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New Zealand vs Australia - Bledisloe 2, 24th August 2013

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Hugh Jarse

Hugh Jarse

Rocky Elsom (76)
MMM becoming the new Palu?

The stats on Hoopers involvement at some of the Bread and Butter stuff for a #7 indicates that he still has a bit to do about the dark arts of breakdown involvements. While stats don't tell the full story, he can obviously improve in that area and he was outplayed by an unfit, fat, geriatric, out of form Black #7.

The public/glamourous side of MFH performance was undeniable, but it goes to show the cold hard facts sometimes tell a different story from what the punters actually see and remember.

The Wobs backrow definitely need to lift their game this week if we are to avoid another spanking.
 
jollyswagman

jollyswagman

Ron Walden (29)
A hypothetical question here........if Link decided to give QC (Quade Cooper) the start over To'omua, do you think To'omua would be retained on the bench?...or we he be dropped from the 23 altogether?

Reason being ......assume that Link might put Mogg back on the bench and JOC (James O'Connor) or Falau to fullback, he needs to bring in another winger (Cummins?) which would mean he needs to clear a spot on the bench. TK is a specialist 13 correct - and I doubt he would put TK or AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) on the wing...........

So back to the initial question - if QC (Quade Cooper) starts does To'omua get dropped?
Thoughts???
 
RedsHappy

RedsHappy

Tony Shaw (54)
Slim 293 said:
.......There needs to be more focus on how we're playing rather than who we're playing because I can't see us picking a better 23/4 players currently...
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Agree, wise words.

Let's remember: it took both Link and Jake around 4-6 games from take-over to start really turning around their respective S14/5 teams and showing fundamental changes and improvements in the way these teams played.

And they didn't really hit their best strides and get more consistency in playing quality and win rate until their second full year in charge.

We take a messed-up national team that's not in years won very much that counts, that's just come off an awful BIL loss, with toxic bits and pieces hanging off, that's got a raft of personnel and coaching changes, and we expect to pretty much immediately beat the ABs whom we've beaten just twice in five years of trying.

The ARU and Link et al made a major mistake in issuing so much pre-game hype and frothy hope pre last Saturday, and now they have egg on face after a game that looked more like Deans vs ABs 2009 version.

This Wallaby re-build will be a long road at best. There's a huge amount of change both mental and physical this team needs to make to be consistently way better than it is today. As I've posted before, I'll be looking for significant team improvements in the EOYT, 3-0 vs France next June, and just possibly, maybe, a 2014 Bled win when we have 2 of the Bled Tests in Aus.
 
Braveheart81

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
Hugh Jarse said:
MMM becoming the new Palu?

The stats on Hoopers involvement at some of the Bread and Butter stuff for a #7 indicates that he still has a bit to do about the dark arts of breakdown involvements. While stats don't tell the full story, he can obviously improve in that area and he was outplayed by an unfit, fat, geriatric, out of form Black #7.

The public/glamourous side of MFH performance was undeniable, but it goes to show the cold hard facts sometimes tell a different story from what the punters actually see and remember.

The Wobs backrow definitely need to lift their game this week if we are to avoid another spanking.
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MMM makes Palu look like he is indestructible. There are numerous Wallabies who've missed similar amounts of football in the last few years as Palu. Pocock and Horwill are two examples.

As Pfitzy raised in another thread, Hooper did get four steals at the breakdown. That is an excellent outcome however you look at it. Would he have got significantly more steals if he'd been involved in a lot more rucks? It's impossible to say but potentially he chose to involve himself where there was greatest opportunity for impact.

As has been mentioned in numerous places, the Wallabies played with a lot of width (without really providing enough go forward to earn the right to go wide) which meant that rucks were formed right across the field.

Now if you look at part of Scott Allen's video he showed Hooper on the right of the field, MMM in the middle and Mowen further out on the left. It has also been highlighted that our locks got to the most rucks first.

Now perhaps the backrow were tasked with spacing themselves out across the field because the plan was to spread the ball whenever possible and the locks were tasked with staying in tight and hitting the rucks off pick and drives etc.

Whilst our gameplan didn't work, perhaps some of the statistical outcomes are more a reflection of that gameplan than the workrate of some players.
 
flat_eric

flat_eric

Alfred Walker (16)
MMM is made of glass. I can't claim to know much about his playing days overseas but his injury rate in Australia has been diabolical.
 
P

Phil

Chris McKivat (8)
KOB1987 said:
Last time I looked Hooper was a flanker..:rolleyes:

I do concede Phil, that I think it was Rassie who made the mistake in referring to the 'back row' as the 'back 3'
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Point taken.It's just that normally when you refer to the "back" it is usually 6,7 and 8.If he was referring to 4,5 and 8,then I thought Simmons had a reasonable game too.
 
Pfitzy

Pfitzy

George Gregan (70)
Quelle surprise!

Well fuck is anyone shocked? And how did he GET injured not doing anything?
 
Pfitzy

Pfitzy

George Gregan (70)
Oh - Mowen to 6. McCalman to 8. Leave the rest of the forwards where they are and give them a chance to redeem themselves.
 
Hugh Jarse

Hugh Jarse

Rocky Elsom (76)
Is it time for a Team Rehab listing?

A few of the boys have deserted the Wobs for a gig in Team Rehab of late, although ATM it will be nowhere as good as the 2012 Team Rehab Squad.
 
jollyswagman

jollyswagman

Ron Walden (29)
Not sure what McKenzie sees in Shatz. Shatz is a bit hot and cold in Super 15 and just doesn't have the muscle to compete with the big boys. Poor choice for a replacement IMHO.
 
jollyswagman

jollyswagman

Ron Walden (29)
When is Higgers expected back? Before the end of TRC by any chance? Would he be considered the in form #8......let me rephrase that....the first choice #8 if he were available?
 
Sandpit Fan

Sandpit Fan

Nev Cottrell (35)
jollyswagman said:
Not sure what McKenzie sees in Shatz. Shatz is a bit hot and cold in Super 15 and just doesn't have the muscle to compete with the big boys. Poor choice for a replacement IMHO.
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That's the key right there. Shatz needs a few years yet before he can be even considered for Test duties, if ever. Good S15 level player but not physical enough to take the next step.
 
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