Wallabies v All Blacks Melbourne

[Groucho]

Who would have thought a year ago that we would be concerned about our chance of victory because of one Quade Cooper being unavailable? (Well a few Reds supporters maybe, but even they would have been stretching the truth a bit.)

I would support having Barnes at 10 and try and get him to play the distributer game. Not emulate Cooper, but at least shuffle it on. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and Horne to play a little closer in support of Barnes and Giteau. Also keeping Rocky a bit wider (I said to a mate before the game that Rocky looks better playing wider - well didn't that turn out to be successful). Afterall most of our breaks came from within one or two passes of the ruck - the ABs will be wary of the Genia and Elsom threat so this may give more space to Barnes.

That's quite harsh. Barnes is a talented 10.

 

[Reddy!]

That's quite harsh. Barnes is a talented 10.

Haha Groucho, you certainly are a funny man! Nice one.

 

[#1 Tah]

Last year this time, Berwick at 10 wouldnt have mattered. unfortunately with our battle scarred forwards and back line, it seems to be worse this year. I can only think that bringing Waratahs into the team is a great move.

@giteau_rugby: Can't wait to get my massage and have dinner. Feel like someone has poured concrete in my joints

 

[HodgoBerro]

It would be awesome to see Berrick at 10 for Saturday, however him up against Dan Carter? I've noticed him have some pretty average games when he plays up against him.

 

[Groucho]

It would be awesome to see Berrick at 10 for Saturday, however him up against Dan Carter? I've noticed him have some pretty average games when he plays up against him.

Well, I seem to be a chorus of one here. Barnes is an excellent player, with one flaw. I blame J Connolly. He kicks. And kicks.

Apart from that, his long pass and his timing are superb. And his defence is world class.

I would not be worried about Barnes at 10, as long as he is constrained not to kick for field position as his first option.

 

[Scarfman]

There's nothing much wrong with a kicking 10, they just have to be good at it.

 

[rsea]

I'll be happy with Barnes at 10 as long as he holsters those trigger happy boots of his

 

[HodgoBerro]

Well, I seem to be a chorus of one here. Barnes is an excellent player, with one flaw. I blame J Connolly. He kicks. And kicks.

Apart from that, his long pass and his timing are superb. And his defence is world class.

I would not be worried about Barnes at 10, as long as he is constrained not to kick for field position as his first option.

I will always support Berrick - as a lot of people know and I know what his game is like, probably thanks to his kicking coach when he was at the Reds, which makes him over kick.

I am not a fan of watching him play against the All Blacks....

 

[Joe Blow]

Giteau at 10 and Barnes at 12 with Fainga'a on the bench.
Gits had a good game on the weekend and his distribution from 1st receiver was very good. Barnes will pull the defensive line together well and already knows Hornes game well.
QC (Quade Cooper) back for the following tests after his successful appeal.

 

[rsea]

Giteau at 10 and Barnes at 12 with Fainga'a on the bench.
Gits had a good game on the weekend and his distribution from 1st receiver was very good. Barnes will pull the defensive line together well and already knows Hornes game well.
QC (Quade Cooper) back for the following tests after his successful appeal.

Please don't suggest that. Leave Giteau at 12 where he's starting to look good again.

 

[Joe Blow]

Please don't suggest that. Leave Giteau at 12 where he's starting to look good again.

I wouldn't have suggested it a week ago but after watching a replay of the test last night I think Deans will go this way.
Berrick has hardly been cited since the first Pommy test and slotting him in at 10 will be a big distraction for a fast improving group.
Also our tactics in this game will probably be different than those used against the Boks.

 

[rsea]

I remember an interview with Giteau when he moved from the Force to the Brumbs saying that he didn't care where he played as long as he spent the season there. I suspect he doesn't like being bounced between positions and his form has been consistent with this. I'm not saying it won't happen, only that I hope it doesn't.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Well, I seem to be a chorus of one here. Barnes is an excellent player, with one flaw. I blame J Connolly. He kicks. And kicks.

Apart from that, his long pass and his timing are superb. And his defence is world class.

I would not be worried about Barnes at 10, as long as he is constrained not to kick for field position as his first option.

