Chiefs v Blues
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Does DMac run further sideways than he does down the field?
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@mariner4life said in Chiefs v Blues:
@Frank said in Chiefs v Blues:
Anyone think Finau might be future AB level?
Yeah, me, 12 months ago
Stud!!
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That was the worst performance I've seen from Barrett in a long time. Maybe ever? It wasn't just his fluffed try or his poor goal kicking, his general game management was poor as well. All players have a use-by date, and I wonder if we are seeing BB reach his in a rather public and inglorious way? I thought the Blues still had enough ball and territory to win this game, but poor decision making and finishing cost them. Well done to the Chiefs though, they thoroughly deserved their win. They look like a team that knows their structure and enjoys playing together. This Chiefs team reminds me of the vintage Rennie-era great Chiefs teams, perhaps without the physicality and roughness that defined those teams. It looks well coached and is playing above the sum of its parts,
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Chiefs tight five decidedly better than their opposition (aside from scrumming) as expected.
Chiefs back three better too.
Individual match ups:
- Webber clearly better than Christie.
- Sotutu over Jacobson.
- Finau over Segner.
- DMac over a horrid Beauden.
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@Cantab79 said in Chiefs v Blues:
That was the worst performance I've seen from Barrett in a long time. Maybe ever? It wasn't just his fluffed try or his poor goal kicking, his general game management was poor as well.
The thing is this isn't a one off. This is a pattern. He's done.
No doubt Leon will stick him at 10 next week though......
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@KiwiMurph lol the Blues aren't the problem. Their fans don't want the bloke playing
And yet he'll be in the ABs without a shadow of a doubt
That's frankly ridiculous
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Even as an AB FB would BB now be in the top 3 in the country?
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@nostrildamus said in Chiefs v Blues:
Even as an AB FB would BB now be in the top 3 in the country?
How would you know he doesn't play there.
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@mariner4life said in Chiefs v Blues:
@nostrildamus said in Chiefs v Blues:
Even as an AB FB would BB now be in the top 3 in the country?
How would you know he doesn't play there.
?? BB has played 15 for the ABs recently, even if off the bench, and it goes into the calculations as to whether he is selected for the ABs as backup 10/15....
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@KiwiMurph said in Chiefs v Blues:
@Stargazer said in Chiefs v Blues:
This was supposed to be the best game of the weekend ...
Sums up the competition this year.
That’s being very generous to describe it that way…
As for this game there just isn’t the flow between forwards and backs with the Blues. 9 and 10 are a big issue, but not the only problem. I wonder if Rangi has lost the dressing room. All the speculation and 11th hour machinations last year that he was going to the ABs wouldn’t have helped with certainty and ‘getting on with the job’. Just a hunch.
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@antipodean said in Chiefs v Blues:
Does DMac run further sideways than he does down the field?
This old chestnut.
Don't get it confused with him looking to do something for himself. These days when he does it you should notice that it is because he has recieved the ball with a swarming defence and his forwards in front of him. Buying time until they can get behind and then trying to set up a recycle is a good move. Better than getting taken with no cleaners.
Doesn't always come off (as when Jacobsen stayed flat when DMac was trying to get to him to secure the ball), and it can certainly look headless but he knows what he is doing and it is way better than shovelling to ball to someone in a worse position (ala Mounga) -
@Cantab79 said in Chiefs v Blues:
That was the worst performance I've seen from Barrett in a long time. Maybe ever? It wasn't just his fluffed try or his poor goal kicking, his general game management was poor as well. All players have a use-by date, and I wonder if we are seeing BB reach his in a rather public and inglorious way? I thought the Blues still had enough ball and territory to win this game, but poor decision making and finishing cost them. Well done to the Chiefs though, they thoroughly deserved their win. They look like a team that knows their structure and enjoys playing together. This Chiefs team reminds me of the vintage Rennie-era great Chiefs teams, perhaps without the physicality and roughness that defined those teams. It looks well coached and is playing above the sum of its parts,
I think they said on the breakdown that this was the Blues being coach killers once again and I tend to agree. Some individual miss-steps aside (BB) the coaching fundamentals and plans had them in a position to win this game. Coaches don't drop balls or step on dead ball lines.
