Going way, way ahead to 2019 (age in 2019 in brackets)..
1. Sio (28) - looks like he has the talent now to possibly be our best ever prop. Like any young player he has things to work on but the sky looks the limit. Could have well over 50 caps by this point and be entering his prop-prime.
2. Hanson (31) - with Moore on his way down and TPN always a chance of an injury, I think we'll see Hanson racking up a healthy amount of test caps before 2019. Probably our form hooker of Super Rugby this year, Hanson can seriously play and with some extended time in gold could become one of the world's better rakes.
3. Tupou (23) - the first sort of a stretch call. He looked good in Premier Grade this year, has been an absolute bullock for Qld Country and his running game looks legit. With Paul Alo-Emile going elsewhere and Holmesy getting long in the tooth, I think Tupou might be our future at THP. Probably our most uncertain position going forward.
4. Simmons (30) - cops a lot of flak but was generally very good at RWC 2015. By this stage could be a centurion caps-wise. Obviously has stuff to work on his game.
5. Douglas (30) - back in Australia, back in gold. Will have to overcome a fairly serious knee injury but his mongrel will serve him well in this new era of Australian rugby.
6. Lolo Fakaosilea (24) - hasn't really had his chance yet in Super Rugby but was rated as better than Sean McMahon while they were running around at school. A high workrate, big hitter type player, I think he could thrive in the professional game once he earns his chance. Obviously McMahon will probably get the first shot at the 6 jumper once Fardy moves on and has some runs on the board already.
7. Hooper (27) - already a 50 test cap player at 23, will be a centurion by the time we hit Japan. Would like to see him add more pilfering to his game but he was superb in the RWC Final, like he has been for most of his time in gold.
8. Pocock (Capt.) (31) - the world's best player right now, if he can stay out of injury trouble Pocock will notch up a century of caps and put himself on Australia's Mt. Rushmore of players with Eales and Co. I think Pocock will be captain by this point. He puts the team on his back and will get experience in the same role at the Brumbies.
9. Stirzaker (28) - This jumper will be Nick Phipps' to lose but I think Stirzaker might have more upside as a player. His passing game is excellent, has the right amount of niggle for a halfback and is a crafty player.
10. Foley (30) - Grew in stature all throughout the RWC and has started to put in more and more consistent performances for the Wallabies. Kicking has grown to be a strong suit for him. Has a mortgage on the gold 10 right now, but Jack Debreczeni looks to have talent in spades and Quade Cooper will return from France eager for another shot.
11. Andrew Kellaway (23) - one of the best schoolboy players of recent years, Kellaway has big raps on him and the Waratahs might even play him in 2016 with Naiyaravoro moving on. Highly talented and could be a long term player in the Wallaby backline a la Adam Ashley-Cooper.
12. Matt To'omua (29) - unlucky not to play more of a role in this World Cup due to the return and superb form of Matt Giteau, but To'omua will be both a Brumbies and Wallabies leader moving forward. 10/10 defender, excellent ball handler, good kicker and an ample runner, To'omua could also end up being a Wallaby flyhalf if Foley and Co. don't turn out.
13. Tevita Kuridrani (28) - never really regathered his 2014 form in 2015 (possibly hampered by injury), but finished a superb try in the RWC Final to put Australia back in the winning picture and has all the makings of an excellent Test centre. Some more pressure on him from other alternatives would be good to push his game to new heights, but really excited about what the future holds for TK.
14. Henry Speight (31) - I think we've only scratched the surface of Speight as a test player. A bustling ball runner at his best, work with Bernie Larkham at the Brumbies will help him develop (hopefully) a kicking game and a better ability to read and insert himself into the game. Others will challenge for the wing spots (Horne, Tomane, even Chris Kuridrani at the Reds) but for now Speight is my bet.
15. Israel Folau (30) - hard to believe Izzy will only be 30. The 15 jersey is his unless mungo ball rears its ugly head and tempts him back, which I think gets more and more unlikely as he plays longer in union. Izzy loves the international stage which loigue simply cannot offer.
16. ?
17. James Slipper - already Australia's most capped prop, the Reds skipper will likely have a ton to his name by this point.
18. ?
19. Will Skelton (27) - Still only a really young player, perhaps Skelton has been rushed into the international game before he was ready. Another 4 years should see him round into a better player and an asset into the Wallabies if he can stop doing dumb shit and use his size as an asset.
20. ?
21. Nick Phipps (30)
22. ?
23. ?
We're going to be saying goodbye to a lot of guys who (somewhat unfairly) will be lumped in with one of the least successful periods in Australian rugby history - Palu, McCalman, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) etc. New blood will come through. The best part is that we have sorted out our coaching fiasco and actually have some adults in charge. Hopefully the game grows from strength to strength, we develop our young talent and we're primed to bring Bill home in 2019.
