Wallabies 31 Man Squad

[Very Happy Reds Fan]

Now Hugh, I'll stop supporting Quade if you stop bashing him. At 10, I would have picked Quade, To'omua or even Foley, having played 14 games and averaging 80 minutes each rather than Berrick, JOC (James O'Connor) or Kurtley. "Once were test match winners" could be the straight to DVD title of the series. Slipper to start, not to get splinters, Lealiifano to be at least bench. Pat McCabe, I admire him but his shoulder will go again, just wait! Pick form players in their positions not "getting the old crew back together" and hoping it will be alright on the night. It would be like only picking one specialist no 7 in a world cup squad... Oh hang on......

 

[lewisr]

OK mate, I'll bite. Who has been left out of the 31 that you would have picked?

And don't just say 'Quade' as if he would singularly make the difference between us winning and getting, erm, 'bent over a barbwire fence and shafted'.
.

Jesse Mogg
Nic White (Ahead of Phipps last week and in the original 25 ahead of Dennis)
Ben Tapuai
Hugh Pyle (Again, original 25 ahead of Timani)
Quade Cooper (Ahead of a fair few that were picked instead)
James Hanson

And then the selection of JOC (James O'Connor) as our best option at 10.

Of course these are all debatable. But a fair few of those names should be in the squad. White and Pyle should have been there before injury. Just pointing out it's not only Quade who has been controversially omitted.

 

[barbarian]

When have I ever 'bashed' Quade? FFS I wrote an article saying I would pick him!

As for the others, well they are proven players at the top level. Have far more runs on the board than Quade, they have all been MoTM in test matches multiple times for starters. Picking To'omua or Foley would be ludicrous.

But it's an old argument, so I won't keep it up.
.

 

[Ignoto]

Funny that, I think he's absolutely nailed the squad now. I wouldn't make any changes.

With all the injuries we've had the squad picked itself. I don't know why anyone thinks Deans has done a good job.

He hasn't had to make a choice on;

- Pocock, Smith, Gill or Hooper
- Whether to start Timani and how to balance the jumpers and line outs
- Whether to pick Higgers, Mowen, Maddnes etc
- Whether White should have been included
- Whether to include Australia's in form winger of Speight (due to eligibility reasons)

The only decision he's had to make was whether to include Beale in the squad and he's obviously not bothered considered anyone else bar Barnes for that 15.

Realistically, you can't make any changes because there are no changes to be made. This wasn't the great Robbie Deans picking a revolutionary squad, it's a squad that has picked itself.

 

[ChargerWA]

Strongly disagree.

Out of the 3 Kimlin is the only one really suited to playing lock..

Shit, even I disagree with myself. I meant McMeniman. To many Macs in the Force pack.

I have never seen much of Kimlin at lock. I definitely agree with his inclusion as a 6 though. Bit scary how he would go behind a Wallaby pack going backwards. His hands aren't the most reliable in this situations.

 

[barbarian]

Jesse Mogg
Nic White (Ahead of Phipps last week and in the original 25 ahead of Dennis)
Ben Tapuai
Hugh Pyle (Again, original 25 ahead of Timani)
Quade Cooper (Ahead of a fair few that were picked instead)
James Hanson

And then the selection of JOC (James O'Connor) as our best option at 10.

Of course these are all debatable. But a fair few of those names should be in the squad. White and Pyle should have been there before injury. Just pointing out it's not only Quade who has been controversially omitted.

Mogg hasn't been able to keep up his early season form. Had his chances but didn't take them. Very good player but ultimately I don't think he was that unlucky.

Taps was out of form to the point where he was dropped from the Reds.

Pyle maybe, but is now injured.

Hanson, well he is training with them now. 3rd hooker, I don't think he is too unlucky.

None of these are controversial omissions.
.

 

[lewisr]

Mogg hasn't been able to keep up his early season form. Had his chances but didn't take them. Very good player but ultimately I don't think he was that unlucky.

Taps was out of form to the point where he was dropped from the Reds.

Pyle maybe, but is now injured.

Hanson, well he is training with them now. 3rd hooker, I don't think he is too unlucky.

None of these are controversial omissions.
.

They are controversial because of the players that were included instead of them.

Pat McCabe - Injured half the season and played off the bench when he was fit. Dropped by the Brumbies like Taps was dropped by the Reds.

Barnes - Injured 90% of the season and couldnt hold a starting spot in the tahs (for the record I think he should be there but just going by your logic)

Hanson is not in the squad. I am going by the claims of the ARU and Deans. He should be IN the squad.

Folau had a fantastic start to the season and was nothing more than solid since being announced in the initial 25.

Dennis was committed, yes, but nothing special. Why so many 6/8s?

I can do this for half the squad... But that wasn't your question. I told you who else I thought should have made it and I believe their case could be argued just as much as half of those who made it in. It's unfair to make it out like the only thing we can question is Cooper's omission.

 

[qwerty51]

Jesse Mogg
Nic White (Ahead of Phipps last week and in the original 25 ahead of Dennis)
Ben Tapuai
Hugh Pyle (Again, original 25 ahead of Timani)
Quade Cooper (Ahead of a fair few that were picked instead)
James Hanson
And then the selection of JOC (James O'Connor) as our best option at 10.

Of course these are all debatable. But a fair few of those names should be in the squad. White and Pyle should have been there before injury. Just pointing out it's not only Quade who has been controversially omitted.

