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The Wallabies Thread

Up the Guts

Steve Williams (59)
Over the past few games Sio has been looking the best I have ever seen him. If anyone saw the clip on AAA on Kick and Chase you can see the leadership and experience Sio brings to the set piece. Sio, Taf, Kepu, Coleman, and Rodda/Phillip/Simmons would make a strong scrum.
 

dru

David Wilson (68)
Picks itself and is quite a strong front 3. How often in history can the Wobblies say that?


It's a novelty, a good one. I think the strength in the lock options is also a novelty. OTOH we still have the same loose forward conundrum.
 

fatprop

George Gregan (70)
Staff member
It's a novelty, a good one. I think the strength in the lock options is also a novelty. OTOH we still have the same loose forward conundrum.


With a set of tight forwards who can actually put in a decent session it is less of a conundrum
 
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Derpus

Nathan Sharpe (72)
I'd be happy with some combination of:

Hooper
Pocock
Timu
Dempsey
Tui
Hanigan

Probably with Tui and Hanigan on the bench.
 

Derpus

Nathan Sharpe (72)
So, you'd drop one of Hooper, Pocock, Timu or Dempsey altogether Derpus? Which one?

Can't choose but probably Dempsey or Timu.

Edit: actually, for the Ireland tests in particular, i would keep whoever is the better jumper. I fully expect us to be throwing it in in our own 22 a lot.
 
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Killer

Cyril Towers (30)
Can't choose but probably Dempsey or Timu.


interestingly Hooper and Pocock seem to be morphing into each other, trying to replicate each others strong points. My guess is soon one of them is going to do himself out of a job. In saying that I barely watch any super rugby now, just gathered from snippets.
 

Brumby Runner

Jason Little (69)
Assuming Dempsey makes it back in time, I'd prefer 6 Dempsey, 7 Pocock, 8 Timu.

If not, then I'd prefer to see Timu kept at 8 and Pocock at 7 with 6 up for grabs. Maybe then a workaholic like Hanigan might complement (notice the "e" not in like saying how good the others are, ie compliment) the other two.
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
I reckon Timu's performances have gone backwards at a rate of knots since a dominant game against the Jaguares. He is losing the ball too often in contact in particular.

I'd probably still have him in my 23 (as the bench backrower) but his chances of being the starting 8 are slipping fast in my opinion.
 

TSR

Andrew Slack (58)
He’s come off the boil a bit. ‘Backward at a rate of knots’ is a bit over the top IMO. And he was pretty bloody outstanding for the first couple of rounds so, to some extent, the only way was likely to be down.

He offers us something in the backrow that no one else gives us at the moment and which we haven’t had since Palu retired.

The two biggest obstacles he faces are whether he can maintain form in what is his first full super rugby season (when, invariably players start like firecrackers but struggle as the season progresses) and the fact that he is not a prominent line out jumper and two of the backrowers are likely to be Pocock & Hooper.
 

KOB1987

John Eales (66)
He’s come off the boil a bit. ‘Backward at a rate of knots’ is a bit over the top IMO. And he was pretty bloody outstanding for the first couple of rounds so, to some extent, the only way was likely to be down.

He offers us something in the backrow that no one else gives us at the moment and which we haven’t had since Palu retired.

The two biggest obstacles he faces are whether he can maintain form in what is his first full super rugby season (when, invariably players start like firecrackers but struggle as the season progresses) and the fact that he is not a prominent line out jumper and two of the backrowers are likely to be Pocock & Hooper.
Sounds like lopeti timani a couple of years ago
 

fatprop

George Gregan (70)
Staff member
He’s come off the boil a bit. ‘Backward at a rate of knots’ is a bit over the top IMO. And he was pretty bloody outstanding for the first couple of rounds so, to some extent, the only way was likely to be down.

He offers us something in the backrow that no one else gives us at the moment and which we haven’t had since Palu retired.

The two biggest obstacles he faces are whether he can maintain form in what is his first full super rugby season (when, invariably players start like firecrackers but struggle as the season progresses) and the fact that he is not a prominent line out jumper and two of the backrowers are likely to be Pocock & Hooper.


The hardest thing for most new players is to simply be consistent. Also to be at 80-90% while being wounded. By now, most players who have strung a serious of games together are being managed, taped and/or needled.

