Waratahs 2014

[Badger]

I wonder what sort of cap you will get this year?

As you can collect it from the Canterbury stores in Sydney, it's probably made by Canterbury rather than some other third party....even the Tahs admin couldn't be game enough to use the same mob after last season's debacle.

If you thought our alternate strip was bad check out the charity jumper, it just appeared for sale today:

Looks like the designers used a reject logo for natural gas.

 

[Ruggo]

If you thought our alternate strip was bad check out the charity jumper, it just appeared for sale today:

That jersey has actually inspired a color scheme for the bathroom in the house I am building. Regarding rugby jerseys I am old fashioned so think it is a shocker.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

I was thinking something very similar to this. Beale as a super sub and able to move into a starting spot if there is a long term injury.

It will be interesting to see who starts at half. McKibbin certainly improved as the year went on in 2013 and Phipps can be good or awful. I always thought that it was a strange signing, but Cheika can obviously see something there.

Beale is only a reasonable bet at 10 or 15.
Against lesser opponents he can play anywhere - the trouble is the Tahs of yore have tended to play lesser opponents into games so they need to be sure that is out of their system before they go picking KB (Kurtley Beale) at 13 or on the wing.
He really needs to knuckle down because there's a fair tide of players passing, or who have passed, by while he's been treading water for various reasons.

 

[I like to watch]

I disagree.Try him at 12.
If it doesn't work,then try something else.why else do they have trials?
ATM,we have 2 ball running centres.
There are not many world class centre combinations,with 2 ball runners.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

I disagree.Try him at 12.
If it doesn't work,then try something else.why else do they have trials?
ATM,we have 2 ball running centres.
There are not many world class centre combinations,with 2 ball runners.

There are none with a 12 who cant/wont tackle.

 

[Quick Hands]

Beale is only a reasonable bet at 10 or 15.
Against lesser opponents he can play anywhere - the trouble is the Tahs of yore have tended to play lesser opponents into games so they need to be sure that is out of their system before they go picking KB (Kurtley Beale) at 13 or on the wing.
He really needs to knuckle down because there's a fair tide of players passing, or who have passed, by while he's been treading water for various reasons.

Perhaps, but to my way of thinking Foley is 10 and Folau at 15 based on what we know. The Waratahs did have a couple of those pre-Cheika replapses last year, but I don't think will see too much of that in 2014.

I agree with ILTW that we need to see him in trials and he may start off the year as a super sub coming on in the second half when opposing defences are tiring. Of course injury may well intervene and he could end up at either 10 or 15.

You're right in saying that he needs to earn his position, but he is a talented player and as Fatprop said it's not a bad problem to have.

 

[I like to watch]

There are none with a 12 who cant/wont tackle.

Good point.
But if if he can't be relied upon to make his tackles,I would not start him in any position.

 

[suckerforred]

That shirt has one massive problem. Even if you're svelte and toned you look six months pregnant. What were they thinking?

Maybe it is to make the forwards feel better when they look at the backs.......

I actually quite like it.

 

[Ruggo]

Beale would make a fantastic option at 12 for a side with an attacking mindset. The talk of his defense is nonsense because nobody has seen him defend in 2014. It just makes a naive presumption that players can't evolve their games. Him and Foley could combine well.

 

[JSRF10]

Foley and Beale at 10/12 worries me because we don't have anyone who can really get us across the gainline of crap ball. When the pack isn't on top we'd see a lot of cross field crabbing from those two limiting the space for Izzy, Crawford and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) to work in. We can't expect Hooper and Potgieter to act as de facto crash ball centres all season.

 

[Train Without a Station]

The talk of his defense is nonsense because nobody has seen him defend in 2014. It just makes a naive presumption that players can't evolve their games.

Whilst I do agree with your second sentence, to say it's nonsense would make a naïve assumption that anything has changed without any evidence to suggest as much. Beale's defence has been poor for years, however flew under the radar a little due to Quade drawing more attention for his.

Obviously a player can improve this and it can be coached. But I'd like to see some evidence of improvement before I'd be relying on any change. Considering he is on the comeback from shoulder surgery, I'm doubtful he has even been able to do much work on this yet.

