Wallabies 2023
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dru
David Wilson (68)
Fair enough. I guess we'll get to see EJ (Eddie Jones)'s thoughts in due course.
TSR
Andrew Slack (58)
It’s good to have options. It wasn’t too long ago we were trying to shoe horn players into wing and fullback.
I thought I read Petaia was going to be back soon. If he is back and fit than I wouldn’t be surprised if he starts. But, if not, still pretty happy with what I’ve seen from Wright & Kellaway. Wright has his flaws but I think he’s generally playing very good rugby and would be a good foil for the likes of Kerevi, Ikitau, Koriobete and Petaia.
My preference is probably 11 - MK, 15 - Kellaway, 14 - Petaia but will be happy to see Wright get a crack in 15 or 14 if things work out that way.
I think Hodge is likely to still be 23.
I thought I read Petaia was going to be back soon. If he is back and fit than I wouldn’t be surprised if he starts. But, if not, still pretty happy with what I’ve seen from Wright & Kellaway. Wright has his flaws but I think he’s generally playing very good rugby and would be a good foil for the likes of Kerevi, Ikitau, Koriobete and Petaia.
My preference is probably 11 - MK, 15 - Kellaway, 14 - Petaia but will be happy to see Wright get a crack in 15 or 14 if things work out that way.
I think Hodge is likely to still be 23.
If we want to have a specialist 10 on the bench it's hard to see a better option for the 23 jersey than Hodge. Petaia is probably the next best but I'm also not really sure you want him covering 13 given how little he's played there in recent times.
If Foketi is the next best centre then he could wear the 23 jersey but he's not really a winger (although I think he did come on there due to injury in one of his early tests).
If Foketi is the next best centre then he could wear the 23 jersey but he's not really a winger (although I think he did come on there due to injury in one of his early tests).
Sword of Justice
Nev Cottrell (35)
I think Super form becomes less relevant when you have years of Test experience to draw from. For that reason I'd prefer Kellaway to Wright at Fullback given he's less prone to a brain explosion. We don't really have a pure fullback other than Campbell in contention and he's not been in scintillating form this year, but not bad at all either.
Nawaqanitawase was great last year for Australia and I think his ceiling is higher than Wright's but I'd accept that Wright is in good individual form right now.
Nawaqanitawase was great last year for Australia and I think his ceiling is higher than Wright's but I'd accept that Wright is in good individual form right now.
Hodge and a 9 is my bet for the bench
Stockade1988
Stan Wickham (3)
I think there will be a few surprises in training squad and so there should be people should be there according to there stats and ability not by name and last years results
Merrow
Arch Winning (36)
Wright has more test caps than Kellaway
Highlander35
Steve Williams (59)
Ma'a Nonu would have missed years of All Black selection by that metric.
Hodge is definitely the option if we play a 6:2 bench but I tend to think that will still be the minority of games rather than the normal structure.
Eddie Jones certainly wasn't a frequent user of it during his time with England.
The Ghost of Raelene
Simon Poidevin (60)
I expect the first training squads to be pretty large and I won't form too much opinion from inclusions as opposed to any big omissions.
Surprised more of the Qld faithful aren't suggesting Flook as a utility option. Would be a debutant but he can cover the Centres and Wing. Keen to see how he physically keeps developing over the next couple of years.
This is not how test rugby has ever worked in any country but sure.
Some players will always be selected because their Super Rugby form is too good to deny but that will be less of an occurrence in a World Cup year due to the lack of test matches to bring people up to speed.
eastman
John Solomon (38)
If we have a specialist 10 on the bench then we really don’t need Hodge- his benefit has always been that he can sufficiently play 10 as well has the outside backs. Petaia adds more value in every position outside of 10/12.
The Ghost of Raelene
Simon Poidevin (60)
Piri Weepu would have never even played Super Rugby if we just Money Balled it.
TSR
Andrew Slack (58)
Fair point - but on the flip side none of our guys have been close to playing like Nonu did at test level.
TSR
Andrew Slack (58)
He’s great - but I don’t really see him as being in contention this year. Would be happy to be wrong.
Even in a 5 : 3 bench i suspect Hodge will get picked unless they decide to play Lonergan as the reserve half back.
Sword of Justice
Nev Cottrell (35)
Yes, my point being Kellaway has been better than Wright over the last couple of years across quite a few tests now.
qwerty51
Stirling Mortlock (74)
I don't think any of Hodge's bench appearances have been because he can slot into 10. It's because he can play 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and has a long kicking boot.
Still very likely to be 22. Foley and 23. Hodge
eastman
John Solomon (38)
I hope you’re not right- they’re both such negative selections and have been a large part of Australia‘s mediocrity over the last 5 years.
I only see upside with 22. C Gordon and 23. Petaia - assuming Quade Cooper is playing 10 (if not Foley starts).
It seems to me like it either needs to be Hodge or Petaia. I don't think Hodge is a negative selection. I would absolutely prefer Petaia covering the back three but I am far less convinced he's a better 13 option than Hodge and he definitely isn't a better 12 option.
If you needed to replace 12 you'd move Ikitau to 12 and bring on Petaia at 13 (if Petaia was the player on the bench) but that's another shuffle. If Hodge was on the bench you'd almost certainly leave Ikitau at 13.
Of course there's also the flipside where you select more of a specialist centre on the bench (Foketi) with the acceptance that they're not a great wing replacement but that's also a position where you are less likely to get an injury and/or need to replace because they are gassed.