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Wallabies 2023

stillmissit

Peter Johnson (47)
Yep. All the names suggested above are good coaches, but how about we place them in roles to develop the upcoming generation, roles with the Super franchises, underage rep teams, overall co-ordination for someone like Nucifora, and invest there. By 2027, we might be starting to see the benefits of that investment at the Wallaby level.
Rob I thought that after the 2019 U20's were going to bring a huge lift in our Wallabies and several have made it.

I wonder what talent slipped through the cracks from this squad? Most of whom I have not heard of since 2019. My highlights of those I recognise.

Bo Abra, NSW
Oliver Barden, Victoria
Angus Bell, NSW
Darcy Breen, NSW
Oliver Callan, Western Australia
Will Chaffey, Queensland
Liam Cornish, NSW
Joe Cotton, Queensland
Will Deardon, Queensland
Ethan Dobbins, Queensland
Ben Donaldson, NSW
Max Douglas, NSW

Max Dowd, Queensland
Will Goddard, ACT
Esei Ha’angana, Victoria
Brooklyn Hardaker, NSW
Jack Hardy, Queensland
Will Harris, NSW
Will Harrison, NSW
Isaac Henry, Queensland
Trevor Hosea, Victoria

Kristian Jensen, NSW
Nathan Lawson, NSW
Noah Lolesio, ACT
Lachlan Lonergan, ACT

Brody Macaskill, Western Australia
Michael McDonald, Western Australia
Fraser McReight, Queensland
Josh Nasser, Queensland
Mark Nawaqanitawase, NSW

Kye Oates, Queensland
Lachlan Osborne, ACT
Ben Paxton-Hall, Queensland
Byron Ralston, Queensland
Triston Reilly, AU7s
Henry Robertson, NSW
Egan Siggs, Queensland
Seamus Smith, ACT
Tristan Stanghon, Queensland
Pat Tafa, NSW
Sione Tui, Victoria
Liam Usher, Queensland
Rhys Van Nek, Queensland
Jack Walsh, NSW
Joey Walton, NSW
Harry Wilson, Queensland

Michael Wood, Queensland
Finn Wright, NSW











 

qwerty51

Stirling Mortlock (74)
Callan just played Aus A.
Lawson is with the 7s now.
Tafa gone to Japan (huge loss IMO).
Reilly in the NRL now.
Robertson is at the Force now.
Ralston gone to Connacht.
McDonald gone to Ulster.
Joe Cotton gone to Bristol.

A few others been part of Super wider squads.

It's an amazing squad on paper.

Tafa is 194cm, 110kg (prob bigger now). He's the type of 6 the Wallabies could use right now. Such a shame when he left, he was looking good for the Tahs off the bench in a couple games.
 

Slim 293

Stirling Mortlock (74)
With the level of praise McKellar heaped on T Hooper prior to his injury, I think he was likely to have a rapid rise up along with Gleeson...

Particularly with the Brumbies mafia running the operation.
 

qwerty51

Stirling Mortlock (74)
Yeah for sure with Hooper, he's Hanigan/Holloway's height (which clearly Rennie wants in a 6) but you'd back him to make more of a physical impact.
 

rodha

Dave Cowper (27)
And Robbie Deans's win/loss rate of around 60% seems like a dream compared to how we are travelling. Nucifora was a good coach sacked by Gregan and Co after winning the Super Rugby title, if my memory serves me right. He's had an odd career but with plenty of highlights based only on what I have heard from time to time.
Robbie Deans had such an army of assistant coaches, it's hard to see what he contributed.

Nuicifora, McGahan, Blades, Shrivener, Williams, Blake, Noriega, van Straaten, etc.
 
