Current Front Row Rankings on Form

[Gnostic]

Given the debates going on a couple of threads I thought it would be interesting to survey the current thoughts on current Front row rankings on all aspects of play. My thought is that the set piece, both scrum and lineout, has to be strong first and foremost and then the player must be involved in the tight and be EFFECTIVE at it. I will not buy into the "work rate" myth.

LHP:-

1. Robinson
2. Kepu
3. Henderson/Cowan
5. Holmes/Daley - excellent away from the scrum but only servicable at that set piece. I do think he can get better though. He is young and its two years too early for him IMO.
6. Alexander - a scrum liability and a referee target. Plays a loose game away from the set piece which gains him plenty of tries and gets him lots of Fantasy points that others don't see. I won't rate him at TH as he hasn't played a game there yet and won't until Deans selects him as starting THP for the Wallabies (come on you know he will).

Hooker:-
1. TPN
2. Moore
3. Charles
4. S. Finger
5. Fitzpatrick
6. Whitaker
7. Hanson (he needs more game time before a real assessment can be made for him to move up but I can see him taking the 4 spot and maybe the 3)
8. Holmes

THP:-

1. Slipper
2. Baxter
3. Fairbrother
4. Palmer (he needs to do a lot more around the park - but he is the best at the set piece without doubt but is still offering little more)
5. Kepu
6. Weeks (hasn't got any game time this year, what hasn't he been doing?)
7. Ma'afu

 

[DPK]

I don't like Mafood anymore than you, Gnos, but you can't place him below a player who hasn't made the field.

 

[Gnostic]

I don't like Mafood anymore than you, Gnos, but you can't place him below a player who hasn't made the field.

Ma'afu has started in one game and been subbed on in what two others? Weeks got subbed on in a few others and showed he is still where he was last year. It makes no real difference to the list though does it.

Interesting that the two starting THPs from the majority of the tests last year are ranked so far down the list on real form.

 

[barbarian]

I disagree with your assesment of Alexander. The Brumbies scrum has been pretty good this year- they matched the Crusaders who had dominated the Tahs the week before. He gets through a lot of work in tight, and despite scoring a lot of fantasy points I would never accuse him of being a seagull.

I would have him at number 3 or 4. I would knock down Henderson a few rungs, he has been pretty unremarkeable. Same with Cowan.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I would agree with your top placings in each position Gnostic.

 

[hench]

You also do a "Deans' List" for this thread.

 

[Hawko]

Generally Gnostic I agree with your list. Some observations:

With Cowan and Fairbrother on show against Robinson and Kepu this week it should be fascinating and in my view resolve some positions on your list.

As Kepu is the only prop to appear on both sides, he seems to be a good chance for a bench spot at least. But as you pointed out on another thread, that didn't help him on last year's EOYT.

I would rate Hanson above Fainga'a. I think Fainga'a gets selected for the Reds because their backrow lacks breakdown/fetching skills except for Robinson and Fainga'a is a second 7 for them. But that is not the issue for the national team.

Despite his work around the park, I would still rate Palmer above Fairbrother. His work against the Saders was phenomenal. You can select a 3 who is a good scrummager but a potplant providing the other seven forwards can take up the slack. If Kepu steps up again over the next two weeks or so he could be the answer, but right now I'd start Palmer/bench Slipper against France, England and South Africa and start Slipper/bench Kepu against the Darkness.

You have selected on form but left Baxter out altogether. I know Deans has discarded him but in my view he's still better than Weeks, Maafu and Fairbrother. So my rating for the THP's would be 1. Slipper, 2. Palmer, 3. Kepu (if he can keep his form), 4. Baxter, 5. Fairbrother, 6. Weeks, 7. Maafu

The biggest improver this year has been Kepu. If he keeps it up a lot of props are going to be looking over their shoulder.

 

[Ruggo]

No Greg Holmes in your list Gnostic?

 

[Gnostic]

Generally Gnostic I agree with your list. Some observations:

With Cowan and Fairbrother on show against Robinson and Kepu this week it should be fascinating and in my view resolve some positions on your list.

As Kepu is the only prop to appear on both sides, he seems to be a good chance for a bench spot at least. But as you pointed out on another thread, that didn't help him on last year's EOYT.

