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3 Tom Wright, 2 Matt Faessler 1 Rob Valetini HM: Kellaway, McReight, Jorgensen, Lolesio

He wasn't exactly expensive though. Definitely not a move that came off but he came on a base contract (~$70k I think?) and didn't show much. Not really any different to a club guy who gets a single season call up but doesn't cut it.

99% sure it was sarcasm from DC

That's probably what I'd pick too, though I'd be a bit tempted to run Bell from the bench to give him a bit of a break, depending on how Tupou is.

I haven't watched the Aus XV game yet, but reports of Lonergan's performance weren't great and that's what might keep White in the squad for next year. It'll depend on the outcome of the judiciary, but it's unlikely Kerevi gets another shot to prove he should be there for the Lions. Will likely...

If there's one mistake Schmidt made with this squad I think it was not leaving Slipper at home to recover. Should probably be looking at Sio alongside Kailea as the back up right now, or maybe Hoopert. Doesn't help that if there was a game to give Bell a bit more of a rest it was this one...

Looks like Schmidt's selections were pretty well vindicated here, Skelton destroyed the Welsh maul, Uru was great in the lineout and got through a good bit of work (though took a bit to build into the game) and even with the questionable red Kerevi carried and offloaded well and was solid...

Really putting the world cup demons to bed on this tour. Comprehensive performance, this time living up to a favourites tag. Something building here.

He and Ikitau were swapping defensively last week, that's what he was referring to.

Is Vunivalu really "easily worse" then Eto Nabuli? I can't remember Nabuli ever having a game as good as some of Vunivalu's best. In terms of value he might have been cheaper overall, but given the RA component of Vunivalu's deal I doubt he would've been significantly cheaper from a QLD perspective.

The selection of the team that lost to Italy was worlds away from the one here. Mass changes, leaving available starters out of the side entirely, with no eye to combinations and a lot of debuts handed out. It was very clearly a 2nd string side, where as this one is still arguably our best side...

He had a 2 year deal worth around $700k when he first came over (so $350k per year). It's hard to find detail of contracts, particularly below the big earners, but my understanding (all from memory, can't find the sources I remember seeing at the time) is that Wright and Daugunu had contracts...

Aside from the injuries, covid wrought havoc on the transition plans for him - no NRC for extra game time to get up to speed or first up EOYT for him to get that leg up like Koroibete. I don't think he even had the chance to play club rugby in the first year of his change over with squad bubbles...

This is good gear from England. That under 20s coaching gig should be seen as the 2nd or 3rd most important coaching appointment in the country and made with a real eye to how it fits into broader system and next decade or so.

I'm pretty glad this first few games of Sua'ali'i's wallabies career are playing out overseas, it'd be hard for all of this (junk) coverage not to become a distraction for the team while Schmidt's trying to build something if they were at home.

Heremaia Murray has signed on: https://reds.rugby/news/heremaia-murray-signs-for-queensland-reds-20241115 Guessing they might have had to finalise Vunivalu's release first. I don't mind him as an option, particularly if he's come in cheaply which I imagine he must have, but it does make me a...

The trick with that is you can goose it a bit to technically include all clubs from WA/ACT/Vic by the way you seed teams and plan the knock out rounds. You'd be building a version of the FA cup style system where different competitions are different "levels" and are included in consecutive...

It's a forced change with the starting player out with concussion. It was always down to an out of position Williams, an in position Uru coming off minimal exposure in gold, or Gleeson who doesn't offer the cover at lineout or with respect to workrate. It's hardly looks like we're doing it...

This where I'd like to see a national club comp step in - get the seeding right and it could involve all the major club comps (at very least the ones backing pro teams - QPR, Shute, JID and Fortescue to start). Need to be careful about organizing it in a way that doesn't impose to much of a...

Worth noting Bruce also has Tupou out of the side entirely, not just pushed to the bench, which makes sense if he has been carrying a knee injury: https://www.espn.com.au/rugby/story/_/id/42390932/wallabies-wales-schmidt-set-drop-further-selection-shocks-cardiff-clash