My Wallaby 22

[disco]

Re: Stuff it I'm going early My Wallaby 22

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) has played himself into the Wallabies again. Best 15 performance this year for an Aussie side.

Agreed, Biggest game of the year for the Brumbies & he was probably BOG, he's always been a big game player.

Not sure were I would play him for the Wallabies though as I'm keen on JOC (James O'Connor) at fullback so probably wing as he's an 80 minute man for mine & another reason to keep Tuqiri out of the 22.

 

[Biffo]

Re: Stuff it I'm going early My Wallaby 22

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) has played himself into the Wallabies again. Best 15 performance this year for an Aussie side.

Good, in fact excellent, but not quite the best.

Yes, back into the Wallabies in his rightful position at 13. Give him the whole season to settle there. Then you will see how good he is.

For the critics of that idea, Wayne Bennet: "it is better to get rid of them one year too early than one year too late".

 

[RugbyReg]

Re: Stuff it I'm going early My Wallaby 22

Biffo - so who is skipper?

 

[Biffo]

Re: Stuff it I'm going early My Wallaby 22

Biffo - so who is skipper?

The job could be done and done well by any of Moore, Horwill, Smith or Barnes.

Whoever is chosen as captain will take some time to settle into the job - as did Eales, Gregan and Mortlock. Better to have that settling-in in 2009 rather than in 2011.

I don't like the pom belief in most sports of picking a captain for his "leadership" abilities, regardless of playing form, and then selecting the rest. I far prefer the Australian way of selecting the team first and then the captain.

 

[Spook]

Re: Stuff it I'm going early My Wallaby 22

Andrew Slacks Wallaby Squad:

A potential 30-man squad could look like this: Ashley-Cooper, Mitchell, Tuqiri, Hynes, Turner, Cummins, Cross, Tahu, Mortlock, Barnes, OConnor, Giteau, Burgess, Valentine, Palu, Brown, Smith, Waugh, Pocock, Mumm, Sharpe, Horwill, Kimlin, Caldwell, Alexander, Robinson, Henderson, Baxter, Moore, Polota-Nau

Henderson? Surely it must be a typo or a joke. ??? Ma'afu and Kepu can play both sides and are much better but I'd select Sheperdson - Baxter can play loose head and Ma'afu and Kepu still can't scrummage.

Interestingly, just 2 hookers. Cummins is also an interesting choice - I rate him. I'd have Salvi over Waugh as he is very similar as a seven but can cover 8 and 6 as well - he is quite good in the lineout for a shorter bloke and has good hands. Furthermore, only Mumm is a genuine 6 in the squad but he is also one of the better locks and I don't think Sharpe will be selected. Bring back Rocky ..if not, Mowen or Chapman could get a call up.

Connolly reckons Fanifo, who has gained a lot of pace this year after dropping weight and doing spring training, could get a call up. :nta:

 

[Reddy!]

Re: Stuff it I'm going early My Wallaby 22

Fanifo has looked very good these past few weeks.

 

[Epi]

Re: Stuff it I'm going early My Wallaby 22

Fanifo has looked very good these past few weeks.

Wouldn't it be nice to have a real flyer in the Wallabies. They should pick him now before he starts slowing down...

 

[Reddy!]

Re: Stuff it I'm going early My Wallaby 22

Who is going to be captain this year? I'm leaning towards George Smith. His stop in the team is ensured, he impact on the field is huge and has had good success so far as a Wallaby captain: led Australia to that awesome victory over the All Blacks in Sydney last year.

 

[formeropenside]

Re: Stuff it I'm going early My Wallaby 22

Fanifo has looked very good these past few weeks.

Wouldn't it be nice to have a real flyer in the Wallabies. They should pick him now before he starts slowing down...

Hynes, Digby, even Mitchell are all recent examples of real flyers.

 

[Biffo]

Re: Stuff it I'm going early My Wallaby 22

Andrew Slacks Wallaby Squad:

A potential 30-man squad could look like this: Ashley-Cooper, Mitchell, Tuqiri, Hynes, Turner, Cummins, Cross, Tahu, Mortlock, Barnes, OConnor, Giteau, Burgess, Valentine, Palu, Brown, Smith, Waugh, Pocock, Mumm, Sharpe, Horwill, Kimlin, Caldwell, Alexander, Robinson, Henderson, Baxter, Moore, Polota-Nau

I sat down last night and made my own team. It was remarkably similar to Slack's, so he must be a very good judge. :thumb

I found a place for Lucas (!!), I had Kepu (on trust) in place of Henderson and I left Waugh out.

Interesting to me is blindside flanker. A couple of months ago, many on this board were delightedly writing "who needs Rocky, we have so many good 6s?" Come on down, chaps, own up. From having an imagined glut of class 6s, we are now struggling there. Chapman may get a gig.

