Waratahs 2012

[fatprop]

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is actually pretty good generally under the high ball, but everyone has bad days

I expect him to be working from 15, my only concern is his lack of distribution skills and kicking accuracy, his running is fine, his defense is good.

Hopefully he has a bonus built into his package for try assists and not dying with the ball.

 

[Swat]

While Pakalani shows a good turn of pace and acceleration of the mark I don't think his game is really complete enough for Super Rugby (at least what I saw from last season - hopefully has improved on skills and defence in the off season). He got stood up in defence a couple of times and dropped the ball a few too many times for my liking.

 

[Langthorne]

Pakalani may haave lacked finese, but at least he went into contact all guns blazing.

A bit of glue on his hands and he'll be awesome.

 

[Ruggo]

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is actually pretty good generally under the high ball, but everyone has bad days

I expect him to be working from 15, my only concern is his lack of distribution skills and kicking accuracy, his running is fine, his defense is good.

Hopefully he has a bonus built into his package for try assists and not dying with the ball.

He just needs to keep the ball in front of your forwards. A bit like Hynes did for the Reds in 2010.

 

[Swat]

Pakalani may haave lacked finese, but at least he went into contact all guns blazing.

A bit of glue on his hands and he'll be awesome.

Don't get me wrong, I think he's got definite potential, if him and 2 rats live up to their potential we'll have 2 absolute assets to aus rugby. Maybe there is some link between having a rats tail and potential. It worked for Anakin Skywalker, just look how f#cken bad ass he ended up being....

 

[Gnostic]

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is actually pretty good generally under the high ball, but everyone has bad days

I expect him to be working from 15, my only concern is his lack of distribution skills and kicking accuracy, his running is fine, his defense is good.

Hopefully he has a bonus built into his package for try assists and not dying with the ball.

His technique is poor (ie attacks the ball head on instead of rotating to take the ball with a shoulder forward to minimize the chance of knock on). His good days result in a few more caught than dropped. Apart from that his form this year just doesn't fill me with confidence, especially his counter attacking abilities which are limited on the right as I said and his speed has been called into question. Another point I didn't post earlier is his relatively weak kicking, he gets at best average distance from the boot. Mitchell on the other hand gets huge distance, mixed with a few skewed kicks that are lucky to go out and not backwards.

Looking at a full 22 I feel AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is better for a side on the bench covering multiple positions.

 

[Lee Grant]

I hope AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) doesn't get the 15 spot. I have been less than impressd with his high ball work. It is a blight on the Australian game in general, even players who take spectacular catches in one movement will drop it cold the next. Maybe the Tahs and Wallabies would do well to have some training by a top level AFL coach.

Yeah Oz backs aren't great under the high ball are they? You'd think in the ping pong era that started, in earnest, about 5-6 years ago that Oz backs would be coached in the skills needed for it, but it doesn't appear to be the case. If I had to back somebody to catch a bomb, a real bomb - otherwise it would explode, I would pick Genia; but he won't be playing 15 for the Tahs or any other team.

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) will be starting for the Tahs - as Joh would say: don't you worry about that - and if everybody is healthy it will most likely be at fullback despite your astute comments Gnostic.

Carter will be the 12. Despite our wishes that he knew what to do when there is a metre of space and to use the ball in a way that gives better opportunities to others, his meat and potatoes excellence is coveted by coaches at the Super level. Horne will be the outside centre for as long as he stays fit, and Turner and Mitchell will be the wingers. If there is an injury to Horne or the wingers I'd like to see Kingston in there. He is a youngster on the rise.

It will be interesting to see if Gaffney can make a difference to the attacking ability of this team. It's not that the Tahs didn't score tries in 2011. They scored more than anybody else in the pool games, a big improvement on 2nd worst 2 years earlier, but the backs had no zing in them.

I want a bit of zing.
.

 

[Swat]

I think where we may come unstuck is if Barnes gets injured and Hangers comes into 10. Nothing against Hangers but I don't think he really offers enough with a non-ballplaying 12 outside of him to really get that zing. How does Brakin go? I didn't really see much of his 3 (?) games for the Brumbies last year.

 

[DPK]

I think where we may come unstuck is if Barnes gets injured and Hangers comes into 10. Nothing against Hangers but I don't think he really offers enough with a non-ballplaying 12 outside of him to really get that zing. How does Brakin go? I didn't really see much of his 3 (?) games for the Brumbies last year.

Isn't that why Foley was drafted into the squad?

 

[Swat]

Isn't that why Foley was drafted into the squad?

Shit, totally forgot about Foley.... point retracted. You win this round

 

[high tower]

So we lost the wallaby 15, and we bought the previous wallaby 15 who just recently played there again in the RWC, and some of you think we should bench him. He will play every game this year, his versatility will allow more than one position(most likely 13 when Horne knocks himself trying to smash thru like a wrecking ball).
I would be more worried about how long till Barnes retires from one head knock too many.

