The Top Two Inches
-
@stodders said in The Top Two Inches:
There feels to me to be more angst at refereeing these days and more talk of unconscious bias leading to 50/50 calls going against teams. I seem to recall the Oz GAGR forum curating videos uncovering AB skulduggery in the past (lots of yellow circles), and I'm sure there was a NZ one (or two) after 2007. This mantle has been picked up by the South Africans (with a large dollop of help from Jaco Johan) who now seem to be making videos showing how the Boks are the victims of a global conspiracy by refs. I recall some Irish ref-bashing in the past, but this seems to have died down now that they've managed to beat NZ a couple of times.
So my questions are, do you feel your team is more penalised than other teams? And if so, do you think there is a reason why? Or is it more to do with your own team's inadequacies?
I think not all penalties given in a game have the same impact. Some can really change the momentum and a couple in a row can lead to crucial points that can change a game big time. People say it evens out in the end, but the fact is it doesn't within 80 minutes - often one team will benefit more from calls going their way at crucial moments in the match.
I don't for a second believe there is any conspiracy, or that any one team is more often unfairly penalised, but sometimes your team does get pretty screwed by refereeing mistakes, so fans feel aggrieved.
It's a fast dynamic sport though, I'd say the hardest sport in the world to officiate, and I've come to accept that refs are going to make a handful of mistakes every game. I used to get really riled up at the injustice of it all, but these days I tend to not be too fazed. It's part of the game, and the best teams need the mental toughness to overcome things that don't go their way - the ABs under Richie post 2007 were superb at not letting bad calls throw them off their game.
-
@mrdenmore said in The Top Two Inches:
.. fresh questions about the intellect of the Foster regime.
Interesting concept. I note Foster said - unless I am imagining this -that he wanted to develop players who could think and react to changing game plans.
Hmm.
-
@stodders I think TJP used to a bit more? Maybe he has trouble now with the overall speed of play, or is spending too much time thinking as a playmaker?
-
@catogrande said in The Top Two Inches:
Without going into the actual facts of the game (allowable, even expected under Fern rules), if the source material is Reason you are already starting from a position that the ABs are wrong.
And no, I haven't read the article either
this was not his worst article.
He even wasn't as bitter as cactus juice, well, mostly. -
@nostrildamus said in The Top Two Inches:
@stodders I think TJP used to a bit more? Maybe he has trouble now with the overall speed of play, or is spending too much time thinking as a playmaker?
His pass has gone from adequate to rubbish - to the extent that bloody Brad Weber has a more accurate and crisp pass and is seen as a step up!
-
@junior said in The Top Two Inches:
@victor-meldrew said in The Top Two Inches:
@l_n_p said in The Top Two Inches:
@mrdenmore said in The Top Two Inches:
again raises fresh questions about the intellect of the Foster regime. What do others think?
Fozzie only just did "Selection 101" last off-season, give him a break.
My honest opinion?
- Both pre-McCaw 2008+ leadership version and post-McCaw the AB's have often looked a bit mentally fragile under Woodward's TCUP (Think Clearly Under Pressure) mode.
- Take the 3 ... just take it!
I saw glimpses of improved mental toughness in the first Boks' game and they weathered the pressure pretty well last Saturday until the last 5 minutes - which were a shocker.
I hope they are looking like the pre-2008 model rather than the post 2016 model..
I've beaten this drum a lot in the past, but I can't help but think that if TJP wasn't the halfback in those closing stages maybe we would have had a better outcome. I must say that I was very concerned when I saw TJ doing a lot of talking in that huddle right before the final scrum.
TJP worked the blind well, which was a good tactical move. But could soon be facing charges of attempted manslaughter.
-
@pakman said in The Top Two Inches:
@junior said in The Top Two Inches:
@victor-meldrew said in The Top Two Inches:
@l_n_p said in The Top Two Inches:
@mrdenmore said in The Top Two Inches:
again raises fresh questions about the intellect of the Foster regime. What do others think?
Fozzie only just did "Selection 101" last off-season, give him a break.
My honest opinion?
- Both pre-McCaw 2008+ leadership version and post-McCaw the AB's have often looked a bit mentally fragile under Woodward's TCUP (Think Clearly Under Pressure) mode.
- Take the 3 ... just take it!
I saw glimpses of improved mental toughness in the first Boks' game and they weathered the pressure pretty well last Saturday until the last 5 minutes - which were a shocker.
I hope they are looking like the pre-2008 model rather than the post 2016 model..
I've beaten this drum a lot in the past, but I can't help but think that if TJP wasn't the halfback in those closing stages maybe we would have had a better outcome. I must say that I was very concerned when I saw TJ doing a lot of talking in that huddle right before the final scrum.
TJP worked the blind well, which was a good tactical move. But could soon be facing charges of attempted manslaughter.
Manslaughter? Who was his victim?
-
@stodders said in The Top Two Inches:
@junior said in The Top Two Inches:
@victor-meldrew said in The Top Two Inches:
@l_n_p said in The Top Two Inches:
@mrdenmore said in The Top Two Inches:
again raises fresh questions about the intellect of the Foster regime. What do others think?
Fozzie only just did "Selection 101" last off-season, give him a break.
My honest opinion?
- Both pre-McCaw 2008+ leadership version and post-McCaw the AB's have often looked a bit mentally fragile under Woodward's TCUP (Think Clearly Under Pressure) mode.
