Australia - our most valuable players at this World Cup

[jollyswagman]

I would be really interested to find out how other members would rank the Australian players in order of "importance to Australia's success" at this world cup. Imagine you were back in the school yard and you were picking your team. In what order would you pick your players. In my opinion, it is going to be very hard hard to even reach the final should anyone in the first 5 names below go down and conversely, I think the those named toward the bottom of the list are somewhat more replaceable or less imperative to our success. Sticking to 15 players, I will kick it off with the following:

1. Genia
2. Pocock
3. Beale
4. Moore
5. Barnes
6. Alexander
7. Horwill
8. Ioane
9. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
10. JOC (James O'Connor)
11. Samo
12. Vickerman
13. Cooper
14. Slipper
15. Elsom

I apologize if this should be posted under an existing thread .....feel free to move it should that be the case.

 

[liquor box]

I would be really interested to find out how other members would rank the Australian players in order of "importance to Australia's success" at this world cup. Imagine you were back in the school yard and you were picking your team. In what order would you pick your players. In my opinion, it is going to be very hard hard to even reach the final should anyone in the first 5 names below go down and conversely, I think the those named toward the bottom of the list are somewhat more replaceable or less imperative to our success. Sticking to 15 players, I will kick it off with the following:

1. Genia
2. Pocock
3. Beale
4. Moore
5. Barnes
6. Alexander
7. Horwill
8. Ioane
9. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
10. JOC (James O'Connor)
11. Samo
12. Vickerman
13. Cooper
14. Slipper
15. Elsom

I apologize if this should be posted under an existing thread .....feel free to move it should that be the case.

In a school yard situation does the "most important player is the TH and the second most important is the reserve TH apply"? or is it based on your mates?

 

[Inside Shoulder]

In a school yard situation does the "most important player is the TH and the second most important is the reserve TH apply"? or is it based on your mates?

1. Pocock
2. Moore
3. Genia
4. Horwill
Photo finish after that

 

[Scarfman]

It's a bit early for this kind of talk for me. We're not dead yet.

 

[qwerty51]

Wow people still don't realise the importance of Pocock despite losing to Ireland.

That game was lost as soon as Pocock was out.

 

[light]

Most valuable player IMO is someone who can't really be replaced. Genia in his S15 form and Tri-Nations form was by far the best scrummie in the world, but he's gone missing this world cup and even if we lost him now (which would suck) Burgess is still adequate cover, perhaps we wouldn't win the world cup without him but we certainly would have a chance making it past the quarters.

Pocock is by far the most valuable player in our team, there is no one in the squad who can offer half as much in his position as he does. Deans' selecting no second open-side made this the case and it showed against Ireland when we missed him greatly.

Moore would be next, unfortunately we thought TPN would be adequate cover but he really doesn't offer anything that Moore doesn't have. Without Moore in the lineouts and scrums we look a fuckload weaker.

Horwill makes it by default being our leader and one of the most influential figures around the park. You could also consider Beale in this discussion, he has abilities at fullback that can't be replaced, and on his day, is the best #15 in the world. Yes, if he went down we could replace him with AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) or Mitchell, but we would look a shitload weaker at the back and lack the unpredictability that Beale possesses. Also our already confusing defensive formation would be even more confusing.

1. Pocock
2. Moore
3. Genia
4. Beale
5. Horwill (We would still have Vickerman, Sharpe, Simmons and other capable leaders around the park. Great depth in locks)
6. Ashley-Cooper (now that we have no centre's, he is extremely versatile and showing form)
7. Cooper/Barnes (either/or and we are screwed, both compliment each other and are needed on the park)

 

[Inside Shoulder]

I thought it had been agreed weeks ago that Horwill was the man to lead.

 

[Godfrey]

1. Pocock

2. Cooper

3. Genia

4. Horwill

5. Ioane

But really what we need is a cohesive, aggressive forward performance. The names don't matter more than that occurring.

 

[voodoo]

Here's mine.

