Reds 2019

[Bobby Sands]

We do need an experienced 10 though, and they are in short supply.

Hamish is a talent, but he can't go in as our leading (and only) 10 this year.

It's a shame that Duncan struggled at 10, he could be great there with Kerevi & CFS/Petaia in the middle.

I am in favour of Sam Greene, but he quite young as well. Still, he has played a fair bit of top line rugby.

The fact remains, we need a 10.

 

[RugbyReg]

Do we need a 10? I think Stewart is developing well and his combination with Duncan at 12 could be excellent.

What we need is a quality attack coach to assist him.

We also need a fullback of quality and a goal kicker of quality. If that’s the same person than great.

 

[TSR]

I think we do need someone else with experience that can play 10 Reg. I would rather we not see Paia’aua as the first back up - if Stewart has a significant injury that we are moving our first pick 12 across and compromise there.

Whether the 10 could also be the fullback depends largely on how confident they are that one of the wingers can cover or be converted into a fullback.

What is Sam Greene doing?

 

[Wilson]

Do we need a 10? I think Stewart is developing well and his combination with Duncan at 12 could be excellent.

What we need is a quality attack coach to assist him.

We also need a fullback of quality and a goal kicker of quality. If that’s the same person than great.

Looking at the wallabies Instagram Petaia strikes them pretty well

 

[Lindommer]

Surely not, we've just done the Jono Lance/Ben Lucas thing, surely they won't go for another ageing player who once played for Qld and then went to NSW.

Didn't ever see Ben in sky blue. Thoroughly enjoyed watching Matt turn out for the Tahs, lovely pass.

 

[Lindommer]

What Nod, er Reg, said. The Reds desperately need a quality skills/attack coach to complement Thorn's disciplinarian methods. Nothing TT's done in Oz would suggest he's the man for the job.

 

[SouthernX]

I hope the Reds sign Barnes. I understand some gripes this thread has about anothwr Lance but your gonna need somebody to help continue to develop Stewart.

I think what rugbyreg alluded too finding a solution at fullback but have Barnes just be a mentor to Stewart who can play a bit of 12 & 15 himself when needed. (Super sub Barnes)

I don’t think Barnes is the missing jigsaw puzzle in a starting XV but he can be a steady head from the bench or the injury cover at 10,12 or 15 when the time arises.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Have Barnes' head knock issues been resolved? That's why he left for Japan in the first place right?

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[The Honey Badger]

Have Barnes' head knock issues been resolved? That's why he left for Japan in the first place right?

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How does going to Japan resolve that issue?

Are the collisions more player friendly?

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[Up the Guts]

Barnes must be 100 and last time he played Super got knocked out routinely. I understand mentoring the younger player to an extent but Barnes seems like such a needless gamble given his age and concussion history.

Stewart played with Lance for most of the season and will have spent considerable time in the Wallaby Camp come next year. Throw DP in at 12 to take some of the playmaking pressure off him and he’ll be fine.

 

[neilc]

Barnes is 32. While yes he may provide mentoring experience I thought that was what Lance would provide. I agree with Reg that we need a good goalkicker to take that pressure off Stewart. I really like Duncan P as a 12 and think that the combination with Stewart could develop well but there does have to be some backup.

With the Cooper thing, people have said that he is past it and Thorn was right to not want him. That may be fair enough for a coach to decide he is not in his playing lineup but to actively exclude him from even training suggested a lot more than 'this is not the style we want to play'. If you had him in the training squad and then chose not to select him (as Thorn did with other players who were in the squad, trained, but didn't get any/much game time) then that's a performance selection choice and understandable. However to essentially ban someone from training with their former teammates is much more than just a 'not measuring up performance-wise' decision. The mentoring that Cooper could have provided I would have thought would have been invaluable but excluding him suggests that Thorn didn't see his influence as being positive at all.

Overall Australia is woefully thin on decent 10's that can step up. The Tahs have Foley, for all his criticisms, not much behind him, Brumbies have CLL, who I think is not so great these days, Rebels have ?, and we have Stewart, who is very new and needs to be developed carefully as some of our previous young 10s have not been handled well.

 

[Beer Baron]

How does going to Japan resolve that issue?

Are the collisions more player friendly?

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Japanese are very polite. For whatever reason (smaller bodies on average??) It's SEEMS to be an injury Mecca. Look at madness. He had like 4 uninterrupted seasons bookended between injuries in super rugby.

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[Rebels3]

I believe some people are underestimating Barnes. With all do respect to Lance, Barnes has played for the Wallabies 50 times and is a class above Lance, not saying he will be the same player he was but he potentially could be a very good player, he's only 32 not 36 and looked very good in the past 2 10s tournaments.

