Brumbies turn focus to retaining talent
Brumbies turn focus to retaining talent
AFTER being dubbed "Real Madrid" at the start of the Super 14 season following the recruitment of Wallabies Rocky Elsom and Matt Giteau, the Brumbies will focus on moulding their existing talent into play-off material next year.
There were great expectations of the Brumbies, but they narrowly missed the semi-finals for the sixth year in succession following their loss to the Crusaders in Christchurch on Friday night.
While the presence of Elsom and Giteau would improve any team, the Brumbies did not start to gel as a side until near the end of the campaign.
Chief executive Andrew Fagan said the Brumbies would see the real benefits of their recruitment drive in the expanded Super 15 next year, assuming Elsom re-commits to the team.
Elsom has three weeks to activate an option in his contract if he wants to leave, but has not given any indication he intends to do so.
"Most of our players had decent seasons as individuals," Fagan said. "Our scrum, lineout and defence were strong.
"What we lacked in the first two-thirds of the season was real clarity in our overall team play.
"That happened for a variety of reasons. We had new, key individuals who didn't have a lot to do with us before the season."
Fagan said the Brumbies would focus on retaining their talent, including the re-signing of captain and number eight Stephen Hoiles and fullback Julian Huxley. They expect to finalise arrangements with Hoiles in the next two weeks, while they will sit down with Huxley, who has received an offer from the Melbourne Rebels.
"Eighty-five per cent of our squad is finished already," Fagan said. "There will be some changes with George Smith (overseas) and Stirling Mortlock (Rebels) leaving, but we have filled their spots.
"We want to capitalise on the knowledge of the squad we've got. We all know each other a lot better and we'll see real benefits of that in 2011."
While there will not be many changes to the Brumbies' playing roster, there will be some new faces in the coach's box.
Head coach Andy Friend will remain for his third campaign, but scrum coach Bill Young and forwards coach Owen Finegan have resigned for personal reasons.
Young and Finegan, two of the Brumbies' championship-winning players, will be difficult to replace.
The scrum and lineout were two of the strengths of the team's play.
Fagan said one of the frustrations of the Brumbies' season was they had actually dominated some of the games they lost.
"Against the Hurricanes, we dominated possession and territory," Fagan said.
"We also dominated possession and territory against the Blues, who scored three tries in 10 minutes.
"We lost to the Waratahs in controversial circumstances and we lost to the Crusaders in Christchurch where they rarely lose."
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