Wallabies 2023

[Adam84]

Bringing Kerevi back to a super club lifts that clubs profile domestically and globally, attracting more support and sponsorship, it makes the club more competitive and lifts the teams rugby IQ and helps retain and attract players to your club.
If I could chose an international player for each of the Australian Super Rugby teams, I would have Ardie Savea at seven for the Force, Aaron Smith as the Rebels half, Eben Etzebeth in the Waratahs, Samu Kerevi as the Brumbies twelve and Malcolm Marx as the Reds hooker. The injection of these players would make the Australian Super sides so much more competitive, watchable and marketable.

yeah true.

but relative to wage I think it reaches a point of diminishing returns, whereby the opportunity cost of extravagant wages means missing out on the next Kerevi

 

[dru]

It's an interesting argument, do you spend big on Kerevi or use the same money to recruit quality young players and lock them into the game. It may not provide the immediate short-term benefits that bringing Kerevi home would, but long-term it might be beneficial.

$800k for Kerevi, or sign the 3 or 4 best schoolboys in Rugby League/RU

I would think you would at least consider private funding to cover the Kerevi topup. Those funds won't be available for the next generation with no name yet. RA spends the funds there while looking for help with Kerevi.

 

[Agent]

Koro the only obvious one

I don’t think both Quade and Foley would get picked in the same squad.

Simone doesn’t get a look in if Kerevi is fit

There’s a case for the others, all have potential to add something to a Wallaby squad. But enough potential for Rugby Australia to chip up the money to lure Kerevi back to Super Rugby when they can currently use him for the next RWC and someone else pays his salary, I’m not so sure.

Add to that Banks has never really locked down the fullback position for the Wallabies. I feel that he is getting a lot of mentions lately nearly because he has become semi ‘unavailable’ to us with his move to Japan.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

He's never locked it down but nobody has been any better than him in the spot. I think that's why we keep hearing his name. Kellaway has the skill to do it and if he has a good year for the Rebels then he probably gets first crack.

I'm not sure if Jock Campbell is the answer but he sure didn't hurt his chances at getting a run in the last Aus A game. Hope he can string a few of them together.

 

[PhilClinton]

Bringing Kerevi back to a super club lifts that clubs profile domestically and globally, attracting more support and sponsorship, it makes the club more competitive and lifts the teams rugby IQ and helps retain and attract players to your club.
If I could chose an international player for each of the Australian Super Rugby teams, I would have Ardie Savea at seven for the Force, Aaron Smith as the Rebels half, Eben Etzebeth in the Waratahs, Samu Kerevi as the Brumbies twelve and Malcolm Marx as the Reds hooker. The injection of these players would make the Australian Super sides so much more competitive, watchable and marketable.

Heard of Goromaru by any chance?

The modern problem for Aussie Super Rugby franchises isn't a lack of a global profile, it's the local support that has dropped off.

Signing a Springbok or All Black here and there isn't going to draw the Australian crowds back like it once would.

Domestically our game is being overtaken by NRL and AFL. Overpaying some international 'stars' to drop into our franchises isn't the key to success and won't bring the casual fan back, they simply won't care.

 

[Clubhouse coach]

Heard of Goromaru by any chance?

The modern problem for Aussie Super Rugby franchises isn't a lack of a global profile, it's the local support that has dropped off.

Signing a Springbok or All Black here and there isn't going to draw the Australian crowds back like it once would.

Domestically our game is being overtaken by NRL and AFL. Overpaying some international 'stars' to drop into our franchises isn't the key to success and won't bring the casual fan back, they simply won't care.

Sorry, I cannot see by any stretch of the imagine how you can compare Goromaru to the five players that I have nominated.

 

[PhilClinton]

Sorry, I cannot see by any stretch of the imagine how you can compare Goromaru to the five players that I have nominated.

Not comparing the caliber of player - but the concept of adding an international player increasing sponsorship opportunities etc. The Japanese market had a lot more opportunities to add monetary value to Super Rugby when the Goromaru deal was done with that notion specifically in mind. And it failed.

Anyway regardless of your attempt to divert the post, the rest of my point remains valid.

