Wallabies 2025

[Braveheart81]

Ieli, not Leli.

How long did it take everyone to work out it was Valetini not Vale(n)tini? I figure we've got years of this still to run.

You should make this post your new forum signature. Good player, we're going to see his name mentioned more and more hopefully.

 

[TSR]

Skelton's physicality and willingness to really be abrasive without being a dirty player was so essential for us to really compete.

We have to make it a hallmark of our game going forward with or without Skelton.



Blame for that is certainly shared. Skelton hasn't exactly been banging down the door to play every test he possibly could have. It's pretty clear though that his contributions for the Wallabies have consistently improved over the last three or four years with each game played. You have to wonder where we'd be at now if we'd just selected him every time we possibly could have over the last 6 or 7 years (noting we clearly weren't going to select him in the first year or two after he left until he was really established as a star).

I think one of the great things is that when he was young he was one of those guys who copped a lot of stick. I remember reading it really took its toll on him and he left to get away from the negative attention as much as anything.

To watch him now as a senior player who is clearly so comfortable and confident in his own game - just feel like it’s a great story.

Also, IMO, an excellent example of how we need to give some of these guys a lot more slack in terms of thw negativity that often gets thrown their way.

 

[TSR]

How long did it take everyone to work out it was Valetini not Valetini? I figure we've got years of this still to run.

You should make this post your new forum signature. Good player, we're going to see his name mentioned more and more hopefully.

I do like that every time someone misspells Daugunu it comes up with (it’s Daugunu FFS). Hats off the the mod who set that up.

 

[Beattie]

Was he shithouse? Playing for wests now right.
Well we’re talking between meridith and HMP. There isn’t anyone else really. And they’ve both played basically the same number of super games

Not shithouse, just struggling at club. I didn't know he played for Wests and don't know where he played before. I put the replay on after the Brothers game.
Quadie might get a call up.

 

[Major Tom]

Not shithouse, just struggling at club. I didn't know he played for Wests and don't know where he played before. I put the replay on after the Brothers game.
Quadie might get a call up.

Loved Quade, but his time is done. Same for Foley. I'm not suggesting we actually play HMP in SA. But it would be fantastic for him to be in that environment to help him develop.

 

[Major Tom]

I questioned whether Skelton really was a must pick. Especially as a starter.

Very happy to have enormous servings of humble pie. Not only did he dispel my concerns about how our lineout would operate (with big thumbs up to the others there - particularly Frost) but he was awesome generally.

Most pleasingly was him just bullying the Lions players and constantly laughing at them and taunting them. I know sometimes that sort of shit is just annoying but, in this case I felt like the Lions felt like the could just push us around and from the time he was just holding off two opposition forwards like they were schoolkids in the second test (Itoje being one of them) it just feel like the other Wallaby forwards would have got enormous confidence about how he stood up and could back it up. First time in a long, long time where I thought our pack had some genuine swagger and the muscle to back it up. Hopefully they keep it up (and I do think Salakai-Loto would be an excellent replacement in that sense).

Also, Nic White’s antics normally annoy the shit out of me but I really felt like this game suited him to the tee. Was clearly into all of the Lions players and I feel like it gave us a lot of momentum to be the ones constantly getting into them. Loved seeing guys like Farrell and Curry constantly riled up and indignant.

Sua’ali’i may still have some way to go with his defensive positioning but I’m happy to give him some time if he keeps whacking blokes too.

I saw a good article in maybe the SMH where Skelton just knows his skills and what he's not great out (lineout jumping). He also talked about his love of playing for the Wallabies and how he just wants to protect his team. It was very "The Blindside" but certainly does line up with the last 2 games. Up until this series I never really believed he was Ireland's Kryptonite as some described but I get it now. He bullied them!

 

[KOB1987]

What are the implications of this?

Subject to the provisions of Regulation 9.32 during the Southern Hemisphere Release Period Unions may only exercise the Right to Release pursuant to this Regulation 9 for six weeks out of the nine week period.

Is it he can only be available for 6 weeks full stop, or if he wants the whole 9 weeks La Rochelle have to be compensated? If it's the latter we should just do it this year and next now that we have some coin. Or if it's the former, let them have him back now while we play SAF and get him back home for the Arg and NZ tests, we need that Bledisloe back as a priority.

 

[Braveheart81]

What are the implications of this?



Is it he can only be available for 6 weeks full stop, or if he wants the whole 9 weeks La Rochelle have to be compensated? If it's the latter we should just do it this year and next now that we have some coin. Or if it's the former, let them have him back now while we play SAF and get him back home for the Arg and NZ tests, we need that Bledisloe back as a priority.

My understanding is that in the off weeks where there aren't any games that the players need to be released and they need to return back to their team.

 

[Brumby Runner]

I questioned whether Skelton really was a must pick. Especially as a starter.

Very happy to have enormous servings of humble pie. Not only did he dispel my concerns about how our lineout would operate (with big thumbs up to the others there - particularly Frost) but he was awesome generally.

