Waratahs 2014

[Swat]

Thank you so much for these updates Lee, and for the blog posts. I hope you realise how much the rest of us appreciate them.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

^^^ G&GR's own unpaid intern is churning out better stuff than the unpaid interns at Tah HQ.

Love your work, Uncle Lee. It is seriously appreciated by the tragics.

A fitting post #2000 on this thread from @Lee Grant..

 

[Hawko]

It's hard to judge players, or coaches for that matter, before the season starts although the trials will be revealing.

- Skelton is one point. When training is opposed and they are wearing their combat gear, Will is by far the hardest guy to stop—see a couple of photos in the slideshow at the bottom of this blog: http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/cheika-look-for-new-waratahs/

I know this doesn't answer the question: can he start in Super Rugby week after week and stay on the park for 60 minutes, at least; but it's a question that shouldn't be asked until the season starts, because it can't be.

- Kurtley is like Izzy last year: the hardest to grab one on one, or even two on one. It's interesting that he is wearing the 13 bib for his unit.

- Cheika has ramped up some of the stuff he was light on last year, or was late on last year because of the early attacking imperative for the 2013 season: goal-line attack and defence, choke tackle and breakdown for and against. Lots of work in those areas.

That's interesting. 1.94 and never played lock for the Bulls. He is an out and out blindside but hey it could work he is physical enough.

1. I think Cheika is looking for some of that SA forward physicality in the tight five. IMO the difference between making the finals and not last year was a lack of physicality, consistently across the season. A lot of those games where we lost by a point or two, usually put down to poor goal kicking at inappropriate times, we actually should never have got to that position. Had we physically dominated the rucks and the defensive line, we would never have needed that couple of points.
2. Come the end of the season, it will be interesting to see who will be the starters at lock - it may well be that Skelton and Douglas will share the THL role with Potgeiter at LHL. Skelton/Douglas, Dennis and Palu will provide the three lineout options.
3. The two alternatives are that Cheika is channelling me (see previous posts re KB (Kurtley Beale) and 13) or that he is putting a huge red herring out there to blindside other coaches. I hope its the former because I think KB (Kurtley Beale) and Horne at 13 & 12 with Folau at 15 could be the stuff of nightmares for every other team. Even the Chiefs will lie awake at night wondering.

Thanks for your training posts, it has kept this poor rugby tragic from starving till the season starts.

 

[Zander]

I suspect Beale at 13 is just mimicking Folau until he gets back to training. You'd much prefer Folau at 13 over Beale due to offloading and size.

 

[Ruggo]

The Tahs have had a size fetish in previous years but it would be interesting to know if that has taken a backseat with the more expansive style they look to be turning towards.

 

[RoffsChoice]

Why on earth would you disrupt the excellent Horne-AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) centre pairing? I feel like Horne was the best 12 in Australia and was robbed this year by not getting the Wallabies spot.

You should really go for:
Phipps, Foley, Crawford, Horne, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Folau, Beale

I mean, Beale at 15 is Beale at this best. Folau on the wing allows him to be on the end of a LOT of plays as well as receive those cross field kicks without drawing too many defenders. His ability to break tackles will lets him score tries in 1v1 or 1v2 scenarios.

Crawford is a great finisher as well so he will work very well at 11. He is also solid on defense. Horne and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) are a rock in the midfield and can attack any defense with a chance of getting through or drawing defenders, so they will make breaks whether they're the ones who exploit them or not.

Phipps is just a great player and will get to breakdowns and distribute well. Foley can run, pass or kick and is just your best option at 10.

McKibbon, Lance, Betham is your best backline bench. Every spot is covered.

 

[Hawko]

Why on earth would you disrupt the excellent Horne-AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) centre pairing? I feel like Horne was the best 12 in Australia and was robbed this year by not getting the Wallabies spot.

You should really go for:
Phipps, Foley, Crawford, Horne, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Folau, Beale

I mean, Beale at 15 is Beale at this best. Folau on the wing allows him to be on the end of a LOT of plays as well as receive those cross field kicks without drawing too many defenders. His ability to break tackles will lets him score tries in 1v1 or 1v2 scenarios.

Crawford is a great finisher as well so he will work very well at 11. He is also solid on defense. Horne and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) are a rock in the midfield and can attack any defense with a chance of getting through or drawing defenders, so they will make breaks whether they're the ones who exploit them or not.

Phipps is just a great player and will get to breakdowns and distribute well. Foley can run, pass or kick and is just your best option at 10.

