The Waratahs are driving me to Queensland!
Roar Guru By stillmissit, 22 Mar 2009 stillmissit is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- NSW Waratahs, Rugby Union, Super Rugby
Having been a Waratahs supporter for over 20 years I am almost over it. I now truly believe that this is a group of young men who don’t play like a team and appear to not even like one another.
There appears to be little or no talk on the field and I am really over the tactics of aimless kicking and hoping the opposition make a mistake.
The Waratahs never make any positive plays and the kick chase is a bunch of guys trotting after the ball and the only chaser, if there is one, is the kicker.
The game is played by the Waratahs at a pedestrian pace and they seem ‘all weight work and no speed mate’ to quote ‘Once were Warriors’. There is no intensity in their game and it all seems to be about patience and the opposition will stuff it up, which must be the most negative way to win a game anyone could dream up.
With 2 mins to go and the Crusaders in possession they still would not throw players at the ruck and only one forward tried a counter ruck on his own and was thrown back like an old blue lunch bag from a trawler.
I am also sick of seeing 3 or 4 players (always Phil Waugh) doing all the work whilst the rest of them bludge through the game, or worse still they wake up for a while and then go back to sleep.
Phil Kearns said about a Crusaders player (Waldron) that he only makes about 1 mistake a game and zero is unheard of, I disagree, we have 10 Waratahs who wont put their hand on a ball or try to catch a kick for fear of stuffing their zero mistakes game. The fact that they do nothing seems to have been ignored.
This game was appalling and a comparison to the game prior of the Chiefs v Blues was like day and the darkest night. The Crusaders if they have any sense will take nothing out of this game as it was played barely out of second gear.
These guys are in deep crap but they don’t know it, I haven’t enjoyed watching any game this year and it seems to me to be Ewan’s tactics by a bunch of incompetents.
Where is Chris Hickey? Why isn’t he being more proactive in building a team that can get passionate about their game?
I was lead to believe by a couple of guys who know, that Chris was a great coach, if that’s so it’s time to start coaching or we are back on the hunt again for next season.
At one low point after another pointless unchased kick that the Crusaders ran back at us 40m and then knocked on the Waratahs looked a beaten team given a small torch of hope by the fact that they knocked on.
The long suffering fans of the Waratahs deserve so much more and I don’t think they will get it this year.
Recommend this story.
- Explore:
- NSW Waratahs, Rugby Union, Super Rugby
March 22nd 2009 @ 10:08am
stillmissit said | March 22nd 2009 @ 10:08am | Report comment
equalizer – I agree. I reported last year that I spoke to a first grade prop who had played against all NSW props and wasnt impressed with any of their scrumaging ability and he claimed there was about 4 other props in club football who felt the same.
If a rep player cant stand out against club players then the selection process is wrong. I think there is something wrong with the academy process but I like the idea and dont know what it could be.
The problem appears to be that there aint no coaches who will back their own judgement and select players from club and maybe second grade club if they think the player has what it takes. Over 25 years of reffing I have seen many players I thought could have made it but I never saw them in a rep team or talked about. Maybe Bob Dwyer should be retained by NSW to wander around clubland and make suggestions about players who could be given a trial without going through the academy system. If you like a finer filter to make sure we havent missed any talent.
March 22nd 2009 @ 10:46am
Rob said | March 22nd 2009 @ 10:46am | Report comment
Stillmissit, read a bit on another site about selections that you may find interesting. On Hickey ,as I’ve said before Hickey performed well at Eastwood but it was on the back of a good structure that was put in place before him and he was blessed with an excellent club 5/8 in Donnelly. When he went oseas Eastwood came back to the pack a bit. Hickey still might be OK but along with another Roarer I start to question whether he is all that happy with the team he has been given.
March 22nd 2009 @ 11:41am
LeftArmSpinner said | March 22nd 2009 @ 11:41am | Report comment
Stillmissit, as Paris Hilton would say, (when not appearing in amateur pornos) Ohhhhh Myyyyyy Goddddddd!
You going to QLD????
Rather than descend into the emotional “carry on”, here are some thoughts and observations, a report card if you will.
1. The whole team looked jaded, body language-wise.
Why? It may be the amount of defence their tactics (kick, kick, kick) have dictated they must do. It could also be that they have not used their bench wisely, leaving fresh players on the bench for weeks on end. If you are on the bench, you must get at least 25 minutes. Fresh legs count in the game and over the duration of the competition.
2. The whole team played jaded, except in defence.
Defence is the barometer for team determination and morale. Clearly, there are conflicting signs.
3. The Breakdown lacks commitment.
Further to point 2, they lost the breakdown, failed to clean the Crusaders out or speed up the ruck ball. this Directly affected the backs chances and their space and time.
