• Welcome to the forums of Green & Gold Rugby.
    We have recently made some changes to the amount of discussions boards on the forum.
    Over the coming months we will continue to make more changes to make the forum more user friendly for all to use.
    Thanks, Admin.

Wallabies 2019 Thread

Status
Not open for further replies.
molman

molman

Jim Lenehan (48)
barbarian said:
I don't know why, but I'm optimistic.

We'll have a new coach, who will hopefully be better at extracting talent out of our players.

While Arnold is a big loss, we have a solid forward pack who are currently chewing up everyone they face.

Kerevi is also a big loss, but there's enough talent to cobble together a half-decent backline - JOC (James O'Connor), Petaia, DHP, Koro, To'omua etc.

And we'll have the first of our crop of gun under 20s coming through, which will be great to see.
.
Click to expand...

Not to also mention we have a bunch of almost there players who might come good... the Maddocks, Banks, Philips, Jones, Valetini, (Liam) Wright etc... and even (Pete) Samu and Pulu. There is a lot of raw potential around. I mean players like Koro, Tolu and even Arnold to an extent have only looked really impressive this year.

Don't forget White will also be around and I feel like we have some 9's developing nicely. Gordon and Powell have looked good in NRC and resonable at Super level, but there is also a lot of younge talent about, McDermott has shown some real flair at times.

I'm also excited to see the next round of 10's come through. The Foley, Quade, CLL names have been around for a long time. Whilst I don't think there is anyone obvious putting their hand up yet (besides To'omua), it will be fun to see how they all go. Seeing Deegan up against Super competition or Mason finally show if his potential will be realised or even the younger generation of Wil Harrison or Lucas.

I'm sure it will all lead to many more extensive posts of selection debates... but I'm likewise optimistic and somewhat exciting for the changing of the guard (so to speak).
 
fatprop

fatprop

George Gregan (70)
Staff member
Not surprising

Cancer survivor Christian Lealiifano’s final season in Australia is being carefully managed by the Wallabies at the Rugby World Cup.

Strength and conditioning coach Brad Harrington revealed Lealiifano’s wellbeing is handled differently to the rest of the 31-man squad in Japan to cater for what his body has been through. ...................................................................

Harrington said Lealiifano was faster and stronger than before his cancer episode, which was a measure of his character.
However, Wallabies medical staff are vigilant over his wellbeing, allowing him greater recovery time from games, providing with more gym work and lighter training loads elsewhere.
“Obviously Christian’s a different case where we need to look at how he’s travelling with his health each week and manage him accordingly,” Harrington said.
Click to expand...

https://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/...c/news-story/519399e6c083f30d6726765d837cbdf2
 
fatprop

fatprop

George Gregan (70)
Staff member
TSR said:
If we can longer argue about Foley v Cooper OR Hooper v Pocock, will GAGR even have a reason to exist?
Click to expand...



Someone will always feel wronged through the obvious oppression of their Super Rugby team's players who are clearly being shunned, through no reason of their own, except for the clear bias and favoritism of the coach
 
TSR

TSR

Andrew Slack (58)
fatprop said:
Someone will always feel wronged through the obvious oppression of their Super Rugby team's players who are clearly being shunned, through no reason of their own, except for the clear bias and favoritism of the coach
Click to expand...

Exactly right. I blame NSW.
 
TSR

TSR

Andrew Slack (58)
I never really understood why people hate Gwyneth.

I guess she’s lucky she doesn’t play 10.
 
barbarian

barbarian

Phil Kearns (64)
Staff member
Another positive from a (thus far) disappointing campaign - Michael Hooper has clearly taken a step up as a leader.

Tactically I think he's making the right calls, and his composure was key in the second half of the Fiji game.

I am also becoming a fan of his referee communication. The conversation he had with Poite after the Kerevi penalty was robust but respectful, and far better than he's been previously.

While many were critical of him last season (myself included), I think he's gone to another level in this Cup and it's great to see.
 
fatprop

fatprop

George Gregan (70)
Staff member
barbarian said:
Another positive from a (thus far) disappointing campaign - Michael Hooper has clearly taken a step up as a leader.

Tactically I think he's making the right calls, and his composure was key in the second half of the Fiji game.

I am also becoming a fan of his referee communication. The conversation he had with Poite after the Kerevi penalty was robust but respectful, and far better than he's been previously.

While many were critical of him last season (myself included), I think he's gone to another level in this Cup and it's great to see.
Click to expand...

Yeah, there has been articles that he has been really working on his leadership development, being mentored and doing courses

I thought we could see it when he was volunteering to do extras with Latu at the Tahs
 
molman

molman

Jim Lenehan (48)
barbarian said:
Another positive from a (thus far) disappointing campaign - Michael Hooper has clearly taken a step up as a leader.

