Up the Guts
Steve Williams (59)
Surely we’re not using the win rate as a metric to judge individual success. Blind Freddy can see the Wallabies are going to be better in the near future than the last few years.
Cool release Alan Ala'alatoa then. 5 year deal big money. Same point different team.
Bobby never mentioned Alan just Hooper because he hates the Tahs which has has said quite often.
I mentioned the Hypothetical to prove a point, it's about the fact Hooper is a Tah.
Same comment probably relates to Ala'alatoa too. When the contract was signed, he was the No 1 rated THP in the country and still very young in Prop terms - a point of difference maybe with Hooper. While TT and HJH (Harry Johnson-Holmes) were both performing well at the time, RA probably didn't see them necessarily displacing Alan as the starting test THP. But the important thing is that they should have anticipated one or both of them rising to the level where they were competing for the test spot, and framed the contract accordingly, ie, shorter duration. I don't know what the value of this contract is, but that ought to have been dealt with with appropriate caution as well, in the event that they didn't.
But unfortunately he is, because he was signed to the dumbest contract of all time - which made us play Dave at 8, and Liam Gill career was completely lost to Australian rugby.
It has taken an entirely new development cycle to bring in a more healthy debate around our 7.
Dave, Gill, Wright, McReight.
But somehow Hooper just gets the spot with no contest, and Cheika corruptly signs Australia's rugby fate by putting him on that ridiculous deal.
12mths later.Tupou was signed to a big contract around the same time too.
I think to suggest the Wallabies coach has an unfettered ability to choose whatever team they want is a bit of a reach. The ARU/RA being Sydney-centric is something even the most die hard New South Welshmen acknowledge it is real. So if anyone is going to get the benefit of that is NSW's own Prodigal Son Hooper.
As for if Hooper is better than Gill, I think it's not really a comparison that can be made -- they are very different 7's and Hooper especially is a very non-traditional 7. I think a better way to approach that debate is to consider what a traditional 7 would have brought but also considering what a more traditional back row would have given us.
I personally think our 2019 RWC back row balance was not ideal.
Probably a bit more of a reach suggesting there’re a bunch of men in black from NSW telling the coach who to select.I think to suggest the Wallabies coach has an unfettered ability to choose whatever team they want is a bit of a reach. The ARU/RA being Sydney-centric is something even the most die hard New South Welshmen acknowledge it is real. So if anyone is going to get the benefit of that is NSW's own Prodigal Son Hooper.
As for if Hooper is better than Gill, I think it's not really a comparison that can be made -- they are very different 7's and Hooper especially is a very non-traditional 7. I think a better way to approach that debate is to consider what a traditional 7 would have brought but also considering what a more traditional back row would have given us.
I personally think our 2019 RWC back row balance was not ideal.
I think to suggest the Wallabies coach has an unfettered ability to choose whatever team they want is a bit of a reach. The ARU/RA being Sydney-centric is something even the most die hard New South Welshmen acknowledge it is real. So if anyone is going to get the benefit of that is NSW's own Prodigal Son Hooper.
.
England took two relatively small backrowers (Curry and Underhill) who play a very similar 'non-traditional' high energy game to Hooper but made it work.
Somehow doubt Rennie will give two shits about the Sydney Mafia though. He's an in demand coach that was slated for the All Blacks gig. I think he holds the balance of power there.
Oh it's very real. Even when a player is in fact playing for the Brumbies (as Hooper was when he made his debut in 2012 and started ahead of Gill), the selectors can still see past the jersey and to the player underneath, and where that player was born and raised.
It's why Cheika always liked LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto). Despite being a filthy Queenslander, he could acknowledge that he was really from Sydney so it was OK to keep picking him.
Probably a bit more of a reach suggesting there’re a bunch of men in black from NSW telling the coach who to select.
This will elicit a good response...
Nic White should be the next Wallabies captain:
https://www.theroar.com.au/2020/05/13/why-nic-white-should-be-the-next-wallabies-captain/
This will elicit a good response...
Nic White should be the next Wallabies captain:
https://www.theroar.com.au/2020/05/13/why-nic-white-should-be-the-next-wallabies-captain/