Wallabies 2023

[stillmissit]

I'm not convinced of this. Our game plan led to 200 tackles v their 80. Minimal possession, again. When the team is in defensive mode 2 1/2 times more than the opposition, the first line of defence is going to be found out more than it would otherwise. That puts more issues in the hands of the back three. It is multiplying the problems.

Mostly Nawaqanitawase defence looked good to me, and key issue where it wasn't, well there was mostly more things going on. Mark has 8 tackles to Wright's 2 and Koroibete's 1. He was working hard enough in comparison, noting the risk of issues when he was working (in this case) 4 or 8 times harder is just obviously higher. Overall he had a reasonable game I thought. I also expect him to build from here.

Dru, what do you think was wrong with the game plan?

 

[Dctarget]

Len Ikitau has a fractured scapula, estimated 6-8 weeks out. Arguably the worst position for the Wallabies to lose (though with our depth there's a lot of danger areas).

Petaia only returned to training last week, so be interested to see if he turns out for the Bledisloe.

If he does I'd imagine it's a direct swap for Ikitau, praying that Kellaway is good to go too.

9. White 10. Cooper 11. Koroibete 12. Kerevi 13. Petaia 14. Nawaqanitawase 15. Kellaway

 

[dru]

Dru, what do you think was wrong with the game plan?

Mate it's beyond my ken, but the implementation of the Eddie plan is either not yet close to adequate OR it isn't good enough. Or both.

I get that playing without the ball can actually be a tactic in the modern game but not just our possession and territory stats are shite, but the combination is almost non-existent. Surely the ides is to find a way to their 25 and with having the ball in hand? We are in the wrong end of the field pretty much all the time.

I hear you on the rucks. I keep wanting to say but hand on look at our D rucks v theirs. But that isn't right, whether in attack or defence ruck work is ruck work.

 

[stillmissit]

Mate it's beyond my ken, but the implementation of the Eddie plan is either not yet close to adequate OR it isn't good enough. Or both.

I get that playing without the ball can actually be a tactic in the modern game but not just our possession and territory stats are shite, but the combination is almost non-existent. Surely the ides is to find a way to their 25 and with having the ball in hand? We are in the wrong end of the field pretty much all the time.

I hear you on the rucks. I keep wanting to say but hand on look at our D rucks v theirs. But that isn't right, whether in attack or defence ruck work is ruck work.

Very true Dru (poetry not), the kick chase was poor again which surprised me as I thought the guys would be chasing hard.
I am looking forward to Nick Bishop's analysis this week as our team looked good on paper and I thought we would put 20 on them, but when our D is poor or overworked, then the game gets harder. Losing Ikitau was a loss in two ways the second being not seeing if Gordon could open them up.

 

[stillmissit]

I thought Gordon made a decent fist of a difficult position, that requires a lot from a player.

 

[Joe Blow]

Mark N (Nawaqanitawase). Should stay on the wing for now. In time maybe he can look at 13 or 15, but for now he should bed himself in as an international wing. Between he and MK we have all that we need. Throw in Kellaway or Petaia at 15 and that is a very decent looking back 3.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Yeah leave Mark on a Wing to get comfortable and back himself.

I hope Flook is brought into the squad. Offers the bench good flexibility but I think he’s got skills like Ikitau in a way that he creates his own space an opportunity.

 

[LeCheese]

I really didn't hate having both Quade and Gordon on the pitch at the same time - on more than one occasion having a genuine second playmaker brought a lot of flexibility, particularly in broken play.

Wouldn't mind seeing it again next week, but in exactly what positions I'm not sure. 10-12 would be ideal, but I can't see Kerevi being overlooked, despite his shortcomings last night.

 

[Marce]

When is the Bledisloe squad announced? I expect Eddie to be brutal, Tom Wright for one will be back playing club rugby.

I'm not sure about that. Ikitau is out, Campbell was poor in Tonga, Hodge was a disaster in Pretoria. I'm not sure how fit are Kellaway and Petaia

At this point, a call to Tom Banks will be a good move. Specially when you picked the wrong Arnold twin

 

[stillmissit]

I really didn't hate having both Quade and Gordon on the pitch at the same time - on more than one occasion having a genuine second playmaker brought a lot of flexibility, particularly in broken play.

Wouldn't mind seeing it again next week, but in exactly what positions I'm not sure. 10-12 would be ideal, but I can't see Kerevi being overlooked, despite his shortcomings last night.

Hi Cheesy, I suspect you and I can open reasonable discussions now?
I don't think we can win major games without Kerevi, he is our only top-quality centre. He will be better and not sure what went wrong last night. Was it the game plan or him? Moving him to 13 did us no favours, I thought an option might have been (ignoring Marky idea) moving Wright to 13 and Gordon to 15 might have worked better?

 

[whitefalcon]

I cant cop Eddie's post match comments "when you give back as much ball as we did, you put yourself under pressure"

ISNT THAT THE WHOLE FUCKING GAME PLAN??

I'm not convinced he actually has a game plan he (or the players) understand, or that he now believes will work. So what's he doing?

