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Hooper stats looking good

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MajorlyRagerly

Trevor Allan (34)
Our best backrow might actually be 6.Hooper, 7.Pocock, 8.Palu (Higgers on the bench) but wil our lineout suffer too much?

In terms of defence, Pocock is hands down the most valuable player in world rugby. Hooper's running game is much better than Pocock, but I'd start Pocock. At the same time, its concerning that we'd have a guy as good as Hooper sitting on the bench.

Pocock is the Conrad Smith of Australia.

People love to rave about his defence, but seem completely oblivious to the tackles he misses.
 

BlackBam

Frank Row (1)
Call me crazy...

6. Pocock
7. Gill
8. Horwill

11. Hooper


I think Horwill would be a fantastic n 8. He is without a doubt a solid leader, and puts in a mountain of work every game. He is a fairly good ball runner aswell. I think the bonus he would bring to the game, playing a little looser than he does now, is found in the mental tenacity he brings to a side.

Gill is by far the best future prospect for 7. He is a awesome pilferer and slows down every play. He is just gifted in that position- and will eventually grow to be a very large body in the scrum. He can do this job decently well, and can be great. However, by playing Gill at 7, you allow Pocock to be a free agent and play to his strengths.

I think pocock would be a better elsome than elsome ever was. By allowing Pocock to stand a little bit back, in general play, I think that this would force opposing teams to play tight, to avoid risky turnovers, off the second reciever being in poeys sight. You force the opposition into playing tight, crash tackle rugby, and if you have a couple of locks like timani,douglas, fardy or neville, we with this breakdown battle if Horwill is in 8. Bam, IMO, could be an awesome blind side flanker.

However- this is where the crazy comes in.... hold on to your skirts girls. Teach wonky-eyed Hoops to play 11. By playing him on this side of the scrum, he would be the perfect 11. No one could get though. No one would be faster than him. Look at his sprinting times. In dire situations, he would be the perfect chaser, as would could run down and turnover every fuciking thing. I do not know if he can catch- but fuck it give him a run at wing. If only he could distribute- he would be the perfect inside centre.

And while I am at it- the wobs should play Godwin - the young force flyhalf on the bench.
 

USARugger

John Thornett (49)
If Hooper was 2 inches taller he could become a world class 6 :(

Sadly though all the people lining him up as a theoretical #6 are forgetting that he hasn't even broken 6'0" and much more importantly is a featherweight compared to other international blindsides. It's heartbreaking because with the way he carries the ball and his work rate coupled with the mongrel he brings to the GR&G jersey he would be an incredible 6 if biology were to be so kind.
 
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RugbyReg

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
Pocock is the Conrad Smith of Australia.

People love to rave about his defence, but seem completely oblivious to the tackles he misses.

He has some extraordinary stats in terms of missed-tackles at Wallaby level. Think he went through a Spring Tour and also the RWC without missing a tackle.
 

Ruggo

Mark Ella (57)
Wow, three great players and only one spot. 7 is certainly a spot Australian Rugby has been blessed with in the new millenium.
 

fatprop

George Gregan (70)
Staff member
Care to explain a little further FP? I was going by skillset too.
Croft, the dogged turnover unit equals Gil
Waugh, the hard nosed seven/leader equals Pocock
Smith, the unit with a more all round game equals Hooper

Not 100% accurate but ......
 

DPK

Peter Sullivan (51)
I thought Pocock = Smith for his on-ball pilfering skill, Hooper like Waugh for his hard nosed determination and Gill for his fierce turnover skill.

Funny how they've aligned with the right provinces for this analogy for next S15 season.

In reality they're all different to the players we've compared them to. Hooper is more dynamic than Waugh ever was but not as physical at this stage. Pocock doesn't have Smith's ability to transcend positions.

Gill is, for mine, still unrealised potential. Some physical development left to grow and some weathering to get, but an exciting prospect.
 
W

What2040

Guest
I thought Pocock = Smith for his on-ball pilfering skill, Hooper like Waugh for his hard nosed determination and Gill for his fierce turnover skill.

Funny how they've aligned with the right provinces for this analogy for next S15 season.

In reality they're all different to the players we've compared them to. Hooper is more dynamic than Waugh ever was but not as physical at this stage. Pocock doesn't have Smith's ability to transcend positions.

Gill is, for mine, still unrealised potential. Some physical development left to grow and some weathering to get, but an exciting prospect.

Agree about his potential - but the problems Gill faces is that the blokes above him are young themselves - however injuries play a large part in rugby - Example: Hooper would not have been able to show his wares on the big stage if Pocock hadn't been injured. Now there is a real contest at 7 between Hooper and Poey with Gill looming - the competition is great for Aussie rugby, just wish we had greater competition for all spots across the park
 
A

AlexH

Guest
I think you need a combination of the following in a back row:

Fetcher: serial pest at the breakdown, securing possession on defence and attack. Can also link when necessary.

Enforcer: puts the hurt on in defence, cleans out at the ruck and generally makes the hard men of the opposition think twice about trying anything. Can also run an effective crash ball and offload in contact.

Ball running perpetual motion machine: receiving the ball one or two slots from the ruck and bending the line, setting up front foot ball. Also provides cover in defence, often breaking for the corner flag in old-school No. 8 terms. This kind of player also provides their share of dominant tackling and an option in the line out if the "Enforcer" style player doesn't.

From our current back row stocks, I see Pocock/Hooper able to do the fetcher role very effectively. Where I think we fall down at present is that enforcer style role. Higgers is capable of it, but plays too loose too often. I'd like to see him get in and do the dirty work more often. Timani could also be that guy if his improvement this season is anything to go by.

Higginbotham played a much tighter game for the Reds in the 2012 rugby season but he has gone missing in The Rugby Championship so far.
 
J

Jiggles

Guest
I don't think any of the current 7s are actually anything like Waugh. Waugh just tried to do what Smith did but not as well, and when he slowed down he tried to play the link man but he didn't have the smarts of the vision.
 

Swat

Chilla Wilson (44)
I don't think any of the current 7s are actually anything like Waugh. Waugh just tried to do what Smith did but not as well, and when he slowed down he tried to play the link man but he didn't have the smarts of the vision.

I think what Waugh had is best summed up by this quote from Bruce Ross:

My only concern about being alongside Phil in the trenches is that, with Howitzer shells whistling overhead and the enemy machine gunners having a clear line of sight, the bastard would prod you with his bayonet and insist you join him in a charge across no man's land.

What he gave away in skill to smith he made up with a ferocity not seen in the aussie forwards since the departure of vickerman.
 
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