helped by his entire team being hopeless. Deans picks him at 10 for the Lions, because no one else is playing well, he'd performed well at 10 in the past, and he was a 'solid' pick.

Lions 2 - Australia 1

Australian commentariat - *aneurysms/strokes/heart attacks all round* Why would you pick him there? What sort of moron would you have to be to play him at 10, he's always been a wing, he's never been any good etc. etc.

There's just no history of him thinking he deserves to play 10. And frankly, I hope he still has the ego and confidence to think he can play there - much like I imagine Quade thinks he could play at wing or fullback if he was asked to.

 

[A mutterer]

i hope you guys are preparing your belieber masks for next season

 

[USARugger]

Australian commentariat - *aneurysms/strokes/heart attacks all round* Why would you pick him there? What sort of moron would you have to be to play him at 10, he's always been a wing, he's never been any good etc. etc.

To be fair a lot of us 'called' it as a fucking horrible decision before the Wallabies even went into camp for that series. He had been playing at 10 for the Rebels just like he played at 10 against the Lions - as if he was wearing 14 on his back.

Especially after his final game for the Rebels against the Reds right before the series..it was a really shocking call from Deans to put him at 10.

Watching JOC (James O'Connor) play 10 during that period was just bizarre to me because he was so often doing things that you would never see a Super Rugby/Test 10 doing regularly that it was hard to even gauge him as a flyhalf as he had set his mind to actually play that role for about 7 minutes of each match.

 

[BDA]

@Dumbledore - I do recall seeing a number of interviews where he stated that he wanted to play 10 for the wallabies.

 

[Scrubber2050]

My positive thoughts:

James welcolmed with open arms at Ballymore.

James plays wing and fullback and is the "gamechanger" in all games

James becomes a part of the leadership group and rents accomodation at James Horwill's house.

James Senior gets married and James Junior is Best Man at the wedding

James joins the Salvation Army and hands out sandwiches and coffee to homeless youth most Friday nights

James plays so well and respected by the players that he takes out the Stan Pilecki trophy in 2015 and 2016.

James makes a triumphant return to the Wallabies and Australia wins the World Cup.

Shit, I'm upbeat about 2015

 

[Slim 293]

2013 - Moves to 10 for the Rebels, plays poorly, not helped by his entire team being hopeless. Deans picks him at 10 for the Lions, because no one else is playing well, he'd performed well at 10 in the past, and he was a 'solid' pick.

The Rebels were a much better team when he wasn't playing 10 for them, and Deans had other options.............