G&GR Wallaby player of the Year: ENG

[Epi]

Well I think Scotty is onto something here. Tah fans obviously resent Genia's success...as they did Gregan.

I'm a Tahs fan and I've been pushing for Genia since I first saw him turn out for the Reds.

I think anyone with any knowledge of the game can see that Genia has the potential to be very special.

You aren't really a Tah fan are you? :fishing

Yeah.. I just don't have my paid up membership to the raving lunatic stand.

 

[spectator]

Thought the forwards as a whole manned up better. Wish Palu had better ball security though and the lineouts are still an area of weakness.

Good job from the backs and agree with most that Genia was a standout. Also plenty to like about Hyne's wing play. Just goes about his job quietly and efficiently, and very dependable. Didn't think there was a bad back actually.

For the Poms, Moody was an absolute standout, and Wilko is class.

 

[Pfitzy]

Well I think Scotty is onto something here. Tah fans obviously resent Genia's success...as they did Gregan.

As a group, we liked Gregan's success... up until about 2002, at which point he morphed into the type of halfback who just points at rucks and whinges to the ref instead of actually doing his job. The fact that Whitaker was the better halfback for two straight seasons before he went to Europe was not lost on us.

 

[Lindommer]

Well I think Scotty is onto something here. Tah fans obviously resent Genia's success...as they did Gregan.

Bullshit.

 

[Lindommer]

We won this game for one reason only: the forwards turned up. The Poms can rabbit on about this bloke being injured, that bloke missing, blah, blah, blah... Happens to every team, including Australia. Their forward pack last night was skilful and big. Geez, where do they get these big munters from? There must be a few miners' cottages in the north of England missing a brick outhouse today. We certainly couldn't get down to our third choice front row and run on blokes like the Poms did last night.

My awards:

3. Palu
2. Moore
1. Robinson

Special mentions to the rest of the pigs, Genia and the Coopers.

Hynes had a quiet game, Mitchell was lucky to get a start. Digby tried hard with limited opportunites, he'll be better for the run. JOC (James O'Connor) wasn't missed, especially with the big bastards the Poms had in the back three.

 

[Biffo]

3. Robinson
2. Palu
1. Genia

Special mentions: Alexander, Rocky, Genia, Cooper, Ashley-Cooper, Hynes.

To those who rated Ioane highly: please check what position he was supposed to be playing.

 

[Biffo]

Oh, and I'd like to direct another rant at the posters on this board, mainly Tahs fans who had blind faith and support for Burgess. I haven't heard anything from any of them for a long time. Do you feel a bit silly now?

Names, please. Or would you prefer that I asked for pseudonyms? :angryfire:

 

[TOCC]

3. Genia
2. Palu
1. Quade

3. Robinson
2. Palu
1. Genia

Special mentions: Alexander, Rocky, Genia, Cooper, Ashley-Cooper, Hynes.

To those who rated Ioane highly: please check what position he was supposed to be playing.

Regards Digby, i thinks its a case of acknowledging a player who is playing only his second match for 6 months, for a player playing in the centre position for the first time at international level, acknowledging a player who admirably filled a hole in the wallaby team. Sure he didnt set the world on fire, but he did nothing wrong and he almost scored a try out of nothing.

 

[naza]

Looked better with Cooper directing traffic than Giteau

That is an oxymoron. Giteau does not direct traffic, he takes the inside step and the most obvious (to the defensive side) option everytime. He is officially in the worst form of his career. Looks a few steps behind the play, and lacking instinct in what he is doing. Deans just needs to keep him in the 12 position and let him find form out there. If it wasn't already completely fucking obvious what we were missing by having Giteau at 10 this year, surely it is now.

Gold. :thumb

Now all we need in the backs is a 12, a goal kicker and a true fullback.

3. Palu
2. Cooper
1. Genia

 

[Scarfman]

Ioane was fine to good. Didn't break the line, but constantly threatened. He'll score tries this tour.

 

[disco]

Didn't break the line, but constantly threatened

He did break the line but was impatient when going for the try should have waited for the shove from the forwards.

3. Genia
2. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
1. James Horwill

Special mention: Palu, Benn Robinson & Quade Cooper.

 

[Ash]

Don't often give points, but here goes:
3. Genia
2. Robinson
1. Palu

I don't understand the criticism of Hynes, he turned up a lot and did a lot of work, on and off the ball. Made some decent runs too. In comparison to Hynes, Mitchell was quiet.