I made a very lame (bad pun) excuse for excluding Chisholm - injury.

That's our teams. Aussie Robbie's will be quite different.

 

[steiner]

Re: Stuff it I'm going early My Wallaby 22

Andrew Slacks Wallaby Squad:

A potential 30-man squad could look like this: Ashley-Cooper, Mitchell, Tuqiri, Hynes, Turner, Cummins, Cross, Tahu, Mortlock, Barnes, OConnor, Giteau, Burgess, Valentine, Palu, Brown, Smith, Waugh, Pocock, Mumm, Sharpe, Horwill, Kimlin, Caldwell, Alexander, Robinson, Henderson, Baxter, Moore, Polota-Nau

Henderson? Surely it must be a typo or a joke. ??? Ma'afu and Kepu can play both sides and are much better but I'd select Sheperdson - Baxter can play loose head and Ma'afu and Kepu still can't scrummage.

Interestingly, just 2 hookers. Cummins is also an interesting choice - I rate him. I'd have Salvi over Waugh as he is very similar as a seven but can cover 8 and 6 as well - he is quite good in the lineout for a shorter bloke and has good hands. Furthermore, only Mumm is a genuine 6 in the squad but he is also one of the better locks and I don't think Sharpe will be selected. Bring back Rocky ..if not, Mowen or Chapman could get a call up.

Connolly reckons Fanifo, who has gained a lot of pace this year after dropping weight and doing spring training, could get a call up. :nta:

Well, some injuries have simplified things, and Slacky's squad will be very close to the mark, perhaps exactly right. I'm presuming that he meant Shepherdson when he said Henderson and that JOC (James O'Connor) will be playing. If he isn't could throw Lucas in there. But otherwise this squad will be very accurate.

Mortlock will remain captain for the present I presume.

 

[Epi]

Re: Stuff it I'm going early My Wallaby 22

Fanifo has looked very good these past few weeks.

Wouldn't it be nice to have a real flyer in the Wallabies. They should pick him now before he starts slowing down...

Hynes, Digby, even Mitchell are all recent examples of real flyers.

Fainifo would smoke all three of them based on what we've seen this season.

 

[cyclopath]

Re: Stuff it I'm going early My Wallaby 22

Fanifo has looked very good these past few weeks.

Wouldn't it be nice to have a real flyer in the Wallabies. They should pick him now before he starts slowing down...

Hynes, Digby, even Mitchell are all recent examples of real flyers.

Fainifo would smoke all three of them based on what we've seen this season.

Agree.
Hynes is not a real flyer at all, but is quick enough. He wouldn't get near Fainifo, Nokwe or Habana (at his best). Turner too would be faster than Hynes or Mitchell I would think. But it aint all about outright speed.

 

[Spook]

Re: Stuff it I'm going early My Wallaby 22

Fanifo wasn't quick last year so is this all just an illusion or has he genuinely put on that much pace? He is definitely leaner

 

[Spook]

Re: Stuff it I'm going early My Wallaby 22

Grumpy Growdens Squad and Test Team

FORWARDS
Benn Robinson, Al Baxter, Ben Alexander, Sekope Kepu, Stephen Moore, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Huia Edmonds, Nathan Sharpe, Peter Kimlin, James Horwill, Dean Mumm, George Smith, Phil Waugh, David Pocock, Richard Brown, Wycliff Palu.

BACKS
Adam Ashley-Cooper, Peter Hynes, Scott Staniforth, Drew Mitchell, Lote Tuqiri, Lachie Turner, Stirling Mortlock, Timana Tahu, Ryan Cross, Berrick Barnes, Quade Cooper, Matt Giteau, Luke Burgess, Josh Valentine.

TEST TEAM
Ashley-Cooper; Staniforth, Mortlock (c), Barnes, Hynes; Giteau, Burgess; Palu, Smith, Brown, Sharpe, Kimlin, Baxter, Moore, Robinson. Res: Polota-Nau, Alexander, Mumm, Waugh, Valentine, Mitchell, Tahu.

No Tuquiri in the test 22. The O/S bound staniforth on the wing. No Horwill in the test team. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is fullback. A short ass back row. Sharpe. Kimlin at lock. No pocock.

Huia Edmonds as 3rd choice hooker. He has played well backing up Moore but it's a huge call. At least he isn't the rampant seagull he used ot be.

 

[Biffo]

Re: Stuff it I'm going early My Wallaby 22

Grumpy Growdens Squad and Test Team

FORWARDS
Benn Robinson, Al Baxter, Ben Alexander, Sekope Kepu, Stephen Moore, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Huia Edmonds, Nathan Sharpe, Peter Kimlin, James Horwill, Dean Mumm, George Smith, Phil Waugh, David Pocock, Richard Brown, Wycliff Palu.

