Mortlock OUt of EOYT

[mark_s]

Stirlo is out for the EOY after redoing his calf:

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,,26315282-5016959,00.html

Stirling Mortlock ruled out of grand slam tour with calf injury

November 06, 2009 Former captain Stirling Mortlock has been ruled out of Australia's grand slam tour of the United Kingdom and Ireland after aggravating his calf muscle.

Mortlock was due to fly out of Australia and join the squad in Dublin on Sunday for the last three Tests against Ireland, Scotland and Wales, but re-injured his calf muscle during a training run.

It is a further blow to Robbie Deans' squad, which has already lost fellow centres Rob Horne and Berrick Barnes, leaving them desperately thin in the midfield.

The Wallabies are working on finding a replacement.




AAP

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[Biffo]

Interesting that he had not travelled with the team.

Laeliifano might be the only man standing as a replacement.

 

[Cutter]

Will they bother replacing him? AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Cross and Tyrone Smith can play 13. If they do replace him, it should be a genuine development player such as Andrew Smith. I reckon he has real potential as both a 13 and 15 which is where we need it at the moment.

 

[Pfitzy]

Sack him.

 

[Lee Grant]

That's bad luck for him and the Wallabies. When I look at our backline for the England game it may have a bit of sizzle but it lacks a bit of hard bloody mindedness. We need a some uncompromising players to emerge at the back - let us not talk about the front. Mortlock will be missed.

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) has a bit of grunt, Ioane plays above his weight and Genia is the same, but there is a whiff of hair combing, mintie chewing, quiche eating, chick flick watching and shandy drinking about these blokes.

Play hard lads; play hard.

 

[cyclopath]

Maybe he's been concussed so many times he doesn't have enough neurones to run 2 calf muscles at once?
Bad luck in any event.

 

[Lindommer]

Stirlo is out for the EoYT after redoing his calf.

What a surprise, I'm stunned.

Can the caravan please move on. This is what I like about Dingo, he doesn't hang on to yesterday's men. Why wasn't he around when Gregan was sticking to Oz rugby like shit to a blanket? If he was we'd be a damned side further along the path of developing the next decent Aussie team than we are now. Does anyone really think Mortlock's the man to fill the 13 jumper in a winning Wallaby World Cup side in 2011?

 

[Lee Grant]

Does anyone really thing Mortlock's the man to fill the 13 jumper in a winning Wallaby World Cup side in 2011?

More to the point: it's almost a certainty that Mortlock doesn't think it.

However, I think this particular Wallaby EOYT team could do with a fit Mortlock.

 

[Biffo]

Stirlo is out for the EoYT after redoing his calf.

What a surprise, I'm stunned.

Can the caravan please move on. This is what I like about Dingo, he doesn't hang on to yesterday's men. Why wasn't he around when Gregan was sticking to Oz rugby like shit to a blanket? If he was we'd be a damned side further along the path of developing the next decent Aussie team than we are now. Does anyone really thing Mortlock's the man to fill the 13 jumper in a winning Wallaby World Cup side in 2011?

Amen, My Brother, Amen.

You may have observed, however, that there are more than a few dinosaur-worshipping Wallaby fans who have the steam shovels fully at work collecting all that shit to throw at Robbie D's blanket.

 

[RugbyReg]

The Wallabies are working on finding a replacement.

:lmao: we really are stuck aren't we?

Carter, Ratu (eek), Halangahu, Fainifo, Andrew Smith, Haylett-Perry, ???

 

[Lindommer]

LG, as usual you may be right. However, I'd much prefer a fit Berrick Barnes, Rob Horne and, especially, Cameron Shepherd. I still think these blokes can contribute to our 2011 RWC campaign if they report fit for duty. Mortlock, I don't think.

This weekend's match could be a watershed for Oz rugby if Digby puts in a good performance at 13. We NEED more centres and if he performs well it'll be the end of Mortlock. As long as the pigs turn up.

But what we do about second rowers, God only knows.

 

[Biffo]

But what we do about second rowers, God only knows.

Why are you asking me?

 

[Lance Free]

Morty, you've been a f*ckin champion player over the past 8 years and outstanding captain. Thank you for all that you've done for Australian rugby over that time.

My memory is of you kicking Bledisloe and Tri-Nations Cup winning goals, RWC tries and absolutely smashing some damned good rugby players in your time.

You have been a champion for all of us. In my view, you've been the outstanding centre of the decade. You took over the captaincy from a legend and continued in a similar manner.

You were on top of your profession and a world class player. I salute you.

 

[Spook]

Morty, you've been a f*ckin champion player over the past 8 years and outstanding captain. Thank you for all that you've done for Australian rugby over that time.

My memory is of you kicking Bledisloe and Tri-Nations Cup winning goals, RWC tries and absolutely smashing some damned good rugby players in your time.

You have been a champion for all of us. In my view, you've been the outstanding centre of the decade. You took over the captaincy from a legend and continued in a similar manner.

You were on top of your profession and a world class player. I salute you.

+1 Well said.

 

[RugbyReg]

agreed

 

[Spook]

We probably need another winger - Fanifo?

 

[Ishmael]

Yep, well said Lance. Though I for one am not completely convinced that Morty's time is done. He's scored some devastating tries for the Wallabies over the past two years. I doubt he'll be our first choice 13 for the world cup, but I still think he has some special moments left in him.

In terms of his replacement on the tour, we're really scraping the barrel. Fainifo and McLinden are the only starting S14 backs I can think of who aren't already in London or injured.

 

[cyclopath]

Amen, Lance.
He will be missed if we see him no more in gold.

 

[Biffo]

A real champion. This is the end. I, too, salute you.

 

[Lance Free]

Ishmael, he's gone. Lucked out with age and injury. But wasn't he a champion? We are too concerned about what's happening now. Stirling was a man with a name that accentuated his nature. A man of substance. Gee, I wish he could carry on - think of what he'd do to Hipkiss tomorrow?

I hope that when he comes back from Japan that, likewise with George Gregan, they can use his talents in an appropriate manner. When they talk about f*ckwits like Willie Mason, Stirling is on a different planet. He's a leader of men and a man of honour.