Wallabies 2020

[Braveheart81]

Petaia out for 3-6 weeks with a "grade 2 hip flexor injury".

Seems unlikely they'd take him to New Zealand now given the first test is in 3 weeks.

 

[KOB1987]

Poor bloke can't take a trick. Surely TK gets a call up to go to NZ.

 

[sendit]

Give him the rest of the year off, go get his body right, rehab, build up in the gym

 

[Tex]

Does anyone here have the qualifications to comment on why a young player like that can be so injury-prone?

 

[Zero_Cool]

Well that's thrown the cat among the pigeons...
Do you go:
10) O'Connor
12) To'omua
13) Hodge
or
10) Lolesio
12) To'omua
13) O'Connor

 

[Try-ranosaurus Rex]

Well that's thrown the cat among the pigeons.
Do you go:
10) O'Connor
12) To'omua
13) Hodge
or
10) Lolesio
12) To'omua
13) O'Connor

Sydney Morning Herald suggesting Petaia and Wallabies remain hopeful that the injury isn't as bad as it appears.

They also mention that Petaia was billed as Rennie's preferred 13 (duh) wityh either Paisami straight swap at 13 or Lolesio at Fly Half, To'omua and OConnor in the centres as the options.

 

[Zero_Cool]

While I feel like Paisami would be the best direct plug in option, I'd be hesitant to throw him to the Lions (All-Blacks) game one. But Paisami just feels like that odd type of player who is a good Super Rugby but excellent Test player. Just worried about throwing him in the deep end.

 

[Braveheart81]

But Paisami just feels like that odd type of player who is a good Super Rugby but excellent Test player. Just worried about throwing him in the deep end.

I reckon it will be the opposite and his attack will be less effective and his substandard defence will be found out badly, similar to Kerevi early in his test career.

 

[Zero_Cool]

If he's anything like Kerevi I'll take that in a heart beat!

 

[Derpus]

Yeah - just recall TK. No to Lolesio or Paisami starting IMO.

 

[Derpus]

If he's anything like Kerevi I'll take that in a heart beat!

Man you mustn't remember how badly found out Kerevi was at the start of his test career.

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

While I feel like Paisami would be the best direct plug in option, I'd be hesitant to throw him to the Lions (All-Blacks) game one. But Paisami just feels like that odd type of player who is a good Super Rugby but excellent Test player. Just worried about throwing him in the deep end.

Just an observation (and not a call on if he should play or not) but Paisami actually looked better at Super level this year than he did at club level last year.

 

[Derpus]

Locks are the engine house of go forward in the pack. Loosies have other roles and the front row doesn’t necessarily have the legs after 15 scrum re-sets.

Simmons is a line out guru and has a huge rep in the scrum. But his pick and drive is a pick and flop. He just doesn’t have the muscle mongrel to be a ruck buster. So that role goes to your number 4 (loose head lock). But LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) is light for an international lock. He’s great but in general paddock work you would be better having him with, say, Skelton.

And the line out would fail.

Simmo is fabulous but he does not offer everything you want in an ideal 5.

This is why we only need one of Arnold or Skelton (Pref Arnold) back this year to partner Philip. LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) can come off the bench - with the bonus of covering 6.

Desperately need Latu. BPA is not up to it.

 

[Purce]

Give him the rest of the year off, go get his body right, rehab, build up in the gym

Been saying this since last year. Fkn Chieka's hail mary on him for the RWC (when we realistically were never going to get close to winning) last year really screwed the pooch. A proper off season with a S&C and physio would have done his young body wonders. Instead he is constantly struggling with niggly injuries. If I were Rennis I would give him the rest of the year off... with TK, Paisami, possibly Kerevi and JOC (James O'Connor) all capable of playing there at that level we should be ok.

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

Fkn Chieka's hail mary on him for the RWC (when we realistically were never going to get close to winning) last year really screwed the pooch

Come on that's just Cheika bashing for the sake of it. Like anyone else in his position wouldn't have played a healthy player (especially if your job depended on it).

 

[Purce]

Well that's thrown the cat among the pigeons.
Do you go:
10) O'Connor
12) To'omua
13) Hodge
or
10) Lolesio
12) To'omua
13) O'Connor

Why on earth would you have Hodge at 13 ahead of TK or Paisami?

 

[Braveheart81]

Been saying this since last year. Fkn Chieka's hail mary on him for the RWC (when we realistically were never going to get close to winning) last year really screwed the pooch. A proper off season with a S&C and physio would have done his young body wonders. Instead he is constantly struggling with niggly injuries. If I were Rennis I would give him the rest of the year off. with TK, Paisami, possibly Kerevi and JOC (James O'Connor) all capable of playing there at that level we should be ok.

He's had two serious injuries in the last two seasons. The lisfranc injury which kept him out for around 7 months last year and the shoulder injury which kept him out for around 6 months this year.

In terms of his injuries, this one seems pretty minor and unrelated to his previous injuries.

How much cotton wool do you want to wrap him in? He's had a variety of injuries to different parts of his body and none would seem to be because he was rushed back from the previous injury. This was about his seventh game back from injury and now that he's got injured it's the fault of not giving him a full offseason?

Surely you need faith in the S&C and medical staff when they say that he is right to play.

 

[fatprop]

Why is everyone so low on Simmons, I don't think Phillip has been particularly better?
And why can't you play Simmons and LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) together?

Simmons is a 100 test Wallaby for all 'teh eXpErIeNcE' everyone goes on about for Hooper why doesn't Simmons get that same credit -- he's been playing bloody good rugby this year.

He bossed a few sides this season

 

[Purce]

Come on that's just Cheika bashing for the sake of it. Like anyone else in his position wouldn't have played a healthy player (especially if your job depended on it).

No it's not. Its a very valid point which many people made at the time. Point was that he wasn't 100% healthy. It is terrible player management and the kid is paying for it now.

I've been supportive of many aspects of Chieka's coaching/personality in the past. To me that was, as I said, a hail mary which put a young player in a difficult position. He had played next to no rugby that year due to injuries. He, like many young stars, needed an off season to build their body. Bad management and like you said desperation because his job was on the line.

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

Point was that he wasn't 100% healthy.

Says who? Are you saying the Wallabies doctor/s&c staff were negligent and relented to pressure from Cheika?