Wallabies v Lions Game 2 MCG 26 July

[Beattie]

He started two for the Crusaders. But yeah unless an injury he is there to cover. Mind you Lynagh doesn’t train most sessions with various injuries so he is often needed.

What do you mean, Lynagh doesn’t train most sessions? Does his surname grant special privileges? I want to know more about that.

 

[Braveheart81]

What do you mean, Lynagh doesn’t train most sessions? Does his surname grant special privileges? I want to know more about that.

He was recovering from a broken finger (or similar) and wasn't training fully for some part of the time the squad was assembled.

I don't believe he was available for selection against Fiji. I'm not sure how soon after that he was fully ready.

 

[Beattie]

He was recovering from a broken finger (or similar) and wasn't training fully for some part of the time the squad was assembled.

I don't believe he was available for selection against Fiji. I'm not sure how soon after that he was fully ready.

My question should have been more direct. I know Lynagh can pick and choose his gym sessions and training at the Reds, and I was inquiring whether Schmidt granted him these special privileges too. I wouldn’t have thought Schmidt would tolerate this. That would be scandalous.

 

[Heavyd]

IMHO Lynagh is our best long term 10 & we need to stick with him. Yep he made mistakes, but he played behind a badly beaten forward pack who lacked any go forward. We saw how Cleary went in SOO when QLD destroyed the NSW pack. I suspect we will see a different Wallabies & different Lynagh. Starting Tate is the first pillar for that turn around. I’d have White on the bench to. Gordon sadly is a defensive liability & his passing has slowed substantially.

 

[Beattie]

IMHO Lynagh is our best long term 10 & we need to stick with him. Yep he made mistakes, but he played behind a badly beaten forward pack who lacked any go forward. We saw how Cleary went in SOO when QLD destroyed the NSW pack. I suspect we will see a different Wallabies & different Lynagh. Starting Tate is the first pillar for that turn around. I’d have White on the bench to. Gordon sadly is a defensive liability & his passing has slowed substantially.

Lynagh is developing. I hope we don’t put all of our eggs in the one basket. Flyhalves that are small generally are not test standard. Super Rugby yeah, not test. Look at Dmac.

 

[Derpus]

Gordon was worse than Lynagh anyway. Lynagh didnt actually make many errors he just wasnt great.

There seemed to be a real disconnect between Gordon and the forwards. He regularly had to call in multiple forwards to cover a box kick and had to kick several times when no forwards were able to anticipate his needs in time.

His service was also slow.

 

[Beattie]

Gordon was worse than Lynagh anyway. Lynagh didnt actually make many errors he just wasnt great.

There seemed to be a real disconnect between Gordon and the forwards. He regularly had to call in multiple forwards to cover a box kick and had to kick several times when no forwards were able to anticipate his needs in time.

His service was also slow.

Disagree. Gordon is the most skilled half back we have.

 

[Mr Pilfer]

IMHO Lynagh is our best long term 10 & we need to stick with him. Yep he made mistakes, but he played behind a badly beaten forward pack who lacked any go forward. We saw how Cleary went in SOO when QLD destroyed the NSW pack. I suspect we will see a different Wallabies & different Lynagh. Starting Tate is the first pillar for that turn around. I’d have White on the bench to. Gordon sadly is a defensive liability & his passing has slowed