 

[DPK]

Shit, totally forgot about Foley.... point retracted. You win this round

Whoa whoa, we're both winners: we're Tahs fans!

 

[#1 Tah]

I would be more worried about how long till Barnes retires from one head knock too many.

Oh ye of little faith!

On all accounts, (from Berrick, his dad, his fiancee and Dr. Shazza) it wont be any time soon thankfully.

 

[Hawko]

Just looked at the Tah website. Its a marketing disgrace! The thirty man squad is photographed (badly) in the sky blue jersey except that:

1. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is in all yellow
2. Bernard Foley is in green and gold (maybe a sevens jersey?)
3. Vickerman is in a dark blue Waratahs windcheater.
4. And the absolute doozey of them all ..... Pretorius in Cheetahs ORANGE!

There are no photos for the extended squad.

I want the marketing manager dismissed instantly. How can he run a department that allows Waratah team members to be dressed up in other teams' outfits. (The Cheetahs FFS, as if I want to be reminded of round five.) I've been a marketing manager in my previous working life. I would have died of shame if I had been responsible for that going up. And its been like that for months.

 

[qwerty51]

Just looked at the Tah website. Its a marketing disgrace! The thirty man squad is photographed (badly) in the sky blue jersey except that:

1. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is in all yellow
2. Bernard Foley is in green and gold (maybe a sevens jersey?)
3. Vickerman is in a dark blue Waratahs windcheater.
4. And the absolute doozey of them all ..... Pretorius in Cheetahs ORANGE!

There are no photos for the extended squad.

I want the marketing manager dismissed instantly. How can he run a department that allows Waratah team members to be dressed up in other teams' outfits. (The Cheetahs FFS, as if I want to be reminded of round five.) I've been a marketing manager in my previous working life. I would have died of shame if I had been responsible for that going up. And its been like that for months.

Being a bit harsh, what are they suppose to do? Photoshop a Tahs jersey on them? They only met-up this week for the first time. I assume they want to get their 2012 jersey finalised before they take photos of each player for 2012.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Being a bit harsh, what are they suppose to do? Photoshop a Tahs jersey on them? They only met-up this week for the first time. I assume they want to get their 2012 jersey finalised before they take photos of each player for 2012.

If all but AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) are in sky blue they must have got them from somewhere - whether they're 2011,2012 or whatever - so thats not a plausible excuse.
Photoshopping's not that difficult - the bloke who puts the witches hats out for training could have done it during the RWC.
It will surprise no-one that I agree with Hawko but I'd go one step further and get the fire brigade to back up their biggest mother open the doors and windows and blast everyone and everything out of the joint and start again.
The rebels have JOC (James O'Connor) and Beale in Rebels jerseys: http://www.melbournerebels.com.au/Team/PlayerProfiles.aspx
Time to stop making excuses for this mob

 

[Inside Shoulder]

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is actually pretty good generally under the high ball, but everyone has bad days

I expect him to be working from 15, my only concern is his lack of distribution skills and kicking accuracy, his running is fine, his defense is good.

Hopefully he has a bonus built into his package for try assists and not dying with the ball.

I agree he has been: moving him around and basically asking him to clean up the mess and cover for everyone may have taken its toll.
I think AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is a class act, and he'll come good.

 

[Badger]

Being a bit harsh, what are they suppose to do? Photoshop a Tahs jersey on them? They only met-up this week for the first time. I assume they want to get their 2012 jersey finalised before they take photos of each player for 2012.

The 2012 Tahs jersey will be the same design as that worn by the 2011 RWC teams that use Canterbury jerseys.

 

[qwerty51]

If all but AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) are in sky blue they must have got them from somewhere - whether they're 2011,2012 or whatever - so thats not a plausible excuse.
Photoshopping's not that difficult - the bloke who puts the witches hats out for training could have done it during the RWC.
It will surprise no-one that I agree with Hawko but I'd go one step further and get the fire brigade to back up their biggest mother open the doors and windows and blast everyone and everything out of the joint and start again.
The rebels have JOC (James O'Connor) and Beale in Rebels jerseys: http://www.melbournerebels.com.au/Team/PlayerProfiles.aspx
Time to stop making excuses for this mob

Ha.Johansson, Inman, King and Alo-Emile don't even have pictures. Get over yourself, everything you type is negative.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Ha.Johansson, Inman, King and Alo-Emile don't even have pictures. Get over yourself, everything you type is negative.

Go on: try admitting the rebels have already got Beale and JOC (James O'Connor) pride of place in rebels jerseys.
I thought #1677 (i.e. the post 2 before yours) above was pretty positive - but I guess theres a limit to how much research you are up for.
In the land of the blind the one eyed man is king.