Good to see some other forwards stepped up too - Horwill, Moore the most noticeable of the rest. Think Smith will acknowledge he really had a poor game, he struggled to make an impact at the ruck and dropped a ball when in the clear.

Cooper and Hynes were the next two best of the backs after Genia, then AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Ioane. I wish Mortlock was available - Mortlock at 13 with Ioane back to the wing would be mouthwatering.

Lots of players stood up, just a shame that the aggression at the ruck came and went and our scavenging on the ground was poor compared to England. Plus our finishing was very poor, bombing so many opportunities.

The best two players for England were Wilkinson and Moody, by far and away.

 

[cheezel]

3. Genia
2. Robinson
1. Quade

Palu and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) close behind

 

[Spook]

Well I think Scotty is onto something here. Tah fans obviously resent Genia's success...as they did Gregan.

As a group, we liked Gregan's success... up until about 2002, at which point he morphed into the type of halfback who just points at rucks and whinges to the ref instead of actually doing his job. The fact that Whitaker was the better halfback for two straight seasons before he went to Europe was not lost on us.

Whittaker :lmao: We tried that and he failed.

 

[chief]

3. Genia
2. Quade
1. Hynes- loved his ruck work and assistance

 

[Gagger]

3. Genia - MOTM for sure
2. Palu - Bullocking runs and defence
1. Elsom - Very good defensive game, our best lineout option and a few runs to boot

To be fair, I thought the whole team stood up. Probably only Smith had an off game.

Is it me or does he look wasted in this photo?

 

[Pfitzy]

Whittaker :lmao: We tried that and he failed.

Gregan failed in a lot more games at Test level than Whitaker.

 

[mark_s]

3. Genia
2. Palu
1. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)

Had a disjointed viewing of the game - watched the last 20 mins live and then watched the first 60 on replay and it makes a very big difference as I was expecting to see Smith, hynes, Giteau playing badly for the 1st 60 based on the comments on the forum. Very pleased with the win and didn't think any of our players (incl Smith) were really that bad.

We need to improve our finishing though, can't bomb easy tries like we did on the weekend. Goes to show the class gap between NZ/SA and Eng though as I don't think we played much better this week than we did in Tokyo. The All Blacks would never give Genia or Cooper as much room as they had against England.

 

[Scotty]

Oh, and I'd like to direct another rant at the posters on this board, mainly Tahs fans who had blind faith and support for Burgess. I haven't heard anything from any of them for a long time. Do you feel a bit silly now?

MATRON! Could I please grab that bed next to Lee's? This poor young lad's suffering from premature senile dementia, such a tragic case.

See if I can help here, Scotty. Young Will Genia only arrived on the scene this year. Now, can you remember that? Come on, try. You can't remember, dear oh dear. Do you recall how well his predecessor played against France last year while suffering with influenza. His name? No, it wasn't Sam Cordingley, he's that bald old young bastard in the bed down in the French section. AND IT WASN'T BRETT SHEEHAN, he was as crap as Sam. Come on, Scotty, you MUST remember. He played SO well we beat England and France in Europe and bloody well near beat a good Welsh side in Cardiff. You remember the ref, very good. How could we forget him! He what? Set up the most points on the field that night? No, Scotty, he was the ref, they don't score points. You look tired, have a rest.

Matron, there's something deeply upsetting young old Scotty: he's having a lot of trouble remembering the Australian halfbacks for 2008. Could you please give him this piece of paper a few times a day. Thanks, you're marvellous.

It says: LUKE BURGESS WAS THE BEST AUSTRALIAN HALFBACK IN 2008.

I will try and talk a little slower for you, old man:

 

[Scotty]

One of my posts from above:

I don't give a crap if Genia is Red, Tah, Brumby or alien, I still would have been calling for him to get a go after the first few games of the recent 3N, where Burgess was shown up, and contributed heavily to our losses vs the ABs. You may not believe it but it is true.

Of course Burgess was the best half back of 2008. But you might also remember there wasn't much to choose from. Of course Burgess deserved to start the 2009 season (see what I have put in bold above, just to make sure those old eyes can read it). But you might also remember he hasn't played well at all this year for the Wallabies, and despite those performances you mentioned, he most definately was not what I'd call great or even good over the 2008 season.

I don't dispute those facts. You might need to read my post again - I am clearly talking about the excuses that (some) Tah fans are using in relation to Burgess' performances - not his selection. My 91 year old grandfather can follow this line of conversation - why can't you? :

Actually, sorry about the old man comments, what you really remind me of is a stubborn child.