I would think it will be difficult breaking through in a RWC year. The Tahs scrum will struggle all year though and it's very possible that Kepu's play won't stand up this year.
I think he's odds on for that 5th spot if healthy though.
Wallabies 2019 Thread
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I would think it will be difficult breaking through in a RWC year. The Tahs scrum will struggle all year though and it's very possible that Kepu's play won't stand up this year.
I think he's odds on for that 5th spot if healthy though.
Derpus
Nathan Sharpe (72)
He's also going to be playing a lot and he's 33.
KOB1987
John Eales (66)
I don't disagree but as a utility for last minute withdrawals Holloway could be better value than an outright lock. I'm talking about for a RWC 31, not a normal squad. There are others that could fit this mould too, like Jones and Philip. We were just identifying possibilities from the Tahs though.
upthereds#!
Peter Johnson (47)
Slipper, Sio, Thor, Kepu, Ala'alatoa
Smith and Smith have taken over from Faulkner/Ainsley as the existing 'backups', and I'd shaft Faulkner and Ainsley behind Saaga and Pona as development players aswell. I'd take LHP Smith over Robertson when fit also.
Smith and Smith have taken over from Faulkner/Ainsley as the existing 'backups', and I'd shaft Faulkner and Ainsley behind Saaga and Pona as development players aswell. I'd take LHP Smith over Robertson when fit also.
Up the Guts
Steve Williams (59)
Has the Salakaia-Loto at 6 experiment finished now Dempsey has returned (and Valetini is showing promise)? I’d quite like him off the bench at least in the row.
And I think Coleman is not necessarily a sure starter in the second row given the depth we now have unless he gets back to 2017 form.
And I think Coleman is not necessarily a sure starter in the second row given the depth we now have unless he gets back to 2017 form.
Adam84
Rod McCall (65)
I think Salakaia-Loto would be considered as a 6 in the event of injury, so if he makes the RWC squad he may be pencilled as a backup blindside flanker. In terms of this utility role, my preference would be to have a Lock who can also play back-row (Jones, Philips, Salakaia-Loto), rather then trying to make a back-row trying to play lock(Holloway).
Adam84
Rod McCall (65)
Duncan Paia’aua said Cheika never gave him any feedback or spoke to him after he selected him to trial as a flyhalf in that Wallabies XV match, and that was part of his reason to leave Australia since he assumed higher honours weren’t on the table.
Surprising to hear that, Paia’aua has his flaws, but I would have though that Cheika might have viewed him somewhere on the pecking order for 10 or 12.
Surprising to hear that, Paia’aua has his flaws, but I would have though that Cheika might have viewed him somewhere on the pecking order for 10 or 12.
upthereds#!
Peter Johnson (47)
31 Players - assuming they'll take 3 Hookers and 3 Halfbacks. (Though this could easily not happen, which would make hard decisions around lock/backrow and outside backs easier. Note that this is the squad I think Cheika would pick (I'd take Arnold over Simmons any day for example)
Hooker: Tpn, Fainga'a, Uelese (if fit)
Prop: Sio, Kepu, Ala'alatoa, Thor, Slipper (or god forbid, Ainsley)
Lock: Rodda, Coleman, Simmons, Tui
Backrow: Hanigan, Dempsey, Naisarani, Pocock, Hooper
Halfback: Genia, Phipps, Gordon
Flyhalf: Foley, To'omua
Centre: Hodge, Beale, Kerevi, TK, Petaia
Outside Back: Maddocks, DHP, Koroibete, Folau
Hooker: Tpn, Fainga'a, Uelese (if fit)
Prop: Sio, Kepu, Ala'alatoa, Thor, Slipper (or god forbid, Ainsley)
Lock: Rodda, Coleman, Simmons, Tui
Backrow: Hanigan, Dempsey, Naisarani, Pocock, Hooper
Halfback: Genia, Phipps, Gordon
Flyhalf: Foley, To'omua
Centre: Hodge, Beale, Kerevi, TK, Petaia
Outside Back: Maddocks, DHP, Koroibete, Folau
I think Hanigan, Hodge, Simmons and TPN may not make it
I like the way our local Hookers are going
With Dempsey and Naisarani available, Hanigan becomes surplus. It is possible the Hooper comes off the bench so a lock/6 would be the other bench option. I think we can do better unless we need a lineout gun
Hodge? plenty of options as back three cover and better 12/13 options / bench options
And I just don't rate To'omua as a 10, I think Cooper, Lealiifano and Foley will battle for the 10 spot. I think To'omua can be that playmaking 12 foil and he can tackle and I would take Hunt as the "12" understudy
And then we have Beale, I don't think he is a modern starting test 12, I think he is in the utility spot off the bench
As I have said elsewhere, he does seem a fair bit bulkier this season.
He has always had the motor and the skill, but never the physical presence. If/when he attains that attribute then he could be a genuinely good international 6.
It's a big 'if' though and I agree he is up against it if he wants to make the squad.
.
Rebels3
Jim Lenehan (48)
I think Hodge will make it purely on versatility, plus his big boot is a valuable asset to bring off the bench late in the game. Specifically against some of the teams that are happy to infringe around the ruck or push the offside line near halfway, that threat can massively impact the game, speed the ruck up and help teams get over the gain line, particularly if its a close one.
Wouldn't surprise me to see himself and Beale on the bench as they cover all positions from 10-15 and can bring something different to change the way the game is played. There is nothing worse than having a bench with a player on it that's a specialist in only 1 position.
Hodge is about the only back reserve that allows us to play a 6:2 bench without a lot of risk.
I think he's very likely to make the squad. He has pretty much been selected in every test he's been healthy for since his debut.
I think he's very likely to make the squad. He has pretty much been selected in every test he's been healthy for since his debut.
Derpus
Nathan Sharpe (72)
Hodge is the classic jack-of-all, master of none. I can see the benefit in a 6-2 split. If we opt for a 5-3 i can't see what position he would be selected in where there aren't better options.
As soon as Kerevi came back, it became obvious how much we had been missing a running 13. He's probably a distant 4th in the 13 slot which is the position he played most last year.
As soon as Kerevi came back, it became obvious how much we had been missing a running 13. He's probably a distant 4th in the 13 slot which is the position he played most last year.
Derpus
Nathan Sharpe (72)
Yeah, so where is his preferred spot? Even at wing i'd have plenty of other blokes ahead of him. Don't think he would cut it at fullback.
Maybe 12, but then he's competing with Beale, To'omua, probably Kerevi, maybe even Meakes (though i doubt it).
I think his versatility is what gets him selected.
Most teams will take 14 backs to the RWC.
That will include 3 halfbacks, 2 fly halves and 9 centres/wing/fullback.
Of those 9 let's work through the probables first up: Beale, Kerevi, Kuridrani, To'omua, Folau, DHP.
There's only 3 spots left. There's probably only one spot for the out and out winger like Koroibete/Naivalu. If they aren't in our best 23 they probably don't make the squad at all.
If you want to play a 6:2 bench you probably need Hodge. If you're looking at a depth chart for positions in the backline, having Hodge there would rank him third potentially on a whole bunch of positions whereas another player may rank higher in one spot, but that one spot only.
Derpus
Nathan Sharpe (72)
Would you expect us to opt for a 6-2 split more often the not? because in a 5-3 split id have Beale and potentially Petaia, if he keeps performing, on the bench.
Brumby Runner
Jason Little (69)
FTFY
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