Wallabies team for next week?

[cyclopath]

Brown is like a big kid with ADHD - lots of activity and energy, and all poorly directed and completely lacking in finesse. Can't fault his endeavour, but a very blunt instrument.

 

[daz]

Yep but Mooney broke from the mold and selected players on form and potential. He also innovated and devised a brilliant game plan within his player's abilities to play. .

Sorry Gnostic, but that is utter bullshit. Deans is being pilloried for breaking from the mold and selecting players on potential. The same traits you say differ between Deans and Mooney.

If Mooney's gameplan was so brilliant, why did the Reds finish at the tail end of the table during his tenure? Could it be that Mooney's development would have reaped the same results we saw with Link merely a few months later? We will never know.

I also note that the Reds haven't actually won anything yet. But still, Link is some golden god.

I would suggest that the Deans gameplan is relatively sound. The use of the bench is questionable, sure. The poor execution and basic skill errors (not to mention the basic lack of heart and application) are problems Deans has inherited. You think the national coach expects to spend his time on the basics when he should be running new drills?

 

[Ruggo]

Higgers????

Interesting Reg. Robbie may look to go ouside the square and use Rocky at 13. He likes that wider game. It is easy to crap on the thought but what have we to lose? It would provide that straightening crashballer and a back of size. Hodgson into blindside and Higgers to the bench or Higgers straight to 6 if Robbie wants size. The other option would be Fainga'a to come in at 13 and promote Higgers onto the bench.

Umm, this is going to be interesting.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

That is an intriguing option and the latest in a long line of centres captaining the team

I don't know that Rocky would be quick enough to play at outside centre, he'd get beaten on the outside break fairly often I would say.

 

[rugbyfan]

Rocky barely runs straight, he always zig zags and only slows himself down, gits would have to create a HUGE hole for him to run through 5 out to score..

 

[WB3]

Sorry WB3. I'm not having a go at you personally but I am going to use your post to highlight one of the main nonsensical arguments. Sack Mitchell. Sack Giteau. Sack Brown. Sack Barnes. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) needs to be at 13. JOC (James O'Connor) to the bench. Etc, etc, etc.

All I see in response to that is a whole lot of shifting the same cattle around the same paddock and bolstered with lots of guys who are not ready for the coalface. All these guys need to be sacked. Ok, good. Let's do it then. Now, who do we call to come into the squad? Cross, Shepherd, Higgenbotham, McCabe, Fairbrother, To'omua, etc. Excellent! Wonder why Deans hasn't thought of that?

What happens when they fail, as they surely will at this stage of their development? Do we call for their heads and start trolling the Dubbo U/12's for the next lot of cannon fodder? And yet, somehow this lack of cattle is Deans fault too.

Ah, well, that's ok then. Problem solved!

I get where you are coming from and agree. The first part of my post was obviously satirical, whilst the second part perhaps foolishly assumes nothing of the problem of inexperience/constant shuffling.

In a perfect world I would pick 15/22 players who I thought had it in them and stick with them. As it is, we are missing some of those who I believe really could lift this outfit (TPN, Alexander, Ioane etc) but limited as we are by injury I am somewhat recklessly suggesting we attempt to put the best of the rest on the park, sometimes meaning we have to shift positions etc.

I think that all of the people who suggest to be dropping/promoting players are doing it because they don't believe that the players they single out have that fire that I feel we so deeply miss at the moment. One reason I have NEVER been critical of certain people (Horne being a great example) is that they have the inherent attitude of a champion and even if they play poorly/below their best I will always support the man who has that self-belief and commitment to the cause.

In a more direct, summative reply to your post, what I am saying is that we need to, in the current circumstance, either decide to make the best of the squad we have (meaning some reshuffling due to injury) or wipe the slate clean. I don't believe the second is an option right now (hence the sarcastic opening to my post) so unfortunately the first option is the go.
We do not have an adequate replacement for Horne aside from AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and in a serious tournament is not the time to allow Beale's defensive inadequacies to ruin us. Thus, we make use of what we have in Shephard/JOC (James O'Connor). A shuffle by necessity.

 

[barbarian]

Interesting Reg. Robbie may look to go ouside the square and use Rocky at 13. He likes that wider game. It is easy to crap on the thought but what have we to lose? It would provide that straightening crashballer and a back of size. Hodgson into blindside and Higgers to the bench or Higgers straight to 6 if Robbie wants size. The other option would be Fainga'a to come in at 13 and promote Higgers onto the bench.

Umm, this is going to be interesting.

Umm.. Rocky has no ball skills? His attempted chip the other week was laughable, and I can't remember seeing him throw a pass even close to being Sharpe-esque. Let's not get silly here.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

WB3's post upthread makes me think about who we are missing at the moment who could make a difference to this team. Off the top of my head:

Cooper (suspension), Horwill, Palu (though he goes missing at times), Polota-Nau, Alexander and Ioane. All of a sudden that team looks a little stronger with those guys in it, especially in the pigs. Injuries can't be helped, but bloody hell it would be handy having them in the squad.

 

[disco]

I would suggest that the Deans gameplan is relatively sound.

