Wallabies 2019 Thread

[Benaud]

Not really. 5 Rodda 7 Hooper 9 Genia 12 Kerevi 13 Kuridrani would all be pretty certain too and I would be very surprised if Koroibete wasn’t 11. Nasirani at 8 is highly probable.

All of those bar Genia are on form.

I’d say the only positions which are really unclear are 6, 10, 14 & 15.

I dunno that Hooper or Naisarani are good things to start. One of them will but a lot depends on where Pocock is at - he could start in either of those positions.

Genia must be borderline too considering his recent form and Powell and White playing well. Kerevi I'd pick but I have a feeling Cheika will be considering Beale/Foley/Lilo there so who knows - depends on the style of inside centre they're after. Which then puts Kuridrani under a cloud if they consider pushing Kerevi to 13 to accommodate 2 play makers.

Rodda I'll grant, although it wouldn't shock me if he played in the back row.

The team just doesn't seem clear currently with so many previously likely selections outside the tight 5 out of form and previous smokey options on fire.

 

[Braveheart81]

Does that excuse him or minimise the offence BH?

It's does neither. It was a response in relation to the suggestion that Anzac Parade is one of the busiest streets in Sydney. It is, just not at 4:30am.

 

[BDA]

At this stage I don't know how anyone in their right mind could be selecting Cooper in the squad ahead of Lealiifano

 

[Braveheart81]

In 2015 Cheika named a 40 man squad at the start of the Rugby Championship. I'd expect similar this year:

Props: Sio, Slipper, Ala'alatoa, Kepu, Tupou, Robertson
Hookers: Fainga'a TPN, ???
Lock: Arnold, Rodda, Salakaia-Loto, Simmons, Coleman, Philip
Backrow: Hooper, Pocock, Jones, Naisarani, Dempsey, Hanigan, McCaffrey

Half: Genia, White, Phipps
Fly half: Foley, Leali'ifano, Cooper
Centres: Kerevi, Kuridrani, To'omua, Hodge, Ashley-Cooper, Petaia
Back three: Beale, DHP, Koroibete, Maddocks, Naivalu, Banks

 

[RugbyReg]

Agree with most of that.

Except AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper). He doesn't deserve selection. I'd pick Hodge, CFS, Meakes and Simone ahead of him.

 

[Up the Guts]

I’d have Valetini in the backrow as well.

 

[Braveheart81]

Agree with most of that.

Except AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper). He doesn't deserve selection. I'd pick Hodge, CFS, Meakes and Simone ahead of him.

I agree. I don't think AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) deserves selection either but I think he'll make this first squad for what he brings to that environment. I don't really mind that either.

I'll be upset if he ends up making the RWC squad though because that will be ridiculous.

 

[upthereds#!]

In 2015 Cheika named a 40 man squad at the start of the Rugby Championship. I'd expect similar this year:

Props: Sio, Slipper, Ala'alatoa, Kepu, Tupou, Robertson
Hookers: Fainga'a TPN, ???
Lock: Arnold, Rodda, Salakaia-Loto, Simmons, Coleman, Philip
Backrow: Hooper, Pocock, Jones, Naisarani, Dempsey, Hanigan, McCaffrey

Half: Genia, White, Phipps
Fly half: Foley, Leali'ifano, Cooper
Centres: Kerevi, Kuridrani, To'omua, Hodge, Ashley-Cooper, Petaia
Back three: Beale, DHP, Koroibete, Maddocks, Naivalu, Banks

I'd replace Phillips & Hanigan with Valetini and Samu. 3rd hooker to Uelese.

No way on this planet should Hanigan be in the final 31 man squad or even this 40.

- As a lock he is behind everyone - including Carter and Phillips and the utilities Tui and Jones
- As a blind side he is behind 4/5/6 utilities Tui and Jones, plus 6/8s who can jump - Mccaffrey, Higs
- As a player he is behind other larger backrows Dempsey, naisarani, valetini and samu. I'd take Swinton even over Hanigan.

 

[Braveheart81]

I left out Samu by accident. He will absolutely be in the 40 man squad. I'm less convinced about Valetini.

