Regardless of my Brumbies bias, Fisher is a respected and experienced coach with the best interests of Australian Rugby at heart, and I don’t understand this move from Eddie.
Why do you think Jones decided to part ways with Fisher? And why so soon?
I am saying that Eddie only wants people around him who will think as he does and essentially do as they are told. I don't know Laurie at all but I suspect that given he has been around for a long time, he has a pretty clear method he works with that Eddie must think won't be compatible. That's a head coaches right and I'm sure he will go well in the short term but history suggests it won't last, primarily because it appears that Eddie starts seeing everyone- even the people around him - as an adversary. And, as his career history shows, that's not sustainable in the longer term. It always makes for compulsive viewing though.
Control! Eddie doesn't countenance coaches that might think for themselves and have different ideas to his own, especially if they are popular with the playing group. As good a coach as Eddie is, and as well as I expect him to go with what is a seriously good group of players - in the short term anyway - Fisher has dodged a bullet. He doesn't need the late-night calls and sneering/antagonistic comments his chosen successor is most likely going to have to deal with!
Could it be the "smash and grab" nature of the world cup run (that Eddie keeps mentioning) that counted him out? Does he need longer to make the impact that Eddie needs?
In any case, I think the coaching team post the 2023 world cup will look much different, and Laurie Fisher might be on the cards for the longer term.
Ohhh I've been waiting for your thoughts on this. WTF indeed. WHY? and who is the replacement? Not that Fisher is replaceable. Pumped that we have him at brumbies!
EJs public statements really don’t make sense. So I hope that’s not what he thinks. Right at this moment WBs have lost all but their forwards coach of recent years. And he might have a foot out the door. I just hope EJ is not taking up in Oz where he left off in England. A one man band and team without a clue.
Feb 18, 2023·edited Feb 18, 2023Liked by Ben Alexander
Major mystery for me also. Eddie is a man with a plan, so he already has someone in mind. If I was in Eddie’s shoes I’d keep Laurie around regardless of who he brings into the coaching team for the Wallabies. Laurie has so much more to offer than Defence coach. I reccon he is one of the best all round elite coaches I know. And his player acceptance is sky high? So Jonesie wot ARE you thinking???
Without knowing all the politics likely involved - my simple answer is either power or personality clash. Will be interesting to see how it plays out...
I think he was a perfect appointment for the time, and the current group of players Australia has.
There's some serious horse power there.
They have the size in the backs we would have killed for during our time, plenty of pace, and some serious grunt up front.
Imagine if the team you and I were a part of had the size and speed of the likes of Koroibete and Kerevi?
Diggers was our go to a lot on the brute force front and while he had the heart of a Lion, he's a short ar*e in size, compared to them.
But they do lack on-field leadership, they were ill disciplined, and at times it was hard to see what their on field strategy was.
Eddie will fix all of that.
If you are ill disciplined you won't be in the team, he will maximise the size they have and play to their strengths but perhaps - and most importantly - he will provide them with a template with which to play, and send packing anyone who deviates from it, and tries to think for themselves.
Over time, I think that - and his antagonistic approach - is probably where he lost England.
They have got some serious horse power too, but they are an older, more experienced playing group, and probably have their own ideas on how they want to play.
The Wallabies look from afar like they need to be told; they are young enough that - and I don't mean this unkindly - if you tell them exactly what to do, they will go out and do it.
Dave Rennie possibly tried to coach them how he had the Chiefs, but they didn't have the on field leaders the Chiefs had: no guys like Liam Messam, Craig Clarke and Aaron Cruden to run the show, to steer them around the field, fuel their belief and keep them calm under pressure.
The Wallabies didn't have personnel like that, so the approach was flawed.
Eddie's will suit them - for a time - and I think we will see some success including - given the relatively weak state of the All Blacks - the Bledisloe.
He has the full backing of RA and a totally free hand, which no Wallaby coach before has had - and he also has a relatively low bar to beat in order to be deemed successful.
Robbie had the Wallabies ranked #2 for most of his time in the job.
Doesn’t like bucket hats.
