Just checked the tv ratings

Weekend TV ratings Saturday May 8, 2021

207k watched the game on gem/nine, didn’t match the 559k on 7 with the AFL, although I
would say nine and RA will be very happy with this number.

Force played very well and turned up. They have grown through the year and next year I believe will go another step up. Tough game and shown by the casualty ward. Hope no one is going to miss games, but Samu and Slipper didn’t look good!

Liam Wright got the jump ahead of ASY originally as the back three operated much better with LW in the starting side over ASY, not in natural ability (not saying one is better than the other). Now with ASY playing well and it’s a one off game and a final, the best team for the win has to be picked. As a LW fan, it’s hard to say, but a bench spot is the correct call for the final, then for TT come back into the starting side.
On the captaincy, JOC is showing he is a better on field captain at this stage, last year LW made some wrong calls as captain and having another year or two as vice captain or club captain would go a long way in his development. I’m not a fan of co-captains so let’s not go there.
Positive jock Campbell will be back in the starting side for the final as well, resting niggling injury and should slot straight back in.

My reds backline if all fit.
10: JOC
12: HS
13: HP
11/14: FD/SV
15: JC
Sorry JP, played awesome last week, but needs to get more consistent. BH is great cover for bench and can cover multiple positions

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Are the Duru in super AU and MP in super NZ? Then trans Tasman Comp, or straight combined super comp like the old days?

Great article Nick.
For a lot of the season I felt Petaia’s position should have been “Left Right Out”, as he was spilling a lot of ball and out of position, playing for himself, not the team and always look unhappy. I was wondering if he was in the wrong environment for him to flourish. Many of the Reds team have done very well under Thorn, but every person is different and he may have needed something different for him to shine. There was the feeling that he had not ‘earned’ his spot in the team and it was given on potential, not substance (he is obviously a very talented indiviudual).
Its great to see him play well, out of position when Brumbies scored on the wing and some small errors, but over-all his best game for the Reds easily. Outstanding defence in the first 10 minutes, good try with the old fashion goal line bomb and the 50/22 kick was super, he was behind his 10m line when he kicked it, it was a great tactical kick when the pressure was on to be in the right end of the field to get some points and achieve the big W.
I have been critical of him and not his biggest fan for the last couple of years, as I did not see much improvement, playing as an individual and not part of the team, if anything I felt he was stalling or worse, going backwards. This is a big step in the right direction, and hoping many more games like this happen more often than not. Can’t remember him dropping a ball against the Brumbies,the first time I can say this when I have watched him play.
Not sure if it’s a one-off, or the turning of the tide. Just like the ‘Ever Given’ in the Suez Canal, it’s not always easy or quick to change to a direction. There will still be some ups and downs, hopefully more up now and less downs.
I’m not asking for perfection, just incremental improvements.
Loving Petaia stepping up.

Carters an interesting one, he played inside centre fo a while while Andrew Merthens played number 10, this giving him a little more space and time to learn the ropes and develop before moving in one spot.
Living in CHCH at the time and a massive Crusaders/Canterbury fan, I felt that Carter was given the first five position a little too soon over Merthans (there was a lot off debate in the papers at the time and rumours of a falling out with Deans and Merths although both denied it).
On saying that, Carter did not drop the ball as much as Petaia has, he played a better team game from a young age with more maturity.
Petaia hopefully is turning the corner, if so, then once settled and skilled in one position, then can look to extend into a 2nd, to add value to the team and himself.

For a lot of the season I felt Petaia’s position should have been “Left Right Out”, as he was spilling a lot of ball and out of position, always look unhappy. I was wondering if he was in the wrong environment for him to flourish. Many of the Reds team have done very well under Thorn, but every person is different and he may have needed something different for him to shine. There was the feeling that he had not ‘earned’ his spot in the team and it was given on potential, not substance (he is obviously a very talented indiviudual).
Its great to see him play well, out of position when Brumbies scored on the wing and some small errors, but over-all his best game for the Reds easily. Outstanding defence in the first 10 minutes, good try with the old fashion goal line bomb and the 50/22 kick was super, he was behind his 10m line when he kicked it, it was a great tactical kick when the pressure was on to be in the right end of the field to get some points and achieve the big W.
I have been critical of him and not his biggest fan for the last couple of years, as I did not see much improvement, playing as an individual and not part of the team, if anything I felt he was stalling or worse, going backwards. This is a big step in the right direction, and hoping many more games like this happen more often than not. Can’t remember him dropping a ball last night, the first time I can say this when I have watched him play.
Im not asking for perfection, just incremental improvements.
Loving Petaia stepping up.

Great article Nic,
I believe HS and Jock Campbell are the most underrated players in the Reds team.
Both do the hards yards very well.

I feel like it was more a professional foul than foul play.

Hi Geoff,
Would like to get your opinion on the Will Jordon/Garden-Bachop high tackle in the Highlanders/Crusaders game.
IMO the blocker Gregor stopped WJ getting to the contest, and was given a penalty in the end, correctly I believe although would have preferred a yellow card for a professional foul and possible dangerous play with WJ being blocked to see the incoming jumper, although the commentators disagreed.
I think the bigger issue he is the blockers are actually moving in front of there own player stopping/blocking there own players getting tackled or a chance for the opposition to contest the ball, I think we need to outlaw blockers moving in front of there own players and they have to give the opposition a chance to compete for the ball or tackle. As I see this is obvious obstruction.

