Barnes shunted to centre as Waratahs make changes

Ah someone who see's things similar to me. Its a pretty good summation of where Barnes is at at this point in time.

It looks and sounds like a great weekend Blinky, if you can get there you should do it. I'm dirty I won't be able to..

I said on here to my NSW friends a few weeks back that I had a suspicion Barnes was not all he's cracked up to be. So its proving - note he was off the field when NSW got out of jail against us in the last 10 minutes. He's a good defender and can "steer a team around" but doesn't offer much in attack - stands too deep and static for my liking. We'll see over the year of course but I'd far rather have errattic Quade (and he's got a lot better in defence and general decision-making) than Barnes.

Ha, ha. Nice response. Don't you hate it when it takes ages to realise the other guys opinions are the same as yours? Kind of like ' look if we keep on agreeing with each other then I'm going to have to stop arguing with you'. Doh! Back on the age thing for a moment. Did you see Andrew Logan's piece about the Mudgee Rugby tournament 27 March? That looks fun.

sorry Blinky, I missed your response last night. I made 'Gregan Syndorme' up, just to give the media preconception a name. And no, I'm not suggesting that Burgess is not standing over the ball too long, because he is, but maybe just not all the time. My preconception theory is just that maybe he's not as bad as is being made out, but because plenty of experts (actual and armchair) have such a negative view of his game at the moment, it's difficult to watch him without those preconceptions. As I said, he's certainly no worse than Phibbs, Kingi, Sheehan, and O’Young, and yet they don't cop the same stick. Don't get me wrong, I do agree that Burgess has dropped off his 2008 levels, but I'm sure he'll get back there. Hoy's thoughts on overcoaching below hold some water, in my opinion. Will Genia might just be the spark he needs too, a bit of direct competition a la Smith and Pocock last year. By the end of last year there weren't enough superlatives to share between the two of them, such were their displays in Europe. And ease up on the age thing too!! I'm not sure you're that much younger than me!!

Brett - What is Gregan Syndrome? I think I'm too young to know about things like that ;) Are you saying that it's a perception thing and he's actually not standing over the ball for so long that the opposition defence is all set so that when our forward get the pill they get absolutely hammered? I don't think so! How would you compare him to Will Genia? Maybe it's an illusion but Genia certainly appears to spend far less time pondering and more time firing that pill out. Don't get me wrong, I actually like Burgess. He seems like a very nice, polite decent young man but frankly that doesn't mean Jack S##t if he doesn't feed the ball to our forwards at pace and to our 10. I like his defence, his snipes, even his occassional box kicks. If he can get the ball moving off the ground (and quickly) then he's done all he could in his capacity of 1/2 back.

Blinky, my personal opinion is that Burgess is suffering from a bit of Gregan Syndrome. I could never understand why Gregan was criticised for his delivery, but then when Whittacker or anyone else did the same thing (and they all did it), nothing was said. I've even raised it several times here on The Roar, and no-one could really explain it. So now, the media and the commentators have got it in their heads (and by consumption, it's now in ours) that Burgess' pass isn't good enough, yet the likes of Phibbs, Kingi, Sheehan, and Chris O'Young are certainly no better, but escape the same criticism. And how often, for eg, would a bad pass from Burgess be caused by a stray hand or foot, or both?? The perception has been built up to such a degree now that reality is clouded, and unless Burgess can fire laser-direct passes now, he's on a hiding to nothing. Don't get me wrong, it's apparent he's not playing to his 2008 level, but breakthrough years are labelled that way for a reason. Yes, he needs to find that level again. It's all about perceptions I guess. I mean, in the end, even Nick Farr-Jones sprayed passes...

Brett - Sounds like the Brumbies back-up 9 is worse than KB. I'm not sure if that's supposed to make me feel better or worse about LB. Facts are our starting 9 isn't cutting it. I'm with Hoy that Burgess certainly had it. So where's it gone? I always assumed that making the S14 team would result in a higher standard of coaching and lift your game to that next level or two. But in LB's case it's the opposite. Maybe he needs to just back himself more and stop paying attention to people who will ultimately see him dropped unless his pass & service improve. Time for the coaches to step in and actually do some coaching.

I stand by my conviction that Burgess during the ARC was the most exciting thing I had seen for ages. And again, when he burst onto the scene for NSW. So that makes me think the poor bugger has been poorly coached, or over coached or something. When he started, he had a fantastic pass, that he rocketed out from the ruck immediately. Then when he went to Australia, he started crabbing, looping etc. I cannot see any other reason for such a dramatic change in such a promising player! Someone is at him, and he now doesn't know whether he is arthur or marthur. It may have ruined him forever. Christ he was good during the ARC.

Blinky Bill, if you have a chance, have a look at Patrick Phibbs coming off the bench for the Brumbies. His pass makes Burgess look like he's firing bullets by comparison, such is the trajectory. And then, if that's not enough, watch how many times Giteau or Toomua have to stretch forward, or stop, or lean backwards to take a pass. All of a sudden, Burgess isn't so bad. It was little wonder the Brumbies preferred Holmes, but unfortunately, he'd already decided to go back to NSW...

You have McKibbin, a Queenslander who could not get a start behind two Wallabies in the Academy. Being a Queenslander, its a fair bet he's better than Burgess or Holmes.

On the problem with getting the Tah backline flowing, I reckon your average plumber could tell you that the blockage is closer to the scrum, so why can't the coaches? I'd love to see Burgess instructed to 'clear that ball as if a hot potato'. Put him on notice that he needs to arrive and zip the ball out pronto. Failure to do that and it's time to drag him off. We have other options at 9, so use them.

How's that move to NSW to play 10 turning out for you Berrick?

Oh, I forgot, what the hell is game management?? I thought a good dose of mongrel is needed by NSW

The writing was on the wall when Hickey was unsure in preseason whether Barnes would be long term 10 or not. The 10 is not the problem with the team. Interesting to see what happens when Horne comes on, will he drag Halangahu off and put barnes to 10? Surely he wouldn't take off golden child carter.

I think we're about to find out how good Horne is, and if he's as good as people think...

why is tom carter still in the side. he is utter rubbish.

What does Hickey see in Carter? He has one good game (one-way thrashing) against Fiji and he gets two super 14 starts. I know he's had years of service, but does anyone believe he is anything other than a really good 1st grader? Thankgod Rob Horne is back.

Justin, I hear what you're saying about DH...But what I'm saying is I hate it when coaches effectively fly a white flag re a particular part of a game (in this cae the lineout)...It smacks of running scared & they have already lost the game mentally if they go into it like this.

Caldwell's hardly tall. Mowen at 6 is their best jumper. They need some attitude - but I can't see them beating the Bulls there. I do think having Halangahu there will help and I'd have contemplated putting KB at 15. Mitchell was good last week - I'd have him and Turner on the wings ahead of Anesi. 13 is a problem area - hopefully Horne will come back to fitness.