Wallabies 40 man squad

[Scotty]

Elsom set to be culled.

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/u...-miss-wallabies-selection-20120525-1z8mp.html

In other news Josh Rakic of the SMH is smoking the good stuff:

Considered one of the Wallabies' greatest ever No.6s it will be the first time - when available - that Elsom hasn't been selected for the Wallabies since making his Test debut in 2005.

​

 

[Bruwheresmycar]

Well he was a great player for us in the 2000's, and while it is time for him to go, that shouldn't take away from his career. He will never get a proper send off by the sounds of it.

 

[Viking]

Thought they could only have a 30 man squad these days

 

[Scotty]

Bru,

So you think he is one of the Wallabies greatest ever blindsides?

or are you just being your usual contrary self?

 

[Bruwheresmycar]

No I don't think that. Just getting in before this becomes an Elsom bashing thread though.

 

[Slim 293]

Fair enough... He shouldn't be there with the likes of Dennis, Higgers, Fardy, Mowen and Jones around...

 

[barbarian]

My breakdown of the 40, based on what has been reported (the 4 Force players being considered, plus no Elsom or Gill)

Certainties (19)
Ben Robinson
Sekope Kepu
Ben Alexander
James Slipper
Steve Moore
TPN
Nathan Sharpe (apparently not retired as some have thought)
James Horwill
Rob Simmons
Scott Higginbotham
David Pocock
Wycliff Palu
Will Genia
Quade Cooper (you would think)
Kurtley Beale
Digby Ioane
Berrick Barnes
AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
Pat McCabe

Likely (15)
Salesi Ma'afu
Dan Palmer
Saia Fainga'a
James Hanson
Hugh Pyle
Dave Dennis
Michael Hooper
Ben Mowan
Ben McCalman
Nick Phipps
Nic White
Rob Horne
Ant Fainga'a
Mike Harris
Ben Lucas

And then 6 of...
Greg Holmes
Dean Mumm
Kane Douglas
Scott Fardy
Sam Carter
Luke Jones
Cadyrn Neville
Fotu Aulea
Tah Man
Jake Schatz
Brendan McKibben
Luke Morahan
Tom Kingston
Mark Gerrard
Bernard Foley
Dom Shipperley
Jessica Mogg
Cooper Vuna
Joe Tomane

Have I missed anyone?
.

 

[Braveheart81]

I think your top 34 are almost certainties.

Andrew Smith could be another name to add to the potential 6.

I'm surprised that the Honey Badger isn't being considered for the Scotland test. Given what Deans has said, you'd think he is out of the squad though.

Sitaleki Timani could probably be added to the potential 6 list although seems unlikely (I'd certainly pick Kane Douglas well ahead of him this season).

 

[Scotty]

Yeah, would have thought that Cummins was a good chance at Scotland.

 

[emuarse]

I think Salesi Ma'afu is going to be lucky if he gets in, judging from his recent performances.
Strikes me as overweight & lazy.

 

[Jiggles]

Its just really is hard to believe that Deans can be considering either Ma'afu or Horne. But you just know he is going to pick them.

 

[barbarian]

I wouldn't think about picking Ma'afu, just going off what was reported in the Telegraph today.

As for Horne, he is a Deans favourite and his form hasn't been too bad, certainly not in the same class as Ma'afu.

 

[Braveheart81]

It's a 40 man squad.

That's a lot of people.

When you consider there are only 75 Super 15 starting players in Australia and supposedly 11 from the Force have been excluded, Rocky Elsom is gone, some obvious squad members like O'Connor, Lealiifano, Tapuai are out injured. Add in a few internationals like Delve, Lipman, Pakalani and you're already down to probably 55 starting quality players and you're going to select 40 of them.

I wonder if Drew Mitchell is any sort of chance to sneak in if he makes a good return on Saturday night. Wing is one spot we are really light on.

 

[Jiggles]

Yeah I agree with your list of what is likely to happen and I know it was based of the media reports.

Ma'afu's scrum work has been pretty woeful this year from what I have seen. I know Horne is a Deans favourite, and so far he has only been played as a specialist 13. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) has the runs on the board at test level over him, Smith has been performing better than them both this year. Fainga'a has offered more at 13 since being back. Horne hasn't really added much spark to the Tahs back line despite that 1 try a few weeks back, and he has had a number of defensive issues. not just missed tackles, but positioning issues. I just don't think he can be justifiably picked this year.

Edit - Cummins has also had the runs on the board over Horne in the past 2 seasons at 13.

 

[Braveheart81]

Maybe he's excellent at opposed training?

That's what almost half the squad is being selected for...

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Bru,

So you think he is one of the Wallabies greatest ever blindsides?

or are you just being your usual contrary self?

I don't think he is........but as a true blindside who is ahead of him: all he has to be is "one of"......

Well he was a great player for us in the 2000's, and while it is time for him to go, that shouldn't take away from his career. He will never get a proper send off by the sounds of it.

that could be because he went to Europe and as a result kind of lost control of how his aussie career would end.....frankly, he was bloody lucky to get to RWC 2011

 

[GaffaCHinO]

Where did deans say only 4 force players are in just curious? Considering on the rugby club he said 16-17 force and reds players will be selected for the first weeks training that would almost be the whole reds starting team.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Scotty]

Seems likely they might try and cap Harris vs Scotland if there are that many reds in the squad.

 

[kronic]

You can put down Hugh Pyle & Cadeyrn Neville as certainties.

 

[Bowside]

My version of baba's breakdown:

Certainties (18)
Ben Robinson
Sekope Kepu
Ben Alexander
James Slipper
Steve Moore
TPN
Nathan Sharpe (apparently not retired as some have thought)
James Horwill
Rob Simmons
Scott Higginbotham
David Pocock
Wycliff Palu
Will Genia
Quade Cooper (you would think)
Kurtley Beale
Digby Ioane
AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
Pat McCabe

Likely (12)

Berrick Barnes
Dan Palmer
Saia Fainga'a
James Hanson
Hugh Pyle
Dave Dennis
Michael Hooper
Ben Mowan
Nick Phipps
Nic White
Rob Horne
Ant Fainga'a


And then 10 of..


Mike Harris
Ben Lucas

Ben McCalman
Salesi Ma'afu
Greg Holmes
Scott Fardy
Sam Carter
Luke Jones
Cadyrn Neville
Adam Wallace-Harrison
Fotu Aulea
Jake Schatz
Brendan McKibben
Luke Morahan
Tom Kingston
Bernard Foley
Dom Shipperley
Jessica Mogg
Joe Tomane
Richard Kingi
Nick Cummins



From the last 10 I would defiantly pick these 6:

Luke Jones
Fotu Aulea
Luke Morahan
Tom Kingston
Dom Shipperley
Joe Tomane