Qld from the outside looks to be doing the right third at the moment, a basket case for many years, it nice to see positive ideas come and being implemented.

Agree that the music is to much, I have not really enjoyed the music for 15 years, that means, give or take a year each way around 35, the average age we pass away is around 84, that’s 35 years yes for music, and 39 years tone it down some.
Happy for the music and it does enhance the match day experience, although I can say it is to loud, and too often, they just need to adjust there volume and reduce the exposure and then it would be great.

Test Rugby hasn’t lost its appeal, ‘Referring is terrible’ should be your article name. I think the headline is wrong here.

I love test rugby.

On saying that, I think the Refs are under more pressure to get it right more now than ever (TMO’s are another story in itself, as they get replays to get it right).
I would like us to get rid of the TMO and only the infield ref and touchies, this way we have 33 humans on the field in real time and we will just accept that Refs do make mistakes (as players do), it will always make a good headline for the Monday papers.

If Cheika cannot control his emotions in the coaches box, or at a diplomatic corporate function with Castle, how is he going to be a sound rational voice in the Board Room?

I feel for Vunivalu as he was playing (developing) very well.
Flip the coin and on the positive side, it means Stewart will come back into the side and push Petaia out to the wing.

Looks like you got your wish, Vunivalu has a hamstring injury, and is out for around 4 weeks (although these can be very niggly at times).
Means Stewart will be back.

Would like to add another point.
Have read a article from NZ about an 85kg competition. https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/300262184/exall-blacks-coach-sir-graham-henry-urges-radical-thinking-to-save-rugby-in-nz
I personally like the idea, that the amateur players don’t get smashed to the 125kg forwards. Would like to see if brought yo Australia.

Sooner the NRC is back the better.
NSW are a totally another issue and they have caused there own mess, the sooner they sort the back of house out, the better the front of house will be.

Interesting concepts.
I agree that local competitions and FTA TV has help the game.
The future is still very uncertain, although after a season and a half of Super AU and Aotearoa have shown that both sides of the Tasman fans want local games more than the international ones (Super Rugby level). Having 5 teams does not make sense, although bringing in another country goes against what you said about Aussies winning every week, and this is a domestic completion.
I would like to see another Aussie team, we have Qld, NSW, VIC, ACT and WA currently, I recommend a SA our TAS team, yes the player depth would be weak, would have to bring in players for the first few years until you can bring players through.
Love the idea of the Club knockout, but don’t think it would work, people would only watch the semi’s and final, the other games would only matter to the club supporters.
I am a big fan of the NRC, as this is where we condense the best players and they earn the right to make the super teams, otherwise they are picking players from a too big a gap and they need a lot of time to bridge the gap.
On saying this, I believe Aust Rugby needs the pause button, let the current format settle, fix the finances and then look to build the level below super rugby.
Going forward we have to be careful not to make it overly complicated for the casual fans. If we have we have Sydney club, Brisbane club, Sydney Schools, Brisbane schools, Super Rugby, TT, FA cup knockout, NRC, Aust A tours, the average fan will not know what team is what, who plays in what team(s) and end up following one or no competitions, the rest is for die hard fans.
Once the dust settles, I believe we should have a NRC that goes full season, the current Super Rugby with another Aust state involved, going to the TT comp and international. If you are not in the super/international team you play for your NRC club team. This way players not playing in the Super/Wallabies play at NRC and help develop players.
A point on the NRC, NZ has never been happy with the Mitre 10 cup and are always adjusting it to make it more financial/better, it shows that below Super Rugby, it is very hard to get the lower level competition right. This has played out in Australia as well, the Mazda Cup, NRC have come and gone, getting this right is easier said than done.
Good luck to whoever’s job its is to get this right, because everyone has a different opinion on the best way forward.

Why is Stewart still on the bench, is this a directive from above, or a long term plan.
At this stage the midfield is not working with Hunter and Jordy.
IMO JP is the weakest centre of the three (maybe more potential, but needs more development at this stage).
The Reds still have a few weak points ands adding another for no reason does not make sense to me.

Thanks Nick,

Nice to hear some work-ons for the Reds. We hear a lot of the hype about them, not necassary there areas od opportunities. Your points on the scrum are interesting, I would think the Reds would back there scrum and then they would not need to get into dirty tactics to help it. Maybe the Reds don’t rate it as high as others do!
Never been a fan of players defending in the wrong positions, if you cannot defend in your position, you should not be on the field. Although for beneficial tactical reasons (Hodge Boot) it is valid,

Turning down the three and kicking for the corner seems to be a Australasian obsession.
When JOC had the choice of three or the corner last week in the final 8 minutes the commentator said, go for the corner. This is the first thought of many players, coaches and commentators, when JOC took the kick, it showed he was thinking about the game, 3 points got them a bonus point, and they had to score twice to win, take the first one (penalty kick) straight away and come back for the second (the try) after that.
I think Australia is turning the corner on when and when not to kick, maybe not all teams, but certainly the Rebels, Reds and to a certain extent, the Force are happy to build points, two penalties are worth a try and often they are easier to pick up than a try in a tough game.
NZ has still not learned this lesson and it is a weakness for them in close games (when they have them).
I call going for the kick “sound game management”.
Next step, don’t be scared of the drop kick!