Time for Deans to fine tune his orchestra
Roar Guru By Rickety Knees, 19 Jul 2009 Rickety Knees is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- Al Baxter, Luke Burgess, robbie deans, Rugby Union, wallabies
Like all Australians, I am lamenting another loss to the All Blacks. The time has come for Deans to make some team personnel decisions.
1. Al Baxter needs to go. For whatever reason international referees – rightly or wrongly – seem to target Al. Much of it I believe is a perception that Al can’t prop and is the go-to-man when scrums disintegrate and a penalty is required. A tough call but the Wallabies are better off without him.
2. Luke Burgess needs to go. As nice a guy as he is and no denying his wholehearted performances, his pass is not up to international standard – nor is his kicking game. Genia’s passing at the end of the game was a revelation.
This Test, however, has been another step in the right direction, there is much to play for in this 3N and the RWC next year. The basis of the team is there.
The loss is going to make Deans and the Wallabies even hungrier for success as we build to 2010. The time has come for Deans to fine tune his orchestra.
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- Al Baxter, Luke Burgess, robbie deans, Rugby Union, wallabies
July 19th 2009 @ 11:56am
JB said | July 19th 2009 @ 11:56am | Report comment
Ricketty et al – Baxter whether , right or wrong, he has to go. Referees will continue to penalise him on reputation. As for Burgess,Genia’s passing game is excellent but his running game is unknown to me. I find it hard to believe that this has remained unfixed but Barnes and Giteau are the only good passers there. Teams such as the Waratahs have been very average in passing skills.
On another note I believe Mortlock has to go. The team needs to find a captain with presence, preferably a forward. As long as Mortlock is there the question is postponed. His form is nowhere near his best but probably just good enough to retain his place. This is also a decision that is being postponed because of his experience. As for his replacement that may need a reshuffle. It is not O’Connor yet, it could be Ashley -Cooper with Cameron Shepherd coming in. In any event the back line game plan would have to alter for the strengths of a different player, maybe Tahu.
The conditions at Eden Park were wet, cold and windy, bread and butter for the All Blacks, so it is not the end of the world An outside the box comment, the Wallabies are better in the afternoon daylight. Regards JB
July 19th 2009 @ 2:14pm
ozxile said | July 19th 2009 @ 2:14pm | Report comment
Rickety,
Agreed, while Baxter isn’t all bad on balance he is a liability and at this point will not get any better. Alexander to run on. Baxter or someone else on the bench. Despite all the questions, Alexander will never get there without playing time. Its time to get on with it. Can P-Nau prop?
Burgess needs counseling. At critical times he doesn’t appear to have a clear, simple concept of what he is there for. Genia to run on and Burgess on the bench or on holiday. I’d still like to see Cooper given a run at #9 – he has a loooong bullet pass, other skills and wouldn’t be any more erratic than Burgess.
Palu – hopelessly not match fit (or lazy) and continues to appear to have ADD problems. Among other things, how can a big bloke like that lose so many balls in tackles – he forgets what he is doing? Brown or Elsom to run on and Palu in the stands.
Mortlock is no longer good enough to play and be captain. At his best he wasn’t really much of a captain. Now he is a lame duck of sorts. He must be relieved of this responsibility or you can probably count his test future on one hand. Ioane to start as run on as soon as possible and AAC to come in from fullback if he falls apart. OConnor at FB for AAC, Mortlock on the bench and off to NH after next S14.
Giteau to captain. If Elsom can talk and play try him as a forward leader.
Deans has given Baxter, Burgess, Palu and Mortlock their due. Time to move on.
July 19th 2009 @ 3:25pm
Bonza said | July 19th 2009 @ 3:25pm | Report comment
You blokes are dreaming! You are all looking at the symptoms and not discussing the problem. There is nothing you are talking about that has not already been widely discussed on this site over the last 12 months. Buregess’s pass, Baxters Scrummaging. What you are not discussing is how the demi god coach, who is being paid twice as much as any Wallaby coach before, cannot get the selection right for such a big game. Outside of Burgess and Baxter there is the shambles that was the replacement bench with only two rookie backs, two opensides (one unused) etc
Selection is the key – If you have a problem at tighthead then you develop another. Obviously the investment is being made in Alexander because of his field play which is excellent. But he needs time to learn the position and it wont happen with 20 min cameos. I’ll say it again – the best technical tighthead coming through is the young Waratah Dan Palmer. He replaced Baxter this season for a number of games and under the tutelage of Foley the tahs scrum never missed a beat. I think he is 20 or 21 so it is a good investment – He is not as extravagent as Alexander but he is of the right mental and physical requirements – Solutions exist but they need to be picked
July 19th 2009 @ 3:41pm
Bonza said | July 19th 2009 @ 3:41pm | Report comment
RK – with due respect I would have thought that after 14 months that the “fine tuning” would have already been done. The only significant player unavailable was Rocky so you can only assume that for the first test of the tri nations and with a grandslam to follow that the hunger would have been at a peak. I doubt that this was “experimental” as everything suggested by Deans in the press prior to the match was the “belief” was right – clearly the selections were not and that is not the players fault
July 19th 2009 @ 4:02pm
Mitch O said | July 19th 2009 @ 4:02pm | Report comment
Bonza,
Exactly. Robbie’s got himself confused between fairly meaningless S14 and the international game. Sides are free to ‘develop’ in S14 but there simply isn’t that luxury afforded in the international game. Just how long are they gonna develop for and when will they start winning? From what I can see the AB’s are developing very nicely.
When I saw the naming of 3 open sides it started to look a lot like the AB sides Deans was involved in, didn’t make any sense back then either.
July 19th 2009 @ 4:23pm
hammer said | July 19th 2009 @ 4:23pm | Report comment
is it too early to ask the question – is deans actually a very clever NZRFU plant ? … he’s certainly selecting poorly and his gameplans are basic ….
obviously a silly notion – but perhaps the NZRFU actually realised that sure he was a fantastic S14 coach – but he did have not only the 2 best players in the world in his side – but 2 players that will go onto being 2 of the very best ABs of all time ….
deans just doesn’t seem to be up to it – the 3 opensiders was a crazy option .. he fronted up tp Eden park last year with Waugh and Smith in tandem and it didn’t work – so why continue down that path …. and then to have an 18 year old as your only outside back cover was insane – compare that to the NZ approach to the clamer for Cruden to be brought into the AB squad – they know it’s better for him to develop his game incrementally – not throw him to the wolves – memories of Pat Howard many, many years ago …
July 19th 2009 @ 4:27pm
Jolly Jupes said | July 19th 2009 @ 4:27pm | Report comment
Rookies make a good excuse for failure!
July 19th 2009 @ 4:36pm
fred said | July 19th 2009 @ 4:36pm | Report comment
yes jj,a grand excuse if not a “gifted selection” by the guru.
July 19th 2009 @ 4:57pm
mother teresa said | July 19th 2009 @ 4:57pm | Report comment
punters forget how deans backline selections in 2003 rwc were proven the reason for defeat against australia;its ok running the local provincial side where its the biggest show in town(no league,afl etc)and stumble on a couple of worldbeaters and plead maestro to oneill looking for another gus hudinck.
the reality(love that word)is the game was there for the taking and deans fancified thinking blew it
July 19th 2009 @ 5:00pm
Justin said | July 19th 2009 @ 5:00pm | Report comment
Very true MT – some bewildering selections for the ABs then and its beginning to rear its head for AUS.
Burgess and Mumm, 3 7s? Bizarre stuff. Will be interesting to see if the mainstream journos jump on him…