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RD 14: QLD v NSW (The Stink Part II) - Lang Park 18/5 7.45

TSR

Andrew Slack (58)
I wonder if Thorn will use Timu this week. He seems reluctant to use certain players.

Not sure if it is a matter of backing the guys on the field or not having faith on the guys on the bench, but I still find it a bit strange.

On the flip side, Thorn does seem to be setting up a production line of locks. I thought Blyth was pretty decent last week and looking forward to him having another crack this week.
 

The Nomad

Bob Davidson (42)
Jeez. I count at least 10 Wallabies in the 'Tahs run-on side, plus more on the bench.

Tahs by 30 :rolleyes:
Yep, that’s part of the problem , they should , but will they ?

Any other provincial team in the comp will that percentage of players in their national team doing so poorly ?
 

Adam84

Rod McCall (65)
I wonder if Thorn will use Timu this week. He seems reluctant to use certain players.

Not sure if it is a matter of backing the guys on the field or not having faith on the guys on the bench, but I still find it a bit strange.

On the flip side, Thorn does seem to be setting up a production line of locks. I thought Blyth was pretty decent last week and looking forward to him having another crack this week.

I think Thorn likes to reward form and training effort, and I think Timu getting suspended was a black mark against his name. He was in average form leading up to that as well with two left feet as hands
 

TSR

Andrew Slack (58)
Not trying to be smart - but he’s barely been given a run this year, including before he was suspended. And he was playing club when he was suspended because he was dropped.

I’m not arguing whether he is out of favour as he clearly is, but on what basis are you judging his form? Last year he was one of our best and got a Wallaby call up as a result.
 

liquor box

Peter Sullivan (51)
Jeez. I count at least 10 Wallabies in the 'Tahs run-on side, plus more on the bench.

Tahs by 30 :rolleyes:

A wallaby cap was devalued long ago. If you have played super rugby for three years and have not got the call up then you might as well go over seas, one season if you play for NSW while we have Cheika as coach/selector
 

Adam84

Rod McCall (65)
Timu played the first 3 games of the season and he played poorly, especially in the crusaders game where he was brought on with 30 to go to add something extra, and he spilled the ball 3 times in that period. Likewise in the following week against the Waratahs, he failed to deliver impact when brought on and dropped the ball...literally.. Thorn dropped him the following week, he went to play club rugby, was going pretty well I that match but was then red carded.

Form is form, sure that’s only 4 games, but that is his form so far this year because he earned himself a ban.
 

TSR

Andrew Slack (58)
Your comments don’t match his stats

https://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/super-rugby/stats/players?teamId=50005

He hasn’t been killing it, but not his he been poor.

In any case, I think you are missing my point. There have been at least 2 games from memory where he has been picked on the bench and not taken the field at all. That is unusual - especially for a backrower. Wright & ASY (Angus Scott-Young) have been very good and I am not querying why Thorn has kept picking them, nor do I think Timu is playing the house down, but I don’t get that he is picking Timu but not playing him.
 

Adam84

Rod McCall (65)
I don’t think his form was good at all, in fact his crusaders game was quite poor regardless of what the stats say.

If he was in good form he would be playing more
 

KOB1987

John Eales (66)
Yep, that’s part of the problem , they should , but will they ?

Any other provincial team in the comp will that percentage of players in their national team doing so poorly ?

Yes, the Rebels. They are ahead of the Tahs but only just when you factor in the game in hand. With the players they have and the salary cap waiver they should be clearly top of the conference, but they ain't.
 

TSR

Andrew Slack (58)
It hasn’t been just Timu either. I’m sure there was a game where he left the starting locks on the whole game, or at least most of it and the reserve lock was someone like Salakai-Loto or Hockings, but of whom have been good this year, and whom clearly aren’t on the outer.

My general point was more around Thorns use of replacements - although I admit I used Timu as the example because I think he’d add something.
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
A wallaby cap was devalued long ago. If you have played super rugby for three years and have not got the call up then you might as well go over seas, one season if you play for NSW while we have Cheika as coach/selector


We play 14 or 15 tests a year. A lot of players get used.

That's the reality of the modern game.

This Reds team has 9 Wallabies in it.
The Rebels team this week has 11 Wallabies.
The Brumbies team last week had 12 Wallabies.

The situation isn't going to really change with a new coach. A lot of players will still get used every year and you'd expect that over each RWC cycle around 30 new players will get capped.

39 players have debuted for the Wallabies whilst Cheika has been coach.

Of those 39, the teams they were playing for at the time of selection are:

Brumbies - 8
Waratahs - 5
Reds - 10
Rebels - 10
Force - 6
 

Jets

Paul McLean (56)
Staff member
I think this is a big game in Thorn's coaching career. He needs to get a solid win over the lower ranked Tah's through a direct game plan. In the game in Sydney they attacked the backs, which is just playing to the strength of the Tah's. He needs to play to his strengths and show the hard work he was known for as a player.
 

The Nomad

Bob Davidson (42)
^ and it was played in the sandpit otherwise known as the SCG.
Hopefully the Suncorp surface holds up come set piece time tomorrow night.
 
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