Tactically I think he's making the right calls, and his composure was key in the second half of the Fiji game.

I am also becoming a fan of his referee communication. The conversation he had with Poite after the Kerevi penalty was robust but respectful, and far better than he's been previously.

While many were critical of him last season (myself included), I think he's gone to another level in this Cup and it's great to see.
Click to expand...

On the negative I didn't like him in the post game media interview session. He seemed to have soaked up some of Cheika's surliness, in contrast Rory Best came across much more magnanimous in his interviews after the Ireland loss... but you are right, he does seem to be growing into the role and with Pocock virtually retiring this year I think the investment in him has been the right option.
 
U

Uh huh

Alfred Walker (16)
Brumby Runner said:
Did you not take any notice of Super Rugby this year RN? Or do you only take an interest in the Tahs? Simone spent most of the year at 12 for the Brumbies and really was the standout performer there after Kerevi in the four franchises.
Click to expand...

Simone spent the first half of this season taking turns with Tom Wright at being painfully fucking dreadful at 12.

To his credit, he finished the season strongly, and has carried some very good form into the NRC, but let's not kid ourselves that the latter is an indicator of test playing ability. He may yet grow into a great player, but two or three good Super Rugby games at 12 do not an international flyhalf make.
 
cyclopath

cyclopath

George Smith (75)
Staff member
Derpus said:
The thing that shits me the most is we finally have a pack that can match up to other countries in the set piece meanwhile we no longer have a backline.

Every time this team addresses a flaw they lose a strength. It's idiotic.
Click to expand...

I don't think we have necessarily had a great backline for a while. We've had players who have been great at times, and a massive bonus in the try-scoring stakes with Folau for a while, but it has been frequently brittle - one player suddenly out, or out of form, and it goes awry. Sure, when it has clicked, it has been great, but there have been plenty of flat spots. Not to mention players that seemingly cannot, or will not, be locked to a single position. We have been the place where utility players go to die!
Onwards and upwards, as BaaBaa said.
 
U

Uh huh

Alfred Walker (16)
molman said:
Whilst I don't think there is anyone obvious putting their hand up yet (besides To'omua), it will be fun to see how they all go. Seeing Deegan up against Super competition or Mason finally show if his potential will be realised or even the younger generation of Wil Harrison or Lucas.
Click to expand...

Perhaps I'm just being dense, but I'm still at a complete loss as to the hype around Mack Mason. He must've gone to a very good school to have been identified so early as a star on the basis of what appear to be such modest talents.

It concerns me that the Brumbies have been allowed to stockpile Lolesio, Künzle and Pasitoa (with the ACT schoolboys flyhalf whose name escapes me in their academy) while the Waratahs are staring down the barrel of a whole season with no choice but to start Mason at 10. I sincerely hope he proves me wrong.
 
Bobas

Bobas

Darby Loudon (17)
Just to get the last bit of QC (Quade Cooper) drama.
https://outline.com/nbKYTG
His former employers, the Reds, banished him from training and Wallaby coach Michael Cheika had no interest in throwing out a lifeline for the World Cup.
'They tried to make my life very difficult but it actually made things a whole lot easier,' he says. 'I can't escape the fact the World Cup is being played in my backyard but I knew I wouldn't be playing in it as long as Michael Cheika had a job. I've come to terms with it.'
 
Braveheart81

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
Uh huh said:
Perhaps I'm just being dense, but I'm still at a complete loss as to the hype around Mack Mason. He must've gone to a very good school to have been identified so early as a star on the basis of what appear to be such modest talents.

It concerns me that the Brumbies have been allowed to stockpile Lolesio, Künzle and Pasitoa (with the ACT schoolboys flyhalf whose name escapes me in their academy) while the Waratahs are staring down the barrel of a whole season with no choice but to start Mason at 10. I sincerely hope he proves me wrong.
Click to expand...


I don't rate Mason either but the Tahs are at least as well stocked with Harrison and Donaldson. I'm not sure Lolesio or Kunzle are further developed than Harrison. None of them are options I'd like starting in Super Rugby in 2020 (same goes for the Brumbies options).
 
Braveheart81

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
Bobas said:
Just to get the last bit of QC (Quade Cooper) drama.
https://outline.com/nbKYTG
His former employers, the Reds, banished him from training and Wallaby coach Michael Cheika had no interest in throwing out a lifeline for the World Cup.
'They tried to make my life very difficult but it actually made things a whole lot easier,' he says. 'I can't escape the fact the World Cup is being played in my backyard but I knew I wouldn't be playing in it as long as Michael Cheika had a job. I've come to terms with it.'
Click to expand...


What a cheap shot. It's hard to imagine ANY coach would have picked him for the Wallabies in 2019.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top