I also would have Barnes at 10. He can play either position, but he has a calm head and directs well. I'd like to see him play there on the weekend.

 

[Langthorne]

It would be awesome to see Berrick at 10 for Saturday, however him up against Dan Carter? I've noticed him have some pretty average games when he plays up against him.

Dan Carter has made plenty of opposition players look ordinary over the years, not just Barnes.

Although QC (Quade Cooper) has been doing well, I am not worried about Barnes coming in at 10. In some ways he might be a better choice against the ABs anyway. His defence is solid, and it just might be that his kicking game will be called into action as well. The ABs look strong all over the park, but I think the Wallabies could be stronger in the lineout and might get some joy from putting pressure on the ABs there.

Is anyone tipping a Wallaby win?

Apart from mistake free rugby, what else do they need to do to win?

 

[Richo]

Reading the Growden tea leaves, there is the suggestion that Barnes is out of favour and that Giteau may slide to 10 with A. Finger coming in at 12. I guess Barnes must have done something wrong in the rugby he's played since having a blinder in the first test against England when Giteau was injured. Oh, wait, he hasn't played any rugby since then.

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/u...s-to-challenge-cooper-ban-20100725-10qn2.html

 

[Sandpit Fan]

Reading the Growden tea leaves, .......

Have to live in hope that Grumbles downed a couple of bad dogs eyes at Suncorp on the weekend, and is speaking out of his arse as usual.

Barnes will be alright at 10 for this game, as plenty of people have said his defense can't be questioned, and the AB's would have been planning on running Kaino and co down the 10 channel all night long until QC (Quade Cooper) was suspended - only takes 1 or 2 misses and they will be away.

Gits looked better at 12 than he has for a while, FFS leave him there.

 

[Lee Grant]

Giteau at 10 and Barnes at 12 with Fainga'a on the bench.

Gits had a good game on the weekend and his distribution from 1st receiver was very good. Barnes will pull the defensive line together well and already knows Hornes game well.

Let us remember Bledisloe I, 2008 Sydney, score Oz 34 NZ 19. The team included 10. M.Giteau and 12. B. Barnes.

The point of difference for the current Wallaby team is the Genia/Cooper nexus but with Cooper suspended that kite won't be flying.

In that 2008 Bledisloe match the point of difference was the 10/12 combo with Barnes right foot and Giteaus left foot kicking in counterpoint confounding the Blacks.

It never worked as good as that again and it is more logical for Deans to make only one change anyway. So long as Barnes doesn't stand too deep as is his wont at 10 it should be better than making two changes.

But Deans will be harking back to his finest win as the Wallaby coach and mulling it over - for at least 10 seconds.

 

[magoo]

They would've already had either Giteau or Barnes training in 10 for the previous games in case Cooper was injured. I'm sure whoever that was will wear 10 this weekend. We may even be better prepared for this than Graham Henry who would've been coaching to play against Cooper & Giteau - whatever they do this week will have to be very to that pair. It's still huge to lose Cooper, both his attack & defence have improved immensely this year - I think he's our best 10 by a long way. We can definitely still win without him though, particularly if our forwards can play like last weekend. I'm interested to see who gets the bench spot, I'll be happy if Fainga'a gets a run - his commitment would be a plus late in the game if he were needed.

 

[Scotty]

That's quite harsh. Barnes is a talented 10.

What was harsh about it? I didn't castigate Barnes at all, however I am saying that Cooper as much higher attacking skills than Barnes does, while Barnes is obviously the better defender. The style of game plan that the Wallabies played on the weekend is highly based on the long passing of both Genia and Cooper. Barnes doesn't have the same pass, or same ability to find his outside men space, but in saying that I still want to see him at 10, but just give him some closer options to hit.

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) also needs to get more involved in the backline.

 

[Richo]

More Growden today:

"While the inclusion of Reds centre Anthony Fainga'a at No.12 is a possibility, the most logical approach is for the Wallabies to revert to last year's midfield pairing of Giteau at No.10 and Barnes at inside-centre."

I'm not sure why it's more logical to make two changes to the line-up instead of one, particularly when one of those guys just played his best game in a long time at his current position. But hey. Straight from the Grumble's mouth.

Like most posting here, I hope he's wrong.