Is Umaga doing a good job?
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Wish there was a 50/50 choice. Reckon he has some guys running hot, but still off course as a consistent team.
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@paekakboyz said in Is Umaga doing a good job?:
Wish there was a 50/50 choice. Reckon he has some guys running hot, but still off course as a consistent team.
I’m with you.
Some guys are playing some excellent footy individually, but he is really struggling to get them to gel as a team. -
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Bit of a loaded question, to which there is really only 1 answer...I think he has the cattle, he just seems to have some favorites he is loyal to and making some poor selection choices which are hampering the overall team, if he can get the right combos out there, they will gel.
But right now, there is no leadership and no self belief.
I don't think he is too far off doing a very good job, but right now...
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He's had plenty of time to make better selections though. I think that the moment he made Pulu captain, the writing should have been on the wall. Both Kaino and SBW are there, plus others who I'm not such a fan of (Parsons). The only nailed on selection in the team (IMO) was SBW. If he didn't bring him there for that, why the fuck did you guys rob us of him? And if not him, sign a captain - Luke Whitelock-esque someone from somewhere.
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@gt12 kinda what I was saying, he is blinded by his loyalty in regard to,selections and is hindering this team fulfilling the potential
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@gt12 Tupou was meant to be that guy.
There was confusion when O’Keeffe asked Tupou who was the captain when Pulu left the field. IIRC he (Tupou) said Kaino was the new captain but then it ended up being Tupou. You would think teams would have this sorted.
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One thing I think you are right about is that they’re aren’t far away. So, with a few good choices they could get there. Even Pulu, when he is used we’ll, can be a weapon. I just don’t think he is a starting halfback for this side.
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Yep. All good points. But, I don’t know another player in that Blues team who is an automatic selection. Kaino? Parsons? Ofa? Duffie? Ioane(s)? Pat T maybe?
Looking at that, I can somewhat understand the Pulu idea, even though I think it’s wrong.. that’s why I would have considered recruiting a captain (which, admittedly, is super hard).
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@crucial said in Is Umaga doing a good job?:
So who stood up as a leader in that game? Parsons? PT? Scrafton? Tupou? Kaino (at the end)?
Nope. No one.
Parsons had a great game I thought. For a 2nd week in a row. Tana's signing Apasai came on and was horrible...for the 2nd week in a row.
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@kiwimurph said in Is Umaga doing a good job?:
@crucial said in Is Umaga doing a good job?:
So who stood up as a leader in that game? Parsons? PT? Scrafton? Tupou? Kaino (at the end)?
Nope. No one.
Parsons had a great game I thought. For a 2nd week in a row. Tana's signing Apasai came on and was horrible...for the 2nd week in a row.
Had a good game, yes. Stood up as a leader? Didn't see much of that?
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I guess when the team's supporters are asking the question in Week 2 of the competition there's probably an answer there in itself.
I'd say the Blues have got better under Tana - but, @rotated has previously made the point that Super rugby competitions don't tend to be won by coaches making gradual improvements, but by new guys coming in and grabbing things by the scruff of the neck.
I'm inclined to think there are contingencies around that - in terms of player quality, etc - but, it's pretty hard to see the Blues winning a championship in the next couple of seasons under Tana - a bit like Toddy, he seems to have a ceiling.
Question is - what does someone new do? Maybe recruit some leadership - or put in place a different structure.
Maybe what Tana should've done this year is name Pulu and Parsons as co-Captains. Haven't heard much of Pulu, but Parsons is often in the media and seems like a smart and eloquent guy. Maybe Pulu is the guy to lead from the front.
One apparent thing from tonight's team is the number of guy who are second-string ABs (aside from Reiko - and JK on the bench). Not really anyone who's going to be grabbing the biggest matches by the horns and dragging their team over the line.
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What would the status be if the coach didn't happen to be AB legend Tana Umaga? Same players, same results but solid if unspectacular coach called, for example, Tom O'Meilly. I think Mr O'Meilly would be in trouble.
I heart Tana, but this is getting beyond a joke.
