Wallabies 2025

[Tomthumb]

Yeah I mean he's certainly talented enough to play any of these positions, but I agree i hope they don't try and use him as a utility player, he needs one role

Also I've always been high on Ikitau at 12 due to his kicking ability and footwork into contact so him and Sua'ali together in the midfield is our best combo IMO. The Kerevi thing seems like wishful thinking at this stage, it's been 3 years since he looked world class

 

[TSR]

Hopefully Schmidt has been in Sua'ali'i's ear for the past two months during his rehab gearing him up to play one position. The kid needs training and game time in a consistent position.

But how does that actually work in practice.

I think it only works if you discount Kerevi as an option upfront then you say to Sua’ali’i that you are locked in at 13 and run with that. But I’d be very surprised if Schmidt has gone down that path. I’d also be surprised if Schmidt has Kerevi locked in as a definite inclusion. Also, how does that actually you account for injuries?

I’d imagine Schmidt is approaching it from the complete opposites angle -
- these are the skills Sua’ali’i (and others) brings to the table
- what are my different options to maximise his (and others skills) across the different configurations we might run with

Not dissimilar to McKellar who has played Sua’ali’i at 15 but has often used him like a centre, particularly in attack.

I would assume the mindset of most coaches these days are built around the skill sets of their players and not the number on their backs. It’s standard to have guys playing different roles in attack & defence that we wouldn’t have previously associated with that jersey number.

 

[TSR]

Yeah I mean he's certainly talented enough to play any of these positions, but I agree i hope they don't try and use him as a utility player, he needs one role

Also I've always been high on Ikitau at 12 due to his kicking ability and footwork into contact so him and Sua'ali together in the midfield is our best combo IMO. The Kerevi thing seems like wishful thinking at this stage, it's been 3 years since he looked world class

He was carrying injury over that period though and clearly hadn’t recovered. Even in his short cameo last year he was head and shoulders above the player he was at the World
Cup. The lesson I took out of that was World Class players aren’t World Class on one leg.

I don’t disagree at all with the point that if Kerevi is on the way down then he shouldn’t be shoe-horned in. But I am interested - if he was able to play like he did 3 years ago, would you want him left out?

 

[Dctarget]

But how does that actually work in practice.

I think it only works if you discount Kerevi as an option upfront then you say to Sua’ali’i that you are locked in at 13 and run with that. But I’d be very surprised if Schmidt has gone down that path. I’d also be surprised if Schmidt has Kerevi locked in as a definite inclusion. Also, how does that actually you account for injuries?

I’d imagine Schmidt is approaching it from the complete opposites angle -
- these are the skills Sua’ali’i (and others) brings to the table
- what are my different options to maximise his (and others skills) across the different configurations we might run with

Not dissimilar to McKellar who has played Sua’ali’i at 15 but has often used him like a centre, particularly in attack.

I would assume the mindset of most coaches these days are built around the skill sets of their players and not the number on their backs. It’s standard to have guys playing different roles in attack & defence that we wouldn’t have previously associated with that jersey number.

I don't know brother, I'm just freaking out that we're heading into a Lions series with our hopes and dreams pinned on a 21 year old kid playing in a position that he's done like 7 times at professional level. In turn shifting in our most reliable player from 13 to 12 where he has never really played or we rely on a broken player who's been tackling onigri's in Japan for the past 5 years. I'M STRESSED.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

10s often slide out to defend elsewhere... It's no different and these guys are the best at their craft and know when to move up and shift. It's not u12s where you tell them to hold your spot because you don't want to overwhelm them. As long as we have good communicators it's fine. Have to give RL one thing and it's on field chat never stops. JAS has that experience and experience in a Fullback role in RL where all they do is organise

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

I don't know brother, I'm just freaking out that we're heading into a Lions series with our hopes and dreams pinned on a 21 year old kid playing in a position that he's done like 7 times at professional level. In turn shifting in our most reliable player from 13 to 12 where he has never really played or we rely on a broken player who's been tackling onigri's in Japan for the past 5 years. I'M STRESSED.

I was to start this season but look how he's played. He's given us no reason to think he won't handle the occasion. Got chucked into the fire at Twiks with zero experience and it went alright.

 

[TSR]

I don't know brother, I'm just freaking out that we're heading into a Lions series with our hopes and dreams pinned on a 21 year old kid playing in a position that he's done like 7 times at professional level. In turn shifting in our most reliable player from 13 to 12 where he has never really played or we rely on a broken player who's been tackling onigri's in Japan for the past 5 years. I'M STRESSED.

Haha - well, for what it’s worth, I think it’s great that we have options that we just didn’t have even two years ago. I’d love a fit and firing Kerevi but, if he isn’t, I don’t think it’s catastrophic. If Sua’ali’i ends up in the centres then it means one of Potter, Pietsch, Jorgenson, Kellaway or Daugunu comes off the pine and into the team and I don’t think that’s the worst headache.

