When should Mortlock be replaced as captain?
Roar Guru By Peter K, 6 Sep 2008 The Crowd is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- captaincy, Giteau, Gregan, Stirling Mortlock
One of the reasons George Gregan was allowed to continue past his use by date was that a replacement captain had not been groomed. It seemed we needed Gregan for his direction and influence. But I disagreed. We should have gotten rid of him anyway.
So we should not make the mistake twice.
Mortlock is still the world’s premier outside centre, but for how long? I believe we should choose a captain who, barring injury, is certain to hold his position.
Mortlock is not that person.
At his age he may no longer deserve his spot, as was the case with Gregan. Mortlock also lacks certain qualities as a captain. Too many times we have had hidings with him as captain.
We have also lost too many games in the last ten minutes, too many close games.
We need to replace Mortlock as captain in sufficient time so that an experienced captain can lead the side come 2011.
Ideally a new captain should be blooded on the Northern Hemisphere tour rather than the tougher Tri-Nations.
So it needs to be now or next year.
There are only three players who could reasonably be expected to hold their place until 2011: Giteau, Smith and Horwill.
Smith would be the least certain because he is competing for only one position, number 7, and a player like Pocock could surpass him in that time.
Giteau is certain since he covers 10,12 and 9 at a pinch. I cannot see him being surpassed at both 10 and 12.
However, Giteau has a lot on his plate calling the plays, being the main kicker, and leading them around the park to also have to worry about the intensity of the forwards.
Our biggest weakness is that the forwards go missing too often.
We need someone close to the forwards to get stuck into them. Ideally it would be a forward to lead by example and who they will listen to when he barks at them to get stuck in.
That man is Horwill.
He may be surpassed by one forward as a lock (Kimlin may be a better lock, for instance), but I cannot see two locks surpassing him and having that hard edge.
Horwill turned the Queensland pack around.
They should make him captain on the Northern Hemisphere tour.
The only question is with what dignity Mortlock is allowed to announce his relinquishing of the captaincy?
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- Explore:
- captaincy, Giteau, Gregan, Stirling Mortlock
September 6th 2008 @ 11:11am
Peter K said | September 6th 2008 @ 11:11am | Report comment
Benjamin – The opposite is just as valid, have a captain in the forwards (who obviously is pack leader as well) and a playmaker in the backs, who by definition is the backs leader.
September 6th 2008 @ 11:21am
Benjamin said | September 6th 2008 @ 11:21am | Report comment
That is true Peter, but under the ELVs I think it would pay to have the leader in the backs, so he could see the open field before him. If there are increased rucks what good is a captain with his head buried?
September 6th 2008 @ 12:19pm
Peter K said | September 6th 2008 @ 12:19pm | Report comment
On the otherhand Benjamin you need to have the ball to use it. You need the intensity to contest the breakdown. What good is the captain staring at open vistas to be exploited but no ball to do it with?
September 6th 2008 @ 2:42pm
Jim Boyce said | September 6th 2008 @ 2:42pm | Report comment
Thanks Blinky Bill for the recognition. I am firmly of the belief that the captain needs to be in the forwards or at the least Half Back. When one considers the great captains of the last decade they are nearly all forwards. eg Eales, McCaw, Smit, Martin Johnson. The reason for this is the tempo and character of the match is more determined in the forwards than the backs, largely because the set pieces start there. If teams fall apart it happens in the forwards because of the lack of captaincy eg All Blacks , Sydney 2008.
I am interested in why the sporting scribes tend to steer away from this topic, excepting Spiro. A lot of them are far more comfortable discussing the coaches and have written the captain out of the script. This a bit of a soccer thing which sporting writers are not immune to copying. I venture that they don’t want to earn the ire of the administration who guard their flock.
Deans has relied on McCaw with the Crusaders and he is in a new situation without a strong captain. I think Deans is of the view that he has time on his side and with a 4 year contract, he is probably right. The ARU have to stick with him and he can afford to wait while a new captain becomes more visible.
Peter K good on you for raising this one , because it is a more general issue. The captaincy of the Waratahs has been pass the parcel and with the exception of the Force this has been the case with the Super 14 teams. You could then take it down to Club level but I have already gone on too long.
