Chris Hickey, Phil Waugh and Dean Mumm are at the heart of the Waratahs’ problems. Chris Hickey’s reliance on statistics and refusal to accept that the players were anything but fully committed and had the required self-belief is of great concern.
His further comment that “(fan) perception is not reality” is again indicative that he doesn’t get it. Thankfully Drew Mitchell correctly stated that “(fan) perception is reality!”
Phil Waugh’s Thursday evening comments about skills execution miss the point and sound dangerously like George Gregan’s famous comment that derided passion in a rugby player.
Dean Mumm’s comments prior to Saturday’s critical game, and I paraphrase, ‘I’m here to win, entertaining or not’, confirm that that the head coach, captain and vice captain are on the same page. Sadly, it is the wrong page. Yes, my position on the Waratahs has hardened since my initial assessment of the situation that followed the fan forum.
Saturday evening’s Jekyll and Hyde performance by the Waratahs contributed to my change of heart. On a previous The Roar post, I wrote: “Just as Chris Hickey, Dean Mumm and Phil Waugh said, we are going to win first. So they won, got the bonus point and went home.”
Can you imagine Springsteen singing ‘Born in the USA’, having the crowd go wild, screaming for more etc, etc, only for he and the band to walk off saying, “We define that getting you guys to fever pitch is a win for us, so that’s all from us, that’s what we came for. We are out of here.”
Nope, Springsteen is legendary for giving great value. His concerts were always epic!
But the final straw for me was listening to Craig Bellamy on One HD’s ‘One Week At a Time’ show. He was asked what he looked for in his players: “I want players who are passionate, strong mentally and physically, and fully committed to doing everything to achieve success as a team. I want players who play the same if they are two points behind or two points ahead. I want players who play the same if they are 20 points behinds or 20 points ahead!”
Despite the salary cap saga, Bellamy is a proven coach of elite sporting teams.
He continued: “With players like that, there is very little difference between their best and worst games. You know what you are getting each week. Strong physically and mentally.”
I admit that my view, as stated at the forum, that the organisation lacked self-belief, softened after meeting several of the people involved at the Waratahs. They are likable human beings. They have achieved things I could only dream of doing. They have a difficult job.
It is difficult not to respect that they, as professional coaches, players and administrators, know better than humble fans, even if some of them were former and great Wallabies such as Terry Curley. However, my clarity of thought has now been restored.
I have excluded both Michael Foley and Scott Bowen from being part of the problem. Their few public statements have shown more understanding of the fundamental issues that exist.
Further, I suspect that there is a hierarchy within the Waratahs that sees Foley and Bowen remain in the background. If they seek ongoing employment at the Waratahs in 2012, the time is rapidly approaching for them to speak out, at least to the board. I believe that the board would reward them if they took a strong line to identify and provide remedies to the core problems.
The forwards set piece, particularly the scrum, are very effective. The backs commenced the season against both Melbourne and the Reds with expansive rugby and later against the Force in Perth.
I conclude that they have been coached to do it. They just don’t deliver when things get tight.
The Waratahs board understands the problem but can only change things incrementally due to the contractual durations. The board, coaches and team leaders need to lead the team towards the holy grail of sport, a self perpetuating culture that oozes self-belief, desire and physical and mental strength.
There are plenty of stories where self-belief has triumphed that can be used as examples for the coaches and players. For starters, John Eales or Mortlock’s match winning goal kicks or Kefu’s try. Closer to home, Waratahs chairman Ed Zamercheff, playing flanker for Sydney Boys High in 1972 and 1973, beat St Josephs College home and away. David and Goliath!
For the players, rather than fear the goldfish bowl life of a Waratahs player, enjoy the stage it provides to strut your stuff. Ewen McKenzie looks for players who have suffered adversity. Luke Burgess and Nick Farr Jones didn’t play in their high school 1st XV’s.
Bakkies
Guest
Have the Tahs even signed on a scrum half for next year and don't say Josh Holmes and McKibbin
Bakkies
Guest
If i was a pro rugby player in Australia the Waratahs would be the last team I would want to play for. politics, fans and the ARU dictating how the team should play, no atmosphere at the home games, your teammates are spread all over Sydney, the Sydney media, culture of not being good enough.
pobar
Guest
Sorry levelhead, I think you're the one that needs a calculator. Are you trying to tell me the Tahs have used more player then the Reds. I wouldn't think so. I think the reds have used nearly everyplayer in their squad plus 3 players outside their squad. I suspect this is more than the Tahs have used. By the way, the Reds are coming first, playing attacking Rugby, have a great connection with their fans, are about to play in front of 50 000 people on Sunday, and aren't using injuries as an excuse.
Bakkies
Guest
I actually think Lachie Turner needs to look at moving on when his contract expired. He is regressing at the Tahs, hardly gets or looks for the ball. He needs to get his confidence back which he sometimes lacks in a Wallaby jumper. I am still not convinced what his best spot his because he hasn't reached his potential (as we clearly saw when he scored that long range try against the Crusaders). Another solution is get the lazy buggers to tackle. Both Cooper and Beale know how to tackle but they go far to high (much like O'Gara does and you only have to look at recent Youtube clips of this) rather than going for the legs. I fear for Cooper against the strong Irish ball runners like O'Brien and Heaslip (and even Healy) in the key RWC game in Auckland. If he goes to high against these guys they will make massive yards all day.
