Wallabies 2019 Thread

[Adam84]

Has't Jones been playing blindside flanker?

 

[Tomikin]

Has't Jones been playing blindside flanker?

And Maddox wing..

 

[KOB1987]

Well you can shuffle them around at your leisure, won’t bother me!

 

[Derpus]

Let's say we had a back row of Jones, Pocock, Naisarani. I'm assuming we'd have Pocock on one edge, Naisarani on the other, Jones and the locks in one pod and then the front row in the other pod. Does this check out? Does Pocock normally play on the edge?

Under Cheika, he does.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Brumbies play a 1-3-3-1 too, and Poey is usually one of the ones in that formation as well

 

[fatprop]

When Cheika persisted with Maddocks over Banks, I thought it was a mistake.

But I will concede, whilst I still rate Banks and reckon he has pretty decent upside, Maddocks has really impressed me this season and I think Cheika got that one right. Not the finished article by any means, but is a really key contributor in the Rebels backline.

Maddocks looks like an actual footballer. he can run, catch, pass, kick and sniff out a try. We don't have too many of those

 

[Dctarget]

Maddocks looks like an actual footballer. he can run, catch, pass, kick and sniff out a try. We don't have too many of those

I agree. For all the decrying of Maddocks for not being a strike winger like Koroibete or Sefa, I doubt either of those two could've scored his try from the cross field kick by Quade.

 

[Dctarget]

Also, anyone see Quade, in the last line of defense, tackle Kerevi on the weekend?
He certainly isn't a great defender, but he has improved.

 

[fatprop]

Also, anyone see Quade, in the last line of defense, tackle Kerevi on the weekend?
He certainly isn't a great defender, but he has improved.

All I want to see him do is bend his back and have a go, he will miss, that is OK, it is about attitude.

It is the hand grab attempts that have me swearing

 

[Dctarget]

Rugby.com's XV of the weekend. 12 Rebels, 1 Red and 2 'Tahs.
https://www.rugby.com.au/news/2019/...JhG-xB204iiqJg-v9gt_grLo7VndWy9UlspKr3tw6xSeg

1. Tetera Faulkner
2. Anaru Rangi
3. Sam Talakai
4. Adam Coleman
5. Matt Philip
6. Luke Jones
7. Michael Hooper
8. Isi Naisarani
9. Will Genia
10. Quade Cooper
11. Marika Koroibete
12. Billy Meakes
13. Samu Kerevi
14. Jack Maddocks
15. Israel Folau

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Does anyone see this year that we have 2 game plans we could play, having say Genia Cooper Kervi TK start play flat at the line and play 2 big centres, but have Foley, Beale on the bench, so we could change up game plan half way through.

Thats a massive advantage, specially since we have been so same same for ever, we should be planning to play 2 different ways.

I would agree with that. The bench could be structured around that set up too, as you say.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Rugby.com's XV of the weekend. 12 Rebels, 1 Red and 2 'Tahs.
https://www.rugby.com.au/news/2019/...JhG-xB204iiqJg-v9gt_grLo7VndWy9UlspKr3tw6xSeg

1. Tetera Faulkner
2. Anaru Rangi
3. Sam Talakai
4. Adam Coleman
5. Matt Philip
6. Luke Jones
7. Michael Hooper
8. Isi Naisarani
9. Will Genia
10. Quade Cooper
11. Marika Koroibete
12. Billy Meakes
13. Samu Kerevi
14. Jack Maddocks
15. Israel Folau

Pretty much as I saw the weekend too, and no doubt the majority of posters on this site.

I am becoming more hopeful that the Rebels will continue to develop and win their games so that there can be a new broom put through the perpetually underperforming Wallabies.

 

[Up the Guts]

I will say I thought Sefa Naivalu showed a bit more promise on the weekend. Would be good if he could contest with Maddocks and Koroibete for the spot on the left wing.

 

[Adam84]

Naivalu has lost a mile of pace, when Paia'aua made a break he couldn't gain an inch on him in support, he has his strengths and to his credit he has evolved his game with a bit more physicality, but his speed appears to be gone

 

[Braveheart81]

I am with you, or can at least follow your rational, except with the whole Hooper/Pocock thing.

You’re just trying too hard to justify Hoopers selection over Pocock. You simply don’t leave your best player on the bench because he’ll make more ‘impact’. Of course he will - he is a better player.

That’s not intended to be a slight on Hooper. He is an incredibly good player and I am in awe as to the level he carries the Waratahs at times. Truly one of the hardest working guys I’ve seen play. If Pocock is injured I won’t be losing a minutes sleep over Hooper getting the 7.

But Pocock is hands down the best player we have, and you don’t put your best player on the bench so he can create ‘impact’.

I don't think I am. I'm working on the fact that both of them are in our best 23 and if we go in with a plan of starting Pocock in every game he's not going to last the tournament. He never has in two previous RWCs and his frequency of niggling injuries is higher now. He's played 3 games so far this season and one of those was only for a few minutes.

I just think that if we head into this test season and then the RWC thinking Pocock can play 80 minutes week in, week out, we're going to end up spending more games with no minutes from him than we are with 80 minutes or close to.

So do you manage Pocock's workload and try and get involvement from him in all our games or do you play him until he breaks and then lament what a shame it is that he gets bashed up on the field so much?

 

[Derpus]

There is a lot to like about a Hooper, Naisarani, Jones back row with a bench of Pocock (Samu if Poey is crocked) and, say, LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto).

 

[RebelYell]

There is a lot to like about a Hooper, Naisarani, Jones back row with a bench of Pocock (Samu if Poey is crocked) and, say, LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto).

Agree, this is it for mine. Dempsey and Hanigan probably round out the squad (though if it were me I would still have Higginbotham as a wildcard). And then you can run with Rodda, Arnold, Simmons + Coleman as your locks.

Yes, you can make a legitimate case for any of McCaffrey, Timu, Cottrell, ASY (Angus Scott-Young), Philip, Holloway, even Hockings, based on either their form this year or last, but the reality is that there isn't room for them.

 

[Derpus]

Yes, you can make a legitimate case for any of McCaffrey, Timu, Cottrell, ASY (Angus Scott-Young), Philip, Holloway, even Hockings, based on either their form this year or last, but the reality is that there isn't room for them.

Which is great, because we will almost certainly not have our preferred first 23 fit and available come RWC. What are the odds of that? Depth is great.

 

[Slim 293]

Agree, this is it for mine. Dempsey and Hanigan probably round out the squad (though if it were me I would still have Higginbotham as a wildcard). And then you can run with Rodda, Arnold, Simmons + Coleman as your locks.

Yes, you can make a legitimate case for any of McCaffrey, Timu, Cottrell, ASY (Angus Scott-Young), Philip, Holloway, even Hockings, based on either their form this year or last, but the reality is that there isn't room for them.

I would easily take McCaffrey or Philip over Hanigan.........

Hanigan is a decent Super Rugby player, but still not physically good enough for test rugby. [/Slim's broken record]

 

[Dctarget]

Good size comparison for Maddocks and Koroibete:

Wikipedia has Maddocks listed at 194cm. Which makes him the tallest Wallaby back (even taller than Folau). Jack is only 2 cm shorter than Jordie Barrett.
Deceptively tall.