Wallabies Tri Nations

[Gnostic]

As I expected pretty much.

I dispute that the un-performing players have been dropped.

Why is Chisholm still there?
Why Burgess gets still more time given his prime function is to clear the ball from the breakdown? Ok argument can be made for him on the basis that he is the best defensive halfback in Oz, but his passing is just way too erratic for 9.
If there was another THP in Oz not injured who had shown any decent level of form Ma'afu would not have made the squad.

I can understand Mitchell getting dropped. I know he played the best season of his life in S14, and had a blinder for Randwick on the weekend, but he just falls off too many tackles and continues to make basic errors.

TPN was not considered as he is booked in for surgery. I hope he does undergo the opperation and gets himself fully fit for next year.

From this squad I hope to see this 22 on game day:-
1. Robo
2. Moore
3. Slipper
4. Mumm (on his last legs makes it for his lineout calling and counter maul work)
5. Simmons
6. Higginbum
7. Pocock
8. Elsom
9. Genia
10. Cooper
11. Ioane
12. A. Fainga'a
13. Horne
14. Hynes
15. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)

16. S. Fainga'a
17. Ma'afu
18. McCalman
19. Hodgeson
20. Burgess
21. Barnes/Giteau (and I'm leaning towards Barnes)
22. JOC (James O'Connor)

 

[Gnostic]

Giteau is not a test level 10. IMO he is not a S15 level 10. He played his best Rugby at 12, and the stupid obsession of playing him at 10 has ruined his chance to cement himself as the best 12 in Oz rugby since Horan.

 

[daz]

The situation with Barnes is a bit depressing for me. Regardless of whether he is in red or blue mattered little as I just really liked the bloke and thought he was a super-star in the making. The fact that he is struggling to even get into Gold is something I really never thought would happen.

Having said that, you just don't forget how to play over-night. His confidence is clearly shot and I just don't see where that is coming from. His defensive work is really good as always but his play selections and traffic directions are really poor this year. The endless kicking away possesion to no advantage is a sign that all is not well in his headspace. The chopping and changing from test to test is probably not helping.

I still think Barnes is going to play a key part in the Wobs set-up in the future but I hope someone settles him down soon.

 

[Ruggo]

Ok, what did I miss here? I said it was irrelevant that QC (Quade Cooper) was a Red but why should I apologise for being happy that he is? I'd be happy to see anyone in the Oz rugby system play 10 for the Wobs if they were better than QC (Quade Cooper). What on earth has that got to do with not supporting my national team?

Sorry Daz. I was replying to what # Tah said and not your response to it. When I hit the quote button I thought it would quote both but only yours appeared in my post.

Any technical help would be much appreciated.

 

[fatprop]

I don't see McCalman as anything other than a solid backrower, like the other Uni backrowers (Dennis & Davidson) he is hardworking but a bit short and a bit light to offer any real benefits at test level. Solid sure, but he lacks the explosiveness to bend the defensive line and/or the ability to smash attackers in defense.

 

[HG]

So we both agree Giteau was marking/tackling Cooper's man in defense, therefore leaving holes & overlaps out wider. Can we both agree Cooper's missed tackle stats are a weakness in his game? And that Giteau at 12 hasn't solved it?

Giteau at 12 has been a major disaster! That I agree with that.

 

[Gnostic]

I don't see McCalman as anything other than a solid backrower, like the other Uni backrowers (Dennis & Davidson) he is hardworking but a bit short and a bit light to offer any real benefits at test level. Solid sure, but he lacks the explosiveness to bend the defensive line and/or the ability to smash attackers in defense.

Who in Oz rugby apart from Palu bends the line? Houston does when he applies himself, but he has the problem with consistancy. What McCalman does is bring some graft and aggression, something which has been missing.

I had hoped to see more changes in the squad with Chisholm and Brown dropped. As usual all the talk about people being under pressure is just that talk. Deans has obviously decided on his squad for the year, and it is much the same a last year and will achieve the same poor results, given the start they are off to it will be another step back from last year.

 

[daz]

Sorry Daz. I was replying to what # Tah said and not your response to it. When I hit the quote button I thought it would quote both but only yours appeared in my post.

Phew. Good one. I was feeling a bit Barnes-ish after that and could feel the confidence dropping, which would have affected my posting ability and ultimately could have cost me a spot in the EOY G&GR tour....

 

[Scott Allen]

From this squad my preferred 22 would be:

1. Robinson
2. Moore
3. Slipper
4. Sharpe
5. Simmons
6. Elsom
7. Pocock
8. Hogson
9. Genia
10. Cooper
11. Ioane
12. A Fainga'a
13. Horne
14. Hynes
15. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)

16. S Fainga'a
17. (30th man)
18. Mumm
19. Brown
20. Burgess
21. Giteau
22. O’Connor

30th man - I'd call up Weekes, then Baxter and as a last resort if neither of them is called into squad it has to be Ma'afu
AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and Hynes in back 3 best cover for the high ball barrage that will come
See whether Gits works better off the bench but mighty tempted to replace him on the bench with Barnes
Give Brown a shot from the bench but if no improvement in next couple of games Higginbotham would come in
Not sold on Horne at #13 yet but if AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) has to be in back 3 (which I think he does) can't see another option in this squad. If Chambers hadn't been injured I think he would have been the 29th man.