I’d imagine Schmidt is far more concerned about our depth at prop and possibly still his options in the halves than the outside backs.

 

[Tomthumb]

He was carrying injury over that period though and clearly hadn’t recovered. Even in his short cameo last year he was head and shoulders above the player he was at the World
Cup. The lesson I took out of that was World Class players aren’t World Class on one leg.

I don’t disagree at all with the point that if Kerevi is on the way down then he shouldn’t be shoe-horned in. But I am interested - if he was able to play like he did 3 years ago, would you want him left out?

Yeah I thought he looked pretty stock standard against a terrible Welsh side, and then got himself red carded

I'm not against him making the squad especially with other pretty average midfield options, but it just feels like blind faith that he will somehow find his prime again. Has anyone seen him play in Japan?

 

[Wilson]

Yeah I thought he looked pretty stock standard against a terrible Welsh side, and then got himself red carded

I'm not against him making the squad especially with other pretty average midfield options, but it just feels like blind faith that he will somehow find his prime again. Has anyone seen him play in Japan?

I haven't seen much of his Japanese play this year, but he did win his Japanese sides best and fairest, scoring 14 tries in 16 games. Also played 80 for most of those games (one 45 minute game early in the season and a couple of yellow cards the exception).

It's hard to know how the form compares from Japan, but I think it's fair to say he's in good nick physically and doing much better than the year before (3 tries from 10 games, a couple of them only 10 or 20 minutes from the bench)

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Very hard to know. From the bits iv'e watch of Top League there are some games that your opposition at equal then others where it's a 3/10 difficulty that week.

It's also difficult because it's a position of not great top level depth. Decisions need to be made about Kerevi v Paisami not really Ikitau or JAS.

 

[TSR]

Yeah I thought he looked pretty stock standard against a terrible Welsh side, and then got himself red carded

I'm not against him making the squad especially with other pretty average midfield options, but it just feels like blind faith that he will somehow find his prime again. Has anyone seen him play in Japan?

I don’t think my comments indicate blind faith. I’m pretty clear that I’m talking about if Kerevi is fit and in form. I didn’t pick him as a World Player of the year nominee - that was done by others so it’s not as if I’m embellishing his credentials due to some personal bias.

I’d actually argue the opposite- the opposition to Kerevi seems to be he was found short previously (when we know he wasn’t fit) so why would we go back to the well. I don’t follow that logic at all - especially when we know lack of depth in the centres, lack of size in our backline, lack of test experience and lack of World XV contenders generally have been issues and he potentially covers all 4.

 

[Backintheolddays]

Much higher risk going Kerevi than JAS unless he proves his fitness.
I’m still more worried about 15, Wright is a very good provincial standout but against top 5 test nations his breakout year last year won’t stack up. Those moments of individual brilliance do not offset the errors and defensive lapses.

 

[tig]

I'd still like to see JAS at inside centre, but I suppose it is too late for experimentation.

 

[Slim 293]

Much higher risk going Kerevi than JAS unless he proves his fitness.
I’m still more worried about 15, Wright is a very good provincial standout but against top 5 test nations his breakout year last year won’t stack up. Those moments of individual brilliance do not offset the errors and defensive lapses.

I’d be worried about Liam Wright at 15 too…

 

[Backintheolddays]

I’d be worried about Liam Wright at 15 too…

Yawn. For someone who contributes so heavily you contribute so little.

 

[Slim 293]

Yawn. For someone who contributes so heavily you contribute so little.

Thanks for following my work…

But if Tom Wright continues his form from the last 18 months I’m sure we’ll all be pretty happy.

 

[Grandmaster Flash]

Much higher risk going Kerevi than JAS unless he proves his fitness.
I’m still more worried about 15, Wright is a very good provincial standout but against top 5 test nations his breakout year last year won’t stack up. Those moments of individual brilliance do not offset the errors and defensive lapses.

Wright was good in the EOYT but I still fear that part of his game will come out in catastrophic fashion during the series. Hope to be proved wrong.

 

[rugbyAU]

Our best option would be something like

11 - Daungunu
12 - Ikitau
13 - JAS
14 - Jorgensen/Potter
15 - Wright

balancing form and combinations from last year's EOYT

 

[Derpus]

Much higher risk going Kerevi than JAS unless he proves his fitness.
I’m still more worried about 15, Wright is a very good provincial standout but against top 5 test nations his breakout year last year won’t stack up. Those moments of individual brilliance do not offset the errors and defensive lapses.

Wright was the best performing back in the entire EOYT (of any nation). Think we'll be fine if he remains fit.

Big drop off to second best fullback though.

 

[Mr Pilfer]

I like the call of having JAS on the wing with Potter on the other. We can rain bombs on them with those two very good in the air.

Play Kerevi at 12 where he is going to take a lot of crash ball and get us over the gain line.