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HogansHeros

Jim Clark (26)
It is always about balance, you can't start a pack of all impact players and you can't start a side that "lacks impact"

You generally need both, you need players that are going to break that advantage line and some who turn up and do the clean outs (play the role that allows others to shine)

and then you have the worldies who can do it all - we don't have them except maybe Koro & Hooper. so while we continue the search for a world class pack, we make compromises and try to get some version of balance
Where's Scott Fardy when you need him
 

rodha

Dave Cowper (27)
Sadly, continuing the revolving door of coaches will solve nothing. The reality is Jones, Deans, McKenzie, Cheika and now Rennie have all come to the Wallabies with impeccable coaching records, and in the case of Jones and Cheika have gone on to success afterwards. As we continue to slide down the rankings, every new coach is going to be the messiah, then when the anticipated rise to greatness doesn't happen, we call for the coach's head. It's a bit like the old Einstein quote about continuing to do the same thing and expecting a different result!
Or could it just be possible, I know this is a really wild suggestion, but that it's not all the coach's fault?????

Rennie isn't quite as acclaimed in NZ, many remain skeptical of his true ability considering Wayne Smith was de-facto Chiefs coach in 2012/13. Professor's influence was enormous across the team and he was directly responsible for strategy and game planning.

Chiefs finished 1/15, 1/15 with Smith coaching in those 2 seasons, after Smith left Rennie's Chiefs finished 5th, 6th, 5th, 6th.
 

PhilClinton

Mark Loane (55)
Sadly, continuing the revolving door of coaches will solve nothing. The reality is Jones, Deans, McKenzie, Cheika and now Rennie have all come to the Wallabies with impeccable coaching records, and in the case of Jones and Cheika have gone on to success afterwards. As we continue to slide down the rankings, every new coach is going to be the messiah, then when the anticipated rise to greatness doesn't happen, we call for the coach's head. It's a bit like the old Einstein quote about continuing to do the same thing and expecting a different result!
Or could it just be possible, I know this is a really wild suggestion, but that it's not all the coach's fault?????

Cheika seems to have an aura for a couple of years when he joins a new team.

This is definitely an oversimplification, but his coaching style is designed to change habits and push players to reach their potential. This generally gets results quickly and during the early stages of the tenure. I don't think it's got great longevity though.
 

PhilClinton

Mark Loane (55)
The Wallabies and the coaching setup at the Wallabies gets so much attention, it's the flagship brand of rugby in Australia. But I also feel like too much emphasis is put on the Wallabies coaching staff and the work 'they' need to do with our players when they get into Wallaby camp. By then, it's probably too late.

The greatest modern dynasty in Australian team sports is the QLD Maroons 8 in a row SOO team. I understand they had generational talent, future immortals etc. But Mal Meninga was able to rally those players together for 6 weeks each year and get the best out of them. For the most part, the key players in that squad came from good NRL setups with strong coaches. They didn't need to learn play setups and go over basic skills during their camps. They also didn't get injured in camp...

If we take a leaf out of that approach, should the focus more be on spending the resources to ensure our Super Rugby teams have access to the best coaching panels, and put a 'figurehead' coach in place for the Wallabies who is assisted by a panel of coaches from the Super Rugby teams.

Host more 'mini-camps' during the year with groups of Wallaby squad members where they have short sessions around gameplay, shape and getting to know each other.

Anyway, that's a long dribble. Sorry. This type of stuff is probably already happening to an extent, but I feel like more could be done.
 

qwerty51

Stirling Mortlock (74)
Rennie isn't quite as acclaimed in NZ, many remain skeptical of his true ability considering Wayne Smith was de-facto Chiefs coach in 2012/13. Professor's influence was enormous across the team and he was directly responsible for strategy and game planning.

Chiefs finished 1/15, 1/15 with Smith coaching in those 2 seasons, after Smith left Rennie's Chiefs finished 5th, 6th, 5th, 6th.
Yeah nah.

I don't know what the opinions are now (definitely a bit of a shift in the last 1-2 months) but start of 2020 I am very confident the majority of Kiwis preferred Rennie coach over Foster.
 
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Froggy

Nicholas Shehadie (39)
PhilClinton I broadly agree regarding Cheika, and I was among those who thought he stayed too long. Having said that, he was still having the odd good result. What I will say is that, with two Shute Shield premierships with Randwick, taking Leinster from relegation to European Cup champions, taking the Tahs to their first (and only) Super title, taking the Wallabies to an unlikely WC final, and now the Pumas to their biggest ever win over the Wallabies and their only ever win over the AB's, makes those who called him the worst Wallaby coach ever and made up juvenile names for him look pretty silly.
 
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