Regards Jim
September 6th 2008 @ 3:18pm
David Lewis said | September 6th 2008 @ 3:18pm | Report comment
As a Kiwi, i’d encourage you to dump Mortlock as captain and player. As a rugby aficianado, I’d counsel against it. Centre is one of the pivotal positions on the rugby field. A top class centre controls the wide defensive line, and shuts down opposition attacks, as well as being the kingpin around which many atacking moves are focused. The centre can be the backline rock, with more gifted playmakers inside and outside. It is a position in which many players do not fully mature until their 30s. NZ’s three best centres of the last 30 years – Stanley, Bunce, and Umaga – all played their best rugby as they matured, and retured prematurely. If Umaga had been with the ABs last year, it could have made a major difference at the RWC. Moreover, Umaga showed that it is possible to lead a team from the three-quarters.
September 6th 2008 @ 7:26pm
ohtani's jacket said | September 6th 2008 @ 7:26pm | Report comment
The reason I assume Mortlock will retire is because he looks so old.
Only Mortlock knows for certain how hard he’s pushing his body to still perform at the international level. We saw this with Tana when he retired, his form dropped right off in his final games for Wellington.
There’s no need to rush Cross into the starting spot, but I don’t agree that Stanley, Bunce or Umaga retired prematurely. If Mortlock hung up the boots after Brisbane, I wouldn’t call it premature. He’s clearly on the down swing.
September 6th 2008 @ 7:58pm
Benjamin said | September 6th 2008 @ 7:58pm | Report comment
Peter, being the captain has no bearing on a teams ability to win ball. Horwill is still reliant on 7 other men. I tend to favour the idea of back row or centre so there is a slight depth to the observations. However it is also crucial that there are many leaders in the team. Martin Johnson, for example, had Leonard, Back, Dallaglio, Dawson, Wilkinson and Greenwood. Australia needs players like that to accept responsibility in other key positions like 7,8,12 and 15. It is questionable if the Wallabies have those leaders in those positions.
David Lewis, other successful centre/back captains include Carling, Sella, O’Driscoll and Hastings.
September 6th 2008 @ 8:31pm
kenneth mortimer said | September 6th 2008 @ 8:31pm | Report comment
More than anyone Stirling knows that his future is limited. However, I perceive him as the Australian Michael Jones given that both struggled with recoveries from injuries and continued to perfrom magnificiently after their recovery.
At this time, nobody stands out as the next Wallaby captain although Giteau is leading the pack. The reason is that even captains need lieutenants and now they are not obvious. Horwill is emerging s a forward leader but needs to establish a more consistent performance. Ryan Cross is also emerging as a backs leader given his structured transformation from League.
Given the absolute consistency of Robbie Deans track record I have little doubt that he will annoint both captain and lieutenants before the end of the S14 in 2009.
September 6th 2008 @ 9:45pm
gavin said | September 6th 2008 @ 9:45pm | Report comment
Horwill as captain. If I laugh any harder I’ll split my sides. The Reds are lucky to have a member in the side at all
September 7th 2008 @ 11:55am
Amy said | September 7th 2008 @ 11:55am | Report comment
I dont think its the rught time to change a captain not until we settle in the best option in the long run would probably be giteau because he is young but still a senior and he talks alot around the feild, but right now captaincy might be too much he needs to be at the top of his game in 10 before we add the extra pressure.
Plus any of your suggested replacments all need to have a year or two captaining a Super14 team first. And There is no way Horwill will make captain, because he is only an emerging player he has had a good season but there is by no certainty he will retain his spot, whereas at the moment no one really challenges mortlock, look at his tries this test season.
And in the long run there is no real good making cross, mortlocks replacement as he isnt that yound him self, i think adam ashley-cooper on the other hand had a great season will mortlock was injured in the Super14.
As for smith well his constant battle with waugh for starting spot makes him a though captain choice. So for now i think mortlock is fine! But maybe if Giteau stays with the force he should start captaining some games and get a bit of experience because i’d say it will probably Giteau who is captain after 2011!