One big thing I’d like to see develop into a Habit is the willingness, persistence and ability to impose OUR game on the opposition instead of overly worrying about ‘what they just might do’.

Enough of this ”Sometimes what you end up playing is dictated by the opposition and they were trying to play a strong field-position game”. Surely any coach at this level understands that you have to deal with what the other team will throw at you, work your way around it and then dictate play.

I’d suggest a good starting point is to look at what we can do well and go with that as often as possible. Next look at what we can’t do well and avoid that like the plague. Against the Bulls we saw good attacking & counter attacking ball in hand footy and good use of the new interpretations at the breakdown. Great! Develop it until it becomes our style of play. Our kicking in the Sharks was average to poor. What does that tell you?

From where I’m sitting we lack persistence. If something isn’t quite going to plan we too quickly opt to put boot to ball. There’s often better options than kicking. Let’s try them.

Tahs to run at Lions if game allows, says Hickey
WARATAHS coach Chris Hickey would prefer his side kicked less against the Lions tonight than in their previous outing against the Sharks – but cannot guarantee that will be the case.

(So, he is still in denial as to how to play under the new interpretations and when Robbie Deans says “Under the new interpreations, possession is king!”, he is wrong.)

”Sometimes what you end up playing is dictated by the opposition and they were trying to play a strong field-position game,” he said. (So you let the opposition dictate. Hmm, only if you give them the ball so that they can dictate.)

”A big factor that influenced how we were able to play was our inability to win our kick-offs.

”When we would score, we would go back and then spend the next 10 minutes trying to dig ourselves out of our own quarter. (there was no digging, just kicking!!! run it out of your half. if nothing else, it would surprise the defence)

”And consequently you probably kick a little bit (a little bit, my arse) more than you wanted to. I am sure we will address those kicks-off and that will allow us to probably (this is code for we will still be kicking) play a more ball-in-hand game.”

Hickey understands why Waratahs fans protested. However, while he would prefer to hear cheers, he believes some good can be derived from their boos in the second half last week. (the only good is if you change the strategy and there is no sign of that here!!!)

”If people [say] that that’s how they feel at the time, then I guess that’s how they express it,” Hickey said. ”In some ways it’s good to see some passion among the crowd, particularly when you come back from South Africa and see the amount of involvement the crowd has in the game and the passion for the game over there. Sometimes Sydney can seem a little bit quiet and subdued.” (This is tantamount to being king hit in a pub and then the victim comments that it is good that the assailant has expressed himself!!!)

Asked whether drawing a big crowd or scoring a good win was the most important objective tonight, Hickey said: ”You hope (threre is lots of use of the word hope, implying that everyone else is seeing it wrongly and that eventually they will get it! Chris, no. it is you who have got it wrong,)they go hand in hand. We want to get out and continue on from where we left off in the first half of the Sharks game. (oh dear, this is going to be ugly. he thinks the first half was good!!!)

”Hopefully, if people see that, then that gives them a reason to turn up and support.” (we supporters saw it and wont be turning up!!!! london to a brick, the crowd is down furtther from last week)

It can only end where the Reds are currently, financially!!!!!

Both sets of supporters are required. The zealots are required so the players have confidence and back themselves, knowing that no matter the repercussions on the field they will be supported.

Whilst those fans that challenge the team, call for soul searching in order to achieve greater heights.

The good thing for the Tahs is that we all want them to do well and are passionate enough to debate it… because we give a damn.

Being a zealot, the players and staff aren’t immune from my criticism, but I’ll always support them.

Anyway, I’ll see you at the game on Friday… you’ll notice me I’m the one wearing rose tinted glasses.

a couple of questions on your assumptions:

1. Are the Waratahs currently stable?

2. Is a stable decline into receivership a good thing?

3. Is stability in and of itself, important?

Three resounding “No’s” from me!

League has a lower error rate but that is often because the game is a simpler to play. rugby is a very complex game and difficult to play near to perfection. but rugby players and spectators understand that. they just want to see their team giving it a go, and do it intelligently and taking into account, all the stakeholders, palyers, spectators, sponsors, etc.

no one is enjoying it at the moment and it will only get worse as the season goes down the preverbial!!!

i want to see all aspects of rugby. clever tactics that are unpredictable and which expose the oppostion. eventually, it has to incluce scoring tries. that is rugby: 5 pointz!!!!!

… but seriously, I guess it comes down to how you define ‘entertainment’. If its enjoyment; we all want that. However, what we find ‘enjoyable’ differs. I’m obviously in the minority. My enjoyment comes from walking into the stadium with high hopes, standing with my mates, getting frustrated with the refs, the opposition and the Tahs, admiring the grit of the players and enjoying the ‘entertaining’ passages of play when they come around. I then enjoy discuss the play with whoever will listen and then discuss it further on The Roar, but if one of the elements is missing I’m not bitter.

Its the experience that does it for me. I find that enjoyable or want for a better word, entertaining. Perhaps I’m easier to please. N.E.B. described my loyalty as ‘innocence’. That infers child like qualities. May be my view of the game is childish; but in saying that life is rosier on this side. Thankfully my “dirty dozen” wear the same shade of glasses. Perhaps others could don a similar pair, there is a lot less angst.

… or perhaps I took too many hits to the head throughout my playing days. Either way, The Tahs, for better or worse are my team and I’ll support them no matter what.

All it requires is for the team to play decent rugby; good tactics, passionate and skilful execution. if the team loses, so what, it was still good to watch. Just look at the reds.

they were getting walloped by the chiefs and despite being a tahs fan, I felt for them and hoped that they would come back and they did. so too in the Reds tahs game, they impressed everyone with their play, win or lose. the tahs impressed no one despite winning the game.

as for friday, I am trying to get everyone to put this into perspective. this problem has been around for 4 seasons at least. waiting for next friday misses the point of how long this has been going on and whatg damage is being done.

All teams need fans like myself, whilst they need those that are more critical to keep them in line. If we all agreed, it would be a pretty boring place.

“you play a sport, you pay for a product” we’ll just have to disagree on this one.

Make no mistake about it, as Sheek (I believe it was) said elswhere, Rugby is well and truelly in the entertainment business. It’s that simple. Clear as night & day. Surely we can all see that? So the show better feature what the punters want to see IF it wants to keep on running a while. Otherwise it’s going to need a very generous sponsor.

And yes I suppose there will always be a happy minority that will find a dozen mates to take along to the next game regardless of what’s on offer. But I suspect that after a game or so of the dour stuff even the best of mates will think of excuses not to remain a member of The Dirty Dozen.

If they have nobody show up this weekend for Phil “do it my way” Waugh’s 120th appearance, then perhaps they might start getting the message after 5 years.

Also on the NRL, I would argue that although the best league games probably don’t match a great union game for entertainment, conversely the worst league games are nowhere near as bad as the worst union games.