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Wallabies 2023

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.
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
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).
 

Sword of Justice

Arch Winning (36)
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.
 

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)
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.
Wright has more test caps than Kellaway
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
Hodge and a 9 is my bet for the bench

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 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
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.
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
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

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 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 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.
 

TSR

Andrew Slack (58)
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.
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.
 

qwerty51

Stirling Mortlock (74)
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.
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 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
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).
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
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.

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.
 
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