1. Pocock (needed desparately for speed and ability at the breakdown, gives 100%)
2. Alexander (vital for our scrum at least maintaining par at the moment with the big teams)
3. Genia (controls the game well, quick feed to the backs, individual ability to beat the attack with dummys around the ruck)
4. Moore (vital for a steady scrum, steady line in throw, is very active and aggressive at the breakdown, plays with enormous passion)
5. Beale (most talented attacking runner in the game, has that x factor that can win a game)
6. Cooper (has the x factor, great stepper, great ability to find gaps and put others into gaps, hope he can temper his extravagence at times)
7. Sharpe (I'd like to see him in the starting 11. Vickerman is slightly better in line out but Sharpe plays with passion, gives 100%, solid defense)
8. Ionne (incredible speed, power and stepping ability, good in defense)
9. O'Connor (enormoulsy talented runner and stepper, solid in defense, best kicker if Barnes doesn't play)
10. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) (very steady, intelligent player, strong runner with great fend, almost always takes the right option in attack, solid defense)
11. Horwill (leadershipo ability, solid in scrum and line-out, would like to see more of him at broken play and around the ruck)
12. Barnes (I'd like to see him in the starting 15, very solid, sensible player, great kicker, good at setting up other players, best goal kicker)

Others in the mix

12. Elsom/Higgenbotham - tough call, I'd like to see Higgers get more game time, think he is playing better than Rocky right now.
13. Skope/Slipper - another tough call, I think Skope done well in the scrum recently but seems a lot of support for Slipper as well
14. Vickerman - good player and great at the line out, plays with passion but I think Sharpe pips him at the moment and Horwell is Captain
15. Palu/Samo - a bit undecided about the two, Same seems a bit lazy around teh ruck at times, Palu gets the nod if fully fit but still suspect for 80 mins
16. Horne/Fainga'a/McCabe/Giteu - obvioulsy big question marks on fitness for 3 of the centres, I like Horne but seems he may be out for the tournament. I'd love to see Gitaeu come in and into the starting 22 (quality player who has experience in big match games)
17. Mitchell - Potenially dangerous player in attack, needs some more game time but probably should be in frist 22

We need a solid 22 and I think as many have said Deans should use his bench more, if players are slacking off, getting tired get some fresh legs out there especially when then is often not much between the number 1 and number 2 pick for the position

 

[Athilnaur]

Seems to me a lot of the players are integral to the squad.

But for the sake of identifying players who you personally think aren't readily replaced;

1 - Pocock
2 - Genia (but lets face it, either of Pocock and Genia and we are in a world of pain)
3 - Cooper - scares the crap out of teams ball in hand, on his day a one man wrecking ball in setting plays up
4 - Moore - seriously under-rated imo.
5 - Horwill.
6 - Rocky - always there (ok, almost always there...) and steadies the ship. Just seems to get a little better each game.
7 - Ioane/O'Connor/Mitchell. 1 we'll live 2 and we are in crap.
8 - McCabe. Controversial but it's my pick, and like Pocock I believe his workrate and defense is going to be crucial against guys like Nonu, Fourie, Tuilagi and their countries backrows. BB may prove me happily wrong in his D. If I was McCabe I'd have a stash of great plays by great centres and be playing them non stop in my hotel room until they fused into my brain.
9 - Alexander/Kepu/TPN/Palu (really hoping Palu comes right)
10 - the whole squad.

 

[jimmymac]

1. Pocock
2. Genia
3. Alexander
4. Moore
5. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
6. Quade

my theory is that our pack will provide us the opportunity to win this world cup (or loose it), if they dont perform we are absolutely no chance. pocock, alexander and moore have been crucial to our pack performing well hence their selections - i dont think we can beat the ABs without pocock. genia guides the pack around and i dont think his selection needs justification. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) will probably seem controversial but from a 'valuable' player perspective his versatility has proven invaluable to this point, when we have been short a winger he's played there, when we've been short a 13 he's played there - with our current injury standpoint he nearly defines 'valuable' from a team perspective. To beat the Springboks and ABs back to back we are going to need to score points and provide a point of difference, although he has many mistakes so far Quade has teh potential to turn a game like no other in the Wallaby team, i would have rated him a little higher has Barnes not returned so well on friday night.