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Wallabies 2024

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
I know this is more of a Sanzaar thing rather than RA but watching the nfl today they already know the fixture for next season & there is still 2 weeks to go, how the hell can we not have a fixture out yet? theres only 4 teams!

They know what teams will play each other because it works on a set formula but none of the scheduling is done beyond that.

The NFL draw is:

You play your own division home and away (6 games). You play all four teams in another division in your conference on a rolling three year cycle (4 games), you play all four teams in a division in the other conference on a rolling four year cycle (4 games), you then play the same ranked team in the other two divisions in your conference (2 games) and the same ranked team in one division in the other conference (on a rolling four year cycle) (1 game) for a total of 17 games.
 

Members Section

John Thornett (49)
They know what teams will play each other because it works on a set formula but none of the scheduling is done beyond that.

The NFL draw is:

You play your own division home and away (6 games). You play all four teams in another division in your conference on a rolling three year cycle (4 games), you play all four teams in a division in the other conference on a rolling four year cycle (4 games), you then play the same ranked team in the other two divisions in your conference (2 games) and the same ranked team in one division in the other conference (on a rolling four year cycle) (1 game) for a total of 17 games.

I know how it all works i'm just saying they get there's before the end of the season we have to wait months for it to be confirmed when its in its own window & we know who is touring. Contracts are in place for certain cities to host game & they still wont confirm it all.
 

Adam84

Rod McCall (65)
NFL own their stadiums and don't need to juggle with other sports helps or seek out government grants to play games in the cities as they're already under existing long term agreements, they is probably the biggest factor.

There are some Rugby Championship host cities are still in being negotiated by all accounts; some are locked in(AUSvRSA & AUSvNZ), but not all. Especially around the Argentina games.
 

Ignoto

Peter Sullivan (51)
NFL own their stadiums and don't need to juggle with other sports helps or seek out government grants to play games in the cities as they're already under existing long term agreements, they is probably the biggest factor.

There are some Rugby Championship host cities are still in being negotiated by all accounts; some are locked in(AUSvRSA & AUSvNZ), but not all. Especially around the Argentina games.
It's a little old, but something like 4 teams actually own their own stadium; https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/raiders-nfl/stadium-and-rent-details-for-all-32-nfl-teams/

The two most recent stadiums; SoFi and Las Vegas are owned by a billionaire (Stan Kronke) and a local government agency.

A better example is probably the huge Football clubs (Premier league) and also Real Madrid/Barcelona who own their own pitches with little or no Government money.
 

Adam84

Rod McCall (65)
It's a little old, but something like 4 teams actually own their own stadium; https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/raiders-nfl/stadium-and-rent-details-for-all-32-nfl-teams/

The two most recent stadiums; SoFi and Las Vegas are owned by a billionaire (Stan Kronke) and a local government agency.

A better example is probably the huge Football clubs (Premier league) and also Real Madrid/Barcelona who own their own pitches with little or no Government money.
I guess it’s more a case that they’re dedicated NFL stadiums so they have more control/options over availability.
Some are MLB/NFL multipurpose, but most aren't and they aren’t like Suncorp or SFS hosting multiple teams and codes each week
 

stillmissit

Peter Johnson (47)
For the Wallabies to be successful in 2024 we need Liam Wright to be at his best, he's a bigger 7 who can jackle and tackle bigger guys. I like Fraser McReight but if Wright can stay on the paddock then I would suggest he is what we need.
 

LeCheese

Greg Davis (50)
For the Wallabies to be successful in 2024 we need Liam Wright to be at his best, he's a bigger 7 who can jackle and tackle bigger guys. I like Fraser McReight but if Wright can stay on the paddock then I would suggest he is what we need.
Assuming both remain fit and healthy, it's unlikely Wright will see much time at 7 throughout the Super season. We saw through the WC campaign the issue with playing people out of position - I know Wright's played a lot of footy at 7, but it's been a while since he has at the professional level, no?
 

