Wallabies 2019 Thread

[Lindommer]

Which sucks because he (Uelese) seemed to have more potential than any of our other options behind TPN, including Latu.

Yes, D, a shame. Uelese'll struggle to get back to top fitness and form after his injury in time to make the RWC squad. I hope I'm wrong there, but if I had to I'd wager TPN, BPA and Latu will be the three rakes.

 

[wamberal]

I did not watch the whole game last night. However, from the little I saw Foley was absolutely pathetic.


We are pretty close to having a very good team. Our front five will be strong, back row will be very good, world class 9, pretty handy outside backs. And a diabolically inconsistent 10 who makes far too many unforced errors.


What is the answer, I ask myself. My answer, subject to the usual caveats about form and so on, is Beale. He seems to have really matured as a footballer.

 

[Jerry West]

It will be interesting to see who else from overseas Chieka will bring back. A few names tossed around including Matt To'omua, Luke Jones as well as Sean McMahon & TPN. For me anyway;

HK: TPN, Latu, Uelese
PR: Sio, Kepu, AAA, Tupou, Robertson
LK: Coleman, Simmons, Rodda, Tui
BR: Hooper, Pocock, Dempsey, Samu, McMahon*, Naisarani
SH: Genia, Phipps, Powell
FH: Foley
IB: Beale, To'omua*, Kerevi, Kuridrani
OB: Folau, DHP, Koroibete, Maddocks, Hodge

* McMahon > Arnold
* To'omua > Rona

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

To'omua is a better version of foley. Similar game somewhat but a better defender and more
Consistent. Cant kick as well as foley (tho his ability is a raffle....)

 

[Brumby Runner]

It will be interesting to see who else from overseas Chieka will bring back. A few names tossed around including Matt To'omua, Luke Jones as well as Sean McMahon & TPN. For me anyway;

HK: TPN, Latu, Uelese
PR: Sio, Kepu, AAA, Tupou, Robertson
LK: Coleman, Simmons, Rodda, Tui
BR: Hooper, Pocock, Dempsey, Samu, McMahon*, Naisarani
SH: Genia, Phipps, Powell
FH: Foley
IB: Beale, To'omua*, Kerevi, Kuridrani
OB: Folau, DHP, Koroibete, Maddocks, Hodge

* McMahon > Arnold
* To'omua > Rona

McMahon > Arnold. Apples and oranges JW, unless you mean one is more valuable to the team than the other. I would dispute that.

Arnold has been consistently over the duration of the Super Rugby season, one of the best performing locks in the country. In Arnold, Coleman and Rodda, we have three of the most fearsome locks going around. Not many opposition players would relish being hit by any of them. Tui is similar, but I think will be competing for a back row spot rather than a lock position, much as I'd like to see Simmons omitted in favour of Tui. So, in my reckoning, McMahon is fighting for a spot with Tui rather than Arnold. As good as McMahon is, he offers much the same as Pocock, Dempsey, Naisarani and Samu. He might find it tough to force his way back in, although Naisarani is no certainty given his drop off in form in the latter part of this Super Rugby season.

My preference would certainly be Coleman, Rodda, Arnold and Tui as locks, and then the back row to sort itself out on the basis of form in 2019.

 

[Slim 293]

* McMahon > Arnold
* To'omua > Rona

Yeah, but Arnold > Powell.............. and Rona > Naisarani

But seriously - IMO Rory Arnold has been the form Australian lock in Super Rugby this year, and granted he doesn't cop another suspension, he should be starting in the first RC test.

And considering our lack of big backrowers, I think we'll see all of Coleman, Arnold, Rodda, Simmons and Tui in the RWC squad.

As for Naisarani - he's going to have to improve a hell of a lot more to be considered for the Wallabies next year.

 

[Jerry West]

McMahon > Arnold

Meant if McMahon wasn’t to come back, Tui would fill the backrow role with Arnold to come in at lock. I like how Arnold has been playing this season but I think Chieka favours Rodda at the minute

 

[Brumby Runner]

He does favour Rodda, and so he should. Rodda has also been in excellent form. I'd personally go with Arnold and Rodda with a bit of effort being put into the calling. All of the forwards know the calls, so it's seems to me to just be a judgement about which call to make in which situation. Can't be all that hard. The difficult part of the lineout surely is the hooker getting the throw right.

 

[Slim 293]

McMahon > Arnold

Meant if McMahon wasn’t to come back, Tui would fill the backrow role with Arnold to come in at lock. I like how Arnold has been playing this season but I think Chieka favours Rodda at the minute

I don't believe McMahon's inclusion would have an effect on that.............

If anything McMahon would be taking a place from the likes of Dempsey or Timu.

 

[Derpus]

He does favour Rodda, and so he should. Rodda has also been in excellent form. I'd personally go with Arnold and Rodda with a bit of effort being put into the calling. All of the forwards know the calls, so it's seems to me to just be a judgement about which call to make in which situation. Can't be all that hard. The difficult part of the lineout surely is the hooker getting the throw right.

I dunno, there are quite a few factors to consider and you are constantly playing chicken with the defending lineout. I can see plenty of scope for one second rower to be significantly better at it than another, all things being equal.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Derpus, the lineout would probably be one situation where all things are mostly equal. Same thrower, same calls, same jumpers except for the two locks being compared.