Goldenbull
Guest
To the author who wrote this article. You are spot on! Admitedly I never read the article however I didnt need too, the heading said it all and I agree 100%
p.Tah
Guest
Fair point, I just dislike phrases like far superior game. Horses for courses. I happen to like both for different reasons.
clipper
Guest
I think the point George makes is that at present there isn't a choice - Rugby isn't promoted in the Western Suburbs. Although the Pacific Islanders do like league, it could be a social - economic factor, that there are not as many Pacific Islanders in the Private Schools and eastern suburbs where Rugby is strongest.
B-Rock
Roar Guru
Is it more important that the Reds have had selection consistency in key positions than the total number of players getting a run? McKenzie has rotated the bench and fringe starters with some good finds from the academy/clubs but he has had key players on the park virtually all season
p.Tah
Guest
"What a huge market Western Sydney is for Rugby – correctly promoted it will kill league as Rugby is a far superior game." replace rugby with AFL and you sound like Demetriou.. There is a reason why League is big in Western Sydney... they like the game.
mw
Roar Rookie
LAS, wasn't Bellamy losing coach of NSW SOO side for many years? Elite? Ok he won grand finals with an overloaded side. And hell, he only coaches league.
jeznez
Guest
Worst case run the Reds method and have Kurtley at fullback in defence and flyhalf in attack, you can actually use the existing backline and simply shuffle Turner to FB in attack and everyone moves out one (ie Cross to the wing) and revert to the current backline in defence - let you use KB's counter attacking if the opposition kicks but gets his hands on the ball and puts a skilled player in Barnes at 12 in attack. A bit late in the season to be tinkering like that but I reckon it would pay dividends
jeznez
Guest
its easy for me - I'm sitting in Singapore shouting from the cheap seats!
Hawko
Guest
When a writer insists that perception and reality are exactly the same thing, you know that nothing of much sense is going to be written. When the expectation is that the Tahs will play every minute of every game as though they were the Crusaders on steroids otherwise they will be complete and utter failures, there is no way that an objective view of their performance can be taken. Sure they have problems, but just about every other Super team does too. The Reds have a marshmallow scrum, the Saders have no good outside backs left and Richie is not playing well, the Blues run hot and cold, the Stormers can't score tries. Some level of objectivity would not go astray.
AC
Guest
Unfortunately what's in the best interests of school kids and the code in general is -- and we've all heard this many times before -- undermined by petty club politics. I know of a least one example where junior teams made up of current students of the school associated with an old-boys club were voted not to be admitted to the club competition because other junior clubs in the area were worried about their player base being raided. The irony in this case was that the majority of these school kids don't play for any club at the moment! So there's 30 or so boys who won't be playing club rugby any time soon...
George
Guest
Johnno - spot on about Western Sydney. Those young Pacific Islanders should all be playing rugby through the junior club system and the schools in the area should develop a Wednesday afternnon comp. What a huge market Western Sydney is for Rugby - correctly promoted it will kill league as Rugby is a far superior game. In regards to Waratahs - I cannot stress the requirement for the NSW exec to sack Hickey & Waugh immediately - it will send the correct message to the whole Waratah squad.
AJ
Guest
Good to see that there is one loyal supoporter down there,Levelheaded.The Tahs are nowhere near as dire as the Reds were a couple of years ago.In hindsight we possibly could 've brought the change on a bit quicker with some fan pressure on the QRU.What used to be such a proud organisation-wrecked on the rocks by hubris and pig headed entitlement of a few.Last on the table and basically bankrupt. The fan forum is very good idea and it shouldn't just be the coaches and players facing the music.I've often thought that a fan/member website forum would be good thing if managed properly.
LeftArmSpinner
Roar Guru
My mail is that the board get it!!!! In which case, it will be Hickey's last season. But making a cultural change is a big thing to do. Just ask Robbie Deans.
Bakkies
Guest
The problem with Beale he can't tackle, his general kicking is hit and miss (like Cooper who puts a lot out on the full) and the big one he has a handful of games left in the Tahs jersey. The Tahs haven't had quality halves since Farr Jones/Ella and NFJ/David Knox. Knox was under appreciated and under utilised by the Tahs compared to the productive years at the Brumbies. My gut feeling is that AAC will get hardly any ball next year playing at centre (no doubt Horne will be injured again) if Barnes or Halangahu play 10 or at fullback
p.Tah
Guest
...and the reason why we don't help: I'm busy at work I have a young family I'm auditioning for Australias got talent The world is ending and I want to see if I have a shot with Jennifer Hawkins My spleen hurts The dog ate my will to help I'm on level 36 of Angry Birds and I can't kill that fricken pig Broccoli ... I just don't like it I have accidentally supa glued my forehead to the fridge.... Someone call an ambulance, please
p.Tah
Guest
That takes effort jeznex... Many are full of hot air and are not willing to back up words with actions...