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The Wallabies Thread

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
I think the McMahon situation is two fold. He's getting offered a massive amount of money to play in Japan and then will come back and play for the Reds which will be easier for him from a PR view than going straight from the Rebels to the Reds.
 

Joe Blow

John Hipwell (52)
McMahon left because he was offered the kind of cashmoney that makes you drop everything and leave. Far more than he would ever get in this failing rugby economy. I would have left as well.

Is it true that he was not offered a top up from the ARU?
 

Joe Blow

John Hipwell (52)
I think Hanigan will be in the squad but don't think he should be in the 23 again anytime soon. Dempsey should and I think will drop out and Higginbotham might too.

If Hanigan failed to make an impression, Higginbotham was even further off the mark.

I want to see Ross Haylett-Petty in the Rugby Championship squad.

I want to see him too along with Fardy to show him the way. Higgers needs to be there as an 8 I would think. He was a bit meh as well but has a more rounded game than Hanigan. If we have a big tight 6 then Higgers will compliment Hooper well.
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
I want to see him too along with Fardy to show him the way. Higgers needs to be there as an 8 I would think. He was a bit meh as well but has a more rounded game than Hanigan. If we have a big tight 6 then Higgers will compliment Hooper well.


You could likewise say that Hanigan's ball playing, lineout work and running game works well if we have a bruiser at number 8.

Higgers may make the squad and I named him in the squad I selected yesterday in this thread but if one of them misses out I would guess it will be Higginbotham before Hanigan. Hanigan is a young player on the up and Higginbotham is a veteran who was given another crack and failed to shine.

If Higginbotham was to play for the Wallabies again this year I would like to see him get a crack at 6. I think that is the position that suits his game most at test level.
 

fatprop

George Gregan (70)
Staff member
I want to see him too along with Fardy to show him the way. Higgers needs to be there as an 8 I would think. He was a bit meh as well but has a more rounded game than Hanigan. If we have a big tight 6 then Higgers will compliment Hooper well.


I would prefer Hanigan be tutored by someone more focused on cleanouts, getting over the gain line and a high workrate; too often we reward the show boat stuff and ignore the dog work
 

Joe King

Dave Cowper (27)
Agree. I'd call the All Blacks humble. It a very different thing to (not having) pride in the jersey.


True. It's a quiet confidence - the best sort of confidence. I think I saw a bit of it in the Wallabies during the 2015 World Cup - they just kept their mouths shut and heads down. But you could tell they were focused on their mission
 

Brumby Runner

Jason Little (69)
McMahon would be lower on the list of possibles because of his long absence to injury. He made it back last week but was quite ineffective. He didn't have the dominance in collisions that we are used to, often being forced back in attack and he did miss a tackle or two as I remember. Combined with him leaving for Japan, I think we won't necessarily see him come RC time.

RHP is about the best looking prospect atm. Certainly Naisarani should be in the mix as soon as he gains eligibility. I am still hopeful that Holloway will measure up to test standard as well. For the moment, Timani is the right option for No8. He has shown he is up for it at test level in that spot, and while the Rebels insist on playing him out of position, he didn't have a bad game at lock last weekend; good workload, some hard tackling. He just isn't as dominating ball in hand when he plays in the second row.
 

TSR

Andrew Slack (58)
I'd like us to abandon playing two short back rowers. One thing I'd like to see is for us to return to having a best-in-the-world set piece. I don't think that's achievable in the scrum at present, but it potentially is in the lineout. I'd also like bigger bodies that can start making an impact at the gain line. I know many consider that to be a strength of McMahon, but I think that's debatable at test level.

I thought Higgers was actually ok. Definitely better than Hanigan - although it seems that Cheika disagreed. Hopefully Timani can get up to fitness.
 

Strewthcobber

Simon Poidevin (60)
I'd like us to abandon playing two short back rowers. One thing I'd like to see is for us to return to having a best-in-the-world set piece. I don't think that's achievable in the scrum at present, but it potentially is in the lineout. I'd also like bigger bodies that can start making an impact at the gain line. I know many consider that to be a strength of McMahon, but I think that's debatable at test level.

I thought Higgers was actually ok. Definitely better than Hanigan - although it seems that Cheika disagreed. Hopefully Timani can get up to fitness.
Who is in your lineout?
 

The_Brown_Hornet

John Eales (66)
I agree TSR, I want a more balanced back row than we had with Pocock and Hooper (plus McMahon). It worked for a while, not really against England and definitely not against the All Blacks. A big ball runner who can jump in the lineout, a rock shifting enforcer and a fetcher IMHO is what's required and that's not really what we've been running since 2015.

I think Cheika needs to stop trying to get two excellent players in the same position on the park at the same time and accept that whilst they balance each other to a degree, they're not the answer and leave us undersized.
 

TSR

Andrew Slack (58)
Arnold, Coleman, Higgers & Timani. RHP in the bench (although I admit I have been impressed with him around the field but not haven't really taken note his strong he is in the lineout). Probably Carter reserve lock at present.

Not saying that would be world best right now - but has potential to be. Coleman & Higgers are both very good.

The biggest issue would actually be hooker at present.
 

TSR

Andrew Slack (58)
What the....
I missed the memo: when was that?
Haha - well, it was long ago. But I have a feel your my vintage or so. When the likes of Eales/McCall/Harrison/Cockbain et al were features in our side we won numerous games off the strength of our line our. Ask Austin Healy.
 

Viking

Mark Ella (57)
Arnold, Coleman, Higgers & Timani. RHP in the bench (although I admit I have been impressed with him around the field but not haven't really taken note his strong he is in the lineout). Probably Carter reserve lock at present.

Not saying that would be world best right now - but has potential to be. Coleman & Higgers are both very good.

The biggest issue would actually be hooker at present.


Latu and Ready's future looks Bright. Well it did last year, not so much this year. But hopefully start improving again next year.

Can we please get rid of Moore already.
 

The_Brown_Hornet

John Eales (66)
Arnold, Coleman, Higgers & Timani. RHP in the bench (although I admit I have been impressed with him around the field but not haven't really taken note his strong he is in the lineout). Probably Carter reserve lock at present.

Not saying that would be world best right now - but has potential to be. Coleman & Higgers are both very good.

The biggest issue would actually be hooker at present.



RHP is an excellent lineout target, no issue there. I do wonder about his mobility at test level though.

I'd be going with Hooper, Higgers and Timani for the moment, with Hardwick off the bench.

Coleman is going to be world class if he keeps going as he is.
 
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