Wallabies pecking order

[GC]

This ties in with some of the posts in the tri-nations squad thread. I'm interested in squad depth for every position when the inevitable happens and players who'd be certainly selected are injured for the WC.

Ignoring current injuries and unfitness for players who'll possibly be back in time for the WC, how would you order players in each position? Some players can play multiple positions so can be in multiple lists.

Mine would be something like this (I'm probably wrong about some of the locks as I can't remember which side of the scrum they pack down in; same with wingers & which side of the field).

I doubt Deans would see it the same way. I've attempted not to be franchise biassed . I've probably forgotten obvious players too.

LH:
1. Ben Robinson
2. Kepu
3. Slipper
4. Daley
5. Alexander

TH:
1. Kepu - I reckon he's above Slipper now
2. Slipper
3. Fuse
4. Alexander
5. Dunning

Hooker:
1. Moore
2. TPN
3. Charles
4. Fainga'a
5. Edmonds

TH Lock
1. Horwill
2. Vickerman
3. Sharpe
4. Pyle
5. Simmons

LH Lock
1. Sharpe
2. Simmons
3. Vickerman
4. Timani
5. Wykes

No. 6
1. Rocky
2. Higgenbotham
3. Samo
4. Hodgeson
5. Brown

(Edit: forgot Dennis and McCalman here)

No. 7
1. Pocock
2. Robinson
3. Hodgeson
4. Waugh
5. Gill

No. 8
1. Palu
2. McCalman
3. Samo
4. Rocky
5. Dennis

No. 9
1. Genia
2. Burgess
3. Gits
4. Phipps
5. Kingi

No. 10
1. Cooper
2. JOC (James O'Connor)
3. Barnes
4. Gits
5. Beale

No. 12
1. JOC (James O'Connor)
2. Gits
3. Barnes
4. Fainga'a
5. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)

OC:
1. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
2. Horne
3. Fainga'a
4. Cummins
5. Gerard

Left + Right wing:
1. Mitchell
2. Ioane
3. JOC (James O'Connor)
4. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
5. Cummins
6. Morahan
7. McCabe
8. Davies
9. Shepard
10. Gerard

(Edit: forgot Turner here)

FB
1. Beale
2. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
3. JOC (James O'Connor)
4. Shepard
5. McCabe

 

[Gagger]

Thought you did pretty well with the red specs on GC except for where you've put Dennis, especially for 6.

 

[#1 Tah]

Pretty sure that Lachie Turner will be above nick cummins.

 

[GC]

That's the hardest part - forgetting which of multiple positions players can play. Granted Dennis and McCalman should be on the 6 list - forgot about them.

 

[GC]

Pretty sure that Lachie Turner will be above nick cummins.

In the past definitely, but this year Turner just hasn't broken tackles. Cummins has. I forgot about him though. He should 7 or 8 in the wingers.

 

[qwerty51]

Good concept but you're better off not putting players in two positions since they can't play both and it doesn't give an ideal "pecking order" of each position. Locks should be the same position too.

IMO: (All players assumed 100% fit and healthy)

LHP:-
1. Robinson
2. Alexander
3. Daley

Hooker:-
1. TPN
2. Moore
3. Fainga'a

THP:-
1. Kepu
2. Slipper
3. Baxter

Locks:-
1. Sharpe
2. Horwill
3. Vickerman
4. Simmons
5. Timani
6. Kimlin

Blindside:-
1. Elsom
2. Dennis
3. Higginbotham

Openside:-
1. Pocock
2. Hodgson
3. Robinson

Number 8:-
1. Palu
2. McCalman
3. Samo

Halfback:-
1. Genia
2. Burgess
3. Phipps

Flyhalf:-
1. Cooper
2. Giteau
3. Barnes

Inside:-
1. JOC (James O'Connor)
2. McCabe
3. Fainga'a

Outside:-
1. Horne
2. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
3. Mortlock

Wings:-
1. Mitchell
2. Ioane
3. Turner
4. Morahan
5. Cummins
6. Davies

Fullback:-
1. Beale
2. Gerrard
3. Shepherd

 

[GC]

Good concept but you're better off not putting places in two positions since they can't play both and it doesn't give an ideal "pecking order" of each player. Locks should be the same position too.

I see what you mean but the idea is if a player is injured do you just drop down to the next best player in that position (ignoring combinations) or do you move a player from another position and drop down there? That's whats already happened with the likely selection of JOC (James O'Connor) on the wing if Mitchell is gone. That means he can't be selected at 12 or fullback, so what's the effect of moving him for those positions?

 

[tigerland12]

Not sure of all the Dennis love, he was on the bench for most of the year, I'd still have Samo, McCalman and Hodgson over him at 6.
And qwerty, I don't think Gerrard will be considered a winger. Fullback/Ceneter

 

[drewprint]

Does anyone have any idea when Horne will be back? I really haven't seen much of him myself (apart from a brief stint in some Test last year?) but the wraps on him are huge. I'd really really love to see him fit and doing his thing properly.

 

[Gagger]

Not sure of all the Dennis love, he was on the bench for most of the year, I'd still have Samo, McCalman and Hodgson over him at 6.
And qwerty, I don't think Gerrard will be considered a winger. Fullback/Ceneter

Dunno, our eyes, opinions of world cup winning coaches, the stats? http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/analysis-rocky’s-blindside-replacement-by-the-stats/

 

[Groucho]

Sharpe is the first choice lock, and close to the first picked player.

As LH lock!

 

[Groucho]

Thought you did pretty well with the red specs on GC except for where you've put Dennis, especially for 6.

Yes, Dennis has been a standout this year.

 

[tigerland12]

Yes, Dennis has been a standout this year.

Don't get me wrong, I think he deserves to be in contention for the 6 jersey, I just think that he is still behind some players. I was always confused why Mowen was selected over him for the Tahs.

 

[Gagger]

Don't get me wrong, I think he deserves to be in contention for the 6 jersey, I just think that he is still behind some players. I was always confused why Mowen was selected over him for the Tahs.

Agreed. You're saying he'd be behind a fit Rocky?

 

[tigerland12]

Agreed. You're saying he'd be behind a fit Rocky?

I think everyone is behind a fit Rocky, he probably doesn't deserve to be straight up selection, but you can't doubt how good he is when he is fully fit.

 

[qwerty51]

I see what you mean but the idea is if a player is injured do you just drop down to the next best player in that position (ignoring combinations) or do you move a player from another position and drop down there? That's whats already happened with the likely selection of JOC (James O'Connor) on the wing if Mitchell is gone. That means he can't be selected at 12 or fullback, so what's the effect of moving him for those positions?

Yes people will definitely move positions based on injuries but I just thought for the purpose of this exercise it would be better not to duplicate names in order to give a clearer idea of the order of players in each position and the depth. I've hijacked your thread anyway, as you were.

 

[Gnostic]

I think everyone is behind a fit Rocky, he probably doesn't deserve to be straight up selection, but you can't doubt how good he is when he is fully fit.

Really?

 

[Gnostic]

Don't get me wrong, I think he deserves to be in contention for the 6 jersey, I just think that he is still behind some players. I was always confused why Mowen was selected over him for the Tahs.

Because Mowen called the Tahs lineouts and is a better Lineout player from 6 or 8.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Really?

Really.

 

[TSR]

Pretty good list IMO. There are a couple I might have rated slightly different, but to be honest I would be splitting hairs.