McKibbon, Lance, Betham is your best backline bench. Every spot is covered.

To answer your question, I am not convinced AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) at 13 will allow the wingers to get away properly because AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)'s skills do not include passing to the winger in space on a regular basis.

All the names I agree with. I just want Beale at 13 to feed AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and Crawford with Folau at 15 for his aerial skills. Folau's aerial skills surpass Beale's (and everyone else's) so I want him at the back for kick return. Beale and Folau are better brokenfield runners than just about anyone in Oz with Beale having the better pass skills to set the wingers away. All KB (Kurtley Beale) has to learn is the defence positioning that a 13 must have. He has the football brain for it, I reckon by season end he will have it down pat.

 

[RoffsChoice]

I am not convinced AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) at 13 will allow the wingers to get away properly

That's fair enough, he does slip into that mindset every once in a while. The drawbacks of playing a guy on the wing and at fullback, then expecting him to play differently at 13.

 

[Intruder]

Did anyone catch a glimpse of the internal trial this afternoon ? Big way to end the pre season.

 

[RoffsChoice]

Most of the christmas prep is done, so here's a matchday 23 I'd like to see from the Waratahs:

1 Benn Robinson
2 Tatafu Polota-Nau
3 Sekope Kepu
4 Will Skelton
5 Kane Douglas
6 Jacques Potgieter
7 Michael Hooper
8 Dave Dennis (c)
9 Nick Phipps
10 Bernard Foley
11 Cam Crawford
12 Rob Horne
13 Adam Ashley-Cooper
14 Israel Folau
15 Kurtley Beale

16 Tolu Latu
17 Jeremy Tilse
18 Paddy Ryan
19 Jed Holloway
20 Wycliff Palu
21 Brendan McKibbon
22 Jono Lance
23 Peter Betham

 

[Hawko]

Did anyone catch a glimpse of the internal trial this afternoon ? Big way to end the pre season.

Teasing like this for people who can't get to training is tantamount to torture. "Big" as in great intensity, "big" as in drinking session, "big" as in lots of injuries? Were you a Guantanimo interrogator in a previous life?

 

[JSRF10]

Next years alternate jersey, Ponies won't be pleased about the design on the back:

 

[I like to watch]

Most of the christmas prep is done, so here's a matchday 23 I'd like to see from the Waratahs:

1 Benn Robinson
2 Tatafu Polota-Nau
3 Sekope Kepu
4 Will Skelton
5 Kane Douglas
6 Jacques Potgieter
7 Michael Hooper
8 Dave Dennis (c)
9 Nick Phipps
10 Bernard Foley
11 Cam Crawford
12 Rob Horne
13 Adam Ashley-Cooper
14 Israel Folau
15 Kurtley Beale

16 Tolu Latu
17 Jeremy Tilse
18 Paddy Ryan
19 Jed Holloway
20 Wycliff Palu
21 Brendan McKibbon
22 Jono Lance
23 Peter Betham

What about KB (Kurtley Beale) at 12
Horne at 13
AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) at 14
IF at 15?
Of the above only KB (Kurtley Beale) is an unknown in his position.pretty much the entire backline can crashball,so KB (Kurtley Beale) needn't do that.

 

[Badger]

Next years alternate jersey, Ponies won't be pleased about the design on the back:

Ugh...who approves these things? Did anyone else notice the similarity to this logo from a rival of the major sponsor?

 

[Hawko]

Next years alternate jersey, Ponies won't be pleased about the design on the back:

That's awful! So much potentially can be done with the Tah jersey elements and this is the best the design team could do?

 

[ShtinaTina]

It'll make their waists look slimmer.

 

[TOCC]

Next years alternate jersey, Ponies won't be pleased about the design on the back:

Unpaid interns strike again

 

[I like to watch]

It'll make their waists look slimmer.

Then I'm in!
Where do I get one?

 

[RoffsChoice]

What about KB (Kurtley Beale) at 12
Horne at 13
AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) at 14
IF at 15?
Of the above only KB (Kurtley Beale) is an unknown in his position.pretty much the entire backline can crashball,so KB (Kurtley Beale) needn't do that.

It's a case of knowing KB (Kurtley Beale) is good at 15, used to be good at 10 and might be good at 12. Play it safe. Keep the combinations. Betham on the bench is better than AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) or Horne in a different position than last year.

 

[#1 Tah]

Next years alternate jersey, Ponies won't be pleased about the design on the back:

I dont think it will matter too much considering we wear the away jersey all of three times (against the stormers, blues and force)