 

[Quick Hands]

Any back who has been coached by Hickey/Foley/Deans deserves a chance at redemption.

 

[JSRF10]

I always got the feeling that Beale was never coached, just indulged because he of his natural ability. Maybe with a proper disciplinarian for the first time in a number of years he might finally go some way to fulfilling his potential.

 

[Ruggo]

Foley and Beale at 10/12 worries me because we don't have anyone who can really get us across the gainline of crap ball. When the pack isn't on top we'd see a lot of cross field crabbing from those two limiting the space for Izzy, Crawford and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) to work in. We can't expect Hooper and Potgieter to act as de facto crash ball centres all season.

I think you will be better equipped to deal with such a situation. Phipps will bring a better running game from the base of the ruck (an option but not an ideal one), plus splitting the backline and using AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and Izzy to give that direct run to get the forward momentum back. With a duel play maker combo, you will be able to use the width of the field better and you have some fine attacking options on the fringes.

If Hooper and Potgieter are dicking around as ball crashing centres, it would go a long way to explain why you are on the back foot to begin with.

 

[Hawko]

I disagree.Try him at 12.
If it doesn't work,then try something else.why else do they have trials?
ATM,we have 2 ball running centres.
There are not many world class centre combinations,with 2 ball runners.

We did that two years ago, it did not go well!

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Beale would make a fantastic option at 12 for a side with an attacking mindset. The talk of his defense is nonsense because nobody has seen him defend in 2014. It just makes a naive presumption that players can't evolve their games. Him and Foley could combine well.

What a jumbled series of concepts.
There is not much doubt that he could combine well in attack with anyone but his defence has always been unreliable, a fact hidden at 10 but exposed at 12 and 15 - recall his miss on Jane in Bledisloe 1 in 2012.
The fact that no one has seen him defend in 2014 is actually against you not for you - unless you are the type of analyst who gives everyone a clean slate at midnight on 31 December. In which case play Benn Robinson at 12: at least he might win you some turnover ball, something I cannot recall seeing Beale do.

 

[Ruggo]

What a jumbled series of concepts.
There is not much doubt that he could combine well in attack with anyone but his defence has always been unreliable, a fact hidden at 10 but exposed at 12 and 15 - recall his miss on Jane in Bledisloe 1 in 2012.
The fact that no one has seen him defend in 2014 is actually against you not for you - unless you are the type of analyst who gives everyone a clean slate at midnight on 31 December. In which case play Benn Robinson at 12: at least he might win you some turnover ball, something I cannot recall seeing Beale do.

What the hell kind of dribble is this. Players evolve as their careers progress. It is ridiculous you need to go back two years to sight a bad miss tackle. Yes when Beale comes back given his situation, I am more than comfortable to give him a clean slate. If it is going to be a success, he will have a different attitude and shit yeah I think it will transfer into his defense.

Rather than giving Robinson a run at 12, what are you up to in 2014?

 

[Brainstrust]

What the hell kind of dribble is this. Players evolve as their careers progress. It is ridiculous you need to go back two years to sight a bad miss tackle. Yes when Beale comes back given his situation, I am more than comfortable to give him a clean slate. If it is going to be a success, he will have a different attitude and shit yeah I think it will transfer into his defense.

Rather than giving Robinson a run at 12, what are you up to in 2014?

Main problem with moving Israel from 15 is you lose by far the best high ball receiver in Australia and replace him with Beale who is probs a 40% proposition. Having Izzy at 15 removes the mid field kick as a viable option from the opposition. The Tahs and Wallabies would be weaker with him elsewhere.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

what are you up to in 2014?

Puerile.

 

[Quick Hands]

Main problem with moving Israel from 15 is you lose by far the best high ball receiver in Australia and replace him with Beale who is probs a 40% proposition. Having Izzy at 15 removes the mid field kick as a viable option from the opposition. The Tahs and Wallabies would be weaker with him elsewhere.

KB (Kurtley Beale) is just not dependable enough at 15 from what we've seen so far and Folau gives us so much in attack as well as the high ball.