The Wallabies Thread

[upthereds#!]

New favourite team - Barbarians to play Wallabies coached by A.Jones

I make this squad on a few assumptions
- It will not feature current worldwide international players (due to timing)
- It will not feature players in Japan (due to timing)
- It will not feature players in Europe (due to timing)
- NPC, NRC, & Currie Cup players would be available
- I am picking best squad IMO that could cause trouble for Australia - namely quick feet, silky skills, bulky backs and guys with points to prove
- Obviously if they are in this team I don't think they will be in the AB or Wallabies squad for RC but maybe will be for EOYT which kicks off shortly after and guys need a run
- A lot of capped AB's to pick from

Now - Being v Wallabies, in Australia, with Jones, I imagine some of these fringe NZ'ers will probably be replaced with Australia hence brackets. But some guys are just too quality to leave out.

Basically Australia A with a couple AB stars that couldn't squeeze past the likes of Dagg, Ioane, Savea, Naholo & Barrett.

1. T.Smith 2. Parsons 3. Laulala
4. Douglas 5. Tuipolotu
6. Shields 8. Higs 7. Todd
9. Pulu (Ruru) 10. Quade 11. Moala 12. Meakes 13. Ngatai (Rona) 14. Skudder 15. Mckenzie
16. Hanson 17. May (Cowan) 18. Allan (Thor) 19. Simmons 20. Dixon(Naisarani) 21. Gordon 22. Moanga (Lance) 23. Ranger (Perese)

 

[Inside Shoulder]

I reckon Cheika is just firing a rocket up Quade's ass.

Sort of like Kim Jong Un?
Genia has been dead ordinary. Phipps presumably survives because he hasn't played much.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

I think Quade is carrying at least one dodgy shoulder & has been for a long time

since he was 18?

 

[Inside Shoulder]

1. T.Smith 2. Parsons 3. Laulala
4. Douglas 5. Tuipolotu
6. Shields 8. Higs 7. Todd
9. Pulu (Ruru) 10. Quade 11. Moala 12. Meakes 13. Ngatai (Rona) 14. Skudder 15. Mckenzie
16. Hanson 17. May (Cowan) 18. Allan (Thor) 19. Simmons 20. Dixon(Naisarani) 21. Gordon 22. Moanga (Lance) 23. Ranger (Perese)

IMO thats unfair to Meakes: he should be given a chance to press for selection in his favoured position, and the one to which he is better suited, assuming that he isn't closer to the frame than his hypothetical selection in Baa Baas would indicate.

 

[upthereds#!]

IMO thats unfair to Meakes: he should be given a chance to press for selection in his favoured position, and the one to which he is better suited, assuming that he isn't closer to the frame than his hypothetical selection in Baa Baas would indicate.

Is Meakes not a 12?

 

[TOCC]

Is Meakes not a 12?

well, thats where the Force played him for all his games in 2017... Cheika will probably want to play in at scrum-half or fullback

 

[RugbyReg]

New favourite team - Barbarians to play Wallabies coached by A.Jones

I make this squad on a few assumptions
- It will not feature current worldwide international players (due to timing)
- It will not feature players in Japan (due to timing)
- It will not feature players in Europe (due to timing)
- NPC, NRC, & Currie Cup players would be available
- I am picking best squad IMO that could cause trouble for Australia - namely quick feet, silky skills, bulky backs and guys with points to prove
- Obviously if they are in this team I don't think they will be in the AB or Wallabies squad for RC but maybe will be for EOYT which kicks off shortly after and guys need a run
- A lot of capped AB's to pick from

Now - Being v Wallabies, in Australia, with Jones, I imagine some of these fringe NZ'ers will probably be replaced with Australia hence brackets. But some guys are just too quality to leave out.

Basically Australia A with a couple AB stars that couldn't squeeze past the likes of Dagg, Ioane, Savea, Naholo & Barrett.

1. T.Smith 2. Parsons 3. Laulala
4. Douglas 5. Tuipolotu
6. Shields 8. Higs 7. Todd
9. Pulu (Ruru) 10. Quade 11. Moala 12. Meakes 13. Ngatai (Rona) 14. Skudder 15. Mckenzie
16. Hanson 17. May (Cowan) 18. Allan (Thor) 19. Simmons 20. Dixon(Naisarani) 21. Gordon 22. Moanga (Lance) 23. Ranger (Perese)

I'd prefer all those Aussies are playing NRC that weekend. Perhaps it should just be Melbourne Rising players as they have the bye.

