Wallabies 2019 Thread

[Brumby Runner]

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).

Agree BH in relation to 2020. Further on, I think Will Harrison is showing the greatest potential, but I am impressed with Bayley Keunzle in the NRC. I don't think Donaldson will make it as a top flight No 10. 15 might be more his go. Same as I don't think Lolesio is a top flight 10 in the making either. His better games, in the U20s, were at 12 and he looks more comfortable there than at 10. Pasitoa is a totally unknown factor, at least to me, right now. Even if he does have the skills to be a good 10, it will be quite a few years away yet I'd think. The best bet for the near future would have to be Andrew Deegan I believe. He has been impressive at the Force over the past couple of years, and is showing good form this NRC as well.

 

[Brumby Runner]

We selected James O'Connor out of no-where and that injured guy from the reds. I think there are 5-10 unlucky players who I could have been in the 31 man squad and Cooper is one of them.

If it were a matter of choice, I'd prefer QC (Quade Cooper) in the Wallabies to Cheika as Wallabies coach. Unlikely to see either of them after the next couple of weeks though.

 

[Up the Guts]

If it were a matter of choice, I'd prefer QC (Quade Cooper) in the Wallabies to Cheika as Wallabies coach. Unlikely to see either of them after the next couple of weeks though.

Never would have guessed

 

[Froggy]

Not making excuses for Cheika, as I also can be unimpressed with his comments and whinging, however the guy is Lebanese, and people of Mediterranean background being a little overtly emotional and wearing their heart on their sleeve is not altogether unheard of.

 

[Bobas]

Agree BH in relation to 2020. Further on, I think Will Harrison is showing the greatest potential, but I am impressed with Bayley Keunzle in the NRC. I don't think Donaldson will make it as a top flight No 10. 15 might be more his go. Same as I don't think Lolesio is a top flight 10 in the making either. His better games, in the U20s, were at 12 and he looks more comfortable there than at 10. Pasitoa is a totally unknown factor, at least to me, right now. Even if he does have the skills to be a good 10, it will be quite a few years away yet I'd think. The best bet for the near future would have to be Andrew Deegan I believe. He has been impressive at the Force over the past couple of years, and is showing good form this NRC as well.

A bit off the topic, but in the last NRC game the comm kept calling Mack Mason, Mack Horton.
On topic again and I think the Brumbies will find someone between the young ones they have, there's a spot or two for them so it will be better than in 2011 when they had Gits and a young To'omua and Lilo trying to be crammed into the backline.
I was very impressed impressed with Keunzle last game and think have have always liked what Simone brings to the table in 12. I don't think you've guys have mentioned it but there's also Mack Hanson who has decent pace.

 

[Bobas]

Not making excuses for Cheika, as I also can be unimpressed with his comments and whinging, however the guy is Lebanese, and people of Mediterranean background being a little overtly emotional and wearing their heart on their sleeve is not altogether unheard of.

Maybe he could coach the bulldogs next, Raylene has a few connections there I think.

 

[KOB1987]

If it were a matter of choice, I'd prefer QC (Quade Cooper) in the Wallabies to Cheika as Wallabies coach. Unlikely to see either of them after the next couple of weeks though.

It will only be a matter of time before Rennie et al make a selection you don’t agree with and be forever relegated to the basket of inept Wallabies coaches.

 

[Derpus]

It will only be a matter of time before Rennie et al make a selection you don’t agree with and be forever relegated to the basket of inept Wallabies coaches.

Yeah it's always easy to criticise coaches. That said, we've known since last year Cheika wasn't up to it, beyond any doubt.

 

[molman]

Yeah it's always easy to criticise coaches. That said, we've known since last year Cheika wasn't up to it, beyond any doubt.

I think the fans sometimes loose sight of the fact that there is a myriad of reasons that goes into player selection to create this organic whole called a team. We aren’t always privy to all that might be going on behind the scenes in terms of ability to follow game plans, commitment to training and improvement, personalities, how players get on with each other or even respond to the coaches etc.. etc..

 

[Ignoto]

It will only be a matter of time before Rennie et al make a selection you don’t agree with and be forever relegated to the basket of inept Wallabies coaches.

Give me a coach that demonstrates a willingness to show some tactical nouse and they can pick whoever the want.

Chieka's main undoing with the fans is that we have one way to play rugby, he doesn't try anything different to exploit the oppositions weaknesses and complains that it's someone elses fault why we don't win.

Dingo Deans up until the 2011 RWC was playing some great rugby, he then made a tactical blunder on how we played rugby which screwed us big time.....

 

[Derpus]

Give me a coach that demonstrates a willingness to show some tactical nouse and they can pick whoever the want.

Chieka's main undoing with the fans is that we have one way to play rugby, he doesn't try anything different to exploit the oppositions weaknesses and complains that it's someone elses fault why we don't win.

