Wallabies 2024

[Froggy]

Would love to watch every Super game, but have no idea where I would ever find the time for that, as much as I love rugby, I have Stan and watch whatever I can, played to 30 and go to at least one test every year, I also have a life outside rugby.

 

[Yoda]

Would love to watch every Super game, but have no idea where I would ever find the time for that, as much as I love rugby, I have Stan and watch whatever I can, played to 30 and go to at least one test every year, I also have a life outside rugby.

Do use the highlights regularly though!

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

So is Lolesio and Donaldson (both more caps) and Edmed is a better 10 IMO, Lynagh isn't that physically developed and has probably played like 40 minutes of test rugby

the other teams also have all test players who are mostly more capped and better (i.e. Bell, Tupou, AA,)

I’m just saying they are test players and they’ll have them across the bench now as well with Blyth, Uru and co but I agree with you.

Part of me is also trying to not mentally expect that much improvement from a Tahs team who got the spoon….

This is Les big chance to do something in a top tier comp. He’s always taken underperforming sides and made them above average but never elite. The Anthony Griffin of the Rugby world.

 

[stillmissit]

Settle down Mr Stillmissit. My point assumed you are a Stan subscriber and you watch most Super Rugby games. It’s not BS if you are interested in rugby. I actually watch all the games so know all the players from each team. As an ex 10, I do know all the players who play that position and take an interest in all their development. Anyway, I apologise if I offended you.

No apology is needed, I don't do offended. I am not a fan of apologising for comments/opinions I make and I'm certain you do not regret posting what you did.
So! Back to Burey what are his strengths and weaknesses is he worth keeping an eye on? As you watch all 10's in the country are there any who could play 10 better than Lolesio and Donaldson?

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

No apology is needed, I don't do offended. I am not a fan of apologising for comments/opinions I make and I'm certain you do not regret posting what you did.
So! Back to Burey what are his strengths and weaknesses is he worth keeping an eye on? As you watch all 10's in the country are there any who could play 10 better than Lolesio and Donaldson?

Answer on Burey is realistically a no.

He’s a neat and trustworthy player who Super Rugby is his ceiling IMO and that’s fine.

Plenty of players like that but we now assume everyone is a genuine Test prospect. Probably a function of not being very good internationally atm. Cricket team did the same thing for a while (Ed Cowan, Beer)

Burey is a poor man’s Foley and I don’t mean it in a disrespectful way but in terms of a Test prospect he’d be behind HMP and Bowen who at least have substantial youth on their side.

Might be a first on a Force team sheet but he suits their need like Hugh Sinclair does for the Tahs game on game.

 

[wamberal99]

I still remember Rupert Rosenblum.

 

[Yoda]

No apology is needed, I don't do offended. I am not a fan of apologising for comments/opinions I make and I'm certain you do not regret posting what you did.
So! Back to Burey what are his strengths and weaknesses is he worth keeping an eye on? As you watch all 10's in the country are there any who could play 10 better than Lolesio and Donaldson?

They are the two best imo.

 

[Tomikin]

No apology is needed, I don't do offended. I am not a fan of apologising for comments/opinions I make and I'm certain you do not regret posting what you did.
So! Back to Burey what are his strengths and weaknesses is he worth keeping an eye on? As you watch all 10's in the country are there any who could play 10 better than Lolesio and Donaldson?

Not really Burey old slow and small. But has a good rugby brain. Would be dominate in Shute Shield, good squadie / backup super but nothing more.

 

[stillmissit]

They are the two best imo.

Thanks for your opinion Yoda but I hope Schmidt has some better ideas or we will look poor or worse against the Lions.
10 is a worry, I thought would be resolved after the 2019 U20s success with Harrison looking good and then Carter Gorden. Yet here we are 5 years later with Lolesio a converted 12 with some skills and Donaldson a good workman yet still lacking a good 10 to hang a revival on.
Then there is 9, though less of an issue in my book.

 

[Hogan]

Thanks for your opinion Yoda but I hope Schmidt has some better ideas or we will look poor or worse against the Lions.
10 is a worry, I thought would be resolved after the 2019 U20s success with Harrison looking good and then Carter Gorden. Yet here we are 5 years later with Lolesio a converted 12 with some skills and Donaldson a good workman yet still lacking a good 10 to hang a revival on.
Then there is 9, though less of an issue in my book.