I would rate Hanson above Fainga'a. I think Fainga'a gets selected for the Reds because their backrow lacks breakdown/fetching skills except for Robinson and Fainga'a is a second 7 for them. But that is not the issue for the national team.

Despite his work around the park, I would still rate Palmer above Fairbrother. His work against the Saders was phenomenal. You can select a 3 who is a good scrummager but a potplant providing the other seven forwards can take up the slack. If Kepu steps up over the next two weeks or so he could be the answer, but right now I'd start Palmer against France, England and South Africa and Slipper against the Darkness.

You have selected on form but left Baxter out altogether. I know Deans has discarded him but in my view he's still better than Weeks, Maafu and Fairbrother. So my rating for the THP's would be 1. Slipper, 2. Palmer, 3. Kepu (if he can keep his form), 4. Baxter, 5. Fairbrother, 6. Weeks, 7. Maafu

Quite right about my neglect of the Fuse. Possibly because in my mind he is gone from all consideration by the National Selectors. He is still on form a better THP than Kepu. I have updated the list to correct my error by omission.

I also think that the lack of love for the Force Front row & Henderson is indicative of why Alexander gets so much support in spite of his obvious deficiencies at the set piece. Henderson and Cowan (especially Cowan) at LH and Fairbrother at TH have executed their tasks very well. The Force in particular have been able to match the pigs of everyone they played so far and from their much heralded back row to their derided tight 5. Much is said of Alexander's tight game, but I do not see it or I should say I see too much of him. I see lots of him around the field which tends to indicate he isn't that "tight" or buried at the ruck.

 

[Gnostic]

No Greg Holmes in your list Gnostic?

Fixed. - Better than Daley at the set piece but doesn't have his impact elsewhere.

 

[RugbyFuture]

Laurie Weeks is so underutilised, he can definitely be the future wallabies starter, shame there are better foreigners etc ahead of him down there.

 

[The Mayor of Perth]

I'd drop Henderson down a few rungs and keep 'the solid' Cowan where he is. Understand your qualification about Hanson... but he looks the goods. Who was the hooker plucked from relative obscurity?

 

[TheTruth]

Probably put Slipper under Benn R at LHP - has shown can play both sides. Alexander great in the loose but seems to get flogged more often than not at scrum time - put him at No. 4 behind Robo, Slipper and Kepu

and maybe Hanson above Charles (still would like to see a bit more of him) Saaia F has just not quite performed to expectation this year and will be looking over shoulder - IMO

Would like to squeeze Shepherson in at THP down the bottom somewhere but he hasn't had any game time to evaluate properly

 

[Ruggo]

Laurie Weeks is so underutilised, he can definitely be the future wallabies starter, shame there are better foreigners etc ahead of him down there.

Shame he stagnated his career by moving down there when he had a starting spot locked in where he was.

 

[Blue]

Shame he stagnated his career by moving down there when he had a starting spot locked in where he was.

Surely Slipper would have started ahead of him regardless.

I think he was banking on Yoda playing LH at the Rebels.

 

[Blue]

Surely Slipper would have started ahead of him regardless.

I think he was banking on Yoda playing LH at the Rebels.

PS Kepu at TH impressed me over last couple of games. Looks better there than at LH for mine.

Look, Blue quoted himself.

 

[Richo]

Shame he stagnated his career by moving down there when he had a starting spot locked in where he was.

But the cafe scene in Melbourne... So good...

 

[darkhorse]

Alexander's scrummaging has always concerned me. I think he was carried in his rookie yr for the wobblies, when Fatcat and Moore where at there scrummaging best and we had a heavy pack when fully fit.

 

[Ruggo]

Surely Slipper would have started ahead of him regardless.

I think he was banking on Yoda playing LH at the Rebels.

Yeah but Laurie made his decision before Slipper burst onto the scene. I am happy that his decision had no negative impacts on the Reds.

 

[Paradox]

The Reds are being hammered at scrum time quite often. Slipper is tight head so that's a worry. Funny how Gnostic doesn't rate Baxter a scrummaging liability. You'd have to wonder whether he has even ever seen Baxter play for Australia.