 

[cyclopath]

I'd replace Phillips & Hanigan with Valetini and Samu. 3rd hooker to Uelese.

No way on this planet should Hanigan be in the final 31 man squad or even this 40.

- As a lock he is behind everyone - including Carter and Phillips and the utilities Tui and Jones
- As a blind side he is behind 4/5/6 utilities Tui and Jones, plus 6/8s who can jump - Mccaffrey, Higs
- As a player he is behind other larger backrows Dempsey, naisarani, valetini and samu. I'd take Swinton even over Hanigan.

I wouldn't be picking Hanigan either, but he's taller and heaver than Dempsey and Samu by some margin, and about the same height and weight as Valetini.

 

[Braveheart81]

At this stage I doubt either Hanigan or Dempsey will make the RWC squad but they will make a 40 man squad over an uncapped player that is equally unlikely to make the RWC squad.

I don't see McCaffrey and Valetini both making a 40 man squad.

 

[RoffsChoice]

Valetini has done well to come back from injury, but he's a player with potential, not a player who's ready now. Think about him for the 2023 world cup, not 2019.

 

[Up the Guts]

At this stage I doubt either Hanigan or Dempsey will make the RWC squad but they will make a 40 man squad over an uncapped player that is equally unlikely to make the RWC squad.

I don't really understand that logic. If neither of them has much of a chance at the WC squad then why would you choose the guy who got a few caps when there were no other options at 6? Surely you choose the guy with more talent/potential with less experience to build up his experience.

Anyway, Cheika has mentioned Valetini a number of times when discussing the backrow this year and took him on the EOY tour last year. He clearly rates him. I don't even think it's that far-fetched he'd be making the WC squad.

 

[Braveheart81]

I don't really understand that logic. If neither of them has much of a chance at the WC squad then why would you choose the guy who got a few caps when there were no other options at 6? Surely you choose the guy with more talent/potential with less experience to build up his experience.

Anyway, Cheika has mentioned Valetini a number of times when discussing the backrow this year and took him on the EOY tour last year. He clearly rates him. I don't even think it's that far-fetched he'd be making the WC squad.

At this point I think those guys are a couple of spots outside of the RWC squad. I think they're more of a chance than the uncapped player though.

Valetini may make the squad based on interest from Cheika previously. If that's the case then I think McCaffrey might miss out.

Generally I don't think there will be many players who have consistently made squads in the last couple of years that will miss the initial squad. They certainly won't miss out to players who are unlikely to make the final RWC squad.

 

[Up the Guts]

I don't think we really have the luxury of picking guys based on experience given the results we've had the last few years. We need our best players in the team, if they're inexperienced so be it. In the case of McCaffery, I think he's clearly mature enough to handle being called up to the Wallaby squad and we don't lose out having him there.

 

[Bobby Sands]

McKellar took on "some" of the forwards work, but ultimately I believe Fisher was still the forwards coach as well as defence coach...

No reason to disagree, but I reckon Scott Johnson has a pretty good idea of who is doing what.

 

[Slim 293]

No reason to disagree, but I reckon Scott Johnson has a pretty good idea of who is doing what.

My post was mainly a response to BR, but in regards to the maul - McKellar would surely be the architect of that as it was something that was implemented when Fisher left and McKellar was forwards coach under Bernie.

 

[upthereds#!]

I wouldn't be picking Hanigan either, but he's taller and heaver than Dempsey and Samu by some margin, and about the same height and weight as Valetini.

Yeh sorry I meant other larger backrowers as in other backrowers that are large. Stupid english

 

[cyclopath]

Yeh sorry I meant other larger backrowers as in other backrowers that are large. Stupid english

Ah, got it. Makes more sense!

 

[Happy]

A mate of mine was on the transfer bus between Sydney International and Domestic on Friday. Raelene Castle and Michael Cheika were also on the bus. My mate doesn't follow rugby, but recognised them due to the Israel Folau saga.

He said Castle and Cheika spent the whole trip discussing and criticising various Australian players, and not for their playing ability. He didn't know the players, but he was surprised that they would publicly, in his words, "speak so unprofessionally." I thought it may have been Cheika justifying his dislike of certain players, but my mate insisted Castle was also speaking in the same way.