Wallabies 2018 Spring Tour

[Slim 293]

Depends on the opposition. Genuinely think the ABs have Pocock covered, and he's a bit of a one trick pony. Hooper is faster, more mobile, is equally as good in defence, links better, etc.

I don't really think that's true............

Pocock has consistently been one of our best on ground when he's played against the AB's, and I think it's rather disingenuous to regard him as a "one trick pony."

Hooper is certainly more mobile, faster........ but Pocock's linking game is every bit as good.

But I can't recall Hooper being any "better" against the AB's - particularly in our most recent wins against them when the standouts have been Dempsey, McMahon, and Pocock before that.

 

[southsider]

I just can't get around Dempsey, ok in lineouts, ok at bending the line, ok at over the ball........i struggle to find a point of difference with him

 

[Strewthcobber]

I just can't get around Dempsey, ok in lineouts, ok at bending the line, ok at over the ball....i struggle to find a point of difference with him

Does he need a point of difference? Isn't "better than every other alternative" enough?

 

[Up the Guts]

I just can't get around Dempsey, ok in lineouts, ok at bending the line, ok at over the ball....i struggle to find a point of difference with him

I think his running game is far better than anyone else we currently have available.

 

[Slim 293]

I quite rate Dempsey, and I think going forward it would be ideal to team him up with Pocock and an 8 who is a decent lineout jumper - possibly Naisarani, but we won't find out if that will work until next year.

Dempsey would probably be a much better 4th lineout option than Hooper or Pocock.........

But I doubt Hooper will ever be dropped from the starting team.

 

[southsider]

Does he need a point of difference? Isn't "better than every other alternative" enough?

no thats more than enough, although i dont think he is categorically accepted as the best option to have in our first choice backrow

 

[fatprop]

Happy to see an upgrade on the Pooper, but at the moment we are struggling to find an adequate 6, let alone a 6 & 8.

On this years form Pocock is a better 8 than anyone we have, Naisarani wasn't great this season

 

[Bobby Sands]

Depends on the opposition. Genuinely think the ABs have Pocock covered, and he's a bit of a one trick pony. Hooper is faster, more mobile, is equally as good in defence, links better, etc.

Against the northern sides i'd start Pocock where he's more likely to be effective at the breakdown and the games are tighter.

No words.

David at 7 with all players available (Dempsey, Naisarani, in a fairy tale McMahon) is just so eye-wateringly obvious.

With regards to the other discussion about Dempsey, I am extremely optimistic about him. Great size, great mobilty and footwork, but most importantly am abrasive nature that relishes contact and that can't be taught.

I do agree with you Derpus that a backrow of Hooper/Po, Dempsey, and Naisarani looks like the World Cup backrow at this point. Adding McMahon to this mix would actually take our backrow from a barely Super Rugby standard loose-forward contingent, to a world-class asset.

Heres hoping.

ASY (Angus Scott-Young), Valetini, Luke Jones etc to hopefully grow another leg next year and be knocking on that door as well.

 

[RugbyReg]

someone else proposed it but a backrow of 6 Fardy, 7 Pocock, 8 McMahon makes my mouth water, particularly with Hooper coming on from the bench. I have no idea whether Fardy is still up to it. How's he going? Slowing down?

Then the proposed one of 6 Dempsey, 7 Pocock, 8 Naisirani is exciting too. Although I think we may find better options than Dempsey down the track. It may be Luke Jones but I'd like to see Matt Philip have a shot there

 

[Slim 293]

someone else proposed it but a backrow of 6 Fardy, 7 Pocock, 8 McMahon makes my mouth water, particularly with Hooper coming on from the bench. I have no idea whether Fardy is still up to it. How's he going? Slowing down?

He was nominated for European player of the year a few months back, and helped Leinster win the Heineken Cup........... so he couldn't be going too bad?

 

[southsider]

im still not against Lukhan playing number 6, i like having a bigger backrow to start and a smaller one finishing. Although playing 2nd row for Queensland doesnt help his chances

 

[Up the Guts]

No words.

David at 7 with all players available (Dempsey, Naisarani, in a fairy tale McMahon) is just so eye-wateringly obvious.

With regards to the other discussion about Dempsey, I am extremely optimistic about him. Great size, great mobilty and footwork, but most importantly am abrasive nature that relishes contact and that can't be taught.

