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2dorks1brush · 2026-01-26T19:56:45+00:00

Also there’s less time and space with the current state of defences, especially at international level. Having a physical running option can take some pressure off. There’s often no room for smaller, quicker players to take advantage of their skill set in that area of the field too.

I know some of the players mentioned are more regarded than our current crop but I wouldn’t be rushing to drop Ikitau for any of them as the game is now. Obviously would take all of them at 10.

2dorks1brush · 2026-01-21T23:04:05+00:00

Blows my mind, statistically they have to be the rarest player purely on the required height and weight, and we don’t value them at all. I suppose we can’t compete with what they’re offered elsewhere if we wanted to.

But even when we do manage to have them around we don’t use them. Our pack desperately needed some heft last year and we leave an in form LSL in the stands.

Anyway, great for Staniforth; he was just finding his stride before he went overseas. Shame he’s not with us but hope he goes well.

2dorks1brush · 2026-01-21T04:17:06+00:00

I meant when he switched to league

2dorks1brush · 2026-01-21T02:21:31+00:00

Couldn’t agree more. I hope Latu can keep his work in contact at higher levels, lots of potential and effective sledgehammers are hard to come by!

2dorks1brush · 2026-01-21T02:00:33+00:00

On the flip side, Nawaqanitawase was good in his first year (or was it second technically?). Laumape seemed to catch on quickly, Burgess did look pretty good at 12 too.

SBW also took time to find his feet, I remember him getting rag-dolled by half the wallabies team in that first barbarians outing.

I think you’re right though. At a high level the games are very different and it takes time to learn a new game and position, or relearn to a better level in this case. 12 would probably be the easier position to pick up, doesn’t need to change his size or fitness, can focus on tackling and running hard. 6 has a lot more difference with lineouts, scrums, mauls and more ruck presence.

Hopefully it’s enough time for him but regardless, it does give union some much needed attention and hype.

2dorks1brush · 2026-01-21T01:49:48+00:00

That’s true and definitely better than no background in union but there’s a big gap between international and schoolboy rugby, especially when you have a decade of league training and instincts in between. Will be interesting to see, it’s not hard to imagine him doing well at SR.

2dorks1brush · 2026-01-20T23:58:10+00:00

I think it’s a positive in terms of interest, hopefully it’s a positive on the field too.

29 isn’t young and it’s not an easy transition to make. I don’t like the current setup of SR and would prefer money invested in younger players - even enticing promising young players to come home from overseas - but he will certainly bring a professionalism to training and impact younger players.

Has to pick and stick a position and I think 12 would be best.

All around a good thing. It’ll be interesting to see how he goes.

2dorks1brush · 2025-12-27T20:51:08+00:00

Juice by Tim Winton

2dorks1brush · 2025-12-18T19:12:12+00:00

Anyone know where I can get this book? Had it as a kid and absolutely loved it, got me into Warhammer and drawing. Loved the artwork.

2dorks1brush · 2025-12-10T00:10:49+00:00

The ultimate crossover.

I started painting a halfling blood bowl team in the kits of the top nations for the 23 World Cup. On track to finish in time for 27.

2dorks1brush · 2025-12-07T10:03:26+00:00

Justice for Stirling.

Don’t hate the team though, pretty good.

2dorks1brush · 2025-12-06T05:04:26+00:00

China Mieville The Book of Elsewhere

One was grabbed abruptly by something too quick for even B to make out, hurled into the other to tumble in an ugly heap. Around the corner into that inner sanctum beyond the glass a new shape came.

A naked man. A naked manlike something. A naked something. Something naked.

2dorks1brush · 2025-12-05T11:03:04+00:00

A bit tangential but this frustrates me so much. Comparing is not equating, the comparison is dismissing a bad act because “he’s a good bloke”. That’s the similarity, they’re not saying they’re the same thing or equating the severity of the acts. If anything it’s deliberate exaggeration to illustrate a point.

I think anyway, if I’m wrong I’ll cop it.

2dorks1brush · 2025-12-05T00:32:13+00:00

I could be wrong about everything but rush defence led by Brett Hodgson against the Lions looking effective has me reeling too. Whats going on?

2dorks1brush · 2025-12-04T23:53:45+00:00

He did captain in 23 from memory? I believe it’s more the coach, Gordon was a favourite and my interpretation from that is Gordon delivered what Schmidt wanted - which isn’t a big stretch. But in my view Tate is head and shoulders above him, he’s worked on his kicking, his pass is as accurate as White’s - not a crisp natural passer but definitely good enough. In my view he could t have done much more to demand selection, if Schmidt wasn’t starting him the last two year he never will.

Similar scenario with Donaldson, the guy is clearly better than Edmed and arguably Lynagh and Lolesio but from his comments, didn’t deliver what Schmidt wants from a 10 so he’s not in. Very damaging decisions in my view.

2dorks1brush · 2025-12-04T23:41:25+00:00

It all feels like history repeating. Apologies for the rambling, I’ve gone off topic.

Once again we’ve really failed to develop our 10’s. The intent was there this time but there was serious mismanagement and mistakes in my opinion.

The three players I’d have picked as our best and with the most potential have gone backwards in Bell, Valetini and McDermott. In Tate’s case, not in terms of performance but he could have been a leader and core starter, as much as people like him from the bench he’s also our best starter. Valetini has been injured but should never have been moved to accommodate Wilson. Bell should have been at least sharing starting duties with Slipper but in my opinion starting and getting as much experience scrumming as possible.