Most pleasingly was him just bullying the Lions players and constantly laughing at them and taunting them. I know sometimes that sort of shit is just annoying but, in this case I felt like the Lions felt like the could just push us around and from the time he was just holding off two opposition forwards like they were schoolkids in the second test (Itoje being one of them) it just feel like the other Wallaby forwards would have got enormous confidence about how he stood up and could back it up. First time in a long, long time where I thought our pack had some genuine swagger and the muscle to back it up. Hopefully they keep it up (and I do think Salakai-Loto would be an excellent replacement in that sense).

Also, Nic White’s antics normally annoy the shit out of me but I really felt like this game suited him to the tee. Was clearly into all of the Lions players and I feel like it gave us a lot of momentum to be the ones constantly getting into them. Loved seeing guys like Farrell and Curry constantly riled up and indignant.

Sua’ali’i may still have some way to go with his defensive positioning but I’m happy to give him some time if he keeps whacking blokes too.

I think Skelton's and White's antics were the highlight of the whole series. Certainly went a long way to winn ing the third test imo.

 

[Brumby Runner]

My understanding is that in the off weeks where there aren't any games that the players need to be released and they need to return back to their team.

That's my understanding as well, but I might have got that from you in the first place BH.

 

[Braveheart81]

That's my understanding as well, but I might have got that from you in the first place BH.

Here's an article from 2018.

https://www.rugby.com.au/news/2018/08/27/wallabies-abroad-To'omua-polota-nau-leicester

It doesn't work as a hyperlink because the forum has automatically added an apostrophe in Matt T's surname.

 

[Wilson]

What are the implications of this?

"Subject to the provisions of Regulation 9.32 during the Southern Hemisphere Release Period Unions may only exercise the Right to Release pursuant to this Regulation 9 for six weeks out of the nine week period."

Is it he can only be available for 6 weeks full stop, or if he wants the whole 9 weeks La Rochelle have to be compensated? If it's the latter we should just do it this year and next now that we have some coin. Or if it's the former, let them have him back now while we play SAF and get him back home for the Arg and NZ tests, we need that Bledisloe back as a priority.

So it's worth noting that the "Southern Hemisphere Unions" references don't apply to us and we are instead covered by the (usually identical) "Rugby Championship Unions" sections. The listings themselves are pretty screwy at this point anyway - USA and Canada are both considered Southern Hemisphere

The difference becomes important here though - 9.34 (b) overrules the one you listed but doesn't exist for Southern Hemisphere unions:

9.34 (b) Where the Right to Release for Matches is exercised for Players pursuant to the Rugby Championship Release Period and such Players are contracted to Rugby Bodies or Clubs in the northern hemisphere then the exercise of the Right to Release pursuant to this Regulation 9 may be exercised for eight weeks out of the eight week period.

 

[KOB1987]

Am I reading that wrong or does that mean we can have him for any 8 weeks? If we have to sit him on a plane for a round trip in the middle and give him a week off v Argentina then just fucking do it.

 

[Wilson]

Am I reading that wrong or does that mean we can have him for any 8 weeks? If we have to sit him on a plane for a round trip in the middle and give him a week off v Argentina then just fucking do it.

It means there's nothing in Regulation 9 that prevents us from seeking his release for the full period. It doesn't mean he'll agree to it though, or that his club won't make it difficult for him to agree to it, in ways that may or may not be entirely in keeping with the spirit or letter of the regulations.

 

[Strewthcobber]

For whatever reason, we aren't picking these guys because the players themselves are asking not to be picked. Weather it's a welfare thing, or their clubs simply don't pay them, we aren't getting Skelton or any player in France for 8 weeks

 

[KOB1987]

I can think through several reasons why that might be the case, and most of them centre around the clubs being difficult, but I won't air them here. Plan C - just get him for the Bledisloe.

 

[Ignoto]

We don't need Will for the full tournament - let him head to the republic, play a couple games against the HGH abusers, pop back into France for a couple weeks, then meet us in Auckland by Sep 20.

Alternative would be, Will to see the light on how nice it is to hang out with his family in Sydney and Townsville and tell the club thanks, but will see you on October 6th.

 

[Yoda]

View attachment 22964

I reckon Eddie's fate would have been much different if Skelton and Tupou played the Fiji and Wales games in 2023!!

 

[Ignoto]

I reckon Eddie's fate would have been much different if Skelton and Tupou played the Fiji and Wales games in 2023!!

Perhaps Eddie shouldn't have been flogging the boys during the WC which busted them?

 

[Strewthcobber]

We don't need Will for the full tournament - let him head to the republic, play a couple games against the HGH abusers, pop back into France for a couple weeks, then meet us in Auckland by Sep 20.

Alternative would be, Will to see the light on how nice it is to hang out with his family in Sydney and Townsville and tell the club thanks, but will see you on October 6th.

Who wants to have a bet that Skelton won't be playing against Toulon on 21 September?