McKibbin Wallaby Bolter?

[Braveheart81]

I think you've got your blinkers on again Slim.

 

[Slim 293]

Not really, I've still picked Genia to start at 9 for the Wobs...

White is only in his first year... it will be interesting where they're both at in a year or so...

 

[Braveheart81]

White is only in his first year... it will be interesting where they're both at in a year or so...

I agree completely with this.

I think White is a huge talent. At 21 with little experience he should improve in leaps and bounds in the next two years.

I just think at this stage, if Genia and White are both in top form there is still a massive gulf in their ability.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

I still rate burgess higher.

so do I - thats why I limited the comparison to last year.
Is "Super Rugby" = senior? I heard that in an earlier game but yesterday i thought they just said people outside him.
He made a couple of breaks.
Kicking the ball away is evidently a team tactic and not something confined to him.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

I agree completely with this.

I think White is a huge talent. At 21 with little experience he should improve in leaps and bounds in the next two years.

I just think at this stage, if Genia and White are both in top form there is still a massive gulf in their ability.

History repeating: Burgess the incumbent - great debut year, quite poor second year and the Genia emerges;
Genia the incumbent - sensational debut year, poor in recent times....
White emerges ... and so it goes
Would it be too much to expect that we could be like NZ and produce several excellent half backs all at once for several player generations so they don't get ground down by our opponents concentrating on their weaknesses and pulling them apart and spitting them out?

 

[Brisbok]

IMO McKibbin is not even the best 9 at the Waratahs. In terms of form for the whole season, I reckon Sheehan has played better than him and would be 3rd in line behind Genia and White. McKibbin has played a couple of solid (but not outstanding) Super Rugby games, but surely that does not suddenly mean that he is Test quality??

 

[Richo]

It's a small sample size, but McKibbin is a bloody good kicker. The Wobs could use someone who kicks 90+%, or even 80+%.

Not saying he should start -- and I'd take White over him as the backup too -- but it's an interesting factor to think about.

 

[ellabroz]

Did this thread began as a joke? Only last week McKibbin was touted as a possible player for Scotland along with Lachlan Mitchell of the Rebels.

International player for Scotland...maybe. Wallabies...shouldn't be, but under the current regime...maybe.

 

[Empire]

Without speculating on who will get the backup wallabies gig, I find it refreshing to see guys emerging from club Rugby - in this case the Canberra and Sydney comps, and make an impact.

There is talent in these comps, it's just unfortunate that the pathways aren't always clearly defined between clubs and super 15 teams.

 

[AlexH]

At their best (and Genia finally played a good game this weekend), I would say it is Genia first, daylight second, then White, McKibbin, Sheehan, then more daylight, dusk, evening, dawn, more daylight, rinse and repeat a few more times and then Phipps.

I think the backup halfback spot is still up for grabs and what is certain is that all the candidates are a long way behind where Luke Burgess was when he left Australian rugby.

Fixed.

You're welcome.

 

[fatprop]

I agree completely with this.

I think White is a huge talent. At 21 with little experience he should improve in leaps and bounds in the next two years.

I just think at this stage, if Genia and White are both in top form there is still a massive gulf in their ability.

Disagree, I really rate White. A bloody good player. a pest, good kicking game, good long kicking game, great flat long pass and makes good decisions.

 

[Aussie D]

and those of us who had watched him in Shute Shield last year and were calling for the Brumbies to select him ahead of Phibbs and the other average half they had (name escapes me at present) are still wondering WHY? Glad to see him finally get a run and prove all of us armchair supporters right.

EDIT: Just remembered it was Josh Valentine!

 

[thierry dusautoir]

Tell you what he would be the only inside back from the waratahs in with a shot. Barnes has been average. Threw some good passes yesterday but his kicking game kicking for position is horrible

 

[Allsports]

I feel whilst Genia is out of form his experience will be required, White is by far our next best. He knows the job of the halfback & produces it. I'm a Shute Shield watcher & I was puzzled for the whole 2011 season how this kid didn't make at least the bench for the brumbies. It was Eastwoods gain in the end. I'd like to think that the Brumbies have been developing this kid into what we're seeing right know, he's strong, pushes his forwards & links to his backs with speed at the correct times, a good decision maker. Will be a Wallaby 1 day, when ????

 

[spectator]

I was just trying to think about Genia at his best, and compare him with White at his best...

And all that really separates them is experience... so I don't think there's much of a gap there at all...

"

Really?

As admirable as your unerring loyalty to Brumbies players is, I think it may be somewhat over the top in this case. Genia's highlights reel possesses some absolutely magic moments that few players can lay claim to. Genia's best is miles ahead of Whites.

 

[Schadenfreude]

It's a shame he's not as good as Sarel.

 

[Nusadan]

Think about it...how do we know that Sarel wouldn't have played as well, if not better, than McKibben did in past few weeks? Sarel's apparent deficiencies would have been compensated in other areas, and Barnes has kicked a couple of goals when McKibben went off, one at least from the sideline if my memory serves me right...

Sarel could well have had a greater impact than McKibben did in yesterday's match...

 

[Richo]

Agreed. I think it's just very hard to drop McKibbin when he's playing pretty well AND kicking goals almost flawlessly. Tough position as a coach.

 

[Ruggo]

Does he have ambitions of playing for Scotland?

 

[waratahjesus]

Think about it...how do we know that Sarel wouldn't have played as well, if not better, than McKibben did in past few weeks? Sarel's apparent deficiencies would have been compensated in other areas, and Barnes has kicked a couple of goals when McKibben went off, one at least from the sideline if my memory serves me right...

Sarel could well have had a greater impact than McKibben did in yesterday's match...

It's a mute point to discuss Sarel in a thread about wallaby selection isn't it?

They don't want Barnes kicking to much, as the crusaders with Carter. Dodgy groin isn't helped by place kicking.