So much emphasis and debate on the 10 position which is of course an integral part of any rugby team, but without a dominant and abrasive forward pack and world class centres, I think our young 10’s are being unfairly criticised. They are still reasonably inexperienced at the international level and you only learn by playing and making mistakes. Not convinced that any of the other suggested 10 candidates would make any difference for a team ranked 10th in the world.

 

[stillmissit]

So much emphasis and debate on the 10 position which is of course an integral part of any rugby team, but without a dominant and abrasive forward pack and world class centres, I think our young 10’s are being unfairly criticised. They are still reasonably inexperienced at the international level and you only learn by playing and making mistakes. Not convinced that any of the other suggested 10 candidates would make any difference for a team ranked 10th in the world.

Reasonable opinion, packs win games, the backs determine the score, is a fair analogy, and a good part of the problem. But if we have a pack going forward, as the Wallabies have occasionally shown, and the 10 is sitting back and not attacking the line and primarily looking to kick or shuffle it off down the line. We get next to bugger all advantage.

*Proviso - I was a lock so this is based on observation and no experience apart from having played with some excellent 9/10 combo's who could drive a game whether the pack were on top or not.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

So much emphasis and debate on the 10 position which is of course an integral part of any rugby team, but without a dominant and abrasive forward pack and world class centres, I think our young 10’s are being unfairly criticised. They are still reasonably inexperienced at the international level and you only learn by playing and making mistakes. Not convinced that any of the other suggested 10 candidates would make any difference for a team ranked 10th in the world.

A lot of truth there. We have a problem at 12 right now and it's not helping any of our young 10's. Imagine if we had a fit Kerevi busting the line and smashing blokes in defence. The results would be different I suspect.

 

[Yoda]

A lot of truth there. We have a problem at 12 right now and it's not helping any of our young 10's. Imagine if we had a fit Kerevi busting the line and smashing blokes in defence. The results would be different I suspect.

Although I think Kerevi’s ’busting’ days are over.

 

[Tomikin]

Reasonable opinion, packs win games, the backs determine the score, is a fair analogy, and a good part of the problem. But if we have a pack going forward, as the Wallabies have occasionally shown, and the 10 is sitting back and not attacking the line and primarily looking to kick or shuffle it off down the line. We get next to bugger all advantage.

*Proviso - I was a lock so this is based on observation and no experience apart from having played with some excellent 9/10 combo's who could drive a game whether the pack were on top or not.

We actually scored a lot of points when the pack was actually going forward and we had the ball. So maybe the tens aren't that bad. We just don't have the ball enough and don't put enough pressure on getting it back

 

[KentwellCup>ShuteShield]

I still remember Rupert Rosenblum.

before my time, enlighten me.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Not really Burey old slow and small. But has a good rugby brain. Would be dominate in Shute Shield, good squadie / backup super but nothing more.

And that’s exactly who he is and where Cron knows him as his old coach at Norths.

Can rattle these guys off in history. Tim Donnelly, Dave Harvey… it’s just the talent in gold ahead of them aren’t 9 or 10/10 players like Larkham and Gits.

 

[stillmissit]

We actually scored a lot of points when the pack was actually going forward and we had the ball. So maybe the tens aren't that bad. We just don't have the ball enough and don't put enough pressure on getting it back

That's true Tomikin and the moment it reduced (before it fell away), Lolesio proved that he could not make much of 50/50 ball. Had we been able to keep up the dominance we had in those first 15 mins then it could have been different but few teams keep up forward dominance for 80 mins and you need to be able to play with good and poor ball.

 

[Wilson]

Injury update from Liam Wright during his commentary on the u19s - he's back to full contact work and feeling good, should be ready to go for the EOYT

 

[wamberal99]

before my time, enlighten me.

He played for Sydney University. I played against him way back when, he was very skinny and not very tall, I really thought he was a ball boy the first time I saw him. (He did play one season for Eastern Suburbs while he was still in his final year at Scots College.)

He kicked pretty well and did not like being tackled. He had a bit of a contest with John Ballesty for the Wallaby starting five eighth position. Ballesty was a far better all-round player, and was a lot tougher. And he played for my club, Eastwood.

 

[PhilClinton]

Although I think Kerevi’s ’busting’ days are over.

I am a Kerevi apologist from way back, so my opinions are openly biased, but I am not sure we can write him off yet.

He's gone from a worldclass centre in what, 2020/21 to suddenly being marked as a bloke who isn't good enough. Can't deny he was well below his best the last time he played in gold.

But it isn't like our current 12 options are winning games. Even if Kerevi is a 20% improvement on what is currently being rolled out, that would be a huge improvement.

I hope he gets a run during the Spring Tour.