Strip Pocock of the captaincy

[jombi]

I don't mean it in a 'dick' way or anything, but this season he has shown (to me at least) that he is more of a G. Smith style player - tell him what to do and he'll do it.

He's probably the fourth best pilferer in aus this year and I reckon it's because he's getting angry. Every 5 minutes it seems like he's walking away from the ref shooting daggers and doesn't seem to be able to calm down, or stay calm the entire time ala Sharpe/Gregan/McCaw etc.

I'd hate for him to be seeing the fact that he'd be behind Horwill/Genia as captain at the reds as a plus when he makes his final decision.

[zimeric]

sorry mate but i think your smoking something... he is by far the best pilferer still, however other teams are working extra hard at nullifying him, youll notice he almost always triple teamed these days where before he had a LOT more time to work his magic.
nothing to do with his captaincy,

I do however think hes not the best option for captain while sharpie is still around, he still needs some experience in that department.

[hertryk]

"I do however think hes not the best option for captain while sharpie is still around, he still needs some experience in that department".

Hear! Hear!

[PerthChicka]

Agree about the captaincy inexperience showing. He defo looked like Sharpie's apprentice in the first few games, but he seems more confident in his decision-making now. And in his "management" of the referees.

He's incredibly fortunate to have had Sharpie on the field with him for his first season as captain! He couldn't have asked for a better mentor than Sharpie!!

[Hoolly Doolly]

The opposing coaches have been getting into the refs ear before kickoff about Pocock and to a lesser extent Hodgson if the last few weeks of officiating is any indication.

[Burgs]

There is only one way to get experience as a Captain and it aint from observation.

Stick with it Bam, you are doing a good job of both for mine

[jono]

There is only one way to get experience as a Captain and it aint from observation.

Stick with it Bam, you are doing a good job of both for mine

That's it. He'll be doing it for the wallabies sometime real soon, so I'd say that he needs all the practice he can get.
He's heaps better than he was at the start of the year though. Seems to be more confident in himself as captain. Which will only make him more confident

[kipper_mckinnon]

Not going to be popular - but I agree with Jombi more than I do with the other posters. It takes a certain type of player/person to be able to play at 100% individually and still be able to captain a side. I'm not saying that Pocock and Elsom are in the same league, but Rocky certainly lost his effectiveness when he became the Wallaby captain. I think a similar thing has happened with Pocock but not to the same extent.

As good as Pocock is on the field, I just dont get the same feeling of "true leadership" that you get with Sharpie during tv interviews. I know whats said to the cameras is completely different to whats said in team talks, but even watching the players during the game, I just dont see the same leadership qualities. Look back at the Cheetahs game and notice how many players were speaking directly to the ref when they were not happy. This would NOT have happened while Sharpie was the captain.

However, in no way can you now take the captaincy from Pocock - what sort of message would that send to him.

Hopefully he will grow into the role, but personally I'd would rather have seen him play this season without the added pressure

[jombi]

However, in no way can you now take the captaincy from Pocock - what sort of message would that send to him.

Hopefully he will grow into the role, but personally I'd would rather have seen him play this season without the added pressure

You said it a lot better than I ever could and I think that there is the main problem; they gave him the captaincy to try and keep him here but is he really the sort of player to be captain?

It isn't the be all and end all of Rugby to be captain, just look at Brad Thorn with the allblacks - he was in the 'leadership group' and that was enough.

I don't know if it's just me or what, but what I see in Pocock is what I saw in G. Smith. He's a grunt - tell him what to do and he'll break his back doing it! It doesn't make him any less of a player or team member.

And I bleed black; I hate saying Smith was up there with McCaw/Holah (especially in 03 with that dual breakaway setup Eddie Jones went with), but he was.

Pocock is up there with Warburton as the best pilferer in the world, but is he able the captain a side the same like Sam can? I don't think he can.

[jono]

he's only 24. give him some time to develop into a good captain.
he wasnt a world class player when he first played for the force.
you cant be a great captain overnight.