Has anyone thought of the prospect of Stewart at 12? i actually think his current attributes might be best suited for 12 than 10, with the possibility of him morphing into a 10 towards the next world cup cycle. He is a very robust defender, has a goodish kicking game and can take the line on, sounds like a 12 to me. Currently (and he is definitely getting better each time he plays) his game management isn't there yet (hes only 20, so no surprise) and passing skills are unrefined, 2 things that are absolutely crucial for a super level 10.

if Barnes were to come, could have

9 - Sorovi
10 - Barnes
11 - Petaia
12 - Stewart
13 - Kerevi
14 - Perese
15 - Daugunu

2x kicking options to push that impressive forward pack up the field and 3x dangerous counter attackers in the back field, a bosh man up the middle in Kerevi and some spark with Sorovi. Paia'aua been the perfect foil off the bench

 

[upthereds#!]

Do we need a 10? I think Stewart is developing well and his combination with Duncan at 12 could be excellent.

What we need is a quality attack coach to assist him.

We also need a fullback of quality and a goal kicker of quality. If that’s the same person than great.

I think we need a 10, an a journeyman style one would be fine, because if Stewart goes down, or his development does not get to the point where he can be consistently effective, then we are stuffed. A Super Rugby squad should really have 3 flyhalves, and at 20, stewart should be the developing/ up and coming, not the No.1 with 2 even younger kids behind.

Barnes would be a good option as he would be reliable. Having Barnes would be better than not having a 2nd real flyhalf at all. Harris would also be good because he fits the Lance mold and can cover 10/12/15 and can kick.

 

[upthereds#!]

I believe some people are underestimating Barnes. With all do respect to Lance, Barnes has played for the Wallabies 50 times and is a class above Lance, not saying he will be the same player he was but he potentially could be a very good player, he's only 32 not 36 and looked very good in the past 2 10s tournaments.

Has anyone thought of the prospect of Stewart at 12? i actually think his current attributes might be best suited for 12 than 10, with the possibility of him morphing into a 10 towards the next world cup cycle. He is a very robust defender, has a goodish kicking game and can take the line on, sounds like a 12 to me. Currently (and he is definitely getting better each time he plays) his game management isn't there yet (hes only 20, so no surprise) and passing skills are unrefined, 2 things that are absolutely crucial for a super level 10.

if Barnes were to come, could have

9 - Sorovi
10 - Barnes
11 - Petaia
12 - Stewart
13 - Kerevi
14 - Perese
15 - Daugunu

2x kicking options to push that impressive forward pack up the field and 3x dangerous counter attackers in the back field, a bosh man up the middle in Kerevi and some spark with Sorovi. Paia'aua been the perfect foil off the bench

I'm concerned about Perese. How can Thorn preach culture and Reds 4 lyf yadda yadda, yet force Perese to stay? Happy to flick diehard stalwarts like Slipper and Quade, but could potentially force Perese and Tui to play, both who may have no interest in doing so whatsoever. Sounds like a great team environment.

 

[Ignoto]

Barnes must be 100 and last time he played Super got knocked out routinely.

Matty T had an issue prior to leaving Aus of being knocked out fairly regularly, yet no mention of it when he joined the Rebels.

I have no problem with Barnes returning, but he should in no way displace Stewart from the 10. Barnes is there as a back up and a mentor. Stewart needs time and experience at 10, none of this shuffling around the backline. He showed some promising signs during his time at 10, let him continue to develop.

 

[Strewthcobber]

How does going to Japan resolve that issue?

Are the collisions more player friendly?

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For one thing, he's playing way less games in Japan than he would with Super Rugby+internationals. Hasn't played more than 15 games a year since 2012 - and usually a fair bit less

http://www.itsrugby.co.uk/player-sum-4440.html

 

[Derpus]

Matty T had an issue prior to leaving Aus of being knocked out fairly regularly, yet no mention of it when he joined the Rebels.

I have no problem with Barnes returning, but he should in no way displace Stewart from the 10. Barnes is there as a back up and a mentor. Stewart needs time and experience at 10, none of this shuffling around the backline. He showed some promising signs during his time at 10, let him continue to develop.

It's debatable whether the best way for a player to develop is to just lump them into a hole and hope they grow to fill the spaces. The Kiwi's don't do this. Stewart hasn't impressed at all at 10 for the Reds as yet (disagree Reg).

Who knows where Barnes is at these days. But if he's still at the same level as he was for the Tahs/Wallabies prior to leaving then i'd definitely be playing him ahead of Stewart.

 

[Getwithme]

I think this has been a real issue for Australian Rugby in general. We see upcoming 10's who aren't complete but because they are so talented we put them in other positions (which they often do well at) and their first five days are over. This has contributed to our lack of depth. Lealifano, To'omua, Beale, Harris etc etc all were shuffled around and it arguably did not help their five-eighth skill set. Let the kid develop, whether it be for the Reds or in Premier Grade in his position.

 

[Rebels3]

I think this has been a real issue for Australian Rugby in general. We see upcoming 10's who aren't complete but because they are so talented we put them in other positions (which they often do well at) and their first five days are over. This has contributed to our lack of depth. Lealifano, To'omua, Beale, Harris etc etc all were shuffled around and it arguably did not help their five-eighth skill set. Let the kid develop, whether it be for the Reds or in Premier Grade in his position.

You mean like Beauden Barrett, Dan Carter, Larkham, Foley, etc.