Brumbies Super Rugby review: Unknown rookies step in after 2019 rollercoaster

The enormity of the task is starting to sink in as the Brumbies prepare for life after Christian Lealiifano, David Pocock, Henry Speight, Sam Carter, Rory Arnold and Josh Mann-Rea.

Cult heroes are gone. So too are world-class players and leaders. McKellar. however, insists the building blocks for an attacking rugby revival won't be destroyed by a changing of the guard in the coming months.

The Brumbies fell short of their title ambition, but they did set a record for the longest single-season winning streak in club history and scored the second most tries in the competition. So where to now?

Brumbies fans will be putting their faith in the unknown. A new skipper trying to fill Lealiifano's boots, four playmakers to step into the famed No. 10 jersey and an Australian under-20s rookie on the radar to secure a Super Rugby deal.

It can be revealed junior Wallabies hooker Lachlan Lonergan is being considered as a Brumbies recruit next season after being one of the stars at the under-20s world titles last month.

He would join older brother Ryan at the Brumbies if he secures a deal, as well as rising stars Noah Lolesio, Reesjan Pasitoa, Bayley Kuenzle, Mack Hansen, Tom Ross and Nick Frost.

Hansen and Ross are the only two players with Super Rugby experience, but McKellar believes they are ready to take on a gigantic challenge.

"If I wasn't confident in them, I'd go in another direction," McKellar said.

"There's going to be an opportunity for guys like Darcy Swain and a young fella at No. 10 to stand up. There will be opportunity everywhere, and that's exciting.

"But these guys aren't new to our group. They're aware of how we want to play and what's expected.

"It won't be all smooth sailing, but it wasn't smooth sailing this year either. We'll have some inexperience, but it's about having them as ready as possible to play Super Rugby."

BRUMBIES NEWS

NSW flanker Will Miller is expected to officially sign a deal with the Brumbies in the coming weeks. McKellar is also searching for a lock and a winger to add to his roster.

The Brumbies were a broken team after their dismal 22-point loss to the Queensland Reds in March.

It left the Brumbies languishing after four losses from the first six games of the season.

Something needed to change. More of the same would have seen the Brumbies slump to one of their worst seasons on record.

McKellar hauled the players into headquarters on a day off and hit them with the truth.

"I asked questions around preparation and training standards. It was up to them to provide the answers, together we came up with solutions," McKellar said.

"It was about whether individual preparation for away games was at the required level. As coaches, challenging each other.

"Maybe we were overlooking a couple of minor things that we could no longer overlook at training. Maybe around accepting lazy errors at training, or as little as the group not jogging to certain points. It came down to practising good habits."

The hard conversations certainly had an impact. The Brumbies nine of their last 12 games, including finals, to finish the year.

They also won seven in a row for the first time and created a Canberra Stadium fortress.

The Brumbies have had a "boring" target on their chests for almost a decade after former coach Jake White employed a direct and disciplined game plan.

The critics lined the Brumbies up again this year, particularly for their use of the rolling maul as an attacking weapon.

The Brumbies used the lineout and the maul as the cornerstone of their attack and did so with much success.

It was viewed as a dour tactic. The Brumbies stuck to their guns, determined to show they weren't one trick ponies and the evidence is in the numbers.

They scored 65 tries in 16 regular season games. The only team with a better try-scoring rate was the Canterbury Crusaders (73).

To put that in perspective in Australia, the Rebels scored 56, the Reds scored 50 and the Waratahs scored 46.

Hooker Folau Faingaa was the Brumbies' top try-scorer, crossing the line 12 times. The back-line counter-attacks, the length of the field tries and the set plays gave hope for long-suffering Brumbies fans who wanted to see a return to running rugby.

McKellar wanted to breakaway from the norm to help the Brumbies step forward this year.

He sent the players on a camping bonding session as a pre-season camp, recruited a top sports psychologist and even invited a magician into team meetings to lighten the mood.

The players have credited the pre-season camp in the Snowy Mountains as the reason the team was able to rally when their finals hopes were almost dashed after the first six games.