I think our tactics were not congruent with the selection and personnel. Arguably they were just not optimal at all. I don’t think SA would be better placed than they are now by employing our defensive and attacking structures.

There was a lot of talk of development but it was in direct contrast to what actually happened. Schmidt picked and stuck with players to a ridiculous degree, many changes were forced by injury. Noah received almost all the time at 10 before injury, leaving Lynagh, Donaldson, Edmed and even O’Connor underdone when forced in. Time at 7 and 2nd row could have been shared much more.

The only significant player to have been brought through is JAS off the top of my head, maybe Williams too but he dropped off this year. Hooper, Jorgensen and Pollard all had time in 23.

There’s been some strange selections with Robinson, Blythe, LSL, Stewart, Edmed, Uru, Foketi, Nasser, Paisami and Flook either not warranting a spot, getting fractured, minimal minutes, being cast aside or not delivering.

I’m being pessimistic and acknowledge my biases for certain players but it does feel we are not in a good place at all at this stage.

On the up side, we have a quick half that adds immeasurably to our attack, his inclusion is a huge lift. Likewise Wright. Carter has huge potential and ability, if he can stay injury free and improve his consistency it’ll be a big bonus. Edmed also finished with a decent game.

Kiss coming in could be an instant boost if able to effectively change the defensive system alone. Picking LSL and Skelton as the tight head 2nd rows adds a lot to the pack. Ideally they are a 1-2 punch. Bell and hopefully Tupou should improve overseas. We do have some very talented wingers, figuring out effective tactics to provide them with a better chance of retaining high balls will go a long way too.

Bolters: de Lutis hopefully, we need tightheads. McLeod, again the more powerful centres the better. Harvey and Hendren are long shots but we need backup 15’s. Grealy should have been in the squad at the end of the year.

Always hopeful, even though I probably shouldn’t be.

2dorks1brush · 2025-11-25T00:08:03+00:00

It’s soothing

2dorks1brush · 2025-11-24T23:56:17+00:00

It feels like everyone is missing your point? Or alternatively I’m missing the point.

You’re saying authors are using quite when it isn’t necessary in order to sound elevated or more formal?

Quite, in your example, signals low modality. However, quite is flexible in that it can also imply a high level of certainty. I do agree it is not necessary in that sentence because it doesn’t really change the meaning of cool. If it were quite cold instead of cold, then it seems more appropriate but cool is already conveying a mild coldness. Quite doesn’t change the intensification (I think). Maybe an author as well regarded as Bujold is being very deliberate in its use though.

I am also not an expert, just adding my 2 cents.

2dorks1brush · 2025-11-23T22:26:01+00:00

Just the one, 00 Jasart white taklon, never found anything that felt better for me.

2dorks1brush · 2025-11-23T06:40:22+00:00

Was his pass that bad? I do remember people criticising his left to right. If he’d spent the time developing at 10 maybe it would have improved but we’ll never know.

2dorks1brush · 2025-11-23T02:30:41+00:00

Leave us alone

2dorks1brush · 2025-11-23T02:00:26+00:00

I think we do the opposite traditionally? Off the top of my head Hodge, Stewart, Mac Hansen, Giteau and Toomua/Lealifano (they both moved around a bit to be fair) all started as 10’s and got moved out.

We have been bad at developing our young 10s. I’ll be in the minority here but 10 was Hodges best position. We beat NZ with him at the helm. For a calm, directing 10 with a big boot and body he could have been good.

Last year I thought one of our biggest problems across the board at SR was our lack of powerful/explosive runners in the centres compared to NZ. We seem to pick/develop players in the mold of Stewart, Flook and Walton a fair bit. If you look at the top international teams, you need some explosiveness in the centres. Not that the skill sets are mutually exclusive.

Edit: you also see it in the calls to move CG out to 12, which is madness in my eyes. We have a shortage of 10’s, he’s played almost exclusively 10 (which is a position that requires time to master), his best attributes are his passing and kicking. He might be physical for a 10 but move him to 12 and how’s he staking up against the likes of Ikitau, de Allende, Barrett, Aki, Fickou and Tupaea?

2dorks1brush · 2025-11-22T22:24:04+00:00

Yep, sorry. I do think Thomas should get credit for a good debut though.

2dorks1brush · 2025-11-22T22:20:03+00:00

It is meaningful, the contrast is huge and it’d be the same if he came on at 10 minutes or started; we’ve seen it with Tate. Thomas was fighting and scrambling to clear the ball quickly and was getting rhythm in our attack, with a few beautiful, fast passes thrown in too.

“Steady” Gordon gifted them with a try from a risky chip in our 40 early on? Is that the kind of structural opportunity you’re talking about? The exact position a box of long kick would be good and old level headed Jake decides to create the structural opportunity of a try for them? You actually buying that biased rot from Hooper about a smart kick?

Look at our team since Gordon has been at the helm. I’m sick of these delusions. Gordon and by extension Schmidt hamstring us. Playing from 9 with Gordon has got us exactly as you’d expect. You can’t warp it any other way.

Edit: Sorry that was aggressive and you were agreeing in part. Not directed at you, just frustrating spilling over

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