It seems to me that it is all pretty much a matter of judgement by one caller against the other's. Experience would be a benefit, but I can't see why an intelligent player like Coleman or Rodda or Arnold can't develop that judgement over a short period. After all, he would have the benefit of the experience and knowledge of the rest of the pack, especially the props, to draw on as well. They all know who the opposition threats in the lineaout are. I'm sure, even now, with the No 1 caller operating, it is a collegiate affair, otherwise why all the discussion amongst the pack before lining up?

 

[Derpus]

^^^^
Isn't Coleman our primary caller with Simmons on the bench as a backup? Given Simmons decent form i can only see Arnold getting in as a starter or on a 6 forward bench. Or if Rodda gets injured/suspended/drastically loses form.

 

[Derpus]

I did not watch the whole game last night. However, from the little I saw Foley was absolutely pathetic.


We are pretty close to having a very good team. Our front five will be strong, back row will be very good, world class 9, pretty handy outside backs. And a diabolically inconsistent 10 who makes far too many unforced errors.


What is the answer, I ask myself. My answer, subject to the usual caveats about form and so on, is Beale. He seems to have really matured as a footballer.

Except Beale has shown in the past that he can't play 10 particularly well. Even at 15 he seems to lose a lot of influence. His form certainly tailed off last year when he got pushed back. Plus, the last thing you want is Mr Crabs playing in the 10 position. He squeezes out enough space from 12.

 

[Rebels3]

McMahon's greatest asset could be his impact factor. Someone like him coming off the bench to smash over the gain line and get his head over the ball in the last 20mins could be the difference between another wc finals appearance and been bundled out in the qtr finals.

Given all things go to tune could have

Sio - best LH we have
TPN - get 50mins from him
Tupou - get 60mins from him
Coleman - inforcer
Rodda - workrate
Tui - impact
Hooper - workrate
Pocock - worlds best onballer
Genia - world class 9
To'omua - physically capable 10 with some game management skills
Koroibete - impact winger
Beale - creative heartbeat
Kerevi - damaging 13, hopefully another 12 months improvement equal to his last 12 months improvement
DHP - skillful winger, great under the high ball
Folau - worlds best under the highball

we could have a seriously dangerous team, with a pack that offers some serious grunt, plenty of workrate, actual gain line ability, fearsome scrum and a decent lineout. And a balanced backline with the creativity needed, To'omua stiffening up the 10/12 channel and capable of defusing any high ball game.

Then a bench of

Uelese/Latu - 20/30mins to beast the scrum, ball carrying impact
AAT/Robertson - both much improved
Kepu - bench impact could mean we get another 2/3 years out of him
Arnold - massive impact from the bench
McMahon - massive impact from the bench, also highly versatile if injuries occur
Naisarani/Phillip (depends on the opposition) - massive impact from bench
Gordon/Powell - running threat and another 12months experience
Hodge - versatile and offers a kicking option, his ability to be able to fill in at most spots means we could carry another forward.

That's a very good team.

Biggest weakness would be goal kicking

 

[Derpus]

Sio, TPN (or Latu) and Tupou will be close to the best front row in the world. What's happened to us?

 

[Strewthcobber]

They all know who the opposition threats in the lineaout are. I'm sure, even now, with the No 1 caller operating, it is a collegiate affair, otherwise why all the discussion amongst the pack before lining up?

They take their time so that the caller can see how the opposition lineup, so that everyone can hear the call (and so the opposition can't) and then lineup to suit the call - they don't want to have to change positions once in formation. That gives a good opposition more clues.

For all Arnold's obvious qualities, he has very limited lineout experience (relatively). He's only been playing top level for a couple of years and competes against guys who having been doing this their whole lives. I don't think we will ever see him calling a lineout - every lock he ever plays with will have far more experience doing it and will be the preferred caller



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[RoffsChoice]

If we're putting To'omua at 10 (a man can dream.........), then we need to be picking Hodge on the wing as our goal kicker, or getting Kurtley to start practicing.

 

[RoffsChoice]

For all Arnold's obvious qualities, he has very limited lineout experience (relatively). He's only been playing top level for a couple of years and competes against guys who having been doing this their whole lives. I don't think we will ever see him calling a lineout - every lock he ever plays with will have far more experience doing it and will be the preferred caller

Not having a go here, but how do guys like Coleman, Rodda, and Philip compare in lineout experience? By the world cup, Arnold will have been a regular Super Rugby level lineout option for five years, and an irregular lineout caller, and a Wallaby for three years.

 

[Derpus]

If we're putting To'omua at 10 (a man can dream...), then we need to be picking Hodge on the wing as our goal kicker, or getting Kurtley to start practicing.

So do you drop Koroibete (our best specialist winger) or DHP, the most consistent player of the Ireland series. Hodge has only been so/so for the Rebels all year.

 

[Up the Guts]

I think Folau F. has been outstanding since the June Series, clearly worked on his throwing during his time in the Wallaby Camp, and should be given a game in the RC, at least off the bench, with an eye on the World Cup. Taf, Latu, Uelese, and BPA all carry well up the middle but Folau has some silky skills and lightness on his feet that is more Dane Coles or Cody Taylor like than any of our other options at hooker.