Shiggins
Simon Poidevin (60)
Sharpe working with Benny there. Good stuff
Wallabies 31 Man Squad
- Thread starter Bowside
- Start date
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Inside Shoulder
Nathan Sharpe (72)
Are you actually up to speed on the way this squad has been "selected"?Now you're just being full of shit
The 23 who will man the wall, yes.
originally with one #9?
and then a winger drops out so a second #9 is put in?
how can you be sure that this bloke Deans is working from the same laws as everyone else - he's all over the shop like a mad woman's breakfast
Ruggo
Mark Ella (57)
I would fully support Robbie Deans leaving the dunny seat up. It is every mans duty to do so.
I couldn't make out all the names listed under the Defensive Leaders meeting but it did seem to include half the squad
BDA
Jim Lenehan (48)
Im relieved that the players have been taken into "quarantine" now and will be rapped in cotton wool until the first test. I realise its not ideal but I think the decision to make the 25 unavailable this weekend is the right one. We cant afford many more injuries so close to the first test.
The biggest concern iv ha over the last 6 months was what state would our squad be in come the start of the series. It's been years since I can remember the Wallabies fielding a 100% full strength side. Last year we had an injury count of biblical proportions and I as expecting some major injuries in this years Super 15.
All in all, i think we haven't faired to this point (in terms of injuries). The pocock injury is a big loss. He is in my mind the world's best defensive player. But thankfully its the one position we price ourselves on having impressive depth. Hooper and Gill are both in form ad capable of doing the job. TPN is a bad loss but provided Moore stays healthy in my view we'll still have the best hooker in the series. The loss of Timani is acceptable, depending on how you see the series playing out (or perhaps how you view Timani as a player) His place in the 23 will be replaced with a more skillful player / less aggressive player (Simo/Douglas)
Sounds like Higgers is a maybe at best. I wouldn't be surprised if he puts off surgery to be eligible for the third (maybe second) test but even then I think best case scenario is he'll be able to feel in for an injured Dennis/Mowen for the third test, so he surely wont be playing a staring role in this series.
Digby im sure will be ready the second test, maybe earlier.
I can deal with those injuries. it could be better, but it could be worse. I prefer to look it as a glass half full.
My real concern at the start of the year was
a) Losing Genia
b) suffering multiple front row injuries
thankfully neither of those have occurred (touch wood). All of our top props are fit and all in some kind of form. Robinson is healthy and playing well, even kepu, i have to admit, really put his hand up last week with a strong scrummaging performance against a good saders' scrum. If we'd lost Robinson and any of Slipper/Alexander/Kepu we would have been in dire straits. Major positive for us.
Genia can win us the series and is our most important player. I'm really he both Genia and Horwill will be fit for the first test.It also good to see the big name backs all fit (JOC (James O'Connor)/AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)/Beale etc)
The one thing I do see as potentially a problem for us is our work in the contact / Collision. TPN Timani and Higgers are all very aggressive players and we have lost a bit in terms of getting over the advantage line and winning the collisions. I think Palu will now become very important to us. Hopefully he is fit for all three tests.
My team
1.Robinson
2.Moore
3.Alexander
4.Horwill
5.Douglas
6.Mowen
7.Hooper
8.Palu
9.Genia
10. JOC (James O'Connor)
11. Cummins
12. Lilo
13. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
14. Folau
15. Beale
16. Slipper
17. Kepu
18. Fainga'a
19. Simmons
20. MMM
21. Gill
22. White
23. Barnes
The biggest concern iv ha over the last 6 months was what state would our squad be in come the start of the series. It's been years since I can remember the Wallabies fielding a 100% full strength side. Last year we had an injury count of biblical proportions and I as expecting some major injuries in this years Super 15.
All in all, i think we haven't faired to this point (in terms of injuries). The pocock injury is a big loss. He is in my mind the world's best defensive player. But thankfully its the one position we price ourselves on having impressive depth. Hooper and Gill are both in form ad capable of doing the job. TPN is a bad loss but provided Moore stays healthy in my view we'll still have the best hooker in the series. The loss of Timani is acceptable, depending on how you see the series playing out (or perhaps how you view Timani as a player) His place in the 23 will be replaced with a more skillful player / less aggressive player (Simo/Douglas)
Sounds like Higgers is a maybe at best. I wouldn't be surprised if he puts off surgery to be eligible for the third (maybe second) test but even then I think best case scenario is he'll be able to feel in for an injured Dennis/Mowen for the third test, so he surely wont be playing a staring role in this series.
