Waratahs 2015

[Braveheart81]

If Dennis can pull it off, it can only be good for the Tahs.

With Gray and Holloway's form in the NRC pushing their claims for more gametime in 2015, we've got serious depth at 6 and 8 but are sorely lacking at lock with Douglas leaving.

 

[Muglair]

Let's see how chuffed with yourself you are in 3 years time. Because that's how quickly you can end up down the wrong end of the ladder.

All too true, I wonder how Rod Kafer will describe that turn of events.

I hope your pessimism is unfounded TWAS, both in respect of any demise of the Tahs and also hoping that the current spate of team announcements is not the highpoint of the Reds 2015 season!

 

[fatprop]

has Kafer stopped talking about the Tah's 3 year plan yet?

 

[rugbysmartarse]

has Kafer stopped talking about the Tah's 3 year plan yet?

I'm pretty sure he recycled the line again post the title win this year.

 

[#1 Tah]

If I was Michael Chieka, I would be bringing in a replacement and training them up this year to take over the reins after Chiek moves to St Leonards full time. I'm not too sure who we would take, but I guess as long as it's not Richard Graham I'll be okay with it.

 

[Jagman]

After the 2010 season the Waratahs put extra mass on most of their forwards. Ben Mowen was the most notable. He went from 102kgs to 114kgs and claimed he could jump 10cm higher. When he went to the brumbies he halved that weight gain but not the jump. It would be awesome if Dennis could jump like mowen.
http://m.smh.com.au/rugby-union/uni...-tahs-play-safe-with-palu-20110216-1awmc.html


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[It is what it is]

If I was Michael Chieka, I would be bringing in a replacement and training them up this year to take over the reins after Chiek moves to St Leonards full time. I'm not too sure who we would take, but I guess as long as it's not Richard Graham I'll be okay with it.

Why would Cheika make such an effort unless he was incentivised to do so?
He's not a shareholder of Waratah Rugby and he already has enough on his plate without adding succession planning with a newbie.

 

[#1 Tah]

Why would Cheika make such an effort unless he was incentivised to do so?

He would do it because that's the kind of guy he is. Chiek, like us, wants to see the success of the Waratahs and Rugby in NSW and Australia as a whole.

To that end, he has said multiple times that Rugby isn't a job for him, it's a passion - he is already very wealthy from his fashion business, so it's never about the money for him.

An example to back up my claim: After the Tahs V Crusaders game in 2013 (you will recall it was an intensely physical game, going down to the wire and a missed kick at goal denied us the game - how ironic), the team got an afternoon flight back to Sydney, and after landing, Chiek hosted the entire team + families for a massive barbecue at his home. He paid for the food himself and cooked it all with the help of some of the players.

 

[Braveheart81]

I think the succession plan will be Daryl Gibson. It's always a risk giving someone their first head coaching gig but I think Gibson is ready for it.

The other alternative is to set it up for Nathan Grey (which I think would have been the plan pre-Wallabies). I guess there's the potential that Grey will just be the Wallabies defensive coach for 2015 and then head coach fo the Tahs in 2016.

 

[barbarian]

An example to back up my claim: After the Tahs V Crusaders game in 2013 (you will recall it was an intensely physical game, going down to the wire and a missed kick at goal denied us the game - how ironic), the team got an afternoon flight back to Sydney, and after landing, Chiek hosted the entire team + families for a massive barbecue at his home. He paid for the food himself and cooked it all with the help of some of the players.

Why wasn't I invited? Fuck me, after all the years of support, and I don't even get an invite to the team BBQ!

Typically incompetent Tahs management.

 

[It is what it is]

He would do it because that's the kind of guy he is. Chiek, like us, wants to see the success of the Waratahs and Rugby in NSW and Australia as a whole.

To that end, he has said multiple times that Rugby isn't a job for him, it's a passion - he is already very wealthy from his fashion business, so it's never about the money for him.

An example to back up my claim: After the Tahs V Crusaders game in 2013 (you will recall it was an intensely physical game, going down to the wire and a missed kick at goal denied us the game - how ironic), the team got an afternoon flight back to Sydney, and after landing, Chiek hosted the entire team + families for a massive barbecue at his home. He paid for the food himself and cooked it all with the help of some of the players.

All very nice and honourable but irrelevant to your suggestion on Cheika bringing in and developing a new person to follow him as coach.

 

[p.Tah]

All very nice and honourable but irrelevant to your suggestion on Cheika bringing in and developing a new person to follow him as coach.

Whoever Cheika handed the tongs to at the BBQ will be the next Tahs coach. Isn't that how we do things in Oz?

 

[Quick Hands]

And Peterson is off to the US of A. Well good luck to him - because what I saw at NRC level didn't impress me. Looks like a bloke who was bigger than all the other kids at school level and never had to work hard as a result.

According to his Tahs profile, his dream is to own a 69 Camaro. He'll have more luck with that over there. Goodbye.

Holloway now considered a lock replacement.

His dad is American and the kid may have been born there - USA test team?

 

[Highlander35]

Made his debut against Romania off the bench. No idea how he went, but the USA side missing their premiership players won reasonably comfortable, despite getting smashed at set piece time.

 

[Pfitzy]

All very nice and honourable but irrelevant to your suggestion on Cheika bringing in and developing a new person to follow him as coach.

Uh, he's been grooming either Gibson or Grey to follow him all year. So I don't think there is an issue with succession planning. You're right in that it isn't his job, but he's a NSW boy and will want to see things continue - that is evident enough in the culture changes he's been bringing in.

 

[RugbyReg]

didn't Dave Dennis cook breakfast for the Waratahs this year after he got injured? Perhaps he's the next Tah coach?

 

[I like to watch]

Coach or catering contractor?

 

[ShtinaTina]

I've heard that Chieka still calls Leinster to make sure standards are in being upheld as he doesn't like places that his name is attached to going backwards. I wouldn't be surprised if he does the same with the Tahs at the end of his tenure.

 

[Quick Hands]

Made his debut against Romania off the bench. No idea how he went, but the USA side missing their premiership players won reasonably comfortable, despite getting smashed at set piece time.

Good luck to him. I hope things work out well for him over there.

 

[Quick Hands]

I've heard that Chieka still calls Leinster to make sure standards are in being upheld as he doesn't like places that his name is attached to going backwards. I wouldn't be surprised if he does the same with the Tahs at the end of his tenure.

I've met the man 2 or 3 times and have been very impressed. On one occasion my son's team played the u/9 curtain raiser in 2013, he sauntered over to where the kids were sitting behind the dead ball line and had a 5 or 10 minute chat with the kids about rugby. Something he didn't have to do - he could have stood in the middle of the ground with his arms folded. He strikes me as one of those rare individuals who have the ability to operate at all levels and make people feel that he actually cares and who can have fun with the players, but is still unquestionably the boss and never crosses the line in that regard.