4. The set pieces are doing fine.
Despite losing Baxter, Dunning, Kepu and Freier, and probably 150 Wallabies caps in the front row, and Vicks, Lyons and Elsom (another 120 Wallabies caps), but the replacements, TPN, Palmer, Thompson, Mowen and Caldwell have risen well. Foley probably has a lot to do with this. However, the coaching staff are as surprised as the bookies because they hid thompson on the bench (Palmer didnt even make the bench) for several weeks without giving him any game time. Palmner did very well last night.
5. The ruck ball is too slow.
Where has Mowen gone, where is the clean out, where are the turnovers ????
6. The “Go forward” is no existent.
Palu has also gone off the boil, playing with injury and appears tired and out of sorts. Mumm has not got his hands on the ball. Mowen’s mobility is missing.
7. The backs are dysfunctional, despite exceptional individual talent.
The backs are struggling for several reasons. In no particular order, it is because of the slow ball they are getting from the forwards. Further, even from set pieces, there is no snap in their play. Too often, Beale is putting the ball in the hands of the catcher as the tackler arrives. The defence is reading the plays and the attacks doesn’t adjust to another option.
They have failed to go around the defence or through it. It is a recurrent problem. This suggests that it is coach sanctioned. Beale is a fundamentally good 5/8, but is young, lacking confidence for the first time in his career. He is suffering second year syndrome (I discount his cameos in 2007), after competently leading them to 2008 final. He is also suffering from not having a much needed apprenticeship, like Carter and Giteau had outside the likes of Larkham and Merthens. I have to read between the lines but I suspect that there is something seriously wrong with KB, emotionally. He is being publically vilified and is only 20 years old.
March 22nd 2009 @ 11:45am
LeftArmSpinner said | March 22nd 2009 @ 11:45am | Report comment
And so to solutions:
5 weeks ago, the Tahs were rated as 8th place finishers by the bookies. 8 days ago, the Waratahs were in first place, undefeated, after wins against three, more than competent NZ teams.
1. ALL IS NOT LOST. DONT PANIC!
2. Start Mowen with Thompson back to the bench and Mumm into second row. Bring Dennis/Beau Robinson and other bench players (Sheehan, Fitzpatrick, etc) on after 50 minutes to add fresh legs.
3. Get Palu, Tuqiri and Turner into the game carrying the ball, probably off Burgess’s snipes.
4. Give Beale and Horne a few weeks rest on the bench, and start Halangahu and Tahu for the next two games at least. Initially, use Carter as ball carrying hit up and tackling 12, with Tahu at 13. CArter then goes to 13 in defence when opposition starts to open it up and go wide. After 20-25 minutes, use Tahu as attacking 12, using his footwork and off load, and in particular, from second and third phase ball with one on ones.
Get SNK to run off Carter’s and Tahu’s FAST second phase ball.
5. Simplify the game plan, keep the ball in hand, play direct rugby for 20 minutes, reduce the kicking, improve the support play and then go wide when a mismatch presents itself.
6. Review last year’s games, pre and post the midseason revival. The difference was that the players started playing a more expansive game and enjoying themselves again.
March 22nd 2009 @ 12:38pm
LeftArmSpinner said | March 22nd 2009 @ 12:38pm | Report comment
And finally, when someone gives you home team advantage, take it, use it and don’t trade it away for money. The Tahs train, meet, eat and greet at their $10M SFS headquarters. So, why move to another stadium for a smaller crowd, poorer spectator experience and loss of home advantage against the most successful provincial team in the world!!!!!!
March 22nd 2009 @ 1:02pm
Who Needs Melon said | March 22nd 2009 @ 1:02pm | Report comment
Jeez there were a few people waiting for this article to come out – 3 hours old and 10 posts already on a Sunday.
I’m afraid I’m siding with the majority here. The rest of this post might read a bit garbled because I’m very confused.
We’ve commented for weeks on the tactics and selectons but what’s most worrying is the apparent attitude in the team which a few above have already touched on, mentioning “commitment” or “body language” or whatever. This was a big game and the players SHOULD have been up for this. What’s more they had the game in their grasp… and even this didn’t fire them up.
There were a LOT of players just trotting around the park. Very slow to get up. Very slow to get back into the defensive line. Very slow to get anywhere near the breakdown.
The players who DID seem to give a stuff (to some extent) were Burgess, Waugh, Robinson, Tatafu, Carter, Norton-Knight, Turner and Tuqiri.
Interestingly even Horne who has usually been enthusiasm personified hasn’t seemed as ‘up’ recently. There has to be something behind this. All talks of tactics and position changes aren’t going to mean anything if the team doesn’t have the right attitude. With the right attitude you can overcome all sorts of shortcomings. You can’t cover up the wrong attitude with tactical chances and minor position adjustments.
March 22nd 2009 @ 1:15pm
LeftArmSpinner said | March 22nd 2009 @ 1:15pm | Report comment
Melon, you are on the money. It is not just one or two players. The malaise is right across the squad. Sheehan, the angry bull ant, is a great motivator and could be used very effectively to track the whip around the forwards.
Controversially, I thought Beale was also trying, but ineffective. Similar for SNK and Tuqiri.
