What if you were the ‘Tahs king for a day?
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When sitting at home on a wet and cold Sunday, the mind inevitably ponders the what-ifs for the Waratahs season. Here’s a chance for Roarers: You’ve been appointed coach for the 2013 season. You have open slather.
You choose coaching/management staff to assist and the playing roster (only those not resigned with other Australian franchises allowed) – who would you have?
Here’s my first attempt:
Coaching Staff
Assistant Coach (Forwards): Andrew Blades (yes, I know he’s with the Wallabies now)
Assistant Coach (Backs): Chris Whitaker
Manager: Ben Whitaker
Strength and conditioning: David Boyle
Team:
1. Palmer (Brumbies)
2. Polota-Nau
3. Kepu
4. Douglas
5. Carter (Brumbies)
6. Dennis (c)
7. Hooper (Brumbies)
8. Palu
9. McKibbin
10. Foley
11. Kingston
12. Piukala (Eastwood)
13. Horne
14. Pakalani
15. Beale (Rebels)
The side remains very ‘Tah-centric but with some tweaking and a definite culture shift. The introduction of Chris Whitaker as backs coach and David Boyle (“Train Hard, Play Hard, Back UP” – ex-South’s hardman) brings winds of change. Dave Dennis as Captain would see him show the leadership and playing ability he is capable of.
The only problem? You’d need to sack the Board and change everything backroom for any of this to be successful.
Put rugby people in who care about the Waratah’s and not people who worry about their own reputations and CVs.
Your thoughts and ideas?
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- NSW Waratahs, Rugby Union
June 4th 2012 @ 8:36am
Red Kev said | June 4th 2012 @ 8:36am | Report comment
So you’d take Dan Palmer who is developing into the best tighthead prop Australia has had in more than a decade and play him at loosehead…
June 4th 2012 @ 11:06am
jeznez said | June 4th 2012 @ 11:06am | Report comment
Agree RK. Palmer was tried numerous times at LHP at the Tahs when Robinson was injured – he is not as good as Tilse in that position.
He is our most promising THP so playing him out of position is madness. It isn’t as though he has a massive workrate around the pitch to provide a point of difference from Robinson even if he was good on that side of the scrum.
June 4th 2012 @ 11:11am
Uncle Argyle said | June 4th 2012 @ 11:11am | Report comment
Tilse, the bloke turned 26 on Saturday.He is entering into prime time prop viewing age and he is stuck on the bench. I hope Axel shows some minerals and starts him becuase that lot need some fresh idea’s.
June 4th 2012 @ 8:40am
Bellringer said | June 4th 2012 @ 8:40am | Report comment
Unfortunately once again, European clubs have better scouts in NSW than the waratahs. Piukala has just signed a 3 year deal with Perpignan
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June 4th 2012 @ 9:38am
Tigranes said | June 4th 2012 @ 9:38am | Report comment
I’d appoint Graham Henry as coaching director for NSW Rugby.
June 4th 2012 @ 12:56pm
Phil said | June 4th 2012 @ 12:56pm | Report comment
good call
June 4th 2012 @ 10:00am
Adam-15 said | June 4th 2012 @ 10:00am | Report comment
no drew mitchell?
June 4th 2012 @ 10:18am
Ian Whitchurch said | June 4th 2012 @ 10:18am | Report comment
I’d spend two thirds of my salary cap.
Every contracted player begins coaching qualifications, and is required to coach a subdistrict side.
Using the money saved from my salary cap, I’d put a Canberra, a Newcastle and a Woolongong team into the Shute Shield, and stealing a copy of the AFL’s Club Funding and Equalisation Strategy (google “afl disequal funding .pdf”), I’d implement that, crossing out AFL and writing in Rugby, and changing the dollars and numbers as appropriate.
I’d offer every club player in NSW three $10 tickets to go to Waratahs games, on a first-come, first-served basis.
On field results ? Not important.
Dragging club rugby kicking and screaming into the late twentieth century ? Critical.
June 4th 2012 @ 10:52am
Denby said | June 4th 2012 @ 10:52am | Report comment
Ian,
I like your ideas. They will have long term benefits. My only change would be instead of each player coaching a club, each player should coach a public high school.
June 4th 2012 @ 11:08am
Uncle Argyle said | June 4th 2012 @ 11:08am | Report comment
If I were King Tah for a day I would do a Prince Edward….abdicate, shack up with a hussey and spent the inheritence. Who’s needs the drama.