What gameplan? He doesn't have closed sessions he say's just play what's in front of you which doesn't work with Aussies. We've always been structure & set piece.

Last night the piggies put on a great shove we had advantage from the scrum which was 5metres out & all we could come up with was Rob Hornes getting smashed on a crash ball. WTF?

Ok Horne is out so that could be a blessing in disguise, we now have to play AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) at 13 & I still don't think Hynes is fit.

This is my 15 for Christchurch.

15.Shepherd
14.JOC (James O'Connor)
13.AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
12.Fainga'a
11.Mitchell
10.Giteau
9.Genia - (I know he played shit but no way would I drop him)
8.McCalman
7.Pocock
6.Elsom
5.Sharpe
4.Mumm
3.Slipper
2.Moore
1.Robinson

Res: 16.Fainga'a 17.Daley 18.Simmons.19.Hodgson 20.Burgess 21.Barnes 22.Beale

 

[barbarian]

Would have Beale at 15 ahead of Shepherd and put Rocky at 8 with Hodgson to 6.

 

[TOCC]

4. Simmons
5. Sharpe
6. Mumm
7. Pocock
8. Elsom

^^ what do people think about that for a forward pack, i think it would work out extremely well, and its a better balance.

 

[#1 Tah]

1. Robinson
2. TPN
3. Alexander
4. Horwill
5. Sharpe
6. Rock
7. Bam
8. Cliffy
9. Genia
10. Cooper
11. Mitchell
12. Gits
13. Horne
14. Diggers
15. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)

16. Moore
17. Slipper
18. Mumm
19. Hodgson
20. Burgess
21. Barnes
22. Turner/Hynes


Thats my team for this week.

 

[disco]

4. Simmons
5. Sharpe
6. Mumm
7. Pocock
8. Elsom

If we plan to attack thier lineout & attempt to grab re-starts I've got no problems with that Lock & Backrow division.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

4. Simmons
5. Sharpe
6. Mumm
7. Pocock
8. Elsom

^^ what do people think about that for a forward pack, i think it would work out extremely well, and its a better balance.

We could do a lot worse I think.

 

[tragic]

Frequent reader...first post so here goes.
If you want a choice from left field for outside centre it would have to be higginbottom not elsom who runs like a frog in a blender. Remember higgy outsprinting the bulls centres over 70m to score for the reds (and he played 5/8 and wing as a schoolboy) He was also the second fastest in the reds over 1km after ioanne.
Of course it would be suicide to blood a new 13 at this level (tahu got smoked at 13 and he had at least played there in super 14) so there is no real choice other than AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper).
OConnor needs more time on the wing if that is his future position (which is likely the case as AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) must have dibs on 15 for the RWC) so put shepherd at fullback.
For the same reason leave gits at 12 - he will be there for the rest of the TN and RWC when cooper comes back.
Give Barnes his last game for the wallabies at 10 - he cant do much worse. If he has another shocker bench him early and swap gits to 10 and faingia 12
Beef up the pack and add some mongrel with higgy at 7, elsom at 8, and simmons in for mumm. (elsoms not a no.8 but neither is brown or anyone else in the squad..)
All up only one enforced change and two unenforced changes.
Mitchell is a liability and will be gone when hynes/digby come back from injury - but for the moment we've got no better...
Why make wholesale changes and read the riot act after one very bizarre game with some dubious refereeing, freakish tries that will never be repeated (janes kick which even he said was a fluke) and a wallabies that (once again) played like a different team to the one that won the week before.
It will be a whole different and much tighter ballgame in christchurch, albeit unfortunately with the same result....

 

[chief]

Horne is out for the rest of the 3 Nations. Soooooooo.......

I think AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) at 13, JOC (James O'Connor) at Fullback

 

[Joe Blow]

The team I think will get picked next week will be more of the same from Deans' no changes at all from Melbourne except for JOC (James O'Connor) to 15 and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) to 13. Beale to the wing and Shep to the bench.

Higginbum even if he makes the bench will be like Hodgeson and will not get a run so he better pack his warm clothes.

ABs by 50+

I'm sure it warms the hearts of the Wallabies to know they have your 15% backing Gnostic.

I say fire Deans and make you the coach. You can appoint FP as your assistant and remove all pressure from the squad as they will no longer be expected to win.

 

[Geeves]

I'll through in a wild card and then wait for the dust to settle

8. Waugh

I want someone that plays well against McCaw and someone who is willing to bleed for his side. Waugh does both plus he can link with the backline, a skill I think Pocock still needs work on. Although not providing much in the lineout his commitment at the break down can not be underestimated plus his leadership isn't bad. Run him stupid for 60 and then replace him with Higgenbottom for a last 20 min impact.

 

[Brumbies Guy]

I'll through in a wild card and then wait for the dust to settle

8. Waugh

I want someone that plays well against McCaw and someone who is willing to bleed for his side. Waugh does both plus he can link with the backline, a skill I think Pocock still needs work on. Although not providing much in the lineout his commitment at the break down can not be underestimated plus his leadership isn't bad. Run him stupid for 60 and then replace him with Higgenbottom for a last 20 min impact.

Pocock?

 

[Geeves]

Pocock?

At 7. Waugh at 8. Brown holidays