"Guys got to know each other on a different level. That helped us through the tough times," McKellar said.

Former AIS psychologist Jeff Bond joined the Brumbies for regular one-on-one sessions to give them the mental tools to handle Super Rugby pressure.

Beating the Waikato Chiefs 54-17 in round two was impressive. The Brumbies piled on the points, scoring seven tries in a brilliant attacking display.

There were brilliant attacking first halves against the Waratahs and the Durban Sharks.

But the No. 1 highlight, and probably the one most overlooked, has to be the gritty defensive effort at a Cape Town cauldron.

The Brumbies made 226 tackles to beat the Stormers 19-17. Repeat: 226 tackles. In the same game, the Stormers made 85 tackles. That was gutsy.

The two losses to the Rebels really stung the Brumbies early in the season. But the lowest moment was tumbling to the bottom against the Reds in Brisbane.

The Brumbies were never in game, looked out of sorts and unwilling to compete in a 22-point defeat. Luckily for the Brumbies, it was also the turning point in their year.

Imagine having one of the world's best players only to watch him sit on the sideline for 13 regular season games.

The absence of David Pocock was massive for the Brumbies this year. The champion flanker injured his calf at a pre-season Wallabies camp in January, which ultimately ended his Brumbies career.

He played just three games in his final Super Rugby season, but he wasn't the only injury headache.

Allan Alaalatoa (wrist), Henry Speight (knee and foot), Toni Pulu (cheekbone), Rob Valetini (knee), Lachlan McCaffrey (knee), Pete Samu (hamstring) and Rory Arnold (knee) all missed game time this year.

Pete Samu arrived as a two-time Super Rugby winner and lived up to the hype with some sparkling form in Pocock's absence.

James Slipper's reputation as a winner was also well known before he lobbed in Canberra.

But the diamond in the rough no one expected? Jahrome Brown. No one knew who he was at the start of the year, including his eventual Brumbies teammates.

The New Zealand junior took his chance when the Brumbies were without Pocock, Valetini and McCaffrey and didn't let anyone done. He was rewarded with a two-year professional contract.

Replacing the departing all stars will be tough. Making sure Brumbies fans put bums on seats will be tougher.

Crowd numbers were in danger of dropping to an all-time low this season. A winning run and finals rugby lifted the average attendance, but Brumbies staff have a big job on their hands taking the momentum into next year.

SEASON SUMMARY

Played 18 - won 11, lost 7

DEPARTING PLAYERS

Christian Lealiifano (Japan), David Pocock (Japan), Henry Speight (Queensland), Josh Mann-Rea (retired), Rory Arnold (France), Sam Carter (Ireland), Chance Peni (Japan), Wharenui Hawera (Japan), Jordan Jackson-Hope (Japan), Ben Hyne (TBC).

THE RECRUITS

Will Miller (NSW), Len Ikitau (academy), Darcy Swain (academy), Noah Lolesio (academy), Tom Ross (academy), Mack Hansen (academy), Nick Frost (Crusaders), Reesjan Pasitoa (Nudgee College).

2019 RESULTS

Round one: Rebels 34 bt Brumbies 27

Round two: Brumbies 54 bt Chiefs 17

Round three: Hurricanes 43 bt Brumbies 13

Round four: Rebels 29 bt Brumbies 26

Round five: Brumbies 19 bt Waratahs 13

Round six: Reds 36 bt Brumbies 14

Round eight: Crusaders 36 bt Brumbies 14

Round nine: Brumbies 31 bt Lions 20

Round 10: Brumbies 19 bt Stormers 17

Round 11: Jaguares 20 bt Brumbies 15

Round 12: Brumbies 26 bt Blues 21

Round 13: Brumbies 33 bt Sunwolves 0

Round 15: Brumbies 22 bt Bulls 10

Round 16: Brumbies 42 bt Sunwolves 19

Round 17: Brumbies 35 bt Waratahs 24

Round 18: Brumbies 40 bt Reds 27

Quarter-final: Brumbies 38 bt Sharks 13

Semi-final: Jaguares 37 bt Brumbies 7