molman
Jim Lenehan (48)
I'm sure they know of Israel Folau also
Wallabies 2023
- Thread starter RugbyReg
- Start date
PhilClinton
Mark Loane (55)
Yep, Quade got a fair bit of league media as well during COVID when he returned to Australia and put his name forward for a contract.
I believe he was closeish to signing a deal with the Dragons. He's also done boxing events with Sonny Bill, so plenty of mainstream sporting media attention.
The Ghost of Raelene
Simon Poidevin (60)
Do they know him enough to care about watching a game of Rugby involving him? I personally don't think so.
Rugby have lost a lot of traditional Rugby watchers over the last decade. It's these people that need to be brought back before worrying about turning a League fan into a Rugby Fan which I do not see happening anyway.
Rugby have lost a lot of traditional Rugby watchers over the last decade. It's these people that need to be brought back before worrying about turning a League fan into a Rugby Fan which I do not see happening anyway.
The Ghost of Raelene
Simon Poidevin (60)
Closeish being the key there. I think Quade would have been a mess in League. I think a lot of it of the years is no different to the League player saying they have interest from Rugby to try and drum up their price. Didnt he almost go to Parra...
stillmissit
Peter Johnson (47)
Ghost, That is a very odd thing, I have an extended group of 'rugby' supporters as family and friends of my ex. They and she used to watch every game 5 years ago and now only watch the Wallabies if it grabs their interest or there is limited league on the TV. A few of them played union and not league which I also find odd.
stillmissit
Peter Johnson (47)
You can bet that the first Wallaby game this year will have a very large number of eyeballs on it, just to see if the hype is real.
Which could be eclipsed by the AB game in Melbourne.
Which could be eclipsed by the AB game in Melbourne.
Viking
Mark Ella (57)
Not that I think Stewart is a great chance, but if he has a full super rugby season under his belt he really isn't that far behind Donaldson or Edmed on game-time. So I think there is the real possibility he could over-take these two.
molman
Jim Lenehan (48)
True, but not at Wallabies level and I don't recall him getting a run as a 10 in any of the Australia A games he played in. There are not many international games left for Eddie to muck around seeing if he has what it takes. Especially when he has the dual issue of probably needing to get some wins to shore up the media/public perceptions. I think if Stewart has Wallabies fly-half aspirations he'll have to push for them post this RWC.
I also think we might see Hegarty playing a bit of fly-half for The Force, so he'll have competition for the position, even more-so when Reesjan Pasitoa returns from injury.
Marce
John Hipwell (52)
It's your point of view. In my case most of the Leaguies I know, know more Hooper than Quade. Maybe in QLD Cooper is more famous in League community and Hooper is more famous in NSW League community lol
Adam84
Rod McCall (65)
Nah
Marce
John Hipwell (52)
My best Aussie friend is a Bulldog diehard supporter. He only knows Hooper, I swear. And he's a sportman
rodha
Dave Cowper (27)
There is no debate to be had. Quade has always been a superior player. The 2014 & 2015 seasons were a fleeting anomaly for Foley. Quade fell victim to a perception problem, Cheika wouldn't back him no matter what, NSW favoritism & a stubborn personality clash. He would sooner have the sideways running perennial match loser Beale at 10, than resort to Cooper.
Quade also challenged Cheika's coaching methods and offered constructive criticism - that's a big no, no!
Cooper said he wasn't sure where his relationship with Cheika broke down but he felt the then-Wallabies coach did not enjoy being challenged.
"I know for a fact that I'll speak my mind and maybe for him, if I wasn't saying yes in agreeance with him, then I was a bad team guy from his perspective," Cooper said.
"There were a lot of things going on in that locker room that weren't running smoothly and when we'd have a team meeting they'd say, 'Does anyone have a different point of view?' and I'd say, 'Yeah I see it this way' and he'd get really offended by that.
"I'm not sure what it's from but he's definitely successful off [the field] and that's why he wanted to do it a certain way. Not that that's right or wrong, but we were seeing it as players, there were certain things that were happening that we couldn't put up with so when we'd speak up about it...''
Cooper said he worked hard on the points Cheika raised with him but knew it was for naught.
"We had a conversation on the phone about selection and I just said, 'Mate, the things you're telling me to go work on, I'm doing those things, so if you're just not going to pick me, you just don't like the way I play, then that's fine, tell me that and be up front," Cooper said.
"So you're not just going, 'Go work on your passing'. I know I'm the best passer in the team. You want me to go work on my kicking? I'll working on my kicking. But don't feed me bulls---. I said that to him on the phone, and I remember he got the s---- with that, we ended up having a big argument.
"Same thing with [back rower] Scott Higginbotham, had the same conversations. Two guys never to play with him again."
What really happened when Quade Cooper confronted Richie McCaw
In 2011, Quade Cooper kneed untouchable All Blacks captain Richie McCaw in the head, turning an entire country against him. ''I was on the team bus and there were signs 'I hope you break your leg, I hope you die in this game'.''
Last edited:
Tomthumb
Chilla Wilson (44)
So it nothing to do with Cooper playing hero ball too much and making mistakes or being a traffic cone on defense?There is no debate to be had. Quade has always been a superior player. The 2014 & 2015 seasons were a fleeting anomaly for Foley. Quade fell victim to a perception problem, Cheika wouldn't back him no matter what, NSW favoritism & a stubborn personality clash. He would sooner have the sideways running perennial match loser Beale at 10, than resort to Cooper.
