Wallabies 2020

[Proud Pig]

The Force and Tahs players being retained are reasonable, I don't agree with all of them.
I think Lee-Warner and Ready were unlucky.
However, the one name that I think is completely wrong is Swinton.
I would not have him anywhere near the squad.
He has a two-cent head and is a card just waiting to happen.
He tries to play the hard man but doesn't have the tools to back it up or the intelligence to know when to pull his head in.

 

[Up the Guts]

Oh yeah?

What's that.

Not only does he look better at lock, the Reds look better as well.

I think it's so easy to assume some of these blokes know more, but quite often (Cheika, Graham, etc) the pressure cooks their brain and like an offside trader they just keep leveraging up their trades to catch up on PnL.

I think he’s a much better lock, I’m just saying that it’s a few different coaches who have had him at 6.

 

[Derpus]

The Force and Tahs players being retained are reasonable, I don't agree with all of them.
I think Lee-Warner and Ready were unlucky.
However, the one name that I think is completely wrong is Swinton.
I would not have him anywhere near the squad.
He has a two-cent head and is a card just waiting to happen.
He tries to play the hard man but doesn't have the tools to back it up or the intelligence to know when to pull his head in.

Agreed. We are stacked in the backrow. He had a couple of good performances at the start of the season but beyond that was not particularly great.

 

[Number 7]

Walton is 8 years younger than Godwin.

What's there not to get about Walton? He's a great defender and has been solid in other aspects in his first professional season. Looks like a good foil for a more dynamic attacking centre but seems like you could build your backline defence around him.

Absolutely right re: defence.

In attack I really like how he straightens the attack. One of the things that frustrated me about the Foley/Folou/Beale era was the tendency to be too lateral too often, particularly under pressure. Walton has run some really good simple lines this year which has created space on the outside or in the case of the last game against the Rebels, got himself a nice try. I think he is polishing up nicely after a nervous start.

A centre grouping of Hunt/Moroea/Walton/Godwin will do just nicely next year for the Tahs I think.

 

[Number 7]

I think Lee-Warner and Ready were unlucky.

There seems ot be a lot of love here for Ready this week and based on:
a) his form over the last couple of weeks and;
b) the abysmal throwing of other Australian hookers
...he possibly could consider himself unlucky not to be in the extended squad.

My concern about Ready and this dates back to his time at the Reds, is fitness. He really does not look physically fit, struggles to get back defensively on repeat sets and you can see when there is a break in play he is really sucking in air. I can't help but think he would do himself a favour by slimming down a bit and working on his general fitness. I hope it happens because I do think he could be a Wallaby with a bit more application.

 

[Adam84]

His attacking stats this season are better than Magnay who has been judged to have had a decent season.

Godwin also offers little in attack.

I'm willing to give the first season player more leeway that they might improve than other guys who've played close to 5 and 10 years of professional rugby each.

I don’t get the magnay love, personally I think the bloke is pretty average. Big frame, but doesn’t do anything with it, runs poor lines, average passing and lack of speed. There were a number of times the rebels attack died at magnay with poor options chosen.

im not surprised that Walton’s attacking stats are better then magnay, I dint think that’s a big win though.

 

[Braveheart81]

I don’t get the magnay love, personally I think the bloke is pretty average. Big frame, but doesn’t do anything with it, runs poor lines, average passing and lack of speed. There were a number of times the rebels attack died at magnay with poor options chosen.

im not surprised that Walton’s attacking stats are better then magnay, I dint think that’s a big win though.

I don't think Magnay has really progressed much after being an exciting under 20s prospect. I was merely providing a comparison of someone else playing 13. It has been a position where there haven't been a lot of strong options playing this season barring Petaia finishing the season for the Reds (e.g. there was at least one week where Magnay was chosen in the TOTW). Paisami was exciting in attack but is about the worst defender of the lot at 13.

 

[Bobby Sands]

I think he’s a much better lock, I’m just saying that it’s a few different coaches who have had him at 6.

I see you point and I agree with you.

I just can't understand it, clearly they have some metric that says he should play there. But it's detached from pure rugby performance.

 

[Bobby Sands]

Absolutely right re: defence.

In attack I really like how he straightens the attack. One of the things that frustrated me about the Foley/Folou/Beale era was the tendency to be too lateral too often, particularly under pressure. Walton has run some really good simple lines this year which has created space on the outside or in the case of the last game against the Rebels, got himself a nice try. I think he is polishing up nicely after a nervous start.

A centre grouping of Hunt/Moroea/Walton/Godwin will do just nicely next year for the Tahs I think.

What did you guys think of Newsome at 13?

I thought he showed some signs - but truthfully I don't watch the Tahs unless I have to, so I am probably a poor judge.

Alot of these backline players the Tahs are picking; Newsome, Clark, Walton etc seem like solid citizen players, and not necessarily dynamic professionals who can dominate at Super/International level.

Is this because of talent ID, or maybe the organisation values these type of low error footballers? Or are these the standout junior players in NSW?

My gut hunch is that it is an organisational mentality.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

The potential AB backline is scary to be sure, but we can't be worried about that. We just need to focus on building our own capability, put the right structures and game plan in place and select wisely -- and then hope it's good enough. Rennie and Co. can't do any more than that.

 

[Derpus]

What did you guys think of Newsome at 13?

I thought he showed some signs - but truthfully I don't watch the Tahs unless I have to, so I am probably a poor judge.

Alot of these backline players the Tahs are picking; Newsome, Clark, Walton etc seem like solid citizen players, and not necessarily dynamic professionals who can dominated at Super/International level.