ROUND 9

Saturday October 28
NSW Country Eagles vs Brisbane City – Wade Park, Orange – 1.00pm
Fiji vs Sydney Rays – ANZ Stadium, Suva – 4.00pm
Sunday October 29
QLD Country vs Perth Spirit- Qld Group Stadium, Ipswich – 12.00pm
Greater Sydney Rams vs Canberra Vikings – TG Millner Oval, Sydney – 3.00pm
Bye – Melbourne Rising

 

[TOCC]

Hmm bit of a conundrum, ultimately though i think the Barbarians pay more and representing the Barbarians is a bucket list item for many rugby players.

 

[Scrubber2050]

Let's do a thought excercise - a polemic in strategy and think through selections with each extreme.

First a game plan based on putting forwards on forwards and backs on backs, target possession, line outs less important, turnover pretty important. Cheika/Grey structure works OK 1-3-3-1. Tight 5 more or less speak for themselves. We want big boppers in the centres which in turn means your 10 must be an actual playmaker not just a distributer. We want fast ball.

Loose forwards can not afford a very wide 7 so Hooper is out. Or at least would be when Pocock returns We need a bust up the guts 8 and 6. I am not actually convinced that we have the cattle for this structure in the loose forwards.

In the Backs Phipps for fast ball, Quade is the play meaker, Kerevi/ Kuridrani in the centres. Drop the drift defence to keep things tight, which means we need speed out the back. Folau doesn't obviously fit this structure either.

Second a game plan not so concerned with possession stats and happy to target a counter attack and expression. Ideally we swap the structure to a version of the Kiwi 2-4-2, forwards attack backs, backs attack forwards. There will be kicking and line outs.

Tight 5 play different in the rucks but the system should address more power in the middle. We keep Hooper out wide, Pocock does not start in this system, and we take Fardy/Higgers for jumping and keeping wide. Others might take their slots but they express the game plan well.

We need intelligence not instinct in the halves, we flood the backline with playmakers, so you can afford to be more conservative at 10. So Genia-Foley-Beale-choose a Fijian. I'd put all the playmakers in so Hunt to 15 and Folau on the wing. The sliding defence works for me in this game plan.

The second game plan will not scare the Kiwis as they play against it every day of the week. Tactically the 1-3-3-1 AND the player selection ramifications might be stronger.

Those strategies are intentionally polemic there is obvious room for a smart coach to weave some magic between the two. Especially if form dictates that neither Quade nor Phipps will start. But at the moment there is little obvious clarity in Cheika's selections and game plans - IMO anyway.

Consistent selections would be:
1. the front row and back up - we just don't have a lot of alternatives.
2. Second row - Coleman features whatever happens, he'd be my captain.
3. Beale would feature on the bench in the first and starting in the second.
4. Folau plays, his position changes.

Dru, here I was reading your post ad nodding my head in agreement.

Then I got to No. 2 about Coleman being captain and I projectile spewed onto my computer keyboard..

 

[dru]

Dru, here I was reading your post ad nodding my head in agreement.

Then I got to No. 2 about Coleman being captain and I projectile spewed onto my computer keyboard..

Ha ha! OK maybe an error.

 

[jimmydubs]

Dru, here I was reading your post ad nodding my head in agreement.

Then I got to No. 2 about Coleman being captain and I projectile spewed onto my computer keyboard..

Who should be captain scrubber? Genuine question. Cupboard is bare in the captaincy dept.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Is Meakes not a 12?

Sorry.
I'm losing it.

 

[TOCC]

Dru, here I was reading your post ad nodding my head in agreement.

Then I got to No. 2 about Coleman being captain and I projectile spewed onto my computer keyboard..

This makes absolutely no sense, Coleman is a natural leader, is growing into one of the best locks the Wallabies have had in years and one of the few selection certainties in the team, the difference he makes to the Force team was evident this year when he returned..