I am saying that Eddie only wants people around him who will think as he does and essentially do as they are told. I don't know Laurie at all but I suspect that given he has been around for a long time, he has a pretty clear method he works with that Eddie must think won't be compatible. That's a head coaches right and I'm sure he will go well in the short term but history suggests it won't last, primarily because it appears that Eddie starts seeing everyone- even the people around him - as an adversary. And, as his career history shows, that's not sustainable in the longer term. It always makes for compulsive viewing though.
Control! Eddie doesn't countenance coaches that might think for themselves and have different ideas to his own, especially if they are popular with the playing group. As good a coach as Eddie is, and as well as I expect him to go with what is a seriously good group of players - in the short term anyway - Fisher has dodged a bullet. He doesn't need the late-night calls and sneering/antagonistic comments his chosen successor is most likely going to have to deal with!
Could it be the "smash and grab" nature of the world cup run (that Eddie keeps mentioning) that counted him out? Does he need longer to make the impact that Eddie needs?
In any case, I think the coaching team post the 2023 world cup will look much different, and Laurie Fisher might be on the cards for the longer term.
But I don't know that much about Laurie so 🤷♂️
Dick move by Eddie. Idiotic in my opinion
Ohhh I've been waiting for your thoughts on this. WTF indeed. WHY? and who is the replacement? Not that Fisher is replaceable. Pumped that we have him at brumbies!
EJs public statements really don’t make sense. So I hope that’s not what he thinks. Right at this moment WBs have lost all but their forwards coach of recent years. And he might have a foot out the door. I just hope EJ is not taking up in Oz where he left off in England. A one man band and team without a clue.
Eddie doesn't have too many choices in a tight time frame. Puzzled by this decision. Maybe Laurie is too headstrong for Eddie.
Major mystery for me also. Eddie is a man with a plan, so he already has someone in mind. If I was in Eddie’s shoes I’d keep Laurie around regardless of who he brings into the coaching team for the Wallabies. Laurie has so much more to offer than Defence coach. I reccon he is one of the best all round elite coaches I know. And his player acceptance is sky high? So Jonesie wot ARE you thinking???
Needs the best coaches where the majority of the Wallabies will come from? 😉
Without knowing all the politics likely involved - my simple answer is either power or personality clash. Will be interesting to see how it plays out...
Yep.
And you can understand why.
I think he was a perfect appointment for the time, and the current group of players Australia has.
There's some serious horse power there.
They have the size in the backs we would have killed for during our time, plenty of pace, and some serious grunt up front.
Imagine if the team you and I were a part of had the size and speed of the likes of Koroibete and Kerevi?
Diggers was our go to a lot on the brute force front and while he had the heart of a Lion, he's a short ar*e in size, compared to them.
But they do lack on-field leadership, they were ill disciplined, and at times it was hard to see what their on field strategy was.
Eddie will fix all of that.
If you are ill disciplined you won't be in the team, he will maximise the size they have and play to their strengths but perhaps - and most importantly - he will provide them with a template with which to play, and send packing anyone who deviates from it, and tries to think for themselves.
Over time, I think that - and his antagonistic approach - is probably where he lost England.
They have got some serious horse power too, but they are an older, more experienced playing group, and probably have their own ideas on how they want to play.
The Wallabies look from afar like they need to be told; they are young enough that - and I don't mean this unkindly - if you tell them exactly what to do, they will go out and do it.
Dave Rennie possibly tried to coach them how he had the Chiefs, but they didn't have the on field leaders the Chiefs had: no guys like Liam Messam, Craig Clarke and Aaron Cruden to run the show, to steer them around the field, fuel their belief and keep them calm under pressure.
The Wallabies didn't have personnel like that, so the approach was flawed.
Eddie's will suit them - for a time - and I think we will see some success including - given the relatively weak state of the All Blacks - the Bledisloe.
He has the full backing of RA and a totally free hand, which no Wallaby coach before has had - and he also has a relatively low bar to beat in order to be deemed successful.
Robbie had the Wallabies ranked #2 for most of his time in the job.
The fans and RA would kill for that now.
Whether Eddie can achieve that or not, who knows.
But it's gonna be fun to watch!