Is this because of talent ID, or maybe the organisation values these type of low error footballers? Or are these the standout junior players in NSW?

My gut hunch is that it is an organisational mentality.

They didn't have any issue throwing Harrison in at 10 when the conservative option would have been to use Beale there. I'm not sure we have the talent coming through.

What happened to Clark? I rate him better than Newsome but i don't remember him playing this year.

 

[PhilClinton]

I don't think Magnay has really progressed much after being an exciting under 20s prospect. I was merely providing a comparison of someone else playing 13. It has been a position where there haven't been a lot of strong options playing this season barring Petaia finishing the season for the Reds (e.g. there was at least one week where Magnay was chosen in the TOTW). Paisami was exciting in attack but is about the worst defender of the lot at 13.

I remember watching Magnay play club footy down at GPS about 4 years ago and wasn't overly impressed. Big frame and looked good in open space when beating defenders, but didn't happen often enough for my liking, and for a bloke who had such big wraps his impact was negligible.

I'm glad someone else posted about Paisami's defence - everyone I was with on the weekend was hooting and hollering when he tackled Kata (I think) into touch, but geez my grandma could have made that tackle, not too hard to whack a stationary bloke into touch. His reads on defence are terrible, one big hit a game and 7 misreads does not make a good defender.

 

[dru]

Test rugby is a different beast to that North vs South Harlem Globetrotters stuff, I'm not reading much into it.

This. D was not high on the agenda in that match. Lot's of bling but throw a NH Irish or English style game at them and then the North v South showed little about how they would fare.

If you watch the Reds improvement in defence, knock it up a notch or two, transfer to the WBs then just look for opportunity.

ABs might be that good, but you cant say it from that one game of bling.

 

[Rebels3]

Magnay shouldn’t be near the squad. He seems to have lost some speed with his numerous injuries and for a guy his size needs to be considerably more explosive. He’s a decent defender and solid player all round but solid isn’t good enough for international level.

Paisami is a great tackler but poor defender if that makes sense for others

 

[Zero_Cool]

Regarding Ready, I think he'd be an awesome 2/16. Knowing he's only going to play 50 odd before you bring on your 16. I do agree there are concerns about his work ethic & fitness, but he's playing good rugby, fought his way into the starting team. Sure never he's not Tupou fit, but he's probably around Slipper.

The problem for the Reds that drove them to play LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) at 6 was having a glut of locks, and ironically now he's playing 4 because of a glut of backrowers (and a lack of locks). I think he could be a monster test 6, or an awesome test 4. His problem is it takes time to get his body conditioned to play 4 vs 6. It'd probably take him at lest 6 months likely a year. Having to bulk up or slim down, work on his lateral agility or his core strength.

Considering the AB's I'd say we probably at worst match them in the Forwards. We probably win the scrum battle, they win the lineout battle. The backs I'd think we'd be slightly better defensively, all our backs would be better than average Test defenders for there position. But obviously the AB's win the attacking game. But a lot of positions we go pound for pound. But we've only gotta scrape together 23 players.

 

[KOB1987]

What did you guys think of Newsome at 13?

I thought he showed some signs - but truthfully I don't watch the Tahs unless I have to, so I am probably a poor judge.

Alot of these backline players the Tahs are picking; Newsome, Clark, Walton etc seem like solid citizen players, and not necessarily dynamic professionals who can dominate at Super/International level.

Is this because of talent ID, or maybe the organisation values these type of low error footballers? Or are these the standout junior players in NSW?

My gut hunch is that it is an organisational mentality.

Walton is a proper talent. He wasn't in that U20s side last year for some reason but was instead playing in the NSW Country Eagles NRC senior team as a 19 year old. Give him a bit of time, he goes pretty well.

 

[RugbyReg]

Walton is a proper talent. He wasn't in that U20s side last year for some reason but was instead playing in the NSW Country Eagles NRC senior team as a 19 year old. Give him a bit of time, he goes pretty well.

it wasn't "instead". The vast majority of that Jnr Wallaby team played the NRC. They were completely different times of the year.

 

[Bobby Sands]

Walton is a proper talent. He wasn't in that U20s side last year for some reason but was instead playing in the NSW Country Eagles NRC senior team as a 19 year old. Give him a bit of time, he goes pretty well.

Yep, acknowledged.

Who was the winger / centre who came just after Rob Horne? He was similar player to the above.

Rob Horne was such an incredible talent, all my respects to that man.

Ramm is a cracker, I will give you that!

 

[Try-ranosaurus Rex]

The Force and Tahs players being retained are reasonable, I don't agree with all of them.
I think Lee-Warner and Ready were unlucky.
However, the one name that I think is completely wrong is Swinton.
I would not have him anywhere near the squad.
He has a two-cent head and is a card just waiting to happen.
He tries to play the hard man but doesn't have the tools to back it up or the intelligence to know when to pull his head in.

Agreed re: Swinton. Although I suspect we don't have much to fear as Wright, Valetini and even the likes of Wilson and Samu would likely be in front of him in the pecking order.

 

[sendit]

This. D was not high on the agenda in that match. Lot's of bling but throw a NH Irish or English style game at them and then the North v South showed little about how they would fare.

If you watch the Reds improvement in defence, knock it up a notch or two, transfer to the WBs then just look for opportunity.

ABs might be that good, but you cant say it from that one game of bling.

But the wallabies don't play a English or Irish style gameplan, who gives two hoots how they are going to fare against that style of opposition when that isn't us, we play far more closely to a NZ style