Round 5 - Brumbies v Reds GIO 18/3

[Adam84]

How much chat do we think will be going Darcy Swain’s way this weekend?

Let the young mouth off in interviews, seems happy to play the antagonist

 

[TSR]

Let the young mouth off in interviews, seems happy to play the antagonist

Good on him though. Generally speaking I prefer players to let their actions do the talking - but we need characters to stoke up the rivalry and he gets stuck in when he is out there.

Of course I am hoping the words come back to bite him this weekend.

 

[Wilson]

I think I'd be a bit happier if we had Daugunu on the bench for this one. Petaia hasn't really been playing 80 so being able to bring Daugunu on for him with Campbell dropping back into fullback feels a lot more comfortable than doing that with Creighton.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Too close to call. Team of champions (Reds) v champion team. Not saying Reds aren't a champion team but I think the Brumbies depend more on teamwork to break defences while the Reds have any number of attacking players capable of individually making the breaks.

Should be a great match up.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Damon Murphy referee. Make of that what you will.

 

[Adam84]

Too close to call. Team of champions (Reds) v champion team. Not saying Reds aren't a champion team but I think the Brumbies depend more on teamwork to break defences while the Reds have any number of attacking players capable of individually making the breaks.

Haha wrong way around mate.. the Brumbies team with 16 Wallabies and 1 Wallaby coach in it is surely the ‘team of champions’

Reds only have 7 Wallabies, half of whom were dropped for the European Tour last year, the battling underdogs who do more with less.

 

[liquor box]

Too close to call. Team of champions (Reds) v champion team. Not saying Reds aren't a champion team but I think the Brumbies depend more on teamwork to break defences while the Reds have any number of attacking players capable of individually making the breaks.

Should be a great match up.

It depends on what qualifies you as a champion team, by my calculations winning close games and being able to win ugly and without possession surely qualifies? These are things the Reds have done.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Haha wrong way around mate.. the Brumbies team with 16 Wallabies and 1 Wallaby coach in it is surely the ‘team of champions’

Reds only have 7 Wallabies, half of whom were dropped for the European Tour last year, the battling underdogs who do more with less.

Dropped to improve their techniques and now fit as a fiddle after missing the EOYT, Adam. Game breakers like Tupou, McReight, Wilson, Paisami and Petaia. Brumbies are poor individually in comparison with Valetini, Wright and Banks probably the only players who can regularly break or bend the line. I do think the Brumbies have more system about the way they go about their task, and will play a more team-oriented game. Being team players is probably valued by the national selectors.

I hope the Brumbies win, but expect the Reds to prevail in the 80th minute.

 

[Brumby Runner]

It depends on what qualifies you as a champion team, by my calculations winning close games and being able to win ugly and without possession surely qualifies? These are things the Reds have done.

LB, I never said nor suggested the Reds are not a champion team.

 

[Braveheart81]

Brumbies are pretty short priced favourites for this game which I'd say is mostly a reflection of it being in Canberra.

 

[LeCheese]

I do think the Brumbies have more system about the way they go about their task, and will play a more team-oriented game. Being team players is probably valued by the national selectors.

The Brumbies possibly have more of a 'traditional' (dare we say boring?) system in the way they go about their game, but the Reds in recent weeks have shown just how utilitarian their game has become, with numerous players slotting into roles that don't necessarily align with the number on their back. To me, that versatility, and characteristic of 'stepping up' when you're needed, is exactly the definition of being a team player.

 

[Cancelled Account]

Like your confidence RR - although if anything I thought the Brumbies looked like they had taken another step up. Their young guys are stepping up well - but it is their king pins for me that are really playing well. Slipper, Ala'alatoa, Swain (still a young guy - but really developing into a fine young lock), Valetini, White, Simone and Banks leading the way. I though Samu & Ikitau were not as good on the weekend but have been good prior to that and Wright has been up and down but good the weekend just passed.

Having said that I really like how the Reds are building. I feel like the are happy to build off their strong defence and improve the attack as the season progresses.

Both teams can have issues with discipline and I feel it could be a key to the game. Particularly from the Refs POV, their maul defence is much improved but we don’t want to give the Brumbies multiple free shots at the line.

Optimism is my coping mechanism.
We are the better play makers and know how to bring it home. In positional strength we win in all but four positions. Three of those positions happen to be in the forwards which may be problematic if we drop too many penalties and kick without purpose.

 

[Adam84]

Brumbies are pretty short priced favourites for this game which I'd say is mostly a reflection of it being in Canberra.

Reflection of the players, regular player of the week nominees and you could almost name a starting wallabies 15 from that squad. Honestly if they don’t finish the season undefeated I’ll be amazed.

 

[7137]

For all the talk of the Reds tackle busters, they have been pretty well contained by their opponents stopping them with an efficiency of over 88%. Those who face the brumbies however are not fairing well with an average completion rate down at 80%.

I don’t think the Reds are going that well and expect the Brumbies to dispatch them with ease.

 

[mst]

Damon Murphy referee. Make of that what you will.

Reds by 2 at the death.

Oh, please tell me that the Berry is running the lines as well!

 

[TSR]

Game Day.

Pumped for this. Reds by 100. Let’s hope Wilson doesn’t try and tackle Valetini with his head again.

Bring it Bitches!!!!

 

[Braveheart81]

Reflection of the players, regular player of the week nominees and you could almost name a starting wallabies 15 from that squad. Honestly if they don’t finish the season undefeated I’ll be amazed.

Both teams are undefeated and the Reds beat the Brumbies three times last year (albeit all three games were very close).

Anyway, I like the Reds +5.5.

 

[Tomikin]

Good on him though. Generally speaking I prefer players to let their actions do the talking - but we need characters to stoke up the rivalry and he gets stuck in when he is out there.

Of course I am hoping the words come back to bite him this weekend.

I think over the pass 2 seasons or so the aggression his added to his game was what took him to another level.

 

[Wilson]

Commentary just said CFS is out, Rod Iona comes onto the bench

 

[Confucius Say]

Expect Seru Uru to put the blowtorch on Valetini.
Brumbies relatively one dimensional at 7 & 8