Derpus

Nathan Sharpe (72)
Yeah I don't think the Wallabies chances are that closely tied to a 6/7 hybrid who has one (?) test cap.

Edit: five test caps. More than I thought.
 

wamberal99

Jim Clark (26)
One thing that is certain, the role of the 7 has changed enormously. I wait with great interest to see how Schmidt approaches the breakdown in his selection and his tactics.
 

Raytah

Sydney Middleton (9)
For the Wallabies to be successful in 2024 we need Liam Wright to be at his best, he's a bigger 7 who can jackle and tackle bigger guys. I like Fraser McReight but if Wright can stay on the paddock then I would suggest he is what we need.
I think Jahrome Browne might be the man by the end of 2024 if he stays fit. More abrasive than Wright and McReight. Better suited to test rugby IMO.
 

Members Section

John Thornett (49)
Assuming both remain fit and healthy, it's unlikely Wright will see much time at 7 throughout the Super season. We saw through the WC campaign the issue with playing people out of position - I know Wright's played a lot of footy at 7, but it's been a while since he has at the professional level, no?

Wilkin's form last year prob could almost warrant that spot as a true 7, but I Fraser I think he has the most upside of all the 7's going around.

6 Leota prob the best as an extra line out option although I could see him getting passed by Hooper by the Lions series
 

TSR

Andrew Slack (58)
I’m biased but I personally think McReight remains the stand out choice if we want a player in a traditional Aussie 7 role. I thought he was a level above either Wilkin or Brown last year.

If, however, Schmidt opts for a larger backrow then the likes of Wright, Gamble, Uru and possibly even Anstee come more into focus. Or even Tom Hooper at 7 with someone like Holloway at 6 (I personally don’t see this at Test level but I know the Brumbies have played Hooper at 7 so they obviously see merit in it).
 

Derpus

Nathan Sharpe (72)
A pilfering 7 is an anachronism and an area Australia badly lag the rest of the world. Every single player in the French 23 can pilfer.
 

TSR

Andrew Slack (58)
A pilfering 7 is an anachronism and an area Australia badly lag the rest of the world. Every single player in the French 23 can pilfer.
IMO that’s irrelevant and also misleading.

Whilst pilfering skill is practiced across the board there are players who rarely make turnovers. Every player in the Australian team CAN pilfer also. But, just like the French, most of them rarely do. For example, Nic White obviously can make a turnover and won us a game with one last year, but it is not a skill that is going to determine if he is in the team or not. What teams do need is a number of players across the field that can create turnovers and, in most teams, that still includes at least 1 back rower. It doesn’t have to be a 7 (bearing in mind that not every country plays their open side in the 7 jersey) but most teams have at least one of their flankers, a front rower and another forward who play hard over the ball as a member of the pack. Plus at least 1 centre. Wingers & fullbacks are also increasingly good at it as turnover opportunities often happen in the wide channels.

When you say it is an anachronism for the majority of the reign of Michael Hooper it has not been a priority of Australia to play a pilfering 7. And I am not being critical of Hooper - he was a fantastic player and one of Australia’s finest but he was not a prolific pilferer. And there were times when he played with two other backrowers who weren’t either an Australia really struggled to create meaningful pressure at the breakdown. So the place where Australia has been lagging the world is not because we emphasised a pilfering 7, it’s IN PART (because there isn’t one single issue that has been a problem for us) because we lacked on ball pressure.
 

Derpus

Nathan Sharpe (72)
I think we basically agree? We lag in that we don't emphasise it as a skill that everyone needs to be at least competent at.

When I say 'can' pilfer I obviously don't mean it literally. I mean, can pilfer effectively when the opportunity presents itself and is a skill that is intentionally developed.

Its more a fan thing to bang on about how great a 7 is at pilfering. Hooper, if anything, emphasizes my point. Not the greatest pilferer but at times the best 7 in the world.
 
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