Quade Cooper

[waratahjesus]

is it time?

injuries!, stagnant backline!, future to think about!

a couple of years ago i would have preferred to poke my eyes out than consider this, but after the reported performance against glouster this morning and his regular form when coming on in other matches, is it time to throw Cooper into the game early? is it time to let him run the backline, he seems to be maturing and has been around the setup for a couple of years now, a cooper, gits, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) backline looks like it could do far greater for the wallabies than even having barnes back at this point to me.

i say, deans, grow some actual balls and do it, cooper looks like he has points in him, im not sure if any other combonation does at this stage!

 

[Mojoman]

You'd have to either drop Gits or move him to 2nd Five or play Cooper @ 2nd Five. If I was Deans I'd go the second option. Gits, even given that he's not playing @ his best is the lynchpin of the Wallaby backline. With Barnes out I'm not sure if Deans would want to go playing with that.

I've kept an eye on Cooper for a while now and have seen him play some club games as well. The guy is definitely talented. IMO he just needs to tone his game down a bit and play percentages. He reminds me alot of Carlos Spencer. As a Auckland, Blues fan I used to love watching Carlos play but come Test time, I was always worried which Carlos would show up.

 

[Spook]

We really need to do something about our attack. Coopers wide passes and Gits at 12 attacking the line with space should create something. It would also free up AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) to play 15 and Ioane 13.

 

[Scotty]

I reckon 75% of this forum would like to see Cooper at flyhalf and Gits at IC.

 

[Spook]

Imagine if Gits gets crocked? We'll have nobody available with experience at 10.

 

[eddo]

I reckon 75% of this forum would like to see Cooper at flyhalf and Gits at IC.

I guess that makes me part of the 25%.
I can't in all honesty pull out gits who (thanks to gaggers stats) misses only 15% of his tackles and replace him with QC (Quade Cooper) who misses 48%.
that means every second play we have to make sure there is someone covering Quade's channel.
Thats a nightmare for any 12.. No trust on the inside..

 

[waratahjesus]

if carter played 12 he could cover quade easy!

 

[RugbyReg]

Carter and Cooper would be a good combo as Quade has a cracking cut out pass.

 

[Scarfman]

:lmao: :lmao: :lmao:

 

[Epi]

Carter and Cooper would be a good combo as Quade has a cracking cut out pass.

Great call... :lmao:

 

[waratahjesus]

the speed of coopers play and pass would actually make up for genias crap service as well.

 

[louie]

i'm in the 75%. Cooper has been fantastic with what he's been given.
Gits hasn't. He's picked time and time again and plays rubbish.

Campo couldn't tackle for shit. yes he was winger but he was also one of the best attacking units we've seen in the game. Cooper could be too. give him a chance.

 

[Scotty]

I guess that makes me part of the 25%.
I can't in all honesty pull out gits who (thanks to gaggers stats) misses only 15% of his tackles and replace him with QC (Quade Cooper) who misses 48%.
that means every second play we have to make sure there is someone covering Quade's channel.
Thats a nightmare for any 12.. No trust on the inside..

Merhtens had all the skills in the world - kicking, long and short passing, and running, but his defense was very poor. Give me a Merhtens any day with Giteau at 12 rather than an out of position Giteau at 10 with non passing centre combination of AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and Cross outside him.

 

[farva]

Quade is a good player, but this is the big time. He struggled to lead Qld around the park (their backline looked good at times, but disjointed at others). And granted that he performed against a 2nd string club side, there is a huge step up to test rugby. Giteau is still the best 10 we have. We are short a 12, but I still think that JOC (James O'Connor) would be the one to go there (he played very well for the Force at 12, and he clearly isnt a 15), allowing AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) to 15 and Ioane to 13.

Cooper is certainly a talent, but needs time to learn to play the position.

But I agree that we are very exposed at 10 should Giteau go down - we will be in a similar position to the RWC in 07. But we are going for a grand slam, and I think its very important for Australian rugby that we try and win it. And I think selecting Cooper there will hurt those chances.

 

[Reddy!]

Quade is a good player, but this is the big time. He struggled to lead Qld around the park (their backline looked good at times, but disjointed at others). And granted that he performed against a 2nd string club side, there is a huge step up to test rugby. Giteau is still the best 10 we have. We are short a 12, but I still think that JOC (James O'Connor) would be the one to go there (he played very well for the Force at 12, and he clearly isnt a 15), allowing AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) to 15 and Ioane to 13.

Cooper is certainly a talent, but needs time to learn to play the position.

But I agree that we are very exposed at 10 should Giteau go down - we will be in a similar position to the RWC in 07. But we are going for a grand slam, and I think its very important for Australian rugby that we try and win it. And I think selecting Cooper there will hurt those chances.

I dismiss your argument because you suggest Britney should play! You're saying that Quade Cooper, who has performed better in Wallaby colours than Britney has, needs to learn to play his position first even though you think Britney - who is also learning his position, and has less experience than Cooper - should start. Crazy kid!

I read in the paper that Giteau thinks he needs to give more attention to his running game in order to get back into peak form: inside centre, I believe, is where he can achieve this.

 

[Ash]

I read in the paper that Giteau thinks he needs to give more attention to his running game in order to get back into peak form: inside centre, I believe, is where he can achieve this.

Regarding Giteau's running game, I seem to recall the 4th Bledisloe stats having Giteau run the ball quite a bit, and a lot more than (Dan) Carter did.

 

[Jethro Tah]

Cooper has certainly improved and provides good coverage for an injured Barnes who in my mind should be our 10 heading towards the next World Cup.

Slight digression, watch Gits in the video to see where Cooper got his goose step from.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYA2aXP7aJI

 

[Cutter]

Gits has had 2 years to establish himself and, if anything, is playing worse now than at the start of last season. He doesnt have the mental game to play 10 at test level (contrast with playing 10 for the Force or, perhaps, the Brumbies).

I'm not sure that Cooper has a better mental game than Gits but he is a more natural 10. I reckon its worth a chance. Yes, his channel will need covering, but good flankers do that anyway. In my mind, moving Gits to 12, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) to 15, Ioane to 13, Schmoo to wing and Cooper to 10 strengthens 12, 13 and 15. We lose a bit with Mitchell for Ioane and the Cooper/Gits swap is neutral.

 

[Cutter]

Slight digression, watch Gits in the video to see where Cooper got his goose step from.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYA2aXP7aJI

Only 2 years ago, but enormous player turnover in that time.

 

[RugbyReg]

Only 2 years ago, but enormous player turnover in that time.

15 Latho
14 Lote
13 Stirlo
12 Gits
11 AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
10 Bernie
9 George
8 Palu
7 George
6 Rocky
5 Sharpe
4 Vickers
3 Baxter
2 Moore
1 Dunno

16 Freier
17 Shepherdson
18 MMM
19 Hoiles
20 Berrick
21 Gerrard
22 Mitchell

Berrick's first test. Bernie's and Gerrard's last.