I do agree with you Derpus that a backrow of Hooper/Po, Dempsey, and Naisarani looks like the World Cup backrow at this point. Adding McMahon to this mix would actually take our backrow from a barely Super Rugby standard loose-forward contingent, to a world-class asset.

Heres hoping.

ASY (Angus Scott-Young), Valetini, Luke Jones etc to hopefully grow another leg next year and be knocking on that door as well.

I’m hopeful about those last three you mention but don’t think they’re much of a chance for the World Cup. Post World Cup I think we could easily see Valetini and Dempsey as our 8 and 6.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Happy to have Dempsey back in the saddle and he does add something different to the back row. He's a more abrasive player, as BS says, which is one thing the Wallabies need in the back row. There has been a distinct lack of a larger bodied line bending forward who can also dominate at the tackle area and he's developing into exactly that. Needs to be someone in the second row to do the same thing as well, though Coleman mostly fits the bill.

 

[Derpus]

Happy to have Dempsey back in the saddle and he does add something different to the back row. He's a more abrasive player, as BS says, which is one thing the Wallabies need in the back row. There has been a distinct lack of a larger bodied line bending forward who can also dominate at the tackle area and he's developing into exactly that. Needs to be someone in the second row to do the same thing as well, though Coleman mostly fits the bill.

He used to. Hasn't seemed as good this year, except in the first Ireland test where he really dominated.

Maybe he's just playing too much footy?

 

[Strewthcobber]

someone else proposed it but a backrow of 6 Fardy, 7 Pocock, 8 McMahon makes my mouth water, particularly with Hooper coming on from the bench. I have no idea whether Fardy is still up to it. How's he going? Slowing down?

Then the proposed one of 6 Dempsey, 7 Pocock, 8 Naisirani is exciting too. Although I think we may find better options than Dempsey down the track. It may be Luke Jones but I'd like to see Matt Philip have a shot there

Fardy has been playing lock for Leinster (and Jones for Bordeaux before he was released). He's played that role well, and was even captain on the weekend against the Kings, but the requirements are a fair bit different compared to what he'd be asked to do under a Cheilks 1-3-3-1 structure.

 

[Strewthcobber]

He used to. Hasn't seemed as good this year, except in the first Ireland test where he really dominated.

Maybe he's just playing too much footy?

He's been playing with a cracked sternum I think? Hasn't been his best year in gold unfortunately

 

[Derpus]

He's been playing with a cracked sternum I think? Hasn't been his best year in gold unfortunately

The bone or the cartilage? If it's just the cartilage then the pain isn't really severe. If it was the actual bone im surprised hes playing with it.

 

[Dctarget]

Fardy, Pocock, McMahon sounds great but sadly it will never happen.
6. Dempsey 7. Hooper 8. Pocock is the best combination from what we have available.
The other hypotheticals seem great because they haven't had the chance yet to let us down.
You're all joking if you think (outside Pocock and Dempsey) that we have better available players than Hooper. The kid is a machine and has outperformed all his competition in Aus.

 

[Strewthcobber]

The bone or the cartilage? If it's just the cartilage then the pain isn't really severe. If it was the actual bone im surprised hes playing with it.

Don't know. From my experience injured sternums are fine as long as you don't sneeze, cough or breath heavily!

“I had a number of local anaesthetics.
“And then this year I probably played six weeks with another cracked sternum.
“So I’d been injecting that for a little bit.
“It was definitely a frustrating time in my career because trying to play with an injury is definitely tough.
“A lot of people play with worse injuries than that.
“I was just trying to put my best foot forward for the team.
“It’s something that I’ll always do for whatever team I’m playing for — to put my body on the line and that’s something that I pride myself on.”

 

[Slim 293]

Fardy, Pocock, McMahon sounds great but sadly it will never happen.
6. Dempsey 7. Hooper 8. Pocock is the best combination from what we have available.
The other hypotheticals seem great because they haven't had the chance yet to let us down.
You're all joking if you think (outside Pocock and Dempsey) that we have better available players than Hooper. The kid is a machine and has outperformed all his competition in Aus.

But that leaves us worse off in the lineout than where we're at now.........

I think the tough decision finally needs to be made that while Pocock and Hooper might be the two best backrowers in the country, we can only start with one of them.

In my opinion it's pretty clear which one should start, buuuuuuuuuuuut that's not going to happen.