The Wallabies Thread

[Lindommer]

Agree, M. Moore played well last night but I have a sneaking suspicion that's as well as he's ever going to play in the future, and that excellent performance isn't going to repeated with any regularity. Latu should get a start against Scotland.

 

[Viking]

Plus Hooker post-Moore. We don't have a solid back up waiting to go. Hopefully Latu can step up.

I would absolutely love for Morahan or Naivalu to be given a shot and nail down the jumper. Likewise, against the French Baa Baa's I want Dempsey to put in a performance so good that Cheika has no choice but to pick him in the later tests.

At this stage for me its becoming ABMOF*. Actually, hows this for a thought - Simmons to 6? He's a more effective Mumm and has been in better form than Fardy, whilst providing a line out option. Could be a solid short-term solution as hes played there before.

*anyone but Mumm or Fardy.

I really like the look of Ready and Latu as future Hookers. Wouldn't mind seeing Morahan or Naivalu slotted in either but probably wouldn't drop Speight as he didn't exactly do anything wrong, he just needs to get involved in attack more which I think will come as he develops a combination with Foley and the inside backs.


I support the idea of Simmons at 6 for the short-term, i rate him better then Mumm and Fardy's discipline and overall form right now is a worry.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Harry Scobie from Perth looks like he may be worth investing some development effort in to increase our depth at Hooker.

Lineouts throwing has been a bit of an Achilles Heel for our hookers recently, particularly recent U20 rakes. Something that a National Skills Coach may care to have a lash at addressing.

 

[Viking]

Actually Sio's scrummaging is a bit of a worry, always seems to give away a penalty or two. Thought he was great around the park though and Slipper was fairly invisible - or at least a noticeable step-down from Sio.

 

[Brumby Runner]

For those who say Fardy wasn't in good form last night, I hope that FF (Folau Fainga'a) will be publishing his stats sometime soon. Fardy was everywher in the second half, made a truckload (maybe 8 - 10) tackles, one of which probably saved a try, was active in a lot of breakdowns slowing the Welsh ball down, chased kicks including one where he contained the Welsh inside their 22m line with a tackle on Halfpenny (I think) and ran the ball with purpose. I would encourage the doubters to have another look at the game (I've viewed it twice) and take notice of his mobility around the field and his involvements. On the negative side, I think he gave away one penalty (may have been two), but one in front of the sticks could easily have been adjudged to be a turnover.

 

[amirite]

BR, for mine Fardy looked busy and did some good stuff, maybe he looked a bit frantic and that's when the penalties and the like came in. IDK if he's a good fit for that bench loosie role, but time will tell (or maybe it won't, we will see).

As an aside, it's awesome to see the Wallaby tight 5 carried well. Back in the day a tight-5er's key role was set piece and rucks, but about a decade ago people realised "fuck, these guys are the biggest blokes on the field and maybe they should carry in traffic", and what do you know it works!

Keep trucking on Wallaby tight 5!

 

[Train Without a Station]

HJ it's probably an issue because that's the around the age that most of our hookers move from back row to hooker.

Consider that sone of our recent U20 hookers like Ready and Jordan Ulese have made the transition somewhere between year 12 and there.

Seb, on Simmons at 6 I've been saying this for a while now. I think if you pick Mumm for what he brings, then Simmons is a superior option. He has a similar involvement in his time off the bench to what Mumm does in 80 minutes, he's no less physical than Mumm and he's neither slower, nor less mobile but is a better line out option.

Personally I'd go Fardy though.

 

[fatprop]

I really like the look of Ready and Latu as future Hookers. Wouldn't mind seeing Morahan or Naivalu slotted in either but probably wouldn't drop Speight as he didn't exactly do anything wrong, he just needs to get involved in attack more which I think will come as he develops a combination with Foley and the inside backs.


I support the idea of Simmons at 6 for the short-term, i rate him better then Mumm and Fardy's discipline and overall form right now is a worry.

I expect Mumm to come back in if Pocock is out

 

[Brumby Runner]

I also expect that FP, but I also think it's a mistake. If Fardy didn't earn himself a start in his 40 minutes last night, and I think he did, then McMahon would be a more effective replacement for Pocock than Mumm.