We're fucking lost

 

[LeCheese]

Hi Cheesy, I suspect you and I can open reasonable discussions now?
I don't think we can win major games without Kerevi, he is our only top-quality centre. He will be better and not sure what went wrong last night. Was it the game plan or him? Moving him to 13 did us no favours, I thought an option might have been (ignoring Marky idea) moving Wright to 13 and Gordon to 15 might have worked better?

I wasn't the poster who suggested your take was "senile" mate, just thought your response to that comment was possibly a tad over the top / personal. But yes, onwards and upwards.

Agree on Kerevi - on his day he's lethal, we just haven't seen that from him post-injury yet. One would assume he gets back to where he was with more game time, but he looked damn slow last night, which is always a worry after a leg injury; granted, his game has never been about pure speed.

Len going down through a huge spanner in the works last night, so don't think we can really comment too much around what did / didn't work in the midfield. All things considered, I don't think that's where we lost the game anyway. Don't mind Gordon at 15, even for next week, but I don't think Wright at 13 would have done us any favours.

 

[KOB1987]

I'm not sure about that. Ikitau is out, Campbell was poor in Tonga, Hodge was a disaster in Pretoria. I'm not sure how fit are Kellaway and Petaia

At this point, a call to Tom Banks will be a good move. Specially when you picked the wrong Arnold twin

Banks broke his arm again.

 

[molman]

Len Ikitau has a fractured scapula, estimated 6-8 weeks out. Arguably the worst position for the Wallabies to lose (though with our depth there's a lot of danger areas).

Petaia only returned to training last week, so be interested to see if he turns out for the Bledisloe.

If he does I'd imagine it's a direct swap for Ikitau, praying that Kellaway is good to go too.

9. White 10. Cooper 11. Koroibete 12. Kerevi 13. Petaia 14. Nawaqanitawase 15. Kellaway

That's a real loss and a great shame for Len. Probably been one of my favorite Wallabies in terms of consistency. The positive is better now than a couple of weeks later, but even so, he'll be really pushing for a return in that opening RWC game against Georgia.

The possible replacements for Len already in the squad out of those not flagged as rehab are people like Perese and Hodge. Kellaway & Petaia's inclusions depend on where those two really are in terms of fitness etc. I think as we've seen with returning players (like Kerevi last night) they're not always back to where you remember them right away. How much time to prepare with the squad those two have had I'm not sure. I know Kellaway was a least back at training, though I'm unsure of his load.

Other possibility is you inject a player like Foketi and keep Kerevi at 13.

I'm not sure I understanding people suggesting playing all these players playing out of their usual positions? All this player here or there when they've played little time in those positions recently and no time at international level and are mean't to come up against quality international opposition in those positions. Where's the logic?

 

[dusk]

That's a real loss and a great shame for Len. Probably been one of my favorite Wallabies in terms of consistency. The positive is better now than a couple of weeks later, but even so, he'll be really pushing for a return in that opening RWC game against Georgia.

The possible replacements for Len already in the squad out of those not flagged as rehab are people like Perese and Hodge. Kellaway & Petaia's inclusions depend on where those two really are in terms of fitness etc. I think as we've seen with returning players (like Kerevi last night) they're not always back to where you remember them right away. How much time to prepare with the squad those two have had I'm not sure. I know Kellaway was a least back at training, though I'm unsure of his load.

Other possibility is you inject a player like Foketi and keep Kerevi at 13.

I'm not sure I understanding people suggesting playing all these players playing out of their usual positions? All this player here or there when they've played little time in those positions recently and no time at international level and are mean't to come up against quality international opposition in those positions. Where's the logic?

Bring on Flook. There is no reason not to. We have already lost out first two games. Flook is not going to be the difference for losing the next game against the All Blacks.

 

[dusk]

Other possibility is you inject a player like Foketi and keep Kerevi at 13.

I'm not sure I understanding people suggesting playing all these players playing out of their usual positions? All this player here or there when they've played little time in those positions recently and no time at international level and are mean't to come up against quality international opposition in those positions. Where's the logic?

Ironic..

 

[Slim 293]

I would consider Kellaway for 13, especially after his defensive effort against Wales last year…

But he might be looked at playing fullback in a fortnight.

 

[Drew]

I would consider Kellaway for 13, especially after his defensive effort against Wales last year…

But he might be looked at playing fullback in a fortnight.

Maybe he has a twin? But ideally Petaia, Perese or flook. On the fullback theme, Anyone know how Jack Maddocks has been going in France?

 

[molman]

Maybe he has a twin? But ideally Petaia, Perese or flook. On the fullback theme, Anyone know how Jack Maddocks has been going in France?

Ok in the games I've seen him play, but not so good that he'd be pushing for a return to international honors and definitely not as a o/s exception. If he was to return to Super Rugby maybe he could make a case, but I suspect his window has closed now with the next generation likely to be pushing for the FB spot after this RWC.

 

[Drew]

^Fair enough regarding Maddocks, was just curious.