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The Wallabies Thread

KOB1987

KOB1987

John Eales (66)
Peter Toohey said:
that is one cooked out squad. im sure the actual match day 23 will be fine, but this isnt great. Powell is a good scrumhalf in the 3 super rugby games hes played. Palu is an awful choice, Mumm hasnt shown any consistent form, Leroy Houston doesnt make much sense when young blokes here are sticking their hand up eg. Holloway, Browning, Timani.
unfortunately i think hes picked our best backs other then powell

im sure the actual match day 23 will look something like:

4. Simmons
5. Horwill/Coleman/Arnold/Carter?

19. Skelton
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Maybe he hasn't at Super Rugby but Cheika's use of him at lock differs from how the Tahs are using him at 6. He's the incumbent starting lock from the RWC final, Cheika values that and I think you'll find he'll be in the 23.
 
Gillys_ghost

Gillys_ghost

Dave Cowper (27)
KOB1987 said:
Maybe he hasn't at Super Rugby but Cheika's use of him at lock differs from how the Tahs are using him at 6. He's the incumbent starting lock from the RWC final, Cheika values that and I think you'll find he'll be in the 23.
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sure but hes also 32 and wont be around next RWC, or if he is i doubt he will be good enough to play for the wallabies. Being fair his selection upon review isn't that bad. i would have picked Jones, or Neville instead but it does make some sense. i just expected Cheiks to go with a conservative match day 23 (which i still expect) but to use this as a chance to expose some young blokes who have earned it
 
Highlander35

Highlander35

Steve Williams (59)
Peter Toohey said:
anyone know what Naiyavoros form has been like for Glasgow?
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middling. He's our top tryscorer, but eventually found himself outside the starting 15 due to Lee Jones' purple patch of 15s form (suiting Glasgow's style of play immensely more than TQ) and then the desire for the defensive capabilities of Sean Lamont, with Seymour being easily the first picked winger.

Same issues as over here. Body just on the wrong side of unfit massive vs Dominating massive, defensive work somewhat poor, hands can be poor.
 
Braveheart81

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
Peter Toohey said:
sure but hes also 32 and wont be around next RWC, or if he is i doubt he will be good enough to play for the wallabies. Being fair his selection upon review isn't that bad. i would have picked Jones, or Neville instead but it does make some sense. i just expected Cheiks to go with a conservative match day 23 (which i still expect) but to use this as a chance to expose some young blokes who have earned it
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Cheika has picked 10 uncapped players in his squad of 39 including 2 uncapped locks.

It's not really surprising he has opted to retain experience over inexperience in other selection decisions.
 
Groucho

Groucho

Greg Davis (50)
USARugger said:
No.

He's been a standout at Bath for the last few years and already plays almost exactly how Cheika coached Pocock to play at 8. Our depth at 8 has been really poor for several years as well - especially in terms of the type of player Cheika wants in that position.

With Vaea gone there's really not another Number 8 in Australia that can fill in as the roleplayer that Cheika likely wants at 8 if Pocock or Hooper get injured.

It doesn't hurt that you don't have to sacrifice a lineout jumping spot to include a dynamic ball carrier if Houston slots in.
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Those are very good arguments. I'm coming round.
 
Groucho

Groucho

Greg Davis (50)
TSR said:
I feel sorry for Curtis Browning though. I can't see him sticking around for Qld in light of this.
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That's a real problem with Australian rugby. Young players upping and leaving if they don't get selected fast enough. It's an attitude problem: they simply don't value national selection in the way players used to. Although maybe past players would also have naffed off inthe same way if the same foreign money-making opportuinities were there. It's an indictment, regardless.
 
Gillys_ghost

Gillys_ghost

Dave Cowper (27)
Braveheart81 said:
Cheika has picked 10 uncapped players in his squad of 39 including 2 uncapped locks.

It's not really surprising he has opted to retain experience over inexperience in other selection decisions.
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the problem i have is more to do with the Experienced players he has picked. does anyone actually see a benefit to selecting Palu? he wont get any game time (Hopefully) and hes not there to help mentor any of our younger blokes cause we didnt pick any younger no.8s. Does anyone actually think Powells selection is justified? it really isnt that bad, and i reckon he chose the best backs considering our injuries other then powell.
 
Gillys_ghost

Gillys_ghost

Dave Cowper (27)
Groucho said:
Tim Horan, Mat Giteau and Tatafu Polota Nau were all picked after a grand total of zero provincial games. They turned out okay.
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i mean if he ends up being half as good as any of those blokes then it will be great, but those selections dont justify this one. it really doesnt matter because i highly doubt powell will get any game time, but it just seems to be a slap in the face to the blokes in Melbourne who have been around longer and Meehans form this year is a lot more impressive then Powells good performances off the bench.
 
Braveheart81

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
Peter Toohey said:
the problem i have is more to do with the Experienced players he has picked. does anyone actually see a benefit to selecting Palu? he wont get any game time (Hopefully) and hes not there to help mentor any of our younger blokes cause we didnt pick any younger no.8s. Does anyone actually think Powells selection is justified? it really isnt that bad, and i reckon he chose the best backs considering our injuries other then powell.
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You're creating a big issue out of two players picked in a 39 player squad.

Presumably Cheika does think Palu will add something to his squad. Perhaps he wouldn't have been selected if other players had been available like Vaea or Holloway.
 
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Gillys_ghost

Gillys_ghost

Dave Cowper (27)
Braveheart81 said:
You're creating a big issue out of two players picked in a 39 player squad.

Presumably Cheika does think Palu will add something to his squad. Perhaps he wouldn't have been selected if other players had been available like Vaea or Holloway.
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i'm not meaning to create a big issue, cause i don't think any of the contentious players are actually going to get any game time. thats the problem with the internet i guess since you cant really get a feel for the emotions behind what is said. and i think Horwill, Palu, Houston and Powell are bad selections, not just Palu and Powell.
 
Groucho

Groucho

Greg Davis (50)
Peter Toohey said:
i mean if he ends up being half as good as any of those blokes then it will be great, but those selections dont justify this one. it really doesnt matter because i highly doubt powell will get any game time, but it just seems to be a slap in the face to the blokes in Melbourne who have been around longer and Meehans form this year is a lot more impressive then Powells good performances off the bench.
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If the coach sees potential in a young player then surely that's sufficient cause for a bolter? It's not a Big Brother style of democracy of fans, yet, thank goodness. Who knows, Cheika might be right.
 
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