Rocky Elsom professional camper...

[Waylon]

Elsom is luggage

The sooner he is cut, the better our chances

Defensively he was poor. His impact on the game was limited. His ball carries were ineffective

He spends a lot of time on the wing because this is where forwards end up when the speed of the game is beyond them. The amount of time he spent on the wing suggests he is no longer capable of playing at this level.

The wallabies were belted.

Until we get a pack that can dish out the same pain and offensive tackling as the allblacks, we will run second regularly.

Our backline is capable of hurting them, but they need front foot ball. Our pack was belted

Elsom needs to be removed.

Higgers time

 

[Gnostic]

Elsom is luggage

The sooner he is cut, the better our chances

Defensively he was poor. His impact on the game was limited. His ball carries were ineffective

He spends a lot of time on the wing because this is where forwards end up when the speed of the game is beyond them. The amount of time he spent on the wing suggests he is no longer capable of playing at this level.

The wallabies were belted.

Until we get a pack that can dish out the same pain and offensive tackling as the allblacks, we will run second regularly.

Our backline is capable of hurting them, but they need front foot ball. Our pack was belted

Elsom needs to be removed.

Higgers time

Sorry Waylon, your post highlights what I was saying earlier. Have another look at Elsom's positioning, and the positioning of McCalman and Higginbum when he came on. For good measure look at the positioning of all the backrowers that have played for Oz this year in three tests and you will see the same thing. I am no Elsom fan as stated, but he is playing the tune direct from the coaches music sheet, the coach is the first who needs to go.

 

[Waylon]

Disagree

The bloke has always played on the wing for whatever team he plays for

Compare his game with Kaino.......

The wallabies need to up the hurt and fear factor

Having a captain who is 10 yards off the pace and 12 months past the physical requirements of mixing it physically with powerful lads is archaic

No sentimental sh1te in a RWC year

He's past it

He stands on the wing because he can't keep up with play

 

[Bruwheresmycar]

The thing i'm most annoyed about is the way he just watches rucks unfold in front of him. Pocock needs support at the breakdown, and backrowers need to be constantly looking for turnovers or at least pretending to be looking for turnovers to keep the opposition on their toes. McCalman is a bit like that as well. Pocock can't do it all on his own.

 

[Slim 293]

Elsom is luggage

The sooner he is cut, the better our chances

Defensively he was poor. His impact on the game was limited. His ball carries were ineffective

He spends a lot of time on the wing because this is where forwards end up when the speed of the game is beyond them. The amount of time he spent on the wing suggests he is no longer capable of playing at this level.

The wallabies were belted.

Until we get a pack that can dish out the same pain and offensive tackling as the allblacks, we will run second regularly.

Our backline is capable of hurting them, but they need front foot ball. Our pack was belted

Elsom needs to be removed.

Higgers time

And where do you think Higgers spends most of his time?

 

[Slim 293]

Disagree

The bloke has always played on the wing for whatever team he plays for

Compare his game with Kaino.......

The wallabies need to up the hurt and fear factor

Having a captain who is 10 yards off the pace and 12 months past the physical requirements of mixing it physically with powerful lads is archaic

No sentimental sh1te in a RWC year

He's past it

He stands on the wing because he can't keep up with play

Just because you state something on a message board it doesn't make it fact.

 

[Blue]

I honestly don't think he is the best 6 in Australia right now, and that's worrying because he is going to be there whether we like it or not.

Welcome to the wonderful world of John Smitland. Captain oh my Captain come hell or high water.

 

[TOCC]

Just because you state something on a message board it doesn't make it fact.

ironic considering the very post you made above this one.... fortunately this is a public forum

 

[ChargerWA]

Nothing summed up Rocky's night more than that first botched try out on the left wing. Our captain and #6 was a 50/50 chance of barging in over the corner against a winger on the slide, but he instead decides to stand up and try and put a step on, ending up in a turn over. Embarressing.

 

[Slim 293]

ironic considering the very post you made above this one.... fortunately this is a public forum

The difference being that Elsom is generally known to have a high work rate.

Higginbotham does not.

While Elsom had a very poor game, substituting him for a player who is not known to get involved in the tight isn't going to fix the problems the Wallabies had...

Let's bring in Samo, and keep Higginbotham on the bench so he can go for a run in the last 15-20.

 

[numbertwo]

Interesting reading the comments on Elsom's performance. My thoughts are that the guy is simply out of form. That may be because of the lack of playing time it might be related to some physical issue. I think the best thing would be to send him back to club rugby right up until the RWC and see if he can play himself into form at a lower level because as people have said offensively and defensively his timing and positioning is out and he's going in soft. It seems that they're trying to play him into form through the tests but maybe with the captaincy it's all too much. Also, personally, I believe you pick the team first and then the captain.

 

[TOCC]

The difference being that Elsom is generally known to have a high work rate.

Higginbotham does not.
While Elsom had a very poor game, substituting him for a player who is not known to get involved in the tight isn't going to fix the problems the Wallabies had...

Let's bring in Samo, and keep Higginbotham on the bench so he can go for a run in the last 15-20.

Just because you state something on a message board it doesn't make it fact.

 

[TOCC]

i apologies that was petty, but surely you recognise this is a case of pot calling kettle black..

 

[Gnostic]

To add to TOCCs comments Slim I go back to my earlier comments regarding work rate. Work Rate means Sweet FA if it does nothing.

 

[Slim 293]

i apologies that was petty, but surely you recognise this is a case of pot calling kettle black..

Not really.

Elsom's stats tend to back up my points.

Both players like to spend time on the wing and run the ball... but only one of them has a track record of making plenty of tackles and putting in clearances at the breakdown.

I'm not defending Elsom's performance last night. It was poor and he was ineffective.

But people are getting a little hysterical

 

[TOCC]

im confused as to what stats you are even referring to, he has played 3 or 4 games in 2011 and in every case his effectiveness has been below expectations.
Surely at some point we need to draw a line in the sand and stop resting on a players past laurels.

Slim, no one is getting hysterical so keep your pants on, this is purely a case of us pointing out that Elsom is doing basic rugby fundamentals incorrectly at the moment.

 

[gecko]

Elsom isn't in form and he's not the right captain.

Given his fitness he shouldn't be playing more than 60 minutes, at which point Higgenbotham would be an ideal replacement. Maybe his impact can increase if he only has to play for 60 minutes and preferably if he doesn't have to concentrate on the captaincy duties, which he generally looks to rooted to perform. That would be my first option before dropping him outright. I feel if we promote Higgenbotham we'll end up with increased ruck problems at which point the knives will be out for him too. Between the two I think we could get 80 minutes of solid test rugby out of them, I just can't see either doing it individually at this point.

McCalman just doesn't have the sort of impact you want from a no.8, at the very least Samo needs to be on the bench next week for a 20 minutes cameo.

 

[CTPE]

Love Higginbotham's aggression but it's worth Jack S... if your overall work rate is ineffectve.

Have never warmed to Elsom as captain and he played his best rugby before getting the (c) post nominal. Our best captains have been those constantly in the refs ear (Gregan in his early captaining days, Farr-Jones, Kearns and even the ever polite Nobody were all good at constantly letting the ref know the state of play particularly at the breakdown - we've had nobody doing it in recent years).

Both Higginbotham and Elsom are guilty of "seagulling" but that's an accusation that can be cast at any forward who scores out wide when the expectation is that a winger will be on the receiving end of a movement.