reds set for another terrible season

[steve_hind_]

the reds look set for another humiliating season in 2008

a. their new coach is inexperienced and virtually unknown
b. their squad has already been named, before the arc...meaning that once again they've paid no attention to form and shown terrible insight into players
c. player exodous: mitchell chapman has left as well, bound for the brumbies. like huxley before him, he'll probably be a wallaby by the end of next season
d. young players lack leadership and have too much pressure too soon. 9 genia 10 cooper 12 barnes will be a world-beating inside back combo in three years, but now their development is getting squashed by having to carry a team of no-hopers


what do you think?

 

[luke00]

Not adding Benny Lucas to that reds squad was a huuuge mistake on their behalf. better not let him go

 

[All Blacks Rule]

Yup you poor unfortunate don't you wish you could trade in your Red jersey for a red and Black one...although with the All Black player exodus things won't be that hot for us either...still at least our coach WON'T go coach the Wallabies like YOURS is coaching the Springbocks!

 

[timmyhoran]

Disagree. The Reds got masacred by injuries last season. They have the best tight five in Australia.

1. Holmes 9. Cordingly

2. Moore 10. Barnes

3. Blake 11. Ioane

4. McMeniman 12. Tirinui

5. Horwill 13. Schifcofske

6. Houston 14. Brown

7. Croft 15. Latham

8. Roe



Not a bad team.

 

[melon]

If those players stayed injury free, they'd be a bloody good team. The unfortunate thing is that one or two of these players will always be out and the Reds tend to succumb to this thing that takes away the ability to lift.

Hopefully I'm wrong and they're injury free, or even if they have a small casualty list, they can lift.

 

[Fushitsusha]

The Reds boast one of the best scrums in the competition, and their lineout isn't too bad.

But, as already stated - when they lose players to injury they don't have anyone that can step up.

The Waratahs also suffer from the same problem now. I think the loss of Turinui will hurt them because they don't have any good centres left. Their lineout should return to the dominant force it was if Vickerman can stay injury free but as they displayed in the Super 14 this year their pack is just toooooo slow.

This is why the Brumbies have been so dominant in Australia for so long. They have the best player development and make a lot of very smart signings every year. Especially in the forwards where they boast a lot of REALLY GOOD backrowers. I felt they had the best backrow in the competition this year and were ruthless at the breakdown (highlighted by their performance against the Crusaders).

Granted, they have suffered slightly when Larkham has been out. But this also applies to the Wallabies. That's just how good Larkham is at igniting a backline.

I'm not sure if Huxley will be a good long term solution at flyhalf, but I'm happy to see Lealifaano doing well in the ARC.

Anyways, there's unsubstantiated rumours flying around now that Giteau wants to break free from his Force contract and return to the Brumbies. It would be great but I honestly don't see the Force letting him go.

 

[Brodizzle]

Anyways, there's unsubstantiated rumours flying around now that Giteau wants to break free from his Force contract and return to the Brumbies. It would be great but I honestly don't see the Force letting him go.
[/b]

That was written by Greg Growden, it is well known that him and Sydney Morning Herald as a whole wish to bring down the Force with thier filth reporting....take it with a pinch of salt.

 

[Fushitsusha]

<div class='quotemain'>
Anyways, there's unsubstantiated rumours flying around now that Giteau wants to break free from his Force contract and return to the Brumbies. It would be great but I honestly don't see the Force letting him go.
[/b]

That was written by Greg Growden, it is well known that him and Sydney Morning Herald as a whole wish to bring down the Force with thier filth reporting....take it with a pinch of salt.
[/b][/quote]

Oh definately.

With Gregan retirng and the ARC gaining positive results he's got to aim somewhere else.

 

[Brodizzle]

<div class='quotemain'>
<div class='quotemain'>
Anyways, there's unsubstantiated rumours flying around now that Giteau wants to break free from his Force contract and return to the Brumbies. It would be great but I honestly don't see the Force letting him go.
[/b]

That was written by Greg Growden, it is well known that him and Sydney Morning Herald as a whole wish to bring down the Force with thier filth reporting....take it with a pinch of salt.
[/b][/quote]

Oh definately.

With Gregan retirng and the ARC gaining positive results he's got to aim somewhere else.
[/b][/quote]
http://rugbywa.com.au/news/article,52061.html

We really need to bring out the lawyers, SMH is ridiculous....

 

[Fushitsusha]

I loved their response.

I guess the Sydney media's jealousy of the Brumbies' success has shifted over to the Force?

Fortunately we haven't had to endure a Bob Dwyer article for a while about how the Wallabies team should be made up of the entire Waratahs squad and how Phil Waugh is the best player of all time.

Was it Roy Masters that recently wrote how Phil Waugh was man of the match when the Wallabies beat the All Blacks... despite him not coming onto the field seconds before Staniforth's try, and having absolutely no involvement in any aspect of the game leading up to that try... or doing anything of note after that...

The best part of that article is Connolly's response about how George Smith was his man of the match based on his stats...

I love NSW rugby media... lots of laughs!

 

[Whazthisname]

Yeah I agree that the Reds should have left naming there squad till after the ARC because it sort of makes a mockery of the competition. It is a real shame that there is no room for Ben Lucas either

 

[mck]

Barnes could be the only thing saving the Reds from total humiliation week in week out.

 

[Brodizzle]

Barnes could be the only thing saving the Reds from total humiliation week in week out.
[/b]

Didn't do too well with that last year...