 

[Gnostic]

From this squad my preferred 22 would be:

1. Robinson
2. Moore
3. Slipper
4. Sharpe
5. Simmons
6. Elsom
7. Pocock
8. Hogson
9. Genia
10. Cooper
11. Ioane
12. A Fainga'a
13. Horne
14. Hynes
15. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)

16. S Fainga'a
17. (30th man)
18. Mumm
19. Brown
20. Burgess
21. Giteau
22. O’Connor

30th man - I'd call up Weekes, then Baxter and as a last resort if neither of them is called into squad it has to be Ma'afu
AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and Hynes in back 3 best cover for the high ball barrage that will come
See whether Gits works better off the bench but mighty tempted to replace him on the bench with Barnes
Give Brown a shot from the bench but if no improvement in next couple of games Higginbotham would come in
Not sold on Horne at #13 yet but if AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) has to be in back 3 (which I think he does) can't see another option in this squad. If Chambers hadn't been injured I think he would have been the 29th man.

Why continue with Brown. Hasn't 3 years of under performance shown enough? Sharpe does not call the lineout. Mumm has to be there ahead of him and if Sharpe doesn't start he doesn't offer enough to be on the bench.

 

[cyclopath]

Phew. Good one. I was feeling a bit Barnes-ish after that and could feel the confidence dropping, which would have affected my posting ability and ultimately could have cost me a spot in the EOY G&GR tour....

And would have made you a Sookface

 

[daz]

And would have made you a Sookface

At least I didn't change to another rugby website (say, for example, one that had a NSW flavour), then realised I'd made a pretty big mistake, but didn't want to look foolish so signed a 1 year posting extension at my NSW website, even though my posting contribution was inconsistent under the NSW webmaster and posting rules. Now that would have been dumb, right? ;-)

 

[Scott Allen]

Why continue with Brown. Hasn't 3 years of under performance shown enough? Sharpe does not call the lineout. Mumm has to be there ahead of him and if Sharpe doesn't start he doesn't offer enough to be on the bench.

Because whilst I'm no real fan of Brown, I don't think Higginbotham is there yet. Have to disagree on Sharpe and Mumm - I think Sharpe is sorely missed when he's not available and I would only have Mumm there because he can cover #6 and lock. Having said that, I can't wait for Horwill to come back - I think Horwill and Simmons would be a really good combination and then I agree, there would be no place for Sharpe on the bench because Mumm is the more versatile.

 

[Jethro Tah]

I feel gutted for the Shmoo. Sure he's had a few defensive lapses of late but so has the rest of the team and he is a good inside ball option off Quade. I expect we will see him later in the 3N series. With only 4 wingers in the 28 man squad, some of which will be covering 13 and/or 15, surely 1 of the last 2 positions will be a specialist winger. Obviously it's not Shmoo or Turner, so who? Shepherd (he will pull up injured lacing his boots on so please no), Cummins (worse than Shmoo & Turner), Davies (injured? bit small IMO) so I reckon McCabe could be the man and well deserved if he gets it.

 

[tranquility]

I am a big Pat McCabe fan. Not sure if this year is too soon though, in saying that he is a very safe player and I am sure he would do the job if required.

 

[#1 Tah]

Still no takers for the brisbane tix?

 

[DPK]

Still no takers for the brisbane tix?

Pull your head in.

 

[chief]

Turner being dropped was fair, he didn't impress Deans and no doubt he's a good player, but there are just better wingers than him. Mitchell being dropped was borderline harsh, being said Super 14 form shouldn't mean that much it seems Mitchell has had his chances to perform and he didn't perform, it's a simple work review you don't impress with three chances at the level you are demoted.

Giteau's form should have had him dropped, it didn't but I think we will see him benched for the Boks game. Deans and selectors should ask themselves when finding a match day 22, if Giteau will perform. The answer is no. I think Deans will actually drop Giteau and Anthony Fainga'a will be the replacement. That seems fair? I like the idea of Giteau as a bench player, can cover 9,10,12 hell even 15. For me it's him and O'Connor on the bench. But Deans is arrogant as all hell or skeptical one or the other, and he selects a team and he barely ever uses the bench. That's the flaw with Deans.

I don't give a shit about next year. Because we won't progress until we win. I just wanna see the Wallabies do well in this Tri-Nations series. None of us are expecting the Wallabies to win, but we don't wanna come last again. It was humiliating last year, losing in the last 20 minutes time after time after time.

Has anyone ever thought the last place could go to Mortlock?

 

[DPK]

Has anyone ever thought the last place could go to Mortlock?

It could. It could also go to George Smith comin' home...

Apart from that one, I completely agree. A lot of people, Deans for one, need to stopped, sat down and reminded that in last years Tri Nations we won one fucking game.

 

[daz]

A lot of people, Deans for one, need to stopped, sat down and reminded that in last years Tri Nations we won one fucking game.

Yep. You know, I keep banging on about just wanting to see improvements and forward progress. I think I should add the condition that only winning 2 games this series is not really what I have in mind....!