Wallabies Number 8 for the RWC

[Stickybeak]

Palu was one of our toughest, hardest working forwards as recognised by his peers.

The last time he was fit and playing for the Wallabies he was sublime.

Anyone who thinks he's lazy needs to watch him with both eyes open.

Aside from his crash ballrunning and dominant tackles he puts in a lot of work around the ruck.

If he was fit and playing he would be out 8. Unfortunately injury will probably cost him a chance at the world cup.

His crash ball running resulted in numerous turnovers.
He was good for one big hit a game at his best - and big hits might make you excited but they do not win test matches...
As Brad Thorn et al consistently prove its about sustained pressure for 80 minutes not spectacular big hits that stir the ignorant crowd but achieve nothing strategic or even tactical in the game.
Again "Anyone who thinks he's lazy needs to watch him with both eyes open" is gratuitous and does not advance the discussion. I could observe that anyone who thinks he's one of our toughest hardest working forwards obviously never saw Mark Loane, Tony shaw, Simon Poidevin, Chris Roche, Tommy Lawton, Topo etc etc etc

 

[qwerty51]

Palu was voted by his peers as the best player on the EOYT. That means a shitload more than some fan commenting on how good he was.

 

[cyclopath]

OK, both of you (Slim and Stickybeak) should cool down a bit. Differing opinions and all that. I think Qwerty's point about being voted highly his peers carries some weight. But then again, that was a while back, and he is not on the field at the moment.

 

[Stickybeak]

Palu has not played a test since November 2009. He last played a winning test against the ABs in July 2006. Only 25% of the tests he plays against NZ are winning tests.

 

[cyclopath]

Palu has not played a test since November 2009. He last played a winning test against the ABs in July 2006. Only 25% of the tests he plays against NZ are winning tests.

At that percentage, he's better than the Wallabies in general!! Pick him now!!

 

[Slim 293]

At that percentage, he's better than the Wallabies in general!! Pick him now!!

Wouldn't Ben McCalman have something like a 33% win ratio against the AB's?

He should be captain!

 

[Ruggo]

Higgers. The Higgers/Samo one is an interesting one as Samo has the silky hands of an 8 and is benificial to a struggling scrum but Higgers is probably better in other regards. Both are powerful players.

Higgers did enough to be retained and the jury should still be out on him.

 

[Stickybeak]

he called for stats - the wallabies have a much longer history: fact is he's below the statistical average for wins....as are all the wallabies: which is a big problem (in my opinion)

 

[Joe Mac]

Im not sure if it has been mentioned on previous pages here but the key thing that Samo brings at the back of a scrum is a great working combination with Genia. Genia seems to get much cleaner ball from Samo and his big banana hands which in turn allows Cooper more time.

He also seems to be able to move bodies unlike McCalman who is 10kgs off being a number 8.

In regards to Palu; he will be lacking serious match fitness but might be a great addition to the team to play the last 20 due to his physicality. That said, maybe Higgers ability to find gaps and break tackles might be more valuable.

Samo for the first 50/60, then either Palu/Higgers for to sub

 

[Hardtackle]

im still not convinced yet with samo , until he can show me that he can man handle kieran read , kaino and mccaw , then im all for him to be 8 , Palu has allready proven that he can man handle the likes of mccaw . i so hope he will be fit for the world cup .

Did he not handle Read and Macaw last time he played them? Hopefully RD has been resting him for the crunch games - like in two weeks at Lang Park. If he has been he's a genius, if he hasn't he's a dumb ****.

 

[Stickybeak]

Surely you can differentiate between individual player qualities and team winning percentages?

Would you also like to know the winning percentage against the All Blacks for many other of our best players?

The overall is 29.99%
You demanded stats (without yourself supplying any). I have addressed his playing characteristics.
Is it not an interesting though not decisive statistic to consider that our overall win ration agains the ABs is as little as 29.99%? We did not win the Bledisloe between 1948 and 1979 - we did not win it between 1931(?) and 1948. These are long periods of blackness. These produce the 29% figure.
between the 95 RWC and the 99 = 33.33% - or better still from say 97 to 99 (50%).
Therefore our current players risk falling back into the abyss of the 30 year drought if we dont start winning game as we did in the 80s and 90s.
if a bloke has played on a winning team only twice in 8 tests and he's said to be a big impact player there might be a correlation between him and those results. if he was a tight head the link might be more difficult to argue for.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I was a little disappointed in Higgers last night. He certainly deserved his shot at a starting position, but I didn't see the level of impact I would have liked. Samo did some good things when he came on, but I don't think he's an 80 minute player. With that said, I quite like the concept of what we have now in a starting back row with Elsom and Pocock and one of Samo and Higgers, with the other on the bench. I can live with that. It provides the flexibility to cover most situations.

I thought Rocky was very good last night and that takes the pressure off at 6.

 

[Gagger]

Where's the idea come from that Higgers adds mongrel to the pack? Have never, ever seen it.

I don't hold it against him, I just don't see it.

 

[Slim 293]

Oh, here's a couple of interesting articles from here from last year:

http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/why-why-why-wycliff/

http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/why-why-why-wycliff-part-2-the-stats/

 

[cyclopath]

Can you two give it a rest? Clearly you agree to disagree and this shit is going nowhere. Seriously.

 

[Slim 293]

My final point.

A fully fit Palu provides us with a heavy workrate, go forward with ball in hand, dominant tackles and a great offload ability. But due to injuries he's not going to make the Cup.

At the moment I think Samo is the closest to the kind of 8 we need. As long as his handling stays good. Also provides another excellent lineout option.

Higginbotham is a bit looser and I think his place is on the bench to come with 20 minutes to go and provide his athleticism.

 

[Gagger]

OK, both you guys have been carded - Cyclo asked twice.

 

[Richo]

Not to get all up in your business, Gaggs, but why did Slim get banned and not Stickybeak? Not disagreeing, just curious what the standard is...

 

[Beefcake]

Strategically, i think D Mumm should be recalled to anchor the scrum...lol

 

[Gagger]

Not to get all up in your business, Gaggs, but why did Slim get banned and not Stickybeak? Not disagreeing, just curious what the standard is...

Both copped 3 points but Slim had some points already hanging around.

Don't worry, Stickybeak won't be with us for long