June 4th 2012 @ 12:24pm
terrykidd said | June 4th 2012 @ 12:24pm | Report comment
On the basis that my magic wand is broken and I am stuck with all the same staff as 2012 I would ban all contact between the board members, hangers on and camp followers and the playing group. Then I would instruct the players to simply go out and have fun when they play. Don’t kick unless its necessary to get out of gaol, run the ball at every possible opportunity, back each other up non-stop for the whole game. Enjoy your rugby !!!!
June 4th 2012 @ 1:49pm
Old Rugby Boy said | June 4th 2012 @ 1:49pm | Report comment
1.Lure Mackenzie back and let him sellect his support staff.
2. Suspend the contracts of all current players
3. Instigate trial matches between randomly selected teams from eliigble players from the top two grades of Shute Shield.
4. Organise trial matches between Shute Shield selections and Sub District selections.
5. Continue selection trials until two sides are left. This should be the nucleus of the Tahs. If any contracted players do not make it through the trials they lose their contract.
6. Get rid of blanket contracts and pay WIn, Draw or Loss on a sliding scale. This should give a bit more of an incentive to win.
7. Start an all out war against the AFL. Stop the intrusion of AFL into the Nurseries of Sydney RU.
June 4th 2012 @ 2:25pm
Uncle Argyle said | June 4th 2012 @ 2:25pm | Report comment
Are you suggesting there are blokes playing subbies who can play Super 15?
June 4th 2012 @ 3:01pm
Old Rugby Boy said | June 4th 2012 @ 3:01pm | Report comment
Seen some very very good young footballers going around in the subbies. They seem to have slipped below the radar or they need a bit of a prod to move up the scale. Lets face it, some of the blokes on contract now are a little over payed.
June 4th 2012 @ 3:29pm
Ian Whitchurch said | June 4th 2012 @ 3:29pm | Report comment
“7. Start an all out war against the AFL. Stop the intrusion of AFL into the Nurseries of Sydney RU.”
Im interested in suggestions as to exactly how rugby union could do this.
June 4th 2012 @ 4:53pm
Uncle Argyle said | June 4th 2012 @ 4:53pm | Report comment
Pleasing to hear. I recall hearing Brett Papworth commentating on the ABC saying words to that effect. I would like to see a promotional system brought back as a bridge from Subbies to Grade. It has been 10 years + since I last saw Subbies rugby in Sydney however was convinced then that the top tier subdistrict sides were better than the struggling grade teams. I know that back then there were some guys running around subbies who had played for Natal, Leinster and Leicster, Ireland U 21, Wellington U21 and Scottish Schools. Not bad.
June 4th 2012 @ 6:30pm
Old Rugby Boy said | June 4th 2012 @ 6:30pm | Report comment
I havnt see him play but I have been told that Petersham has a young guy, who is very very quick and with a good rugby brain. If he is this good how has he slipped under radar. What are the Tah’s scouts doing? I’ve heard they live in Queensalnd and rarely venture into NSW.
June 4th 2012 @ 4:20pm
Harry said | June 4th 2012 @ 4:20pm | Report comment
1) Let go Carter, Hangers, Mumm and Tilse.
2) Go all out for one of Ben Lucas, Zac Holmes or CL … but until the Tahs have a tough and talented 10 they are going nowhere in a hurry.
3) Appoint the meanest toughest physical conditioner available and flog them into the ground the entire December, January and week one of February.
4) Set stringent physical standards and benchmarks that all players – particularly forwards Robinson, TPN, Kepu, Douglas, Palu and Timani(s) must meet otherwise theya re fined. The Tahs forwards, particularly these characters, are clearly not fit enough.
June 4th 2012 @ 4:47pm
Comrade Bear said | June 4th 2012 @ 4:47pm | Report comment
I take the 200 Koala Bear heads that I chopped off when I thought that Will Genia was moving to the force (well I couldn’t very well re-attach them could I?) and throw them at the Waratahs Players and coaching staff every single time they made a mistake.
Ahhhhh.
June 4th 2012 @ 8:39pm
Bear said | June 4th 2012 @ 8:39pm | Report comment
That is the funniest thing that I have ever read on the roar
June 4th 2012 @ 11:56pm
KiwiDave said | June 4th 2012 @ 11:56pm | Report comment
You would be out of bears come the 20 minute mark