Blues v Chiefs
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@nepia said in Blues v Chiefs:
@williethewaiter Also, it's not like Auckland school teams completely dominate the top 4 so it's not even certain that going for size is the way to go.
yep but thats the mentality right - how's that gonna change!!
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It could be the best short-term solution, but the problem I have with that is SBW looks about as fast as Moala and has less experience making defensive decisions out there. I think he is the one who should be the constant selection - at 12.
Another option is getting the younger player to 13, but I don’t know Faiane at all and I don’t even remember him handling the ball tonight.
If he’s fit, I’d get Clarke out there pronto, so at least Tana is getting the young ones experience. I didn’t think that Rieko was ready...
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@nepia said in Blues v Chiefs:
@chris-b said in Blues v Chiefs:
@hydro11 said in Blues v Chiefs:
@crucial said in Blues v Chiefs:
It's funny to watch you make excuses for Umaga and Kirwan yet didn't you basically stop supporting the Hurricanes because of Hammett? Hammett actually got close to making the playoffs one year and he was a very average coach.
What???!!!
Hammer recognized that sometimes you've got to deconstruct the machine, to build something better. Canes woulda had two titles if they'd hung on to him.
p.s. Start passing around the hat to hire (the Kings of) Leon. Needs a very big cheque to tempt him away from his homeland, but he's worth it.
Comedy gold, although I guess you could say going through years of pain with the Hammettuer toughened the Canes up and with an actual coach they finally won one.
@hydro11 There's a bit of a difference.
The Canes had one bad year before the Hammettuer started, previous to that they were regular semi finalists (in the Cooper years) in a competition so hard only four teams had won it.
The Blues have been shit under every coach since the current Chiefs coach was coaching the Canes to semi finals. They also, tonight aside, have had the worst cattle on paper whereas the Hammettuer took over a star studded team (and promptly dismantled it). Also, the Blues don't really have a 'huge talent pool' under the direct contracting system.But, as I said before the season started, if Tana doesn't get success this year (however it is defined by Blues fans) then fair enough, sack him, three years is enough to show improvement.
Also as @Crucial notes there was stuff going that made it unpalatable to be a Canes fan (especially if you're from a marginalised province with more of your players starring for other franchises) and the organisation lost a lot of fans (not just Crucial and I on here) during that time.
If you look at the star studded players that Hammett got rid of, most of them were over the hill or getting that way. Nonu had a good 2012 IIRC but was terrible in 2013 and 2014. Hore did nothing since leaving the Hurricanes, ditto Weepu.
My point is just that if Hammett deserved to be sacked, then Tana has to be going the same way. You can make similar criticisms about Wellington rugby that you can about Auckland rugby. All razzle dazzle and not enough nous.
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@hydro11 said in Blues v Chiefs:
@nepia said in Blues v Chiefs:
@chris-b said in Blues v Chiefs:
@hydro11 said in Blues v Chiefs:
@crucial said in Blues v Chiefs:
It's funny to watch you make excuses for Umaga and Kirwan yet didn't you basically stop supporting the Hurricanes because of Hammett? Hammett actually got close to making the playoffs one year and he was a very average coach.
What???!!!
Hammer recognized that sometimes you've got to deconstruct the machine, to build something better. Canes woulda had two titles if they'd hung on to him.
p.s. Start passing around the hat to hire (the Kings of) Leon. Needs a very big cheque to tempt him away from his homeland, but he's worth it.
Comedy gold, although I guess you could say going through years of pain with the Hammettuer toughened the Canes up and with an actual coach they finally won one.
@hydro11 There's a bit of a difference.
The Canes had one bad year before the Hammettuer started, previous to that they were regular semi finalists (in the Cooper years) in a competition so hard only four teams had won it.
The Blues have been shit under every coach since the current Chiefs coach was coaching the Canes to semi finals. They also, tonight aside, have had the worst cattle on paper whereas the Hammettuer took over a star studded team (and promptly dismantled it). Also, the Blues don't really have a 'huge talent pool' under the direct contracting system.But, as I said before the season started, if Tana doesn't get success this year (however it is defined by Blues fans) then fair enough, sack him, three years is enough to show improvement.
Also as @Crucial notes there was stuff going that made it unpalatable to be a Canes fan (especially if you're from a marginalised province with more of your players starring for other franchises) and the organisation lost a lot of fans (not just Crucial and I on here) during that time.
If you look at the star studded players that Hammett got rid of, most of them were over the hill or getting that way. Nonu had a good 2012 IIRC but was terrible in 2013 and 2014. Hore did nothing since leaving the Hurricanes, ditto Weepu.
My point is just that if Hammett deserved to be sacked, then Tana has to be going the same way. You can make similar criticisms about Wellington rugby that you can about Auckland rugby. All razzle dazzle and not enough nous.