Dingo Deans up until the 2011 RWC was playing some great rugby, he then made a tactical blunder on how we played rugby which screwed us big time...

To be fair, we did try a different style in the first match against Ireland last tour, and it worked.

Shelved it afterwards, though.

 

[Brumby Runner]

A bit off the topic, but in the last NRC game the comm kept calling Mack Mason, Mack Horton.
On topic again and I think the Brumbies will find someone between the young ones they have, there's a spot or two for them so it will be better than in 2011 when they had Gits and a young To'omua and Lilo trying to be crammed into the backline.
I was very impressed impressed with Keunzle last game and think have have always liked what Simone brings to the table in 12. I don't think you've guys have mentioned it but there's also Mack Hanson who has decent pace.

Mack Hanson has been tremendous in the NRC, but no time at all at 10.

 

[Brumby Runner]

It will only be a matter of time before Rennie et al make a selection you don’t agree with and be forever relegated to the basket of inept Wallabies coaches.

That basket, KOB, that contains Michael Cheika only, on his lonesome. I did think Robbie Deans was kept on one contract extension too long, but have never otherwise wanted any Wallaby coach consigned to a basket. Fortunately for the whole of the Australian rugby community, there has only ever been one Michael Cheika. You might think he has been ok, but I can reassure you that the vast majority of rugby fans in the country share my view of him rather than yours.

 

[Brumby Runner]

I think the fans sometimes loose sight of the fact that there is a myriad of reasons that goes into player selection to create this organic whole called a team. We aren’t always privy to all that might be going on behind the scenes in terms of ability to follow game plans, commitment to training and improvement, personalities, how players get on with each other or even respond to the coaches etc.. etc..

But we are only too well aware of the results. There is little to no evidence in the Wallabies results over a four year period that suggests Cheika, and lately his selection buddies, have much idea about how to put a team together.

 

[KOB1987]

That basket, KOB, that contains Michael Cheika only, on his lonesome. I did think Robbie Deans was kept on one contract extension too long, but have never otherwise wanted any Wallaby coach consigned to a basket. Fortunately for the whole of the Australian rugby community, there has only ever been one Michael Cheika. You might think he has been ok, but I can reassure you that the vast majority of rugby fans in the country share my view of him rather than yours.

But we are only too well aware of the results. There is little to no evidence in the Wallabies results over a four year period that suggests Cheika, and lately his selection buddies, have much idea about how to put a team together.

It seems that it already also includes Scott Johnson and Michael O'Connor

 

[KOB1987]

But we are only too well aware of the results. There is little to no evidence in the Wallabies results over a four year period that suggests Cheika, and lately his selection buddies, have much idea about how to put a team together.

We can only judge on the team that they put out there to play, so that part is fine. However when the changes you have advocated are made we haven't gone any better, so there's no evidence to suggest that you are a better selector. Eg To'omua at 10 last year, Hanigan being dropped, Lilo over Foley, Pocock over Hooper, anyone over Simmons, etc, etc. I believe it's a lot more to do with the cattle than you think, and a decade of neglect of skills development from the grassroots level up. I also think that Cheika's tenure has run its course, but he's the coach at this point in time and till the end of the world cup so I'm going to back him.

I think this year's results to date need to be put into perspective a bit - in 7 tests we've beaten the All Blacks, Argentina, Samoa and Fiji and been beaten by the Saffers, dubiously by Wales, and return flogged by the All Blacks. Apart from our flogging of the All Blacks all of these results are as per world rankings. The loss on the weekend was disappointing more than it was disastrous, it was a game we could have easily won if not for a few 50/50 calls and some poor performances on the pitch. But we're still well in the contest, you can give up now if you like, I'm not.

 

[Adam84]

They reflect world rankings because we lost those matches :/

 

[KOB1987]

No we were behind all 3 at the time that we played them. I'm not saying I'm completely satisfied with these results, what I'm saying is that they were the expected results and that a narrow, dodgy loss to the (now) no.2 ranked side in the world isn't the be all and end all of the RWC for us. Whilst Foley was awful, the loss didn't rest entirely with him, it took the forward pack 20 minutes to front up. The coaches/selectors can only do so much, once they run out it's up to the players. If a player doesn't perform that doesn't necessarily make it a poor selection. Foley and the tight 5 may have trained the house down for all we know.

 

[Adam84]

They’re now ranked no.2 because they beat us.

I’m sorry but you seem to be using the rankings to justify the losses since they’re higher ranked teams, but the rankings are a byproduct of the losses. Rankings are a lagging indicator, and had we won the rankings would paint a different story.

 

[Derpus]

They’re now ranked no.2 because they beat us.

I’m sorry but you seem to be using the rankings to justify the losses since they’re higher ranked teams, but the rankings are a byproduct of the losses. Rankings are a lagging indicator, and had we won the rankings would paint a different story.

They are also the 6 nation's champions and a better team than us, with a way better coach.