BACKS
Adam Ashley-Cooper, Peter Hynes, Scott Staniforth, Drew Mitchell, Lote Tuqiri, Lachie Turner, Stirling Mortlock, Timana Tahu, Ryan Cross, Berrick Barnes, Quade Cooper, Matt Giteau, Luke Burgess, Josh Valentine.

TEST TEAM
Ashley-Cooper; Staniforth, Mortlock (c), Barnes, Hynes; Giteau, Burgess; Palu, Smith, Brown, Sharpe, Kimlin, Baxter, Moore, Robinson. Res: Polota-Nau, Alexander, Mumm, Waugh, Valentine, Mitchell, Tahu.

No Tuquiri in the test 22. The O/S bound staniforth on the wing. No Horwill in the test team. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is fullback. A short ass back row. Sharpe. Kimlin at lock. No pocock.

Huia Edmonds as 3rd choice hooker. He has played well backing up Moore but it's a huge call. At least he isn't the rampant seagull he used ot be.

I would disagree with Staniforth, Cooper and Waugh in the squad - I'd prefer McLinden, Lucas and a specialist 6. My argument for Lucas is that he would be extremely valuable cover at 5/8. As I have pointed out many times, we now have Giteau as back-up for Barnes and Barnes as back-up for Giteau. If one of the two goes down, we have a non-specialist in one of the key positions of 10 and 12.

As I wouldn't have Staniforth in the 30, he wouldn't be in my 22. I'd go for either of Turner or Mitchell.

I'm not keen on Ashley-Cooper at 15, but there are very few choices there.

Growden's selection of Tuqiri is ??? ??? , to say the least. If he's not in the 22, what use is he to the 30?

I don't mind the idea of Edmonds on the simple principle of who else is there?

 

[Scarfman]

Re: Stuff it I'm going early My Wallaby 22

15. Lachlan Turner
14. Adam Ashley-Cooper
13. Stirling Mortlock
12. Matt Giteau
11. Lote Tuqiri
10. Berrick Barnes
9. Luke Burgess
8. Wycliffe Palu
7. George Smith
6. Dean Mumm
5. James Horwill
4. Will Caldwell
3. Al Baxter
2. Stephen Moore
1. Benn Robinson

22. James O'Connor
21. Tyrone Smith
20. Josh Valentine
19. Rocky Elsom
18. Nathan Sharpe
17. Ben Alexander
16. Tatafu Polata-Nau

 

[barbarian]

Re: Stuff it I'm going early My Wallaby 22

15. Lachie Turner
14. Drew Mitchell
13. Stirling Mortlock (c)
12. Berrick Barnes
11. Lote Tuqiri
10. Matt Giteau
9. Luke Burgess
8. Wycliff Palu
7. George Smith
6. Dean Mumm
5. Nathan Sharpe
4. James Horwill
3. Al Baxter
2. Steven Moore
1. Benn Robinson

16. TPN
17. Ben Alexander
18. Peter Kimlin
19. Phil Waugh
20. Josh Valentine
21. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
22. James O'Connor

 

[Scarfman]

Re: Stuff it I'm going early My Wallaby 22

Epi's 22..

15. Shepherd O'Connor
14. Tuqiri (Diggers would have got this spot)
13. Mortlock (c)
12. Giteau
11. Turner
10. Barnes
9. Burgess (would have been Genia)
8. Brown
7. Smith
6. Rocky
5. Mumm
4. Sharpe (can't believe it...)
3. Baxter
2. Moore
1. Robinson

16. Alexander
17. Palu
18. TPN
19. Horwill
20. O'Connor AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
21. Tahu
22. Fainifo (sure he'll be shocked..)

You've got to start Rocky from the bench. Can't walk back into the starting side without having a look from the sidelines.

You and I might be the only people sticking to our guns with 10 and 12. Everyone else will reverse it on Giteau's form this year. I still say this combo would work better.

 

[rugbywhisperer]

Re: Stuff it I'm going early My Wallaby 22

Oh what the heck -
15. McLinden (that will start the tonges going) (would have loved Mitchell but he has burned those bridges this year)
14. Tuqiri
13. Mortlock (c)
12. Giteau - (the ONLY position for him)
11. Turner (can't believe there is no one else)
10. Barnes
9. Burgess (by default only)
8. Brown
7. Smith
6. Rocky
5. Caldwell
4. Sharpe
3. Baxter
2. Moore
1. Robinson

16. Alexander
17. Pocock (I would bet Deans pick him in the run on)
18. TPN
19. MMM
20. O'Connor
21. Tahu
22. Valentine (aargh - that hurts)