I’m with you that maybe there is something deeper than we can determine from outside the camp.
I thought Palmer had a good game, in that he wasnt embarrassed at set piece time, after a early call up. he’s young do thats good. Thompson also did his job.
Horne’s hands let him down when he changed the angle deep in attack in the first half, and lethargic when he had the ball. SNK’s pass to Turner was behind him and poor by SNK’s standards. Tuqiri dropped several balls.
Okay, here is another theory. The Sydney rugby press is too quick to criticise and scrutinise the perennial underachievers in the Super 14, and based in the best facilities and the biggest city, etc, etc. Solution is easy. Dont read the papers or watch the TV.
March 22nd 2009 @ 3:03pm
stillmissit said | March 22nd 2009 @ 3:03pm | Report comment
LAS & Melon – you 2 are right on the money. Loved your how to get back on the winning road LAS. Maybe you should be the coach?
I too thought Palmer( I thought his name was Thompson) had a great game in the scrum and was rock solid with excellent strength as the Crusaders prop was trying to work him over. Great replacement for Baxter. Palu is a great player but not a leader and he plays great rugby when lifted by those around him, he cant do it by himself. The Waratahs must know that Burgess is going to makeat least a couple of breaks every game, yet they stand back and watch him run everytime and then there is nobody to take a pass or support the breakdown.
Why is it that if they get criticised by the media they fall to pieces and yet if the coach gets the bullet they play like champs? I always thought that criticism sparked you into action assuming you accept what is being said but no, not in the Waratahs, they collapse and are found sucking their thumb in the corner. Are these guys men or what? excusing the 20 year old Beale and Horne.
At a few hundred thousand a year (and a few on much more than that) we have to have players we cant criticise, only pamper and give gallons of ‘emotional’ support to?
I can see the steam coming out of Phil Waughs ears from here if he read this stuff.
March 22nd 2009 @ 4:31pm
Bay35Pablo said | March 22nd 2009 @ 4:31pm | Report comment
I agree with LAS about the criticism Beale is getting. The bloke has been hyped since he was playing U15s for Joeys. Unless he players world class ever second of his life he is a failure apparently. If he had been on the field the full 80 in the final last year I think we would have won it. Without him we lost spark, with him the Crusaders were never quite sure what he was about to do.
If he gets driven out of the sport into league it will be a crime. With mentoring and proper coaching he could be leading us to the RWC in 2011 or 2015. However, the know nothing media seem quite content to bash the bloke and whoever else strikes their fancy. And the NSWRU board will as usual actually pay attention to the criticism, show no cojones, provide no leadership and either do nothing or the wrong thing.
How is anyone surprised at what we are seeing? It is the same malaise we have seen time and again over the last 15 years. Remember in the late 1990s when we had a team with Strauss, Kearns, etc. Everyone said we coudn’t not win the S12. We played like prima donnas and all fell apart while the board knifed each other. The media reported gleefully on everything while whipping up the frenzy. Same thing again. And everyone acts surprised?
McKanezie came in, rebuilt that side to a lean mean rugby machine, had support for a number of years when times were lean, and somehow gets punted. The current problem all stems from the lack of loyalty to Link. Any wonder the team doesn’t feel llike putting in for a team that rewards loyalty and good service?
The team needs to following:
1. Sack most if not the entire board. Make most of them independent directors from business. The rest rugby appointees from leading stakeholders (Country, Subbies, Clubs, etc).
2. Drop Beale, Burgess and Tahu to the bench. Pick Sheehan, Halangahu and Carter. Watch how the boys off the bench suddenly start playing like they want to be on the field again.
3. Give Hickey what he wants, and tell him he is guaranteed his job until the end of 2010 come hell or high water, and stick to it. Tell him we want to play an expansive game and if he doesn’t have the cattle to do it, go get them.
4. Start picking a club land rep side to play games against the Runners, Waratah Academy, etc. Watch as they tear some new orifices …Alternatively, stop using the Academy side as an apprenticeship scheme, and start using it as an extended squad to let leading club players go professional, and mentor the young pup section of the extended squad.
5. Stop picking so many bloody Joeys boys in the Academy side. While they churn out talent, you can’t tell me they have every top player in the state (no matter how many scholarships they hand out). It reeks of who you know determining who gets a contract, not how good you are.
March 22nd 2009 @ 7:42pm
Rob said | March 22nd 2009 @ 7:42pm | Report comment
Bay35Pablo.Does Joeys still have the clout that it used to have or has that moved to Kings? While I’m being bitchy why not look at the % of rep players who come from Eastwood, Syd Uni and Easts. Are they the best clubs or do they somehow get their players a leg up? As you say Beale has been pushed from a young age. I think he is OK but it certainly helps if your manager is one of the Ellas. (have I got this right?). We worship the Ella name and accept everything that has been said by one of them. But I liken it a bit to Campo. No matter how great he was does that automatically mean that what he says is gospel? I think some of your other points may have merit.