The Wallabies Thread

[fatprop]

Except Lance was told he wasn’t in line for the Wallabies hence he took a short term contract and is even considering taking an OS contract if anything comes of his time in Europe.

Quade agreed to play for Alan Jones because he hadn’t heard anything from Cheika.

I am sure Quade has been made well aware of what he has to work on

 

[TSR]

With Rodda out it’ll be interesting who gets called in to the EOYT squad.

Edit: I guess they may just settle with Coleman, Simmons, Tui & Arnold but with Tui being seen as being a back up 6 I wonder if they’ll also bring someone else like Philip in.

 

[Derpus]

This is true. But at least he does eventually drop them when he realises that they're not ready, Hanigan, or never will be which is a step up from sticking with them. He does find some gems occasionally though. I thought Coleman was a bit green to be in the test team last year but he's a world class player now.

This is so obviously not what has been happening. He's been building depth because we had none. He even came out and said he's happy with the depth he's been able to build in the squad.

 

[Brumby Runner]

I'd like to see Matt Philip get an opportunity. He has been in great form at both Super and NRC levels this year. And I won't even get upset if it turns out he is a Tah next season.

FP re "I am sure Quade has been made well aware of what he has to work on". I am sure that is just standard Cheika bullshit that he may or may not tell each player he drops or ignores but which he certainly tells the press. I do wonder why certain players can have very ordinary games and not be given the classic opportunity to return to NRC/club to improve exactly where they've been told the areas to work on, while others seem to be recalled after showing not an inkling of any improvement in their form.

 

[fatprop]

With Rodda out it’ll be interesting who gets called in to the EOYT squad.

Edit: I guess they may just settle with Coleman, Simmons, Tui & Arnold but with Tui being seen as being a back up 6 I wonder if they’ll also bring someone else like Philip in.

I think Tui should start this next match, he may be getting time at 6, but to me, that is to make him a better bench option

 

[fatprop]

FP re "I am sure Quade has been made well aware of what he has to work on". I am sure that is just standard Cheika bullshit that he may or may not tell each player he drops or ignores but which he certainly tells the press.

And what evidence do you have of that?

From all the things I have read, Cheika is known to be rather honest with players, I would assume Larkham is quite approachable as well

 

[Scrubber2050]

And what evidence do you have of that?

From all the things I have read, Cheika is known to be rather honest with players, I would assume Larkham is quite approachable as well

FP
Now that is a funny post.

Chek is all but that (being "honest") to his players. He may be to his inner circle favourites but that's it.

He (and probably like most coaches), keep their powder pretty dry and will say certain things to "encourage" players to stay in Australia often to their financial detriment.

It seems nowadays most players take Chek's words with a grain of salt.

 

[Braveheart81]

Except Lance was told he wasn’t in line for the Wallabies hence he took a short term contract and is even considering taking an OS contract if anything comes of his time in Europe.

Surely this was good for all parties.

Presumably Lance was told there would need to be at least a couple of injuries to fly halves for him to be brought into the squad and on that basis it wasn't particularly likely to occur.

 

[Derpus]

Surely this was good for all parties.

Presumably Lance was told there would need to be at least a couple of injuries to fly halves for him to be brought into the squad and on that basis it wasn't particularly likely to occur.

Injuries to Foley and?

 

[Brumby Runner]

And what evidence do you have of that?

From all the things I have read, Cheika is known to be rather honest with players, I would assume Larkham is quite approachable as well

FP, I don't have any hard evidence, mainly just a vibe. But it was reported that he said to Latu to get fit but he hasn't been seen since, and he did play a few games before being injured. He reportedly told Rob Simmons what he had to do back in NRC but despite being almost invisible in his subsequent appearances, Simmons is back at the expense of the only lock other than Coleman to bring a good bit of aggression to the game. The most high profile case of course is Quade who was also reportedly told to go to NRC to improve, but hasn't been seen in the Wallabies all RC, even as backup. To me, there is a pattern.

 

[Braveheart81]

Injuries to Foley and?

I would assume Cooper would come into the squad before Lance.

An injury to Foley and Beale/Hodge would require Cheika to draft someone in.

FP, I don't have any hard evidence, mainly just a vibe. But it was reported that he said to Latu to get fit but he hasn't been seen since, and he did play a few games before being injured. He reportedly told Rob Simmons what he had to do back in NRC but despite being almost invisible in his subsequent appearances, Simmons is back at the expense of the only lock other than Coleman to bring a good bit of aggression to the game. The most high profile case of course is Quade who was also reportedly told to go to NRC to improve, but hasn't been seen in the Wallabies all RC, even as backup. To me, there is a pattern.

