Argentina v Australia, 8am Sunday 1 Sep (AEST) - TRC Round 3

[BDA]

There does seem to be natural instinct on here to pile on Lolesio and blame him for the failings of the team. His performance was a mixed bag for me, consistent with the performance of the team in general. He definitely should be given some credit for steering the ship in rough conditions. Still an 8 is too high. For me 6.5 is fair

 

[Joe Blow]

There does seem to be natural instinct on here to pile on Lolesio and blame him for the failings of the team. His performance was a mixed bag for me, consistent with the performance of the team in general. He definitely should be given some credit for steering the ship in rough conditions. Still an 8 is too high. For me 6.5 is fair

Yes. I watched it again and it was a mammoth effort by the whole side. The conditions were woeful and the commitment was as solid as we could ever hope for. Lolesios performance was as committed as anyone’s. He is a team man.
It seems as though he was more able to direct the play and to penetrate in his early tests than he is now?
It was a good effort from him and all. A win that should be right up there with some of our best.

 

[Ignoto]

I'm not going to pile on Lolesio, I just want to see more development by him around decision making. Execution can be somewhat forgiven, but, constantly picking the wrong option is harder to forgive.

That hospital pass he made to Frost given the conditions, where we were on the field and the score was crazy. Stop those silly things happening and people would be fine to give him a better than average score.

 

[TSR]

I guess with Paisami out people were able to really focus their energies on blaming Lolesio.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Tend to agree. I see him as a tidy player and not much more but can't really bash a bloke too hard when he wouldn't be replaced by anyone I'd categorise differently in Lynagh and Donaldson is just a JAG (Just A Guy) to take a College Football term at international level.

 

[Dctarget]

But he's not a rocks and diamonds guy, he's just a rocks and gravel dude. Quade (and more recently C. Gordon) are true rocks and diamonds. Some absolute brain dead shit like Lolesio's passes on the weekend but also some brilliant stuff. Lolesio is just average then occasionally shit.

 

[Braveheart81]

I think the underlying point here is that all our 10 options are pretty similar in terms of their current ability.

Lolesio has had the most opportunity but likewise he's generally been the best in Super Rugby so deserves those opportunities. I can see why Schmidt is sticking with him. You may as well until a clearly better option comes along.

 

[Henry]

But he's not a rocks and diamonds guy, he's just a rocks and gravel dude. Quade (and more recently C. Gordon) are true rocks and diamonds. Some absolute brain dead shit like Lolesio's passes on the weekend but also some brilliant stuff. Lolesio is just average then occasionally shit.

I don't disagree. It's just that there is not anyone obviously better.

 

[Ignoto]

I think the underlying point here is that all our 10 options are pretty similar in terms of their current ability.

Lolesio has had the most opportunity but likewise he's generally been the best in Super Rugby so deserves those opportunities. I can see why Schmidt is sticking with him. You may as well until a clearly better option comes along.

JOC (James O'Connor) put in some good performances against the Welsh and just won the Hospital Cup with Brothers.

Soooooo a better option is around for now

 

[Strewthcobber]

Lolesio just ticked over his 20th win for the year from 27 matches (74%). He's only lost to the current WC champs, the Super Rugby winners and runners up and the Top 14 runners up (plus Lyon, but that was 9 mins on the wing in his first game in France).

Always difficult to do the analysis on individuals in a team sport, and I agree he's not Dan Carter reincarnate, but he's obviously doing something right out there - or at least not doing enough wrong to cause his teams to lose.

 

[drewprint]

Overall I agree that we need to stick with what we have currently, as there's no rockstar option at 10. My constant vibe with Noah at a national level is my heart is in my mouth whenever he's in the play - just constantly flakey and rattled? And after so many Tests it still seemingly hasn't gone away. Really hope it can all finally settle under the guidance of Schmidt.

 

[Dctarget]

That front row makes me dream of what we could achieve with some real big boys in the 2nd row. Add Skelton in there and I'm keen. Just read Frost coughed the ball up 4 times in the game, not great.

 

[Tomthumb]

Lolesio isn't a bad player and with some more experience may become pretty good, but his decision making on the whole isn't there at the moment. Whether throwing a hospital pass to Tizanno, an ill-advised poor Crossfield pass to a lock in Frost or not seeing Frost on his inside when we threw a low % pass to Jorgo, he just seems to make the wrong decision in split second situations

I still believe Donaldson has the highest upside of the lot, but he did lay an absolute goose egg in his only start so it's Noah's jersey for the foreseeable future

 

[eastman]

Lolesio’s criticism is deserved; it’s not just the decision-making, it’s also his skill execution which is appalling for Australia‘s best fly-half. He passes behind the man frequently, catches the ball stationary, and never nails his cross-field kicks. Ikitau looked like a better ball-player from the set-play that set up Gordon’s try.

I was watching the Shute Shield final, and both Gibbs and Bowen were throwing flat long passes to players running into space, with far more accuracy than I’ve ever seen from Lolesio.

I get that he’s a pretty good kicker and it’s a significant sunk cost with Lolesio, but it’s clear that they’ve spent years invested in the wrong prospect.

 

[Derpus]

Lolesio’s criticism is deserved; it’s not just the decision-making, it’s also his skill execution which is appalling for Australia‘s best fly-half. He passes behind the man frequently, catches the ball stationary, and never nails his cross-field kicks. Ikitau looked like a better ball-player from the set-play that set up Gordon’s try.

I was watching the Shute Shield final, and both Gibbs and Bowen were throwing flat long passes to players running into space, with far more accuracy than I’ve ever seen from Lolesio.

I get that he’s a pretty good kicker and it’s a significant sunk cost with Lolesio, but it’s clear that they’ve spent years invested in the wrong prospect.

But it always comes back to this: who should have got more caps in that time?

 

[eastman]

But it always comes back to this: who should have got more caps in that time?

I think Rennie would have transitioned to Gordon but that’s moot now.

There are better fly halves coming through the ranks- we should be able to write Lolesio off pretty soon.

 

[eastman]

Lolesio just ticked over his 20th win for the year from 27 matches (74%). He's only lost to the current WC champs, the Super Rugby winners and runners up and the Top 14 runners up (plus Lyon, but that was 9 mins on the wing in his first game in France).

Always difficult to do the analysis on individuals in a team sport, and I agree he's not Dan Carter reincarnate, but he's obviously doing something right out there - or at least not doing enough wrong to cause his teams to lose.

Playing for the strongest domestic franchise, and an international series against Wales and Georgia, is not a bad way to pad the stats.

 

[Strewthcobber]

I think Rennie would have transitioned to Gordon but that’s moot now.

There are better fly halves coming through the ranks- we should be able to write Lolesio off pretty soon.

What's pretty soon look like on a Lions tour / RWC 27 timeline?

 

[eastman]

Oh we’re definitely in trouble for next year.

 

[hawko07]

I thought I noticed a real effort from Harry Wilson for late footwork, maybe he's finally been working on this.