Wallabies 2025

[Adam84]

Tuffest sport in da world...

it's just like Crossfit and the claiming it's a a measure of the "fittest on earth".... all whilst bouncing a handstand pushup by smashing your cervical spine into the ground counting it as a ‘rep

 

[Strewthcobber]

Toughest sport in the world for a couple of you guys is not posting about rugby league in a union forum for a month

 

[Adam84]

Yeah, i'd say being a frontrower requires a decent level of toughness, especially at the professional level, the dedication to endure the countless training scrums and then doing it on the field requires some cun$ about you

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

I would dispute this. They are huge boys who are pushing so hard that they can’t breathe over and over again. And then they get their faces driven into the ground by a pack of 8 if they make a mistake. They are a lot bigger than NRL forwards.

Not disputing the players themselves but a Scrum as a proving point exclusively.

 

[Sword of Justice]

Not disputing the players themselves but a Scrum as a proving point exclusively.

I think the hit ups in League definitely show toughness but it’s a bit of a philosophical one. If you took a tough player like Gallen and made him race a bike against Pogacar I wouldn’t call him less tough for losing and vice versa. I would call Pogacar a very tough individual.

 

[Wilson]

Is Petaia a chance for the NH tour? Squad training member?

Me thinks not with Schmidt's preference to select Aus based players let alone code based players.

Might depend on what's happening with contract negotiations, but the fact that's it's only a one year deal is in his favour. Les Kiss also seems pretty keen on him so I wouldn't be surprised if there is RA interest going forward. Might need an injury to free up a spot for him though, not sure Schmidt will drop anyone for him.

I think he's at very least much more likely than other overseas based backs who've been out of the setup for a while, or even Kerevi who Schmidt seems to have moved on from.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Very true. We'd all look like wet paper if asked to try and keep up with Olympic Rowers.

It's all in the same category as arguing politics, religion etc.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Might depend on what's happening with contract negotiations, but the fact that's it's only a one year deal is in his favour. Les Kiss also seems pretty keen on him so I wouldn't be surprised if there is RA interest going forward. Might need an injury to free up a spot for him though, not sure Schmidt will drop anyone for him.

I think he's at very least much more likely than other overseas based backs who've been out of the setup for a while, or even Kerevi who Schmidt seems to have moved on from.

I think he's a decent chance given he is a guy who is likely to feature at the WC and everything from now should have that in mind. I think that's a big part of Kerevi not being used.

Schmidt did take JAS last year which was assumed but also a gamble. Petaia a safer bet than that.

 

[Wilson]

I think he's a decent chance given he is a guy who is likely to feature at the WC and everything from now should have that in mind. I think that's a big part of Kerevi not being used.

Schmidt did take JAS last year which was assumed but also a gamble. Petaia a safer bet than that.

Yeah, Petaia is also the best (and really only) player available who can be used as a like for like sub for Sua'ali'i, which is a pretty valuable thing if he's a key part of the planning going forward.

 

[Crashy]

Willing to give the Kangaroos 5 years to learn technique and put on weight?

A scrum is a unique event in Rugby and doesn't really prove any toughness. Wallabies had a camp chair for a scrum for years but I don't think they're soft. I don't think same BOK pack wouldn't last a half of constantly doing shuttle runs backwards and making 30+ tackles.

If it kicked off in a bar I know which group I'd rather stand behind (and walk out the door)


I agree. Although I think if a Rugby side came and wanted Gordon and he was willing to walk away from the Titans I think they would take it. An instant cap spot and space.

just means they are fitter.

 

[wamberal99]

Very true. We'd all look like wet paper if asked to try and keep up with Olympic Rowers.

It's all in the same category as arguing politics, religion etc.

Cadeyrn Neville was a very rower, good enough to represent at national level as a junior.

 

[Adam84]

I agree. Although I think if a Rugby side came and wanted Gordon and he was willing to walk away from the Titans I think they would take it. An instant cap spot and space.

Possibly, but given they have a new coach they might just be using it as an opportunity to take the right to make exercise a release away from the player and let the new coach shape his team...

But no evidence to this theory; it just seems a bit odd to parachute him into the NRL team list after only one club game back following a prolonged injury.

 

[Crashy]

where would he land? Tahs?

 

[Major Tom]

Regarding the Skelton / Reg 9 issue I'm interested to know how FIFA handles it. They would be dealing with more powerful clubs / owners.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

where would he land? Tahs?

They're the ones that seem most obvious with nobody really owning the 10 jersey but there's also a big chance of an overseas Club like Petaia.

 

[Highlander35]

FIFA has about 6 international windows each representing about 9 days each. These windows are used for for friendlies, qualification games, and a mix of other games, particularly in Europe with the Nations League.

There are also quadrennial release windows for the continental cups and world cups which last the entire length of the tournament so long as your team is still participating.

For ordinary release windows players are released for 4-5 days per scheduled official match (depending on whether the player flies cross continental), and only 2 days if it's a friendly.

Clubs will (at least publicly) rarely kick up a fuss when it comes to true international fixtures, but lots of players will have niggles coming into a window where their team is only playing friendlies.

Football "works" (people can argue not well enough but I digress), because the Clubs are the primary product, with the World and Continental association holding just enough power over things like the Champions League to ensure a reasonable International game continues to be in place.

 

[Uh huh]

Yeah, Petaia is also the best (and really only) player available who can be used as a like for like sub for Sua'ali'i, which is a pretty valuable thing if he's a key part of the planning going forward.

I'd imagine he'll need some time off before he can return to competitive sport. If he's actually been in one of their training nurseries, there's a strong chance he'll need some time to metabolise and get a few things out of his system. This is in no way an attack on the bloke, it's just the reality of the NFL. In fact, if he opted out of using (as I think we'd like to expect), that would certainly go a long way to explaining why he didn't really progress in the comp.

I still remember the shocking sight of Jarryd Hayne after his first year of training in the NFL, sporting overnight Popeye arms with veins like garden hoses.