15 May 2009

Brumbies season defined - failure

| johnboy
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I was immensely impressed in the lead up to tonight’s game when the Brumbies’ media unit said tonight’s game would be “definitive”.

That was very precise language. The meaning was that a win would make the whole season worthwhile, whereas a loss would consign them to mid-table mediocrity.

Keo informs that mediocrity was the outcome.

That’s not to say that there wasn’t some heroic defence through most of the second half.

The only consolation was the arrival of Francis Fainifo as a winger of the first water.

Final result 10-7.

Game over and let’s try and forget the ineptitude of the last ten minutes when everything was to play for.

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> he couldn’t do it with a very talented (on paper) Force side

On paper, sure…& really, the Force backs have looked ok, they’ve just had some serious problems in the forwards (which The Brumbies have not had). I’m talking about actual form….if you took the recent form of our backline (coupled with a forward pack going forward) & added in Giteau, I reckon it’s going to make a significant difference. Remember…we’re talking about one game, that’s all…one game. If we won just one more game we’d be in the finals. That’s the kind of difference Giteau will make.

Nambucco Deliria9:18 am 18 May 09

justbands said :

They did fail to make the finals….by one game, in a very tight competition. It is a pity they missed out as the form they’ve shown in recent weeks would have been nice to carry into the finals series. A few crucial mistakes cost us the game in the end…a dropped ball here (Rathbone is not the player he once was), a kick missing touch there. A pretty brace effort though.

Lots of positivies from the season still…sure, they missed the finals, but they looked twice the team this year (particularly late in the season) to last & some of the young players really stood up. The forwards were never put to shame & I’m sure a few of them have played their way into Wallaby colours.

Add the ‘Git into the backline & the bulk of the rest of the team hanging around & I’m calling it right here & now…..The mighty ACT Brumbies, 2010 Super Rugby champions.

I think it’s a mistake for Brumbies fans to be expecting Giteau to take the side automatically back to the top four – he couldn’t do it with a very talented (on paper) Force side. There’s nothing to suggest he’ll do it back at the Brumbies either.

They did fail to make the finals….by one game, in a very tight competition. It is a pity they missed out as the form they’ve shown in recent weeks would have been nice to carry into the finals series. A few crucial mistakes cost us the game in the end…a dropped ball here (Rathbone is not the player he once was), a kick missing touch there. A pretty brace effort though.

Lots of positivies from the season still…sure, they missed the finals, but they looked twice the team this year (particularly late in the season) to last & some of the young players really stood up. The forwards were never put to shame & I’m sure a few of them have played their way into Wallaby colours.

Add the ‘Git into the backline & the bulk of the rest of the team hanging around & I’m calling it right here & now…..The mighty ACT Brumbies, 2010 Super Rugby champions.

Nambucco Deliria8:49 am 18 May 09

sexynotsmart said :

‘Failure’ is a bit harsh. They finished one (1) game outside the semis.

Now if you want to talk about EPIC FAIL – there’s the Reds. How many years does Australia have to be embarrassed by a bunch of toad molesters?

Our PM hails from northern climes. If Mr Rudd is seeking an infrastructure project that will inspire the nation, build the Reds a defensive line.

Or if he’s looking for something “shovel-ready”, I suggest using one to bury them.

One game, ten games. They’re still in the same boat at the end of the day as the Reds, having FAILED in their primary objective, which was to get in the top four.

sexynotsmart10:08 pm 17 May 09

‘Failure’ is a bit harsh. They finished one (1) game outside the semis.

Now if you want to talk about EPIC FAIL – there’s the Reds. How many years does Australia have to be embarrassed by a bunch of toad molesters?

Our PM hails from northern climes. If Mr Rudd is seeking an infrastructure project that will inspire the nation, build the Reds a defensive line.

Or if he’s looking for something “shovel-ready”, I suggest using one to bury them.

Nambucco Deliria said :

don’t appear to be any better off under Friend than they were with the comedic Laurie Fisher at the helm.

I think that shows that it’s really the players that have the most influence over how well they play.

When the Brumbies were at their best they had the entire Wallaby back line in the team. That hasn’t been the case for a few years now and has coincided with our missing the finals. Last year I had visions of going through a Reds type rebuilding period that seems to last forever. But I don’t think things are that bad.

Nambucco Deliria5:51 pm 17 May 09

Last year they finished 6-7 with 6 bonus points (4 for scoring 4 tries, 2 for losing within 7 points).

The year before they finished 9-4 and a lack of bonus points (4)stopped them making the top 4.

In 2006 they finished 8-1-4, and again their lack of attacking flair let them down in the bonus point department.

So, Skidd, I’d say criticism of the Brumbies isn’t that harsh at all. They’ve failed to progress (certainly in terms of making the final four), and don’t appear to be any better off under Friend than they were with the comedic Laurie Fisher at the helm.

They finished 8-5 for the year, so I think the critics are being pretty harsh. What was more disappointing was the apparent abandonment of the traditional running rugby style the Brumbies have typified in previous seasons.

Nambucco Deliria3:38 pm 16 May 09

Steady Eddie said :

Can I get a refund on my membership?

No.

In fact, with ‘Gits’ coming back, you’ll probably have to pay more for the pleasure of membership next year.

Steady Eddie3:22 pm 16 May 09

Can I get a refund on my membership?

Nambucco Deliria2:41 pm 16 May 09

According to Peter Fitgerald’s laughable ‘ANALYSIS’ piece in the CT, it’s all SANZAR’s fault you’re not in the finals. If those pesky kids had’ve increased the finals series to include six teams, the boys would be laughing now.

True. You can only hold them out for so long. Turning that defence into attack is the next step I guess.

When it comes to outstanding defence I think grimly shoving them off your own try line for 30 minutes is sub-optimal

Ideal defence would be to get the ball and score a try of your own.

It would have been nice to have seen the Chiefs part of the pitch in the second half. Oh well.
The team has developed some really good young talent that I think we’ll be seeing playing well for years to come.

I thought their defence was outstanding though, and their performance improvement since the flogging by the Hurricanes means that this season is not really a failure.

The games against The Force and the Lions are where we lost the the season I think. If we’d won just one of those we’d be in the finals, maybe even with a home semi.

Weaselburger8:56 am 16 May 09

yeah true but even still it’s a bit dissapointing when so many of them play for aus

The Brumbies in kiwiland are normally mediocre. Their media unit must be earning their keep if people actually believed that the Brumbies would run out crushing winners tonight.

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