 

[eastman]

Clubs would need to be pretty savvy with their recruitment of international players if they are looking to increase sponsorship opportunities. Players like Etzebeth and Marx might be world class rugby players but are hardly household names in Australia and likely to get the crowds back, although Beauden Barret or Will Jordan might do the trick.

Honestly if metric is simply increased awareness and eyeballs, any above- average NRL player would be a better option.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Even of the AB's I'd say only Mounga, B Barret, RTS (Roger Tuivasa-Sheck) (NRL recognised, not rugby) and maybe Ardie Savea would be attention grabbers for people outside of Rugby in Australia. Might increase after a RWC but even Will Jordan to a die hard Leaguey would just be a dime a dozen Winger to them.

The quality of game is the issue for people. I knew a lot of non Rugby fans that went to the Aus v RSA game at Allianz and walked away going "geez Rugby is shit, it's so slow" When you have ball in play for between 30-40min of an 80 min match and you are competition with the NRL which is an absolutely perfect product for TV with the collision and speed of it, Rugby doesn't stand a chance

 

[qwerty51]

Duncan Paia'aua named in the Samoa squad, rules him out for the Wallabies on the EOYT.

 

[KOB1987]

Duncan Paia'aua named in the Samoa squad, rules him out for the Wallabies on the EOYT.

I’m good with that - if I was good enough to be able to choose between a token bench spot for a touring Wallabies side or a potential role with Samoa at the RWC I’d do the same.

Edit: having just reread your post I think your point was just that we wont be able to call on him for the EOYT. However, the above holds true for mine.

 

[Dctarget]

Great analysis again from Bishop on Samu: https://www.theroar.com.au/2022/10/...n-hes-ready-to-reclaim-wallabies-no-7-jersey/

I commented on it after the game, that he missed 6 tackles, but didn't quite remember how bad they were. He really got outmuscled by every type of player. Can't really afford to have him & Foley in the same team.

 

[Sword of Justice]

Great analysis again from Bishop on Samu: https://www.theroar.com.au/2022/10/...n-hes-ready-to-reclaim-wallabies-no-7-jersey/

I commented on it after the game, that he missed 6 tackles, but didn't quite remember how bad they were. He really got outmuscled by every type of player. Can't really afford to have him & Foley in the same team.

Yes. All that talk about his size and in the end when have Hooper or McReight ever really been dominated in close like in the examples of that analysis?

I felt having him come on for a Leota or a Valetini in the last 20 and thereby actually decreasing our average size on the park was when we looked best over the last couple of seasons.

 

[cyclopath]

Is this an outlying result for Samu, rather than the norm? I'd be circumspect about labelling him a liability on that game alone. What were his defensive stats like with the Brumbies?

 

[Merrow]

Is this an outlying result for Samu, rather than the norm? I'd be circumspect about labelling him a liability on that game alone. What were his defensive stats like with the Brumbies?

His last 3 games for the Brumbies - 30 tackles, 1 missed

 

[Wilson]

Is this an outlying result for Samu, rather than the norm? I'd be circumspect about labelling him a liability on that game alone. What were his defensive stats like with the Brumbies?

It's a bit tricky to do a direct comparisson because the defensive roles at 7 is pretty different to 6/8. The broader point of the article is that he's not filling that 7 role compared to Hooper/McReight and it's causing issues throughout our defensive setup.

 

[Dctarget]

Is this an outlying result for Samu, rather than the norm? I'd be circumspect about labelling him a liability on that game alone. What were his defensive stats like with the Brumbies?

His tackle stats are impressive for his TRC cameos off the bench (rarely missing) and he tackles at around 82% in the Super season. But stats are stats and don't tell you if it's a passive tackle or not.

Not sure what else would explain how he got found out in the Bledisloe game?

 

[Dctarget]

As I slander him, rugby.com.au just named him the fan voted player of the TRC.

 

[whitefalcon]

Bell's out of the EOYT. Just had surgery on his foot.

So you'd have to think we will call up Sio again surely?

 

[Dctarget]

Bell's out of the EOYT. Just had surgery on his foot.

So you'd have to think we will call up Sio again surely?

naw fuck. Yep, Sio and Slipper. Gibbon up next I guess.