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More alcohol. I don't know what else can fix this.
Melbourne Terrace
Darby Loudon (17)
1. deans out, Ewen in. We have razzle dazzle players and Link knows how to get them click.
2. Get a farkin solid game plan and if that one goes balls up make sure we have a back up.
3. pick players based on their set piece ability, none of this eddie jones style good open-play forward shit.
4. either start barnes or look to move JOC (James O'Connor) into 12. he is wasted on the wing and plays best in a 'spine' position anyway as his time in WA has shown. Both Drew Mitchell and Digby should be starting wingers if fit and in form anyway.
5. concrete pills
2. Get a farkin solid game plan and if that one goes balls up make sure we have a back up.
3. pick players based on their set piece ability, none of this eddie jones style good open-play forward shit.
4. either start barnes or look to move JOC (James O'Connor) into 12. he is wasted on the wing and plays best in a 'spine' position anyway as his time in WA has shown. Both Drew Mitchell and Digby should be starting wingers if fit and in form anyway.
5. concrete pills
F
François
Guest
Short term, vs Wales:
- Give Sharpe the captaincy for his ultimate game (read that above, thought it was a great idea)
- Put Barnes / Horne in the centers. The McCave / Fainga'a thing has no potential to grow past what it is right now: a pair of solid defenders.
- Let O'Connor move to 12 for the last 20 minutes. Just for curiosity. And if Quade has a horror show, like he often does, just get him out and move barnes to 10.
Long term:
- address the scrum issue. In France, we created a scrum robot which can mimic opposing scrums. Scrums is one our strong suits now, perhaps our only one. I mean, the robot thing is just part of the solution: just get a real scrum program in place (scrum coach, year long program, whatever)
- Get Quade to sign for four more years and groom him properly, with a carrot and with a stick. Carrot: he gets to be the star if he plays well. The stick: if he doesn't he will get subbed and miss out. Right now he is in that comfort zone, where nobody seem to be able to take his place. That's his problem.
- Shift O'Connor to 12 already. With Cooper he could form a formidable 1st - 2nd 5/8 pairing. Just get them together. O'Connor cannot continue playing his Super rugby at fly half or 12, and then be on the wing for the wallabies. A big part of his skill set is wasted.
- Give Sharpe the captaincy for his ultimate game (read that above, thought it was a great idea)
- Put Barnes / Horne in the centers. The McCave / Fainga'a thing has no potential to grow past what it is right now: a pair of solid defenders.
- Let O'Connor move to 12 for the last 20 minutes. Just for curiosity. And if Quade has a horror show, like he often does, just get him out and move barnes to 10.
Long term:
- address the scrum issue. In France, we created a scrum robot which can mimic opposing scrums. Scrums is one our strong suits now, perhaps our only one. I mean, the robot thing is just part of the solution: just get a real scrum program in place (scrum coach, year long program, whatever)
- Get Quade to sign for four more years and groom him properly, with a carrot and with a stick. Carrot: he gets to be the star if he plays well. The stick: if he doesn't he will get subbed and miss out. Right now he is in that comfort zone, where nobody seem to be able to take his place. That's his problem.
- Shift O'Connor to 12 already. With Cooper he could form a formidable 1st - 2nd 5/8 pairing. Just get them together. O'Connor cannot continue playing his Super rugby at fly half or 12, and then be on the wing for the wallabies. A big part of his skill set is wasted.
A
Army_Gav
Guest
There goes the Lions Tour, and progress towards 2015.
Cutter
Nicholas Shehadie (39)
We have too many forwards not up to it. Elsom, Alexander, Samo, Kepu...These guys have patches of quality and games of mediocrity. Maybe there are reasons for this. I hope Elsom is forced to find form or dropped, I hope Alexander and Kepu are taken straight to scrum school and don't leave until Feb 2012. See you later Samo and Vicks. Two warriors but not consistently good enough to be part of a dominant Wallaby team.
I think people are being very harsh on Kepu. The guy has come on in leaps and bounds. He only really came into the frame as a first choice test selection following the 2011 Super Rugby season. He's only 25 which is pretty young for a prop and should have plenty of improvement left in him.