- Mogg is solely a fullback and is rightly behind Folau, Barnes and Beale in that position. Correctly not selected.
- Nic White is injured. The 31(33) atm are the best possible.
- Tapuai is in terrible form.
- Pyle is injured but like Carter their time will come later, not ready for Lions series ahead of Douglas, Simmons and McMeniman. Enough locks.
- Cooper, I'm not doing that again.
- Hanson is in the squad training.

There's no point saying they should've been selected beforehand, they're injured now. The current 33 players training are the best. The final 23 is another matter.

 

[barbarian]

I can do this for half the squad. But that wasn't your question. I told you who else I thought should have made it and I believe their case could be argued just as much as half of those who made it in. It's unfair to make it out like the only thing we can question is Cooper's omission.

You can certainly make a case, but in most cases it is a weak one.

That analysis sounds a lot like picking holes for the sake of it. If you want to do that, knock yourself out. I never said you can't argue it.

But ultimately the squad is very solid. I'd prefer to talk about how we are going to beat the Lions, rather than discuss 'which players who would never make the 15 are unlucky to miss out on the 31'.
.

 

[lewisr]

You can certainly make a case, but in most cases it is a weak one.

It's a matter of opinion mate. But yes, excuse my ignorance, your cases for those players not being included are clearly of more merit than mine.

I was showing you an alternative way of looking at the situation. You asked what players I would have included and I answered. The reply was a description of how I'm wrong so I wanted to show you how the same could be done for the players within the squad.

And now you claim that they would never make the squad. Jesus, we all have an opinion here and some are more extreme than others but rather than being aggressive about it, take a step back and consider the other side. Don't simply assume yours is the right one.

 

[fatprop]

What a lot of rubbish FP. Utter load of rubbish.

.......................................

This thread is stupid for comments like yours as much as silly arguing back and forth. You shouldn't be encouraging it like that.

mmm apologies, I may need an alcohol lock on my PC

 

[qwerty51]

It would be great if the Wallabies had an internal trial of probables vs possibles

1. Benn Robinson
2. Stephen Moore
3. Ben Alexander
4. Kane Douglas
5. James Horwill
6. Ben Mowen
7. Michael Hooper
8. Wycliff Palu
9. Will Genia
10. James O'Connor
11. Digby Ioane
12. Christian Lealiifano
13. Adam Ashley-Cooper
14. Israel Folau
15. Berrick Barnes

vs

1. Scott Sio
2. Saia Fainga'a
3. James Slipper
4. Rob Simmons
5. Hugh McMeniman
6. Dave Dennis
7. Liam Gill
8. Ben McCalman
9. Nick Phipps
10. Kurtley Beale
11. Joe Tomane
12. Pat McCabe
13. Rob Horne
14. Nick Cummins
15. (bring in Mogg?)

 

[lewisr]

qwerty51 Would pay to see that (albeit a small amount haha)

 

[something]

hahahahha still no quade but as he is neither!

 

[Slim 293]

hahahahha still no quade but as he is neither!

Deep.........

 

[Scoey]

Probable's from Qwerty's post above:

1. Benn Robinson
2. Stephen Moore
3. Ben Alexander
4. Kane Douglas
5. James Horwill
6. Ben Mowen
7. Michael Hooper
8. Wycliff Palu
9. Will Genia
10. James O'Connor
11. Digby Ioane
12. Christian Lealiifano
13. Adam Ashley-Cooper
14. Israel Folau
15. Berrick Barnes

I still shudder when I see JOC (James O'Connor) as the Wallaby 10. I hope to God he tears it up but I'm just not confident he will. :-S We'll soon see I guess.

 

[I like to watch]

He still has skills that all the other options don't, and he is actually a flyhalf that can organise his backline.

At last you have identified 1 task out of the many, that you think Quade can be trusted doing, at Test level.
You have already suggested Quade should defend out the back,
That he shouldn't touch the ball in our own half.
That he should no longer play "at the line".
You keep saying he should be picked,but you keep posting reasons why he shouldn't.

 

[Ash]

Would love to see that as well. Don't the ABs do it and it has been a fully televised game? I know the Wallabies have done it in years past but it is a more informal thing.

Ultimately though I think that Deans has mostly made up his mind on the team.

I still think the Lions have to start as favourites despite their injuries. The only positions we have them in outright right now in 9 and 2, so we have to hit the ground running. I hope the lack of real matches together don't hurt us.

 

[qwerty51]

Wow you really think we only better them at 9 and 2?? I feel as I know quite a bit about the NH players and I do respect them but I have us winning a h2h favourably.

Benn Robinson is better than Vunipola. Palu is better than Heaslip or at least equal. James Horwill better than one of their locks. Hooper better than Tipuric or Warburton and Mowen even though he hasn't even got a cap is up there with Croft (wouldn't compare to O'Brien - too different). Our back 3 is more dangerous. JOC (James O'Connor) is on par with Sexton if you take out goal kicking (Halfpenny).

 

[Paradox]

This is what I suspect Deans may do/have done with a full compliment of players:

- TPN over Moore
- Dennis over Mowen
- Timani over anyone else (Pyle, Simmons, 3M)
- Palu over Higgers
- Horne over Lealiifano
- Hooper over Smith

Injuries have prevented some contentious decisions