I always remember this axiom for an interview with Nathan Hindmarsh, he said the simple truth that so much of being a pro footballer is being able to just turn up each week and deliver, through the pain and mental fatigue of the season
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
He’s come off the boil a bit. ‘Backward at a rate of knots’ is a bit over the top IMO. And he was pretty bloody outstanding for the first couple of rounds so, to some extent, the only way was likely to be down.

He offers us something in the backrow that no one else gives us at the moment and which we haven’t had since Palu retired.

The two biggest obstacles he faces are whether he can maintain form in what is his first full super rugby season (when, invariably players start like firecrackers but struggle as the season progresses) and the fact that he is not a prominent line out jumper and two of the backrowers are likely to be Pocock & Hooper.


Yes, I probably over-egged the pudding there. I guess it is in reference to how good he looked at the start of the season and rather than continuing that progression towards winning the Wallaby number 8 jersey in June he's gone backwards a bit whereas Pocock has come back in brilliant form.
 

TSR

Andrew Slack (58)
The hardest thing for most new players is to simply be consistent. Also to be at 80-90% while being wounded. By now, most players who have strung a serious of games together are being managed, taped and/or needled.

I always remember this axiom for an interview with Nathan Hindmarsh, he said the simple truth that so much of being a pro footballer is being able to just turn up each week and deliver, through the pain and mental fatigue of the season
Agreed. And I guess my point to BHs post was that I feel Timu has been consistently very good - maybe just not as good as his first 3 games. To be honest I actually think he has been pretty close to that level, but hasn’t had the same opportunities because the team around him hasn’t been quite as good.

I noted your post in the Waratahs thread that Pocock is a better 8 than Timu. I agree, but only in the sense that Pocock is a much better player than Timu (and everyone else) and is used to wear the 8 jersey.

I look at Timu and I see a guy who, on current form, is in our best 3 backrowers at the moment and who brings a skill set that the Wallabies have been sorely lacking.

The problem though is that Hooper & Pocock are are two best forwards and are proven at test level and none of them are noted line out jumpers. I still think that Cheika might be prepared to run with them as a unit though on the basis that two of Coleman, Rodda & Phillip are good jumpers and Timu & Hooper can be used if required (I personally think we’d struggle without a genuine third option but Cheika has always seemed willing to compromise the lineout for other parts of the game).

But I also half expect Timu to drop off a bit - simply because almost every first year player does.
 

fatprop

George Gregan (70)
Staff member
Agreed. And I guess my point to BHs post was that I feel Timu has been consistently very good - maybe just not as good as his first 3 games. To be honest I actually think he has been pretty close to that level, but hasn’t had the same opportunities because the team around him hasn’t been quite as good.

I noted your post in the Waratahs thread that Pocock is a better 8 than Timu. I agree, but only in the sense that Pocock is a much better player than Timu (and everyone else) and is used to wear the 8 jersey.

I look at Timu and I see a guy who, on current form, is in our best 3 backrowers at the moment and who brings a skill set that the Wallabies have been sorely lacking.

The problem though is that Hooper & Pocock are are two best forwards and are proven at test level and none of them are noted line out jumpers. I still think that Cheika might be prepared to run with them as a unit though on the basis that two of Coleman, Rodda & Phillip are good jumpers and Timu & Hooper can be used if required (I personally think we’d struggle without a genuine third option but Cheika has always seemed willing to compromise the lineout for other parts of the game).

But I also half expect Timu to drop off a bit - simply because almost every first year player does.


I wouldn't be too concerned with Timu being in the mix to play with Hooper & Pocock. But I think it is most likely to be a squad role to start and a bench option at best

I agree that the mix has to be gotten right, that that end, I don't think Hanigan fits with the Pooper as well as other like Timu. I expect Pocock to play the tight role Hanigan filled last season. Timu, Dempsey (or another) will positioned wider as was McMahon last season
 
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Up the Guts

Steve Williams (59)
I see Timu and Ben Lam from the Hurricanes as having had pretty similar seasons and chances at selection. In Lam's case he's scored a heap of tries in a stellar few games but it's unlikely that he'll be able to unseat Rieko Ioane at 11 in the ABs and he's not going to be picked at 14 alongside Ioane as it leaves NZ with two wingers who aren't noted kickers. In Timu's case he's been the big ball carrying 8 we've lacked but again as Hooper and Pocock are two of our finest players it's unlikely Timu is going to unseat one of them on the back of a few good Super games and his lineout deficiencies mean it is unlikely he will be picked alongside the Pooper.
 
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