Is he ready for captaincy right now? Perhaps not, but I certainly don't understand why you detest the idea so much

 

[Froggy]

It's simple really, being captain isn't about being the best player. I'm not suggesting Coleman isn't a captain, but while I am comfortable to be, along with everyone else here, suggesting my best team, picking a captain is about a hell of a lot different to what we see on television. Some people are natural leaders, they naturally assume leadership positions, and other people want follow them. In my business, I often see it, and rarely is the best salesman the best leader.

I know bagging Hooper's captaincy is almost a badge of honour here on GAGR, the reality is he has been appointed to captaincy positions by a whole range of coaches (not just Cheika), including at schoolboy and under age level, and including Link, Gibson and, of course, Cheika. Why do you think they keep doing that???

 

[upthereds#!]

well, thats where the Force played him for all his games in 2017. Cheika will probably want to play in at scrum-half or fullback

Think he got a turnover when he was in England. Hoopers backup.

 

[dru]

It's simple really, being captain isn't about being the best player. I'm not suggesting Coleman isn't a captain, but while I am comfortable to be, along with everyone else here, suggesting my best team, picking a captain is about a hell of a lot different to what we see on television. Some people are natural leaders, they naturally assume leadership positions, and other people want follow them. In my business, I often see it, and rarely is the best salesman the best leader.

I know bagging Hooper's captaincy is almost a badge of honour here on GAGR, the reality is he has been appointed to captaincy positions by a whole range of coaches (not just Cheika), including at schoolboy and under age level, and including Link, Gibson and, of course, Cheika. Why do you think they keep doing that???

Think this sub-thread started with my challenge to a thought experiment around strategy that I placed in response to someone arguing something along the lines of "well hey, smartarse, If you think Cheika cant do selections for strategy then what would you do". I tried to answer the question.

And between a deliberately polemic strategy, I could not select Hooper for one strategy, and could not miss him on the other.

As it so turns out Cheika's chosen structure maps my polemic where I wouldnt choose Hooper to start let alone captain.

And no, not putting Hooper forward in absolutely all options, it's not a "badge of honour". I love the guy, and he fits really well even at international level. Depending on your strategy.

Not so much in others.

 

[jimmydubs]

I know bagging Hooper's captaincy is almost a badge of honour here on GAGR, the reality is he has been appointed to captaincy positions by a whole range of coaches (not just Cheika), including at schoolboy and under age level, and including Link, Gibson and, of course, Cheika. Why do you think they keep doing that???

Granted he gets picked as captain. But likewise so many people (ok plebs like me) rate him as a player but not a captain. And we base that on which we see each week, and what we hear in conversations with the team and ref. And I really struggle to see how the opinion formed by the coaches about his captaining ability is arrived at.

Watching force Tahs. Hodgo spoke to ref when he needed to and didn't whine. Hooper questioned things that he should have let go, seemed more likely to pass the ref off than achieve anything. The icing on the cake was seeing him push/throw hodgo as he was getting up into the side of the next ruck, then point and say "from the side ref". Some may say clever. Dark arts. What a 7 does. For me, that's not captain material. Would you see eales do that? Hodgo? Mortlock? Horwill?

Ref for the record "nah someone threw him there". No doubt noting it as a strike in his head against the team playing funny buggers.

 

[TOCC]

Not all leaders make good captains, captaincy at test level requires a level of politics, not just when dealing with the ref but also dealing with the public and media.

 

[TSR]

I'm not sold on Hooper as captain either but, to be fair, it's a really tough gig at the moment.

Certainly he is the most logical choice in the current squad unless Moore starts.

 

[gel]

It's simple really, being captain isn't about being the best player. I'm not suggesting Coleman isn't a captain, but while I am comfortable to be, along with everyone else here, suggesting my best team, picking a captain is about a hell of a lot different to what we see on television. Some people are natural leaders, they naturally assume leadership positions, and other people want follow them. In my business, I often see it, and rarely is the best salesman the best leader.

I know bagging Hooper's captaincy is almost a badge of honour here on GAGR, the reality is he has been appointed to captaincy positions by a whole range of coaches (not just Cheika), including at schoolboy and under age level, and including Link, Gibson and, of course, Cheika. Why do you think they keep doing that???

Because some people can manage up and are not really leaders.

Hooper isn't a leader and should not be captain.