Wallabies 2023

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Yeah, I completely spaced on him. Would be ahead of Nonggorr and possibly Johnson-Holmes

I think he's playing off the bench at the rebs this yr as that would be his wobs role. If worse came to worse & 7A's missed a game HJH (Harry Johnson-Holmes) prob might start ahead of him but I think he is favorite for the 18 jersey atm

 

[wamberal]

I think he's playing off the bench at the rebs this yr as that would be his wobs role. If worse came to worse & 7A's missed a game HJH (Harry Johnson-Holmes) (Harry Johnson-Holmes) prob might start ahead of him but I think he is favorite for the 18 jersey atm

He can make a big impact with ball in hand in the last 20 or 30 minutes.

 

[HogansHeros]

I think he's playing off the bench at the rebs this yr as that would be his wobs role. If worse came to worse & 7A's missed a game HJH (Harry Johnson-Holmes) (Harry Johnson-Holmes) prob might start ahead of him but I think he is favorite for the 18 jersey atm

Him and TT would be a great set of finishing props.
I never understood trying to make TT an 80min player

 

[Derpus]

Him and TT would be a great set of finishing props.
I never understood trying to make TT an 80min player

TT was never an 80 minute player at test level. The Reds just got lazy with their prop development because he could play 80 minutes.

 

[qwerty51]

Pone needs to start playing 60 mins if he wants to make the Wallabies squad, it might be out his and Eddie's hands but there's no good having a prop playing 15-20 mins a game coming into the Test scene. One early injury and he'd be expected to play 60+ at Test level.

 

[Tah Man]

Pone needs to start playing 60 mins if he wants to make the Wallabies squad, it might be out his and Eddie's hands but there's no good having a prop playing 15-20 mins a game coming into the Test scene. One early injury and he'd be expected to play 60+ at Test level.

This is the big worry with Taniela leading into the World Cup. He'll only get a handful of games probably at club level before the squad is picked. All well and good to play 20 mins off the pine, but if the starting TH goes down and he has to play 60 in a knock out game we could be in real trouble

 

[qwerty51]

This is the big worry with Taniela leading into the World Cup. He'll only get a handful of games probably at club level before the squad is picked. All well and good to play 20 mins off the pine, but if the starting TH goes down and he has to play 60 in a knock out game we could be in real trouble

Bell as well.

 

[Lightblue]

Bell as well.

And our Messiah as well… QC (Quade Cooper).

 

[qwerty51]

And our Messiah as well… QC (Quade Cooper) (Quade Cooper).

Quade is back playing matches at least although not of high quality. It didn't seem to harm him in 2021 however.

 

[Dctarget]

Quade is back playing matches at least although not of high quality. It didn't seem to harm him in 2021 however.

He's not playing yet is he?

 

[qwerty51]

He's not playing yet is he?

Dunno, probably not I did see he's in Japan at least

 

[Realrugby63]

A lot of the commentary has been around the majority of players being "fit to train" so I've had a go at naming the squad based on 2 full 15s of fit players:

1st XV:
1 Slipper
2 Porecki
3 Ala'alatoa
4 Frost
5 Neville
6 Valetini
7 Hooper
8 Wilson
9 White
10 Carter Gordon
11 Nawaqanitawse
12 Foketi
13 Ikitau
14 Petaia
15 Wright

2nd XV:
16 Gibbon (Robertson)
17 Lonergan (Mafi)
18 Johnson-Holmes (Nonggorr)
19 Holloway
20 Swain
21 Wilkin (Liam Wright)
22 McReight
23 Samu (Gleeson, injured?)
24 McDermott (Lonergan)
25 Lolesio (O'Connor/Lynagh)
26 Jorgensen (Toole)
27 Henry
28 Flook (Perese)
29 Vunivalu
30 Hodge (Kellaway)

With the final ~ 3 being the injured players included:
31 Tupou
32 Bell
33 Rodda

Bracketed players are the ones I see as the most likely alternatives, with this weekend offering a lot of opportunity to shift things, particularly in that 2nd backline where the players could easily swap or shift position. The way things have gone this year I fully expect a few players to be ruled out with injury this weekend.

All this does mean the balance of the squad is clearly out - I'd expect any final squad to have 3 hookers, halfbacks and fly-halves and to probably drop a few of the other backs/rely on utility cover at the very least. It does feel like an Eddie move to really drive competition in the positions by naming a top 2 for each at this stage though.

I’d eliminate Vunivalu, Nonggorr and Lynagh and think about starting White at 9. But other than that I’d mostly agree.

 

[Marce]

Toole and Jorgensen deserve a call more than Vunivalu but I suspect that Eddie had something to do with Vunivalu's contract extension

 

[whitefalcon]

When was the last time Rodda actually played a game?

 

[Wilson]

When was the last time Rodda actually played a game?

16th of February, trial match against the Drua

 

[Derpus]

How does Eddie even find 30 odd players worth calling up considering the turgid shit being served up at the moment?

 

[qwerty51]

16th of February, trial match against the Drua

Was very good too.

 

[rugbyAU]

Does anyone know what time the squad is announced

 

[wamberal]

How does Eddie even find 30 odd players worth calling up considering the turgid shit being served up at the moment?

Do you include last night's game in your assessment?

 

[Derpus]

Do you include last night's game in your assessment?

Nah it was pretty good. Some clear standouts from both teams.