Hammett didn't get sacked, he went a year past his three year plan and was not in danger of being sacked at any time.
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@tim said in Blues v Chiefs:
Very average rugby. Poor handling, awful defence, tentative tacklers and counter attacking, constant fast ruck ball that seemed unearned.
Still better than the Aussie derbies 😀
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It's an old story and not worth revisiting but Hammett deserved sacking as he alienated supporters, took the team backwards, changed the playing style to one akin to the hated foe and didn't get results.
T is also not getting results but he has made improvements and is at least trying to make a dysfunctional team functional.
The Blues players are the biggest culprits and it isn't as if these days the Rennie rebuild option is available. With extended Super squads there simply aren't quality unrecognised players floating around. You have to build with the product you can get and not many players of quality want to hop on a losing team.
Maybe T knows that Pulu isn't his best halfback, but they others don't demand the spot either, they are simply other options. What T does know is that Pulu is a tough character that has the respect of the squad and will do things to try and lead from the front. Who else is doing that? He shows the way in defence, puts his body on the line and fights hard for opportunities. I guess that is seen as making up for the odd error. -
Some good moments in that game but some really poor ones. The defensive errors especially. Perhaps it’s lack of combinations? The Blues tactics in attack seemed a little predictable to me.
Cane a standout. Looks bigger to me. Wainui’s best super rugby game ever.
If tonight was a bit of an audition for the 3rd AB halfback, Weber won easily. Pulu seems to lack composure. Perhaps the captaincy is weighing on him.
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@act-crusader said in Blues v Chiefs:
Some good moments in that game but some really poor ones. The defensive errors especially. Perhaps it’s lack of combinations? The Blues tactics in attack seemed a little predictable to me.
Cane a standout. Looks bigger to me. Wainui’s best super rugby game ever.
If tonight was a bit of an audition for the 3rd AB halfback, Weber won easily. Pulu seems to lack composure. Perhaps the captaincy is weighing on him.
Agreed, and the 12 for the Chiefs who we've been bagging along with Wainui had a decent game as well. Clearly, we need to double down on bagging poor performing players in the lead up to matches.
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The funny thing about watching that game live , particularly the last 10 minutes , it felt like you had seen it before and were watching a replay .
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Reckon the next AB 6 might be Matt Duffie - hits hard on defence and clears out rucks...
And what is Mike from Breaking Bad doing as the Blues defence coach?
Fair play to the Chiefs - thought McKenzie closed out the game well, whereas the Blues looked like they lacked a plan.
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@pukunui said in Blues v Chiefs:
Worst of all for me would be Moala. His hungus cost the Blues so many chances. The Blues are going nowhere with him in midfield. Passing seems to be about 10th on his list of options when he gets the ball.
Yeah, he's diabolical in the midfield. Just can't seem to work out any option other than charge. I can't believe I was quite a fan a couple of seasons back.
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@act-crusader said in Blues v Chiefs:
@tim said in Blues v Chiefs:
Very average rugby. Poor handling, awful defence, tentative tacklers and counter attacking, constant fast ruck ball that seemed unearned.
Still better than the Aussie derbies 😀
Was there another game on last night? Who knew...
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Our problems are in our midfield, Moala needs to be replaced you have the #1v Winger in the world and he gets no ball because Moala does not pass. Teams know that all they need to do is rush him because he aint passing the pill.
This is where Tana needs to make a big call and replace Moala or move Rieko to the Centres and play Nanai on the Wing, drop Collins to full back have Moala coming off the bench.
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Moala is just a big liability. Him leaving points and opportunities out there each week in close games is just criminal and should be enough to have him dropped.
Pulu plays his heart out and has his share of good plays, but he's such a flawed player. When I watch him, I always think that he'd make for an awesome hooker in league. His weaknesses in rugby wouldn't be as accentuated in that form of the game, while his strengths would be showcased more often.
Akira has had very little help from his backrow partners in these first two games. We need one of Gibson, Pryor or Papali'i to recover soon, because Taramai still looks as average as last season. Tupou's not much better.
Why did we sign Apisai? Hame Faiva was rightfully not re-signed by us and even he had shown more at the lower levels than him.
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@number9 said in Blues v Chiefs:
Our problems are in our midfield, Moala needs to be replaced you have the #1v Winger in the world and he gets no ball because Moala does not pass. Teams know that all they need to do is rush him because he aint passing the pill.
This is where Tana needs to make a big call and replace Moala or move Rieko to the Centres and play Nanai on the Wing, drop Collins to full back have Moala coming off the bench.
Your problems are way more than your midfield.
If that is all the problem is and it is so bad then the rest of the team did pretty well to overcome it and get within a score of winning.
When SBW is back then Moala becomes reserve. Your suggestion may well be the way they go as a stopgap though.
