The Wallabies Thread

[upthereds#!]

Why would Coleman leave when he's obviously on a fast track to the Wallabies? Fast track meaning right-now-or-the-highway is so Gen-Y.

Kane Douglas - 27
Rob Simmons - 27
Will Skelton -24
Rory Arnold - 25
Sam Carter -26

Adam Coleman - 24

Hey I like Coleman, and I particularly don't like Carter..I'm sure Coleman will get a Wallaby cap, but in the current/future 2nd row rankings, who will he overtake and when?

 

[Viking]

Any? Tad hyperbolic. He's bloody good, but he isn't "best in world" good, which is really what that implies.

I never said starting team. What team wouldn't he make then? IMO He is close to to skills and impact of Cane and Savea but offers more pilfering ability. SA he has a great chance, again offers more pilfering ability. England a great chance. He offers something different - pilfering. But in Oz we don't need that, we already got Pocock, Hooper and Fardy.

Maybe not a regular starter in any other nation but I see him with at least 20+ caps by now in any other nation.

 

[USARugger]

Well, he has 15 caps for Australia

 

[Joe Blow]

It's highly unlikely that Cheika will throw Hunt into test rugby at 12, where he has hardly played. If anything I reckon he will be on the bench and come into the game in the second half when Izzy moves to 13.
Kerevi has good offloading skills.
I really hope we see a centre pairing of Kerevi and Kurindrani to start.

 

[Gnostic]

I think that is more a New South Welshman's interpretation than reality

Not really at the same time when they played club footy (as still happened back then occasionally) Whitaker started in front of him. Don't forget how slow the delivery got and the paces across field etc. He was selected for a reason and its hard to say it was on form in comparison to Whitaker

 

[Lindommer]

It's highly unlikely that Cheika will throw Hunt into test rugby at 12, where he has hardly played. If anything I reckon he will be on the bench and come into the game in the second half when Izzy moves to 13. Kerevi has good offloading skills. I really hope we see a centre pairing of Kerevi and Kurindrani (sic) to start.

If Oz are in front in the second half giving Izzy a run at 13 and Hunt at FB would be worth a look. JB, your starting alignment, 12 Kerevi/13 Kuridrani/15 Folau, has these blokes in positions they've mostly played. But, Izzy's feats the past few weeks at 13 are tempting, very tempting.

 

[Dave Beat]

Given the thread name "onwards".
I see Hodge as a good utility to have on the bench cover 10, 12, 13, 11,14, 15. Some may say year 1 to early.
Look back at Tim Horan, Jason Little, they cracked it first year and went on to be some of our best.
Plus its a few more years until the RWC - start building.

 

[wamberal]

I wish I could agree that Hodge might be in the same class as Horan and Little.


If Chubby goes with a 5/2 split, I doubt that he would go with Hodge. Hunt would be by far the safer option.


Hoeever, I was extremely impressed with Hodge's natural ability for the Marlins, and with proper handling his career will certainly encompass a fair share of Wallaby caps.


I would like to see him in a settled position for a while.

 

[Dave Beat]

I wish I could agree that Hodge might be in the same class as Horan and Little.


If Chubby goes with a 5/2 split, I doubt that he would go with Hodge. Hunt would be by far the safer option.


Hoeever, I was extremely impressed with Hodge's natural ability for the Marlins, and with proper handling his career will certainly encompass a fair share of Wallaby caps.


I would like to see him in a settled position for a while.

Yes those boys were in a very special class.
Horan would be one of my first choice in most generations, and would make most world xv's.

On the money with your post.

 

[Lindommer]

If Chubby goes with a 5/2 split.....

I reckon TGC will go with a 6/2 bench, can't see Cheik wasting a reserve player.

 

[Viking]

Well, he has 15 caps for Australia

Probably only about 100mins tho.

 

[wamberal]

I reckon TGC will go with a 6/2 bench, can't see Cheik wasting a reserve player.

Pick a nit, why don't you?

 

[Slim 293]

Not really at the same time when they played club footy (as still happened back then occasionally) Whitaker started in front of him. Don't forget how slow the delivery got and the paces across field etc. He was selected for a reason and its hard to say it was on form in comparison to Whitaker

Gregan was overall a much better player than Whitaker..........