The top two inches always seem to let the Blues down and numerous coaches have tried to fix that and failed over the years. There has been hardline approaches, soft 'matey' approaches, attempts to connect better with the PI influences etc etc but in the end the Blues manage to find ways to fuck up. -
Some perspective is missing in this thread. This 7 point victory at home is the first win in 4 attempts by the Chiefs against the Blues. It's only the Chiefs 2nd win in the last 7 meetings
The Blues have won plenty of close matches against the Chiefs in recent times as well. Plus there is the shutout in the previous match just last year (25-0)
All of that is a massive improvement over the Umaga/Kirwan years where the Blues couldn't win a match in 10 attempts
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@Duluth said in Chiefs v Blues:
Some perspective is missing in this thread. This 7 point victory at home is the first win in 4 attempts by the Chiefs against the Blues. It's only the Chiefs 2nd win in the last 7 meetings
The Blues have won plenty of close matches against the Chiefs in recent times as well. Plus there is the shutout in the previous match just last year (25-0)
All of that is a massive improvement over the Umaga/Kirwan years where the Blues couldn't win a match in 10 attempts
Can't disagree with those stats but I place this game firmly in a must win category and Blues seem to struggle to get the W in those must win situations (Chiefs, Blues, Saders this year, final last year).
Yes, it is an improvement that they are in a position that these games become chances to stake success but there still seems to be an oversized hurdle before the finish line for them.I say this only as a currently feeling smug Chiefs fan
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Moving Perefeta to 10 and Zarn Sullivan starting at 15 would make a Hugh difference in game management for the Blues.
The forwards are doing enough to come out on top of other forward packs.
But the backs are wasting the ball.
Sad to to see Barrett where he is at, but the Blues and Foster need to make the right calls and not keep selecting him on his past ability. -
@antipodean said in Chiefs v Blues:
Individual match ups:
- Webber clearly better than Christie.
- Sotutu over Jacobson.
- Finau over Segner.
- DMac over a horrid Beauden.
Cane over Papalii doing the dirty work.
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@Duluth said in Chiefs v Blues:
All of that is a massive improvement over the Umaga/Kirwan years where the Blues couldn't win a match in 10 attempts
While I liked the post for everything pre this sentence, surely we're past the point of comparing everything with those years now? The Blues have been a good team for a good while now.
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@Nepia said in Chiefs v Blues:
@Duluth said in Chiefs v Blues:
All of that is a massive improvement over the Umaga/Kirwan years where the Blues couldn't win a match in 10 attempts
While I liked the post for everything pre this sentence, surely we're past the point of comparing everything with those years now? The Blues have been a good team for a good while now.
It was in response to another post making claims about coach after coach not fixing things. There has been an enormous, undeniable, improvement
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@Crucial said in Chiefs v Blues:
@antipodean said in Chiefs v Blues:
Does DMac run further sideways than he does down the field?
This old chestnut.
Don't get it confused with him looking to do something for himself. These days when he does it you should notice that it is because he has recieved the ball with a swarming defence and his forwards in front of him. Buying time until they can get behind and then trying to set up a recycle is a good move. Better than getting taken with no cleaners.
Doesn't always come off (as when Jacobsen stayed flat when DMac was trying to get to him to secure the ball), and it can certainly look headless but he knows what he is doing and it is way better than shovelling to ball to someone in a worse position (ala Mounga)Yeah I've read this defence of him before Mrs McKenzie. Other players manage to not lose ground and run away from support when they've called for the ball in inopportune circumstances. As was mentioned by someone else, and you acknowledge, against better teams that's a recipe for disaster because it makes it even more likely he'll be isolated and lose the ball. It's an aspect of his game that needs to be tempered at worst and removed at best if his supporters are to make a serious case he should be the AB #10 over Beaudy and Mo'unga.
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@Bovidae said in Chiefs v Blues:
@antipodean said in Chiefs v Blues:
Individual match ups:
- Webber clearly better than Christie.
- Sotutu over Jacobson.
- Finau over Segner.
- DMac over a horrid Beauden.
Cane over Papalii doing the dirty work.
Stats had Paps attending a lot more rucks but Cane making 100% of tackles.
Maybe it is a bit more smarts or maybe that was the Chiefs gameplan to, not commit as many to the breakdown but keep the gaps covered. It certainly seemed to be the gameplan to keep the ball in front of the forwards and the long kicks (that looked aimless at times) kept BB and SP hanging back and unable to set up plays. The Chiefs were happy to stay on defence if required. Paps had to do a lot of chasing around to secure ball at breakdowns