Digby im sure will be ready the second test, maybe earlier.
I can deal with those injuries. it could be better, but it could be worse. I prefer to look it as a glass half full.
My real concern at the start of the year was
a) Losing Genia
b) suffering multiple front row injuries
thankfully neither of those have occurred (touch wood). All of our top props are fit and all in some kind of form. Robinson is healthy and playing well, even kepu, i have to admit, really put his hand up last week with a strong scrummaging performance against a good saders' scrum. If we'd lost Robinson and any of Slipper/Alexander/Kepu we would have been in dire straits. Major positive for us.
Genia can win us the series and is our most important player. I'm really he both Genia and Horwill will be fit for the first test.It also good to see the big name backs all fit (JOC (James O'Connor)/AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)/Beale etc)
The one thing I do see as potentially a problem for us is our work in the contact / Collision. TPN Timani and Higgers are all very aggressive players and we have lost a bit in terms of getting over the advantage line and winning the collisions. I think Palu will now become very important to us. Hopefully he is fit for all three tests.
My team
1.Robinson
2.Moore
3.Alexander
4.Horwill
5.Douglas
6.Mowen
7.Hooper
8.Palu
9.Genia
10. JOC (James O'Connor)
11. Cummins
12. Lilo
13. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
14. Folau
15. Beale
16. Slipper
17. Kepu
18. Fainga'a
19. Simmons
20. MMM
21. Gill
22. White
23. Barnes
Ash
Michael Lynagh (62)
I couldn't make out all the names listed under the Defensive Leaders meeting but it did seem to include half the squad
I was trying to work out who wasn't there.
Horne, O'Connor, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Hooper, Gill is all I could read.
I couldn't see the other names, but if Lealiifano isn't there it hints that he will likely be a shadow player. Gill / Hooper seem to be on equal footing, at least initially.
Dumbledore
Dick Tooth (41)
T
Train Without a Station
Guest
Well that's a pretty stupid reason to pick an inferior player. Is it such a huge risk that despite Hanson performing better at Super Rugby level, he will suddenly performer worse than Fainga'a at the next level despite outplaying him all year?
This old test experience chestnut is such a crock of shit. Deans has spent the past 6 years discarding experiences players because they don't toe the line, bringing in young inexperienced and often Ill-prepared and unready players who follow his lead, yet now he is all about test experience? How does a player being foolishly picked over a better option previously and not performing make him a better option this time around due to said anonymous performances (Dennis v Mowen perfect example)?
I can understand if you had a couple of closely equal players who are in similar form, if one has 20 caps you'd take the experience. Where does this translate to, "you've been stinking the place up all season and you had 5 dud tests and 1 good one last year so I'll take you for your experience of losing to the All Blacks and France"?
USARugger
John Thornett (49)
Train Without a Station
Mate, I never said I agreed with Deans' perspective. It is a bit silly how heavily he weighs it.
He's directly trying to minimize risks because he has lost his confidence and is more or less shitting himself off camera.
BDA
Why Alexander over Slipper?
Mate, I never said I agreed with Deans' perspective. It is a bit silly how heavily he weighs it.
He's directly trying to minimize risks because he has lost his confidence and is more or less shitting himself off camera.
BDA
Why Alexander over Slipper?
T
Train Without a Station
Guest
Haha yeah I forgot to mention, I agree with you that's probably his logic, as fucked as it is.
P
Paradox
Guest
Coz he's a more consistent scrummager and better tight forward. He's a big reason the Brumbies go pretty darn well up front.
USARugger
John Thornett (49)
Bullrush
Criticizing performance or decision making rarely has to do with believing that you can perform better. If it does then the person is either incredibly arrogant or incredibly qualified.
People criticize Quade all of the time but I have serious doubts any of them think they could play footy better than him.
Athilnaur
?
I think there is merit for either to be starting/on the bench and wanted to here his reasoning. I hope this is alright with you.
Criticizing performance or decision making rarely has to do with believing that you can perform better. If it does then the person is either incredibly arrogant or incredibly qualified.
People criticize Quade all of the time but I have serious doubts any of them think they could play footy better than him.
Athilnaur
?
I think there is merit for either to be starting/on the bench and wanted to here his reasoning. I hope this is alright with you.
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