Quade also challenged Cheika's coaching methods and offered constructive criticism - that's a big no, no!
Cooper said he wasn't sure where his relationship with Cheika broke down but he felt the then-Wallabies coach did not enjoy being challenged.
"I know for a fact that I'll speak my mind and maybe for him, if I wasn't saying yes in agreeance with him, then I was a bad team guy from his perspective," Cooper said.
"There were a lot of things going on in that locker room that weren't running smoothly and when we'd have a team meeting they'd say, 'Does anyone have a different point of view?' and I'd say, 'Yeah I see it this way' and he'd get really offended by that.
"I'm not sure what it's from but he's definitely successful off [the field] and that's why he wanted to do it a certain way. Not that that's right or wrong, but we were seeing it as players, there were certain things that were happening that we couldn't put up with so when we'd speak up about it...''
Cooper said he worked hard on the points Cheika raised with him but knew it was for naught.
"We had a conversation on the phone about selection and I just said, 'Mate, the things you're telling me to go work on, I'm doing those things, so if you're just not going to pick me, you just don't like the way I play, then that's fine, tell me that and be up front," Cooper said.
"So you're not just going, 'Go work on your passing'. I know I'm the best passer in the team. You want me to go work on my kicking? I'll working on my kicking. But don't feed me bulls---. I said that to him on the phone, and I remember he got the s---- with that, we ended up having a big argument.
"Same thing with [back rower] Scott Higginbotham, had the same conversations. Two guys never to play with him again."
What really happened when Quade Cooper confronted Richie McCaw
In 2011, Quade Cooper kneed untouchable All Blacks captain Richie McCaw in the head, turning an entire country against him. ''I was on the team bus and there were signs 'I hope you break your leg, I hope you die in this game'.''www.smh.com.au
Viking
Mark Ella (57)
Coopers latest interview on the Bloke at the Bar podcast this week, he talks a bit about this. Saying he was in a bad head space and probably wouldn't have picked himself in the team either.
So looks like he has changed his tune a bit to the words Rodha has posted. Doesn't mean those aren't untrue either though.
I imagine it was a bit of both to why he was dropped. Coopers attitude and Cheika's perception/bias.
So looks like he has changed his tune a bit to the words Rodha has posted. Doesn't mean those aren't untrue either though.
I imagine it was a bit of both to why he was dropped. Coopers attitude and Cheika's perception/bias.
Viking
Mark Ella (57)
I think this is true. He is huge in QLD and especially in Brisbane. I am originally from Canberra and he was pretty well known there but have no idea about NSW.
KOB1987
John Eales (66)
Well that’s what you call taking the bait haha. You are relatively new here but the post you responded to was a bit of a pisstake on the relentless Quade v Foley debate that was undertaken on here from around 2014 through to 2019There is no debate to be had. Quade has always been a superior player. The 2014 & 2015 seasons were a fleeting anomaly for Foley. Quade fell victim to a perception problem, Cheika wouldn't back him no matter what, NSW favoritism & a stubborn personality clash. He would sooner have the sideways running perennial match loser Beale at 10, than resort to Cooper.
Quade also challenged Cheika's coaching methods and offered constructive criticism - that's a big no, no!
Cooper said he wasn't sure where his relationship with Cheika broke down but he felt the then-Wallabies coach did not enjoy being challenged.
"I know for a fact that I'll speak my mind and maybe for him, if I wasn't saying yes in agreeance with him, then I was a bad team guy from his perspective," Cooper said.
"There were a lot of things going on in that locker room that weren't running smoothly and when we'd have a team meeting they'd say, 'Does anyone have a different point of view?' and I'd say, 'Yeah I see it this way' and he'd get really offended by that.
"I'm not sure what it's from but he's definitely successful off [the field] and that's why he wanted to do it a certain way. Not that that's right or wrong, but we were seeing it as players, there were certain things that were happening that we couldn't put up with so when we'd speak up about it...''
Cooper said he worked hard on the points Cheika raised with him but knew it was for naught.
"We had a conversation on the phone about selection and I just said, 'Mate, the things you're telling me to go work on, I'm doing those things, so if you're just not going to pick me, you just don't like the way I play, then that's fine, tell me that and be up front," Cooper said.
"So you're not just going, 'Go work on your passing'. I know I'm the best passer in the team. You want me to go work on my kicking? I'll working on my kicking. But don't feed me bulls---. I said that to him on the phone, and I remember he got the s---- with that, we ended up having a big argument.
"Same thing with [back rower] Scott Higginbotham, had the same conversations. Two guys never to play with him again."
What really happened when Quade Cooper confronted Richie McCaw
In 2011, Quade Cooper kneed untouchable All Blacks captain Richie McCaw in the head, turning an entire country against him. ''I was on the team bus and there were signs 'I hope you break your leg, I hope you die in this game'.''
Last edited:
Same experience for me. I have a broader circle of mates most of whom played rugby (some at Aus level, several at State level in Schools to U-21s) who mostly are League fans now. They'll watch some Tests (and mostly complain about the state of the game that is played) but few seem to watch any Super rugby. Interestingly they are more likely to watch club (esp those with a playing affiliation) or schools rugby (because of kids there). Despite having Stan, I watched far less Super and Test rugby last year than usual. And I think I'm pretty rusted-on. It's not a good omen for the professional game in this country.
The Kiwi in him just had to jump in for the Tokoroa lad!