Latu rejoined the squad when Moore was absent when his wife was giving birth. He then had shoulder surgery.

Arnold is in the squad. The only point in time Arnold hasn't been in the squad was when he wasn't taken to Argentina.

 

[Derpus]

Lance has been better than Quade all year. I think Cheika has missed a trick on Lance, particularly with all this rhetoric on building depth which i tend to believe.

 

[gel]

I don't believe that focussing solely on Cheika for team selections is quite right. I imagine Larkham has quite a bit of say in the team makeup actually. I don't know about Grey or whoever the new scrum.coach is/will be,

There is a clear core of players that they favour, and I guess those guys fit their vision. They obviously get a fair amount of leniency. There are a group of other that are just not given the same leeway and it appears unfair (and it probably is), but the coaching group just don't need those players.

For example, Larkham structured attack style is going to lead to Foley being the 10 over QC (Quade Cooper) every day of the week. Foley is therefore going to have shit games sometimes and they will stock with him because he fits their plans. QC (Quade Cooper) woukd need to completely reinvent himself as an entirely different player to be in the mix.

Young prospects like Duncan are points of interest that have been begging for a look, but they are not going to be given a fair look as they are not the style of player that they're looking for. Why look at him at 12 when KB (Kurtley Beale) and Hunt are our 12s? "we'll just do the kid a great disservice and look at him in a role that he is several years away from undertaking and judge him on that - if it completeky fucks up his head space the same way it has with innumerable other sports people in the past - who cares" is their thought process as they have their core.

To me it fucking sucks - but that's just what it is. The coaching team have their core group, and the rest just have to deal with whatever comes their way (think "Kerevi, you're a great attacking centre so we want you to go out there and defend in the 10, 12 and 13 channels simultaneously even though we know you're not a defensive centre and never have been, because he can't have our 10 and 12 making any tackles, thank you")

And those that justify Cheika on these forums basically just say exactly that in their posts. But you guys don't see why to some of us it looks pretty shit.

 

[gel]

Holy shit, sorry that was a wall of text.

Tldr: no, you guys from NSW need to realise that the coaching team sucks a bit.

 

[Derpus]

Kerevi can't even defend the 13 channel mate, his preferred position.

 

[RugbyReg]

Lance has been better than Quade all year. I think Cheika has missed a trick on Lance, particularly with all this rhetoric on building depth which i tend to believe.

Lance has been largely disappointing this year and I am a long time advocate of his. But he was largely inconsistent and it ultimately resulted in him being benched come the latter stages of the season. I hope I am wrong, but I think Jono's chances may be reducing quickly.

 

[Derpus]

Lance has been largely disappointing this year and I am a long time advocate of his. But he was largely inconsistent and it ultimately resulted in him being benched come the latter stages of the season. I hope I am wrong, but I think Jono's chances may be reducing quickly.

True, he wasn't as good as he could have been but i'd say his Super season was still much better than Cooper's. Cooper being his direct rival for the non-existent number 2 spot.

 

[Killer]

I think he was only on the bench coming back from injury.
Grant made the most of his opportunity with the team having some good wins. As a result and rightly imo, Wessels kept Grant as the starter while they kept winning and he played well. Their styles were a nice blend too as it turned out.
Lance's Achilles heal is his constant injuries. I think he would be the ideal backup for Foley and to push him a bit.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

FP, I don't have any hard evidence, mainly just a vibe. But it was reported that he said to Latu to get fit but he hasn't been seen since, and he did play a few games before being injured. He reportedly told Rob Simmons what he had to do back in NRC but despite being almost invisible in his subsequent appearances, Simmons is back at the expense of the only lock other than Coleman to bring a good bit of aggression to the game. The most high profile case of course is Quade who was also reportedly told to go to NRC to improve, but hasn't been seen in the Wallabies all RC, even as backup. To me, there is a pattern.

I agree with your post fully, except I don't discern a pattern unless the pattern is if Cheika likes the cut of your jib then, hell, we don't even need a formal back up option in the squad let alone in the game day 23.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

I would assume Cooper would come into the squad before Lance.

An injury to Foley and Beale/Hodge would require Cheika to draft someone in.




Latu rejoined the squad when Moore was absent when his wife was giving birth. He then had shoulder surgery.

Arnold is in the squad. The only point in time Arnold hasn't been in the squad was when he wasn't taken to Argentina.

So if Foley goes down - KB (Kurtley Beale) moves to 10 and Hodge to 12? How long since KB (Kurtley Beale) has played 10 at test level? Why do we make 3 changes - possibly on the run? I think every other tier 1 nation carries a spare 10 who has been playing there because 3 changes to a backlit in a test probably is not the way to go. Still Foley is incredibly durable.