 

[PeterK]

I really like the look of Ready and Latu as future Hookers. Wouldn't mind seeing Morahan or Naivalu slotted in either but probably wouldn't drop Speight as he didn't exactly do anything wrong, he just needs to get involved in attack more which I think will come as he develops a combination with Foley and the inside backs.


I support the idea of Simmons at 6 for the short-term, i rate him better then Mumm and Fardy's discipline and overall form right now is a worry.

Agree start Simmons at 6 then when Arnold comes off move him to lock and bring on Fardy or Mumm to 6.

 

[Viking]

I expect Mumm to come back in if Pocock is out

I expect that from Cheika too, still doesn't change my mind in thinking McMahon will be a much better option.

Also what TWAS is saying, if your picking Mumm for this line-out ability and work-rate around the park then evidence suggests Simmons to be a better like-for-like option.

Mumm really doesn't have a lot of backing.

 

[fatprop]

I expect that from Cheika too, still doesn't change my mind in thinking McMahon will be a much better option.

Also what TWAS is saying, if your picking Mumm for this line-out ability and work-rate around the park then evidence suggests Simmons to be a better like-for-like option.

Mumm really doesn't have a lot of backing.

Neither do quite a few others in the side, but this isn't Australian Idol, isn't a popularity contest and the only judges that count are the Wobs coaches

I expect against the Scottish pack that Mumm will be selected,

 

[Viking]

Neither do quite a few others in the side, but this isn't Australian Idol, isn't a popularity contest and the only judges that count are the Wobs coaches

I expect against the Scottish pack that Mumm will be selected,

Would you pick him though?

 

[Viking]

Neither do quite a few others in the side, but this isn't Australian Idol, isn't a popularity contest and the only judges that count are the Wobs coaches

I expect against the Scottish pack that Mumm will be selected,

Also, I meant he doesn't have a lot of evidence backing his claim to the spot, in terms of performances on the field, not popularity - in which he is also obviously low on.

 

[fatprop]

Would you pick him though?

Against Scotland, Mumm to start Fardy to finish

 

[fatprop]

Justin Harrison had some interesting insights into Larkham's attacking preferences in the Bein commentary

We saw it in the RWC vs England and again against Wales

Punch it up hard on the open and when we see mismatches, sweep to the blind at pace

 

[topgun]

We need to talk about the flying shithouse, his excellent BaaBaa's game showed us how devastating he can be when there's a coherent gameplan involving him in attack (i.e throw it to the big kid and follow close). He has never really been given a proper go and in his 7 minutes in a gold jersey he has scored 2 tries.

Speight didn't do anything wrong on Saturday but shit wouldn't you like to see some pantstaining power on the wallabies edges?

 

[amirite]

We need to talk about the flying shithouse, his excellent BaaBaa's game showed us how devastating he can be when there's a coherent gameplan involving him in attack (i.e throw it to the big kid and follow close). He has never really been given a proper go and in his 7 minutes in a gold jersey he has scored 2 tries.

Speight didn't do anything wrong on Saturday but shit wouldn't you like to see some pantstaining power on the wallabies edges?

This would certainly be interesting.

I feel like it was a dick move to cap him and then not use him much, but a little of it was his own doing in signing contracts elsewhere hastily.

 

[upthereds#!]

Really happy to see some legitimate big men in the forward pack. Coleman Arnold and Timani effectively owning their space, allowing flanks to focus on their specialist roles whether its hooper running lines or poey fetching. These guys would also allow higs to play to his strengths if he was to get a crack, as there are now the right people to do the coal face stuff, as opposed to throwing in 'workrate' lads who have struggled to dominate, eg simmons, horwill , mumm, mccalman & carter.

Would also love to read an article on how the development players are travelling on tour. Is Kellaway impressing with his speed and movement, or is he another rod davies, or a less x factor JOC (James O'Connor), or does he look like kinda nothing compared to nearly as young, equally fast, larger humans in naivalu & koroibete.

Has tongan thor maori sidestepped any big namers? How many city blocks have been levelled by the shockwave when Hitman Timani tries to lay a shot on a full pelt Thor?

How is dempsey going? is he another Mcmahon and getting in scrapping? or is he another schatz, butler or browning in that his being not quite a 6, 7 or 8 is going to hurt him.

 

[wamberal]

One thing Dempsey has going for him is real pace. He and Hooper could have a field day in the last quarter of a Test match.