Obviously Australia doesn't have a glut of excellent front rowers and the absence of Benn Robinson, our only genuine World Class prop was glaringly obvious. His inclusion alone would have made a massive difference to our scrum. He's probably only slightly less valuable to our team than David Pocock.
Scarfman
Knitter of the Scarf
I agree Braveheart. I think Samo is finished, but was the best 8 man we had. Vickerman was our 2nd best forward. We talk about giving the players "concrete pills." Mate, that bloke has a concrete lab in his bedroom. Kepu is still progressing. I think our best scrum coach is Axel Foley and we'll see Kepu develop further.
I agree that Alexander has stalled, and I would think that getting switched from loose to tight to loose to tight has something to do with it.
Elsom is always harder to judge. It all depends on his legs. If they improve, he'll improve. I wouldn't write him off, but yeah, give others a chance.
I agree that Alexander has stalled, and I would think that getting switched from loose to tight to loose to tight has something to do with it.
Elsom is always harder to judge. It all depends on his legs. If they improve, he'll improve. I wouldn't write him off, but yeah, give others a chance.
Elsom is still the best 6 we have. Higgenbotham might look great at Super XV level but he is a fair way behind Elsom as a consistent 65+ minute test player. Impact sure, but if anything, he has gone backwards during the RWC whilst Elsom has gone forward.
We should hang on to Vickerman for a couple more years if possible. He still has plenty to add and as Scarfman said, was our second best forward at the RWC. He is the guy who should be teaching our younger forwards (and older ones) how to harness their aggression in the ruck contest.
2012 needs to be the year for Dave Dennis and Ben Mowen to develop further. As far as I see it, they are our best options to fill the number 8 jersey, and Dennis could possibly push Elsom for the 6 jersey as well. Richard Brown and Ben McCalman are never going to be the big ball running number 8 that we need. Hopefully 2012 proves to be a good year for Cliffy Palu too. If he can remain injury free for a while, I still think he has plenty to add for the Wallabies in the next couple of years.
We should hang on to Vickerman for a couple more years if possible. He still has plenty to add and as Scarfman said, was our second best forward at the RWC. He is the guy who should be teaching our younger forwards (and older ones) how to harness their aggression in the ruck contest.
2012 needs to be the year for Dave Dennis and Ben Mowen to develop further. As far as I see it, they are our best options to fill the number 8 jersey, and Dennis could possibly push Elsom for the 6 jersey as well. Richard Brown and Ben McCalman are never going to be the big ball running number 8 that we need. Hopefully 2012 proves to be a good year for Cliffy Palu too. If he can remain injury free for a while, I still think he has plenty to add for the Wallabies in the next couple of years.
Alexander, Kepu, Slipper and Robinson are the best we have. There is day light between them and the pack chasing. The only young prop who looked near quality this year was Kieran Longbottom.
The rest either have high work rates or scrummaging ability - but not both.
The rest either have high work rates or scrummaging ability - but not both.
Joe Mac
Arch Winning (36)
I think Mowen is unlucky with his string of injuries to have not made the Wallabies this year. He would have been a much more physical 8 then McCalman.
Sitaleki Timani will be the aussie version of Courney Lawes. I can forsee him being a world class lock by the time the British Lions tour.
I also think Liam Gill will be snapping at Pococks heels by the time the Lions get here.
Sitaleki Timani will be the aussie version of Courney Lawes. I can forsee him being a world class lock by the time the British Lions tour.
I also think Liam Gill will be snapping at Pococks heels by the time the Lions get here.
Joe Mac
Arch Winning (36)
FP- do you know any more about the front row for the Aussie Under 20's from last year. We had two huge unit props that seemed to be good scrummagers aswell. Not sure of their names- I think one was called Silvia Silvia or something. I had hoped they would change our rep as scrum jokes!
D
Doc
Guest
Keep the group together for four years. Obviously this wont happen with OS dollars, but you need to have an older, experienced side to win the RWC. You could get away with some inexperience in the amateur era, but it helps when your inexperienced players are some average players named Horan, Eales, Little.
The last few teams to win had bulk of players 2-3 years away from retirement (SA players should have retired, obviously didn't), the bulk of our guys are 2-3 years into their test career.