Yeah, Whitaker had a quicker pass than Gregan in the latter years, but that's about it.............

The butthurt flowing out of the Tele during the mid 00's was always a fun read as Gregan was continually selected while they campaigned against him.

 

[Groucho]

Kane Douglas - 27
Rob Simmons - 27
Will Skelton -24
Rory Arnold - 25
Sam Carter -26

Adam Coleman - 24

Hey I like Coleman, and I particularly don't like Carter..I'm sure Coleman will get a Wallaby cap, but in the current/future 2nd row rankings, who will he overtake and when?

He has to overtake them by getting better than them, as all international players have had to do since the dawn of test rugby. I doubt that any professional sportsman sees older players as a queue thay can't jump.

 

[Lindommer]

Couldn't disagree more, Slim. Gregan in his latter years was uber crap, so slow I used to wander over to the voluminous beer lines for a shout as he paused over the pill. George was, usually, still ruminating what to do next when I returned. Gregan stayed FAR too long, to the detriment of Oz rugby.

To stick with one player through thick and thin, as the Oz rugby selectors did with Gregan, is/was very dangerous. No thought was taken into account if George went down injured fer instance. And the episode when Gregan flew back to Oz for the birth of one of his children between weekend commitments in Britain on an EoYT was weak in the extreme by the ARU. I don't know what Gregan had over the ARU/selectors but it must've been bloody good. The folly of staying with a player for too long, in this instance, Gregan, bit us on the arse at RWC2007.

And before I'm accused of being Tah-centric, I sincerely hope the ARU/selectors thing about this circumstance as it applies ATM with Foley. It is crucial we plan for his unavailability through injury.

 

[Slim 293]

Yeah, nah...........

Gregan was still the best halfback in Australia when he retired (granted, partly because there were no quality alternatives)..........

While his distribution had slowed down he was significantly better in every other facet of play than anyone else available..........

His continued selection was on merit, and it's ludicrous to suggest otherwise.

Anyways, that's history....... onto 2016................

 

[Lindommer]

Gregan was still the best halfback in Australia when he retired.....

Rubbish. As I said in my earlier post, I "Couldn't disagree more". Gregan's selfish stay in the 9 jumper put the Wallabies back so many years. In his latter years he simply wasn't good enough. The instance when George was injured allowing Whitaker to start in the quagmire at Wellington was indicative of his unbridled determination to hold on to the scrummie's spot at all costs. Gregan's selfish attitude wouldn't've cut the mustard in NZ.

 

[Slim 293]

Gregan's selfish attitude?

He was the coach and selector?

And of course Gregan was good enough...... he was the best halfback in the country - the alternatives were Whitaker (good pass, not much else - left in 2006), Cordingley (decent form on return in 2006 but struggled with fitness), and Giteau (not a halfback).

Even the Tele, despite being vehemently anti-Gregan, rated all the Aus halfbacks after every Super 14 game leading up to the 2007 RWC to try and justify their position, and Gregan still came out on top...........

 

[Viking]

Couldn't disagree more, Slim. Gregan in his latter years was uber crap, so slow I used to wander over to the voluminous beer lines for a shout as he paused over the pill. George was, usually, still ruminating what to do next when I returned. Gregan stayed FAR too long, to the detriment of Oz rugby.

To stick with one player through thick and thin, as the Oz rugby selectors did with Gregan, is/was very dangerous. No thought was taken into account if George went down injured fer instance. And the episode when Gregan flew back to Oz for the birth of one of his children between weekend commitments in Britain on an EoYT was weak in the extreme by the ARU. I don't know what Gregan had over the ARU/selectors but it must've been bloody good. The folly of staying with a player for too long, in this instance, Gregan, bit us on the arse at RWC2007.

And before I'm accused of being Tah-centric, I sincerely hope the ARU/selectors thing about this circumstance as it applies ATM with Foley. It is crucial we plan for his unavailability through injury.

Larkham getting injured bit us on the ass in RWC 2007.

 

[Slim 293]

Larkham getting injured bit us on the ass in RWC 2007.

And the scrum.........

And the breakdown.........

And the goal kicking.........