- Take the 3 ... just take it!
I saw glimpses of improved mental toughness in the first Boks' game and they weathered the pressure pretty well last Saturday until the last 5 minutes - which were a shocker.
I hope they are looking like the pre-2008 model rather than the post 2016 model..
I've beaten this drum a lot in the past, but I can't help but think that if TJP wasn't the halfback in those closing stages maybe we would have had a better outcome. I must say that I was very concerned when I saw TJ doing a lot of talking in that huddle right before the final scrum.
Aside from the Haka, I'm not sure what TJP brings to the table for the ABs.
Experience? If so, it didn't seem to count for much on Saturday (but perhaps I'm being unfair)
It isn't like he uses his size to snipe around the fringe to keep defences from drifting.
Seemed to me Brad Weber was way more effective around the fringe.
-
@victor-meldrew said in The Top Two Inches:
@stodders said in The Top Two Inches:
@junior said in The Top Two Inches:
@victor-meldrew said in The Top Two Inches:
@l_n_p said in The Top Two Inches:
@mrdenmore said in The Top Two Inches:
again raises fresh questions about the intellect of the Foster regime. What do others think?
Fozzie only just did "Selection 101" last off-season, give him a break.
My honest opinion?
- Both pre-McCaw 2008+ leadership version and post-McCaw the AB's have often looked a bit mentally fragile under Woodward's TCUP (Think Clearly Under Pressure) mode.
- Take the 3 ... just take it!
I saw glimpses of improved mental toughness in the first Boks' game and they weathered the pressure pretty well last Saturday until the last 5 minutes - which were a shocker.
I hope they are looking like the pre-2008 model rather than the post 2016 model..
I've beaten this drum a lot in the past, but I can't help but think that if TJP wasn't the halfback in those closing stages maybe we would have had a better outcome. I must say that I was very concerned when I saw TJ doing a lot of talking in that huddle right before the final scrum.
Aside from the Haka, I'm not sure what TJP brings to the table for the ABs.
Experience? If so, it didn't seem to count for much on Saturday (but perhaps I'm being unfair)
It isn't like he uses his size to snipe around the fringe to keep defences from drifting.
Seemed to me Brad Weber was way more effective around the fringe.
I can't think of many tier 1 nations that TJP would make the squad for. I guess he is valuable in a world cup squad because he could play 10 at a push if there was an injury crisis. He's also capable of scoring some great tries and his support play is generally good. But I'm not sure what he's supposed to add. He doesn't seem to calm things down, which as one of the leadership group he's supposed to.
-
@stodders said in The Top Two Inches:
@pakman said in The Top Two Inches:
@junior said in The Top Two Inches:
@victor-meldrew said in The Top Two Inches:
@l_n_p said in The Top Two Inches:
@mrdenmore said in The Top Two Inches:
again raises fresh questions about the intellect of the Foster regime. What do others think?
Fozzie only just did "Selection 101" last off-season, give him a break.
My honest opinion?
- Both pre-McCaw 2008+ leadership version and post-McCaw the AB's have often looked a bit mentally fragile under Woodward's TCUP (Think Clearly Under Pressure) mode.
- Take the 3 ... just take it!
I saw glimpses of improved mental toughness in the first Boks' game and they weathered the pressure pretty well last Saturday until the last 5 minutes - which were a shocker.
I hope they are looking like the pre-2008 model rather than the post 2016 model..
I've beaten this drum a lot in the past, but I can't help but think that if TJP wasn't the halfback in those closing stages maybe we would have had a better outcome. I must say that I was very concerned when I saw TJ doing a lot of talking in that huddle right before the final scrum.
TJP worked the blind well, which was a good tactical move. But could soon be facing charges of attempted manslaughter.
Manslaughter? Who was his victim?
DMac. Steyn was the accomplice.
-
@no-quarter said in The Top Two Inches:
@stodders said in The Top Two Inches:
There feels to me to be more angst at refereeing these days and more talk of unconscious bias leading to 50/50 calls going against teams. I seem to recall the Oz GAGR forum curating videos uncovering AB skulduggery in the past (lots of yellow circles), and I'm sure there was a NZ one (or two) after 2007. This mantle has been picked up by the South Africans (with a large dollop of help from Jaco Johan) who now seem to be making videos showing how the Boks are the victims of a global conspiracy by refs. I recall some Irish ref-bashing in the past, but this seems to have died down now that they've managed to beat NZ a couple of times.
So my questions are, do you feel your team is more penalised than other teams? And if so, do you think there is a reason why? Or is it more to do with your own team's inadequacies?
I think not all penalties given in a game have the same impact. Some can really change the momentum and a couple in a row can lead to crucial points that can change a game big time. People say it evens out in the end, but the fact is it doesn't within 80 minutes - often one team will benefit more from calls going their way at crucial moments in the match.
I don't for a second believe there is any conspiracy, or that any one team is more often unfairly penalised, but sometimes your team does get pretty screwed by refereeing mistakes, so fans feel aggrieved.
It's a fast dynamic sport though, I'd say the hardest sport in the world to officiate, and I've come to accept that refs are going to make a handful of mistakes every game. I used to get really riled up at the injustice of it all, but these days I tend to not be too fazed. It's part of the game, and the best teams need the mental toughness to overcome things that don't go their way - the ABs under Richie post 2007 were superb at not letting bad calls throw them off their game.
This post needs more love.