The last few teams to win had bulk of players 2-3 years away from retirement (SA players should have retired, obviously didn't), the bulk of our guys are 2-3 years into their test career.
no9
Ted Fahey (11)
Team going into Wales game and then beyond;
Kepu - until robinson is fit again
Moore - didn't we take 3 hookers, Qld no2, give him a run
Slipper - anyone but Alexander who is living proof that Eddie Jones started the disaster - Rodzilla would be worth the investment as he already has the physique
Horwill - not safe though
Simmons - see above
Higginbotham - Send Rocky back to Dublin to find where he left his game and that you tackle below the hips not the forehead
Pocock - enough said
McCalman - Played his best footy last year at no8 and works hard but if there is a 6'6" ball running cement truck hiding somewhere then welcome aboard
Genia - give him earplugs so he doesn't hear what Deans tells him
Barnes - not as many tricks but doesn't have to defend in the grandstand either and is better than critics think at creating play. Hickeys' game plans didn;t allow it
O'Connor - put the Beiber where he will get more ball and is good at staying balanced when in traffic, also a 2nd kicking option and could be long term replacement at 10
Horne - lets find out if he's good enough while he's fit enough to play although he may not get through training
Ioane - only black man who can't jump, will need to go to GWS training to help with the high ball thing
McCabe - runs straight so show him the sideline and say follow that to the corner post. Unsung team player who is good enough for this level but not at centre
Beale - see as per Pocock
Maafu - Anybody but Alexander
Qld no2
Sharpe - give him his 100 games and then a pension
Hodgson - play for the plane ticket
Phipps - cause Burgess is off to France and is ordinary
AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) - covers 11,12,13, 14 & 15
Cooper - Lets him realise that every second of a test match counts in some form, like the opening kick off not going over the sideline and that you stay if you perform. Covers 10 & 15 cause he plays there most games already and take his phone off him so we don't get twittered while he's watching the first 60 mins
And tell Deans and his pair of inept co coaches that the game has been moved to Invercargill and they can head down there today.
Kepu - until robinson is fit again
Moore - didn't we take 3 hookers, Qld no2, give him a run
Slipper - anyone but Alexander who is living proof that Eddie Jones started the disaster - Rodzilla would be worth the investment as he already has the physique
Horwill - not safe though
Simmons - see above
Higginbotham - Send Rocky back to Dublin to find where he left his game and that you tackle below the hips not the forehead
Pocock - enough said
McCalman - Played his best footy last year at no8 and works hard but if there is a 6'6" ball running cement truck hiding somewhere then welcome aboard
Genia - give him earplugs so he doesn't hear what Deans tells him
Barnes - not as many tricks but doesn't have to defend in the grandstand either and is better than critics think at creating play. Hickeys' game plans didn;t allow it
O'Connor - put the Beiber where he will get more ball and is good at staying balanced when in traffic, also a 2nd kicking option and could be long term replacement at 10
Horne - lets find out if he's good enough while he's fit enough to play although he may not get through training
Ioane - only black man who can't jump, will need to go to GWS training to help with the high ball thing
McCabe - runs straight so show him the sideline and say follow that to the corner post. Unsung team player who is good enough for this level but not at centre
Beale - see as per Pocock
Maafu - Anybody but Alexander
Qld no2
Sharpe - give him his 100 games and then a pension
Hodgson - play for the plane ticket
Phipps - cause Burgess is off to France and is ordinary
AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) - covers 11,12,13, 14 & 15
Cooper - Lets him realise that every second of a test match counts in some form, like the opening kick off not going over the sideline and that you stay if you perform. Covers 10 & 15 cause he plays there most games already and take his phone off him so we don't get twittered while he's watching the first 60 mins
And tell Deans and his pair of inept co coaches that the game has been moved to Invercargill and they can head down there today.
The unders 20s props were big units but they are babies who may end up bench options for the next RWC
At the next RWC Robinson & Alexander will be 31, Kepu 29 & Slipper 26.
In prop years that is peak time, let these guys develop - they are getting better, even last night the scrum was beyond the horrible collapsing of previous years.
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