Wallabies 2023

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ plenty of AB fans (myself included) thought Sir Ted should've got the boot after '07 & would never have thought him capable of overseeing the start of one of the most dominant periods in AB history.

Clearly Jones operates in a very different manner to Ted or Jabba Hansen but it's one of those ideas that's so crazy it might just work.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I'm coming around to the idea of putting our best long term prospects out there in RWC23 and build for the long term. We couldn't really do any worse and in some cases it's time to draw a line under some players who have been there through a period of serious mediocrity.

The guys we've got coming through the last couple of U20's squads look excellent in several cases, so putting some effort into building them into a great side would be beneficial.

Problem is, has EJ (Eddie Jones) ever developed a young group of players? I don't recall it ever happening.

 

[LeCheese]

Really feeling for 7As (Allan Ala'alatoa) this morning. Four achilles injuries for the Wallabies in under 12mo is bloody bizarre

 

[KOB1987]

I'm coming around to the idea of putting our best long term prospects out there in RWC23 and build for the long term. We couldn't really do any worse and in some cases it's time to draw a line under the some players who have been there through a period of serious mediocrity.

The guys we've got coming through the last couple of U20's squads look excellent in several cases, so putting some effort into building them into a great side would be beneficial.

Problem is, has EJ (Eddie Jones) (Eddie Jones) ever developed a young group of players? I don't recall it ever happening.

I have had similar thoughts. Even as far as thinking we couldn’t be any worse off if we ditch Quade and start putting some minutes into Donaldson.

He put the broom through the England squad when he took over after 2015 RWC, that would be pretty analogous to this? Much deeper player pool though.

 

[Ignoto]

Has any Wallabies coach lost the faith of the Australian supporter base faster than Jones?

For clarity sake I’m not advocating for Rennie to have kept on, but geez some of his media comments and then these results have really turned things into a shit show.

2011 Robbie Deans would like a word.

We went from playing positive rugby to horrible stuff in the span of several weeks.

 

[PhilClinton]

2011 Robbie Deans would like a word.

We went from playing positive rugby to horrible stuff in the span of several weeks.

Yeh but Deans wasn’t baiting the media, attempting to harness the supporters faith and then producing foul performances.

And there was always that notion of “this bloke has come from a good place, give him time”.

We are getting Eddie 2.0 who’s just coming off a bad run with England and copped the boot.

 

[whitefalcon]

I think Jones has been told this year doesn't matter provided Wobs make WC QF, his job is to put out a competitive side v B&IL & esp at home WC. Win either of those & no-one will GAF about 2023 results.

I'm actually not against this as a tactic but I cant stand Eddies bullshit about winning the world cup/bledisloe.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ what else is he gunna say? "Yeah, let's face it, we're no chance in the Bled, TRC or WC this year, I'm all about B&IL in '25 & WC in '27"? He'd be pilloried & rightly so not to mention probably fired for saying the hush-hush bit out loud. Then of course there's the morale issue: if the coach says you're fucked, why would the players bother putting in? Might as well go earn some Yen, Pounds or Euros.

 

[Derpus]

^ what else is he gunna say? "Yeah, let's face it, we're no chance in the Bled, TRC or WC this year, I'm all about B&IL in '25 & WC in '27"? He'd be pilloried & rightly so not to mention probably fired for saying the hush-hush bit out loud. Then of course there's the morale issue: if the coach says you're fucked, why would the players bother putting in? Might as well go earn some Yen, Pounds or Euros.

What is he doing now that improves our chances in two years? I think his 'planning for the future' schtick got found out in England.

 

[Sword of Justice]

At the time of his appointment I didn't think he'd be able to significantly alter the Wallabies fortunes, but I think it is fairly clear he hasn't settled on his favoured line up. Maybe it wont get muchbetter but the teams so far don't appear to be close to top flight.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

We’re flawed through Spine positions to use a League term (Eddie would appreciate)

Porecki is solid but not special, our Halfbacks aren’t world class right now, we don’t know our 10/too soon for the young guys so we’ve gone back to the well and we don’t have a legitimate Fullback.

I can’t think of a team win anything meaningful that lack a complete spine.

 

[PhilClinton]

^ what else is he gunna say? "Yeah, let's face it, we're no chance in the Bled, TRC or WC this year, I'm all about B&IL in '25 & WC in '27"? He'd be pilloried & rightly so not to mention probably fired for saying the hush-hush bit out loud. Then of course there's the morale issue: if the coach says you're fucked, why would the players bother putting in? Might as well go earn some Yen, Pounds or Euros.

If Australian rugby supporters haven’t realised by this stage that the current side aren’t up to scratch, then they’re morons.

Eddie doesn’t need to play games with the fans. Would much rather he spit in the soup and say “geez long way to go but we have the right pieces for the future” than try and rally everyone to cheer home a huge upset.

 

[Brumby Runner]

I have been, and remain, a vocal Cheika critic, but he has it all over Eddie as a coach leading into a RWC with a short lead-in period. Both have essentially inherited the team put together by his predecessor with almost no time or opportunity to effect major change to the players or the way they play.

But Cheika was a successful motivator who was able to appeal to players' feelings of loyalty, hard work and patriotism to lead them to do their best. Eddie apparently is a punisher who berates and belittles anyone not toeing his line. their approaches could not be different I think and while one is likely to be successful in the short term, as it was, the other is more likely to end in the destruction of the present Wallaby group.

McLennan will eventually have to answer for this error of judgement imo. Nothing looks likely to succeed no matter how long Eddie remains in the chair.

 

[Sword of Justice]

I have been, and remain, a vocal Cheika critic, but he has it all over Eddie as a coach leading into a RWC with a short lead-in period. Both have essentially inherited the team put together by his predecessor with almost no time or opportunity to effect major change to the players or the way they play.

But Cheika was a successful motivator who was able to appeal to players' feelings of loyalty, hard work and patriotism to lead them to do their best. Eddie apparently is a punisher who berates and belittles anyone not toeing his line. their approaches could not be different I think and while one is likely to be successful in the short term, as it was, the other is more likely to end in the destruction of the present Wallaby group.

McLennan will eventually have to answer for this error of judgement imo. Nothing looks likely to succeed no matter how long Eddie remains in the chair.

I agree Cheika might be the best coach in the world at turning around teams quickly but Jones doesn't have the genuine world class players such as Genia, Giteau, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Drew Mitchell, Moore, Kepu, Pocock, prime Hooper, Fardy, Folau, TPN, Kuridrani.

As other posters have noted, our squad depth is non-existent.

 

[RugbyReg]

I am still a believer that Eddie was and is a better option than Rennie. I just wish Eddie would shut up but that's not his MO.

He's been stuck with a team between generations - hes got some young guns not quite polished enough for rest rugby (Frost, Gordon, Mark N (Nawaqanitawase)) and some guys who are now pretty much officially past it (White, Cooper, Hooper, Slipper, Kerevi).

We've got a whole new set of coaches all learning their own voices and the players and vice versa. It's a potential shit show, but I think it can come good. Clearly, as I've said elsewhere, he's decided to forgo the RC. We'll get through to the QF which is a pass mark to be frank given our ranking.

I actually think the time away in the NT will be crucial around re-building belief and forging connections.

 

[Sam Old]

I am still a believer that Eddie was and is a better option than Rennie. I just wish Eddie would shut up but that's not his MO.

He's been stuck with a team between generations - hes got some young guns not quite polished enough for rest rugby (Frost, Gordon, Mark N (Nawaqanitawase) (Nawaqanitawase)) and some guys who are now pretty much officially past it (White, Cooper, Hooper, Slipper, Kerevi).

We've got a whole new set of coaches all learning their own voices and the players and vice versa. It's a potential shit show, but I think it can come good. Clearly, as I've said elsewhere, he's decided to forgo the RC. We'll get through to the QF which is a pass mark to be frank given our ranking.

I actually think the time away in the NT will be crucial around re-building belief and forging connections.

Hope you’re right Reg. So far not a lot to like from his first three.

 

[PhilClinton]

I’m not ready to call Kerevi past it yet (and yes I’m a self confessed fan boy of his from way back).

But I definitely think he’s come back from injury and Japan a slower, less impactful player.

I wonder how much is simply his play style and body type not reacting well to his post-injury older boy and how much playing in an inferior competition has dulled his ability.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

He looked better than the previous week at least. He’s only going to get fitter the more he plays and he’s our best 12 by a mile still.

Fijian blokes tend to keep getting bigger as well which won’t help but he’s a right now gun for Australia.

Look at Nadolo this year.

 

[rugbyAU]

How long is a ruptured archilles typically?

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

I’d say a year. All going well he could be good to go start of 2025 season for the Brumbies.