Harrison Goddard of the Brumbies scores a try against NSW in 2024.Credit: Getty
“I don’t think it changes much which camp you’re in. It’s just a big game you’ve got to get up for.”
Palmer is one of three people on the coaching staff with a Brumbies background, and like defence coach Locky McCaffrey, the former prop played for the Brumbies and NSW as well.
Waratahs coach Dan McKellar was also head coach at the Brumbies for five of his nine years on staff in Canberra.
McKellar left the Brumbies in 2022 and Palmer departed a year later, and though many coaches would say that is enough of an absence to negate any inside knowledge, it’s not the case with the Brumbies.
“The strength of the Brumbies has been seen, almost since day dot,” Palmer said. “They’re a very structured team, they’re a very set-piece orientated team, but now they’ve built on top of that. They’re really strong at the breakdown, their fundamental game is really good and have a strong backfield.
“You could talk to anyone in Sydney and they know what’s coming from the Brumbies. It’s how we prepare and deal with it.”
The Brumbies have, in fact, evolved since Stephen Larkham took over from McKellar, with a more open game that plays to the strengths of outstanding backs like Tom Wright, Len Ikitau, Noah Lolesio and Corey Toole.
But after “really soft moments” from the Waratahs were brutally exposed by Queensland last weekend, particularly in a first half rolling-maul try, it won’t shock anyone to see the Brumbies immediately probe for the same weakness.
The same uncompromising standards McKellar and Palmer helped forge at the Brumbies may be the key for the Waratahs to rebound, however.
McKellar foreshadowed a cranky review session on Monday and Palmer confirmed not only had it happened, but that the fire was still smouldering at Tahs HQ. Asked what had gone wrong in the maul try, Palmer said: “Just f—ing soft and lazy, mate.”
“You’ve got to know what your role is in that situation, and in that example, on the weekend, we were slow, lazy, and we didn’t get our roles right. Simple as that. They’ve got that message.”
Flanker Charlie Gamble said: “We are better than that, as a forward pack. It won’t happen again.”
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The Waratahs were happy with their first 20 minutes in Brisbane, but not when the pressure came on thereafter.
“The growth of us as a group is under pressure, under fatigue, being able to stick to the plan, stick to our systems, and not get so easily dragged out of what we’re trying to do,” Palmer said.
Suaalii was sighted on the Waratahs training field on Tuesday, after missing three games with a toe injury. The superstar recruit looked good in an open-field session, but ran in defence with wider squad members, and not with the main team.
Palmer said Suaalii was “just progressing through his rehab and … moving quite well” but when asked if the star back might play on Saturday, Palmer took the chance to muddy the Brumbies plans just a little longer.
“Dan will name the team tomorrow,” he said.
It’s no mischievous bus. But after 13 straight losses, you give anything a go.
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