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Our props depth is getting tested, I hope the Giteau laws are relaxed to allow Sio to come back for the RWC squad now that Bell is out.

I thought he looked like an absolute beast on the field too, was probably best on field before he went off. A huge loss.

When is he due back?

The bigger question is, what is Eddie going to see in Quade. I wonder what he thinks of him as a player.

It is a small sample size, but it is the only sample we can go off. I recall that EOYT and Cooper was solid. Add the Dunedin game and that is probably a period of consistency that Cooper rarely had at Test level, if ever. Plus add the super rugby, then I think the small evidence we do have...

The whole forward pack selection is going to be interesting under Eddie. So many different options. Is a Holloway type 6 preferred over Leota at 6. Is Wilson at 8 preferred. Valetini surely is there but at 6 or 8. Is Skelton a sure thing now. Honestly, I can't wait to see the first team.

But where did Cooper play his best rugby. Undoubtedly, with McKenzie. Both at the Reds and the few games at Test level were his best ones.

Sorry I'm not sure where you're going with this or what exactly we are debating anymore. I was debating McKenzie knew how to use Cooper better then any other coach i.e. that Cooper played his best rugby under McKenzie compared to any other coach. I think you may be arguing that McKenzie's...

An ANZAC trophy sounds pretty relevant to me.

I still can't believe this isn't the case. It's also an answer to strengthen the Aus sides and make them more competitive. Let NZ players play for them, and vice versa. I think they seem to think the floodgates will open and there will be no-more Aus players left. But players will always...

I think Foketi is a solid replacement for Kerevi too. Obviously not at the same level or experience as Kerevi yet, but I think Foketi is good enough and like to like enough that we can win with Foketi. We can't win without Cooper. The step down is just too big to Foley/Lolesio.

I don't think this a surprise. McKenzie was a great coach. He didn't necessarily favour Cooper. He didn't bring Cooper in straight away from memory. Once Cooper returned he played probably his greatest Test in Duniden and had a solid EOYT. We started playing some exciting rugby too. I think it...

This stat doesn't do a great job at rating the players performance under the coach. Given there is only one stats to go off. Is a win/loss percentage the best metric for rating a players performance in a team game?

I agree with your post. McKenzie was the only one who knew how to use Cooper. Give him more control and leadership not less. But at the end of the day, if Cooper wanted to be picked then he should have "reigned it in" to keep the coaches happy. Not that it would have been the right strategy to...

I liked the 10. Quade 12. To'omua combo the best.

Fixed.

I think this is true. He is huge in QLD and especially in Brisbane. I am originally from Canberra and he was pretty well known there but have no idea about NSW.

Coopers latest interview on the Bloke at the Bar podcast this week, he talks a bit about this. Saying he was in a bad head space and probably wouldn't have picked himself in the team either. So looks like he has changed his tune a bit to the words Rodha has posted. Doesn't mean those aren't...

Not that I think Stewart is a great chance, but if he has a full super rugby season under his belt he really isn't that far behind Donaldson or Edmed on game-time. So I think there is the real possibility he could over-take these two.

I disagree. Most of my friends and co-workers are League supporters, and every single one of them know who Cooper is. Probably the only union player they can name actually. He was in the media a ton. Everyone knows him.