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3rd Place Play Off - Wallabies v Wales.

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Swat

Swat

Chilla Wilson (44)
The side I'd like to see considering we still should be looking at this game as a must win. Every international test should be looked at as a must win. Remember, remember the Samoan dismember(ment).

1. Alexander (the more he scrummages against the NH monsters the better he'll get)
2. TPN (give Moore a rest. He's busted his guts out all year)
3. Slipper (See Alexander)
4. Horwill
5. Sharpe (100 club - deservedly)
6. Higgers (give him a start FFS, you can have the Rock as backup on the bench, he needs international experience, plus can move to 8 if Samo gets tired)
7. Pocock
8. Samo
9. Burgo (Genia needs a break, his play has gotten stale, Burgess looks hungry every time he comes off the bench, sure his passing isn't as crisp but he's been producing much quicker ball when he's been on this WC - if you don't believe me watch re-watch the games)
10. JOC (James O'Connor) (As much as I love cooper his confidence is shot to shit, I was going to go with Berrick but I don't see him as the future 10 should Cooper go to League - we need to start succession planning)
11. Ioane
12. Barnes (Level head incase JOC (James O'Connor) doesn't step up, can move to 10)
13. Horne (FUCK YEAH! - Lock it in Eddie!)
14. Turner (Can we start picking wingers on the wing please!)
15. KB (Kurtley Beale)

16. Saia Fainga'a (Needs game time)
17. Sekope Kepu
18. Dan Vickerman (Needs nothing, is a beast, will seriously dominate the breakdown and get us quick ball late in the game when the Welsh are tiring and our backs are still nippy)
19. Rocky Elsom
20. Hodgo (I'm hoping Robbie learnt his lesson)
21. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) (he so damn versatile he can cover a lot off the bench, plus he's plugged away like a MO FO for the wallabies for so long he needs a rest)
22. Phipps (With Burgo going to France Phipps needs to start getting some game time - even if it's only the last 10 or 15)
 
Gnostic

Gnostic

Mark Ella (57)
I would actually like to see a team picked purely on the form the players actually showed for the majority of the season and players played in that position. May as well wish the Hope nugget magically materializes under my pillow tonight I know.....

Hence from the squad:-

1. Slipper
2. Moore
3. Kepu
4. Sharpe
5. Horwill (c)
6. Higginbum
7. Pocock
8. Samo
9. Genia
10. Cooper
12. Barnes
13. Fainga'a
11. Ioane
14. JOC (James O'Connor)/Turner
15. Beale/JOC (James O'Connor)

16. TPN
17. Alexander
18. Simmons
19. Elsom
20. Burgess
21. Turner/Horne
22. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)

Some positions dependent on Beale's availability. I have limited my selections to members in the squad, though I am on the record as saying people were selected that really didn't deserve to tour on actual form.
 
Slim 293

Slim 293

Stirling Mortlock (74)
I wouldn't have Fainga'a at 13 again.

He was there for his defense and he was dropping off tackles and misreading plays on the weekend.

Horne to 13.
 
Reddy!

Reddy!

Bob Davidson (42)
I would have Horne in the centres combining with either Barnes or O'Connor, it doesn't matter. Higgers must start at BLINDSIDE,
 
Gnostic

Gnostic

Mark Ella (57)
I find it frustrating that so many players will have their careers determined by the idiocy of Deans. Playing people out of position and lack of structure doesn't help the majority of players. Perhaps instead of discarding people like Fainga'a and Cooper and Genia and Kepu..........who were all the best performing players in their respective positions throughout the year we should look at why their performances have markedly dropped away. If it was one player we could say well form ebbs and flows but for virtually the whole national squad.

Higgers is a number 6. Has he played any significant time there? Nope. Instead he starts at 8 and gets judged for that.
 
Swat

Swat

Chilla Wilson (44)
Gnostic said:
I find it frustrating that so many players will have their careers determined by the idiocy of Deans. Playing people out of position and lack of structure doesn't help the majority of players. Perhaps instead of discarding people like Fainga'a and Cooper and Genia and Kepu..........who were all the best performing players in their respective positions throughout the year we should look at why their performances have markedly dropped away. If it was one player we could say well form ebbs and flows but for virtually the whole national squad.

Higgers is a number 6. Has he played any significant time there? Nope. Instead he starts at 8 and gets judged for that.
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Kepu only made the starting side due to the absence of Robinson and Slipper, sure he stepped up and deserves to remain in the side, but as the others return he'll slowly get pushed out. Genia and Cooper, whilst dominating the S15 haven't carried that form and consistency into this years internationals. Yes Higgers is a number 6, but with Palu injured we don't have another international level 8 outside of samo. Remember when we played with Dick Brown? and while McCalman does a lot of hard work under the radar he makes no barnstorming runs that you want from an 8. Higgers can do that, he's not an 8 but he's the closest thing we've got atm until 2 rats gets going. That said, you were right in general regarding positions: Fainga'a should have been played as 12, Horne as a 13, JOC (James O'Connor) as a 10 or 12.
 
Gnostic

Gnostic

Mark Ella (57)
Swat said:
Kepu only made the starting side due to the absence of Robinson and Slipper, sure he stepped up and deserves to remain in the side, but as the others return he'll slowly get pushed out. Genia and Cooper, whilst dominating the S15 haven't carried that form and consistency into this years internationals. Yes Higgers is a number 6, but with Palu injured we don't have another international level 8 outside of samo. Remember when we played with Dick Brown? and while McCalman does a lot of hard work under the radar he makes no barnstorming runs that you want from an 8. Higgers can do that, he's not an 8 but he's the closest thing we've got atm until 2 rats gets going. That said, you were right in general regarding positions: Fainga'a should have been played as 12, Horne as a 13, JOC (James O'Connor) as a 10 or 12.
Click to expand...

That is exactly my point, Kepu was the best THP in Oz this year. Alexander rarely played TH and was heavily penalised at LH. He then starts every Test at TH and has been regularly penalised, generally correctly so, and some of those penalties were crucial not only to losing the games but also in the momentum of the game. I don't blame him, I blame others simply because on FORM he didn't deserve to be selected and still doesn't.
 
Swat

Swat

Chilla Wilson (44)
On a side note Gnostic, I've had a look at your CAT scan, and it might be a tumor...
 
Karl

Karl

Bill McLean (32)
nugget said:
The Welsh are gonna be out for blood after their last game, we better friggin turn up for this one, or else we're gonna get thrashed. Reckon it will be a lot better game than the final.
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Only if we win.
 
Cardiffblue

Cardiffblue

Jim Lenehan (48)
Scotty said:
Elsom was great vs the all blacks though.

And higgers wasnt terrible by any standards.
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don;t kow why I'm saying this but you will probably be up against Ryan, L'idiot and Faletau, which although good is not the same as the AB back row.
 
Gnostic

Gnostic

Mark Ella (57)
Scotty said:
Elsom was great vs the all blacks though.

And higgers wasnt terrible by any standards.
Click to expand...

Was he? It was his missed tackle that allowed Nonu in and he was part of a backrow that did very little to aid Pocock. I though he was largely absent apart from a tackle here and there, one lineout take on own throw (nil steals) and one run for about 10 metres. He was totally and utterly outplayed by Kaino.
 
Swat

Swat

Chilla Wilson (44)
In all fairness though he was playing against Kaino (Mortal Kombat named their Kaino after him even though he was only a baby when the first game was made - FACT)

That said, yeah. Played pretty poor
 
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