The Wallabies Thread

[Froggy]

Scrubber, can you explain why the culture is going to get worse under Hooper?

 

[mst]

There was almost no other decision to make. Of those in the squad, probably only Genia has captaincy experience at a high level among those certain to be selected, and he, at this point, is still playing overseas.

People have mentioned the likes of Coleman and Foley, but you'd like to see them lead a Super team around a couple of times before throwing them in at a Bledisloe. Carter is an excellent captain, but will he be in the run-on side?

Whatever people think of Hooper's captaincy (on-field decision making, ref management) the one criticism that doesn't stand scrutiny at all is lack of respect from other players. Everything I can find, people I can speak to, evidence from player voted awards, all suggest that Hooper has plenty of respect from the playing group.

As soon as I read your post all i could think about was Hoopers whinge to the Referee mid game awhile back which IIRC went along the line of; "I'm trying but they wont listen to me". My other favourite was when one of referee mid game refused to help him and reminded him he was Captain and it was his job to sort out his team.

Yep, respected. If the Tahs discipline was a demonstration of respect to the bloke and their Captain.......

 

[p.Tah]

We'll let's see how he and the team go.
Mark Ella thinks it the wrong decision which means Hooper will do well. Mark's always wrong

 

[Brumby Runner]

I well remember many posters singing the same lament about Pocock when he was recovering from each of two serious knee injuries. "Wait to see if he comes back at that level before putting him in the Wallabies side". I do not share those misgivings about his ability to rise to the occasion again, and will be extremely disappointed if it proves to be so.

Also, on the topic of experienced/inexperienced skippers, I don't think Mortlock had any, or much, experience captaining a side at Super level before being appointed at the Wallabies. He continued to play under Gregan's captaincy at the Brumbies.

 

[TSR]

Realistically, who else was ever going to get it?

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Morts was a great captain I thought, as was Gregan. I'm not sold on Hooper.

Pocock I expect will be every bit the player he was before, but like Hooper I don't think he's that great a captain.

 

[Slim 293]

I well remember many posters singing the same lament about Pocock when he was recovering from each of two serious knee injuries. "Wait to see if he comes back at that level before putting him in the Wallabies side". I do not share those misgivings about his ability to rise to the occasion again, and will be extremely disappointed if it proves to be so.

Also, on the topic of experienced/inexperienced skippers, I don't think Mortlock had any, or much, experience captaining a side at Super level before being appointed at the Wallabies. He continued to play under Gregan's captaincy at the Brumbies.

No he didn't.........

Mortlock took over the Brumbies captaincy from Gregan at the start of 2004...........

He then captained the Wallabies on the EOYT in 2006 when Gregan took a break, originally as co-captain with Waugh before eventually taking over the gig full time in 2007......... because George Smith.

 

[Scrubber2050]

Scrubber, can you explain why the culture is going to get worse under Hooper?

Hooper is a very good rugby player - no question.

From tidbits I have gleaned over the years from pretty good yet nameless sources (including the Tahs) Hooper is not overly respected by his peers, not as a rugby player but as a bloke. There has been plenty of stuff said that Hooper is an individual and not a team man and plays as such. IMO there are also another few players in the group who could easily be categorised similarly. The impression which is reality is that Hooper never seems to take responsibility and always seemed prepared to deflect negatives away from himself. He obviously has been a Cheika teflon player, certainly evidenced by Chek by not picking the best 7 available so many times. The Pooper worked well at the RWC but not so much since. Hooper always maintained the 7 spot and the bloke who is not an 8, played 8.

Players are not stupid. Players pick up on the nuances. To be off a per cent or 2 or 3 changes the results of team sports.

A mate of mine who played with Eales said he was a very good rugby player (not great in the true sense of the word) but was a superb leader and captain, so much respected by his peers both on the field and off. That "culture" or inclusiveness by the whole group made a huge difference.

I genuinely wish Hooper to be a successful captain and leader but I fear that may not be the case. We shall see..

 

[Joe Blow]

Hooper is hands down the best candidate right now and has had some experience in the role. Not all positive mind you.
Surely he has grown and will continue to grow into the position and end up being a very good captain, hopefully within the next two years.
He names Foley, Coleman, Allaatoa and Kerevi as his likely leadership group which bodes well for moving on from where the team is now.

 

[fatprop]

Locks.
Coleman & Carter
Arnold & Douglas

Piece in Fox on Douglas, there is a story of redemption building

https://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/...y/news-story/da7b1aa0d0333b308ea33f304676f062

I think he will be the forth lock for the next few games and competing with Carter for the bench spot. In form he can do all that Carter can do but a little angrier

 

[gel]

I'd be surprised if Hooper ends up being a good captain for the wallabies.

However David Lord and Spiro have both written articles.critical of his appointment and they are almost always wrong, so perhaps that augers well.........

 

[Scrubber2050]

The problem for Cheika was that there are no stand outs.

Hooper nearly gets the job by default.

I just don't get what Cheika doesn't see in Foley. There must be something.

 

[Highlander35]

 

[fatprop]

The problem for Cheika was that there are no stand outs.

Hooper nearly gets the job by default.

I just don't get what Cheika doesn't see in Foley. There must be something.

apart from being the best 10 by miles in the country?

 

[fatprop]

I'd be surprised if Hooper ends up being a good captain for the wallabies.

However David Lord and Spiro have both written articles.critical of his appointment and they are almost always wrong, so perhaps that augers well...

my concern was that Alan Jones said it was a good decision, something about a leader by example

 

[Scrubber2050]

^^^^^^
Agreed (as I have said for a long time).

But as a Captain, what's wrong with the bloke ?

 

[Braveheart81]

^^^^^^
Agreed (as I have said for a long time).

But as a Captain, what's wrong with the bloke ?

He's been named as part of the leadership group so my guess is nothing is wrong with the bloke.

Plenty of people seem to be coming from a position that Cheika must or should have been doing everything to find an alternative option to Hooper and take a punt on them.

I think the reality is clearly that Hooper is the best candidate by some distance at this point in time.

 

[Scrubber2050]

Of course he is

 

[fatprop]

I think the reality is clearly that Hooper is the best candidate by some distance at this point in time.

I think he would look to be a much better captain if we were winning, whilst we aren't, he gets blamed for everything from the temperature of the pies at the kiosk to global warming

 

[wamberal]

The thing that worries me a bit about Hooper being captain is that this might mean the return of Cockahoop. Having a comparative lightweight at 8 just will not work, IMHO.