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Wallabies 2024

Wallabies

Wallabies

Herbert Moran (7)
I know only one person can get captaincy, meaning people are bound to be snubbed of the role, but what do you think schmidts reasoning was for not making Valetini captain? I do note, sometimes i watch brumbies games and think his work rate could be better, but that is not often. Also I am a big supporter of the ideology, a captain leads by example, and thats why i also think fraser McReight must have been a close choice.
 
Braveheart81

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
Strewthcobber said:
Possibly a bit of a lack of leadership on the tour bus
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Interesting culmination of that tour. The Wallabies played well with Mowen as captain but from all reports he wasn't popular among the squad and then wasn't prioritised for a Wallaby top up contract so he went overseas.

A fairly unusual situation where the current Wallaby captain wasn't viewed as a retention priority by the coach.
 
Slim 293

Slim 293

Stirling Mortlock (74)
90a43a5b294715b756d566fe2bebb3bf



On top of that Kuridrani was suspended for a spear tackle against Ireland, so they ran out with a slightly understrength team with Lilo playing outside centre... but still beat Scotland.

And AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)'s mum wasn't happy.
 
Slim 293

Slim 293

Stirling Mortlock (74)
Braveheart81 said:
Interesting culmination of that tour. The Wallabies played well with Mowen as captain but from all reports he wasn't popular among the squad and then wasn't prioritised for a Wallaby top up contract so he went overseas.

A fairly unusual situation where the current Wallaby captain wasn't viewed as a retention priority by the coach.
Click to expand...

Apparently the top up wasn't an issue... he didn't want to be away from his young family on tour:

The ARU system only contracts players who have represented the Wallabies for two years, with exemptions made for players such as Israel Folau. Mowen made his international debut only seven months ago, and he said his decision was based on not being able to ''emotionally invest'' in another two years on the road with the Brumbies and Wallabies.

''We were working along nicely [with ARU negotiations],'' he said.

''It got to the point before we even had to come to an agreement that I rang [McKenzie] and said, 'Look, it's not going to be about money.'

''It's the hardest decision of my career and I flipped 100 different ways trying to figure out which way I was going to go. But being away for so long [with the Wallabies and Brumbies], it was a bridge too far.''
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www.smh.com.au

Ben Mowen's exit set to come at heavy cost

Incumbent Wallabies captain Ben Mowen will only receive match payments if he represents the country this year after missing out on an Australian Rugby Union top-up contract.
www.smh.com.au www.smh.com.au
 
dru

dru

Tim Horan (67)
Slim 293 said:
To be fair...

Gill was unfortunately the David Croft of his generation, stuck behind two world class opensides.
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I'd argue that Liam was a better all round 7 than both. Pocock and Gill had specific strengths that were better all the same. No room for 3x world class 7's in the Wallabies, though. Can't complain about what we got from Pocock, let alone Hooper. It is also nonsense to quote Cheika and the Waratahs as the (impliedly sole) explanation of the Hooper selection.
 
Strewthcobber

Strewthcobber

Andrew Slack (58)
Doran predicting a pretty experimental side for the first test against Wales.

I've been wondering if we won't see most of the remaining squad get a run in one of these three tests. Schmidt will want to see where they are all at.

Would it be crazy to run a completely non-Qld team against Georgia, with all of the Reds squad running out against Wales on the same weekend?
 
Wilson

Wilson

Michael Lynagh (62)
Strewthcobber said:
Doran predicting a pretty experimental side for the first test against Wales.

I've been wondering if we won't see most of the remaining squad get a run in one of these three tests. Schmidt will want to see where they are all at.

Would it be crazy to run a completely non-Qld team against Georgia, with all of the Reds squad running out against Wales on the same weekend?
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I think there will definitely be some consideration to dropping Queensland players out to play Wales on the weekend of that Georgia test, but I doubt it would be entirely without them. I expect Schmidt will want to hang onto the front line wallabies he intends to play in his rugby championship 23 and let the fringe guys get experience with Queensland. That might be part of why Lynagh seems to have pipped Donaldson here, give him a run off the bench now and let him run the show for the Reds in 2 weeks time.

At a guess I'd expect Faessler, Wright, McReight, McDermott and Paisami to all stay with the squad for the Georgia game, and probably at least one of Daugunu and Flook. Nonggorr and Hodgman could go either way.
 
liquor box

liquor box

Peter Sullivan (51)
Wallabies said:
I know only one person can get captaincy, meaning people are bound to be snubbed of the role, but what do you think schmidts reasoning was for not making Valetini captain? I do note, sometimes i watch brumbies games and think his work rate could be better, but that is not often. Also I am a big supporter of the ideology, a captain leads by example, and thats why i also think fraser McReight must have been a close choice.
Click to expand...
Maybe it is simple and he is not interested in Captaining?
 
KOB1987

KOB1987

John Eales (66)
I was listening to the KOKO podcast today - I haven't listened for ages - which was recorded earlier in the week and interestingly they were saying they expected Schmidt to select quite a few untested players for these first 3 games and then go full strength into the RC. The flipside to this of course is to select the strongest possible squad now to get off to a good start. With only a 2 week lead in and not knowing the best combinations, it does make sense to try out some of the fresh talent, as long as there is experience in the squad to cover any pear-shapedness that may occur on the fly.
 
Strewthcobber

Strewthcobber

Andrew Slack (58)
KOB1987 said:
I was listening to the KOKO podcast today - I haven't listened for ages - which was recorded earlier in the week and interestingly they were saying they expected Schmidt to select quite a few untested players for these first 3 games and then go full strength into the RC. The flipside to this of course is to select the strongest possible squad now to get off to a good start. With only a 2 week lead in and not knowing the best combinations, it does make sense to try out some of the fresh talent, as long as there is experience in the squad to cover any pear-shapedness that may occur on the fly.
Click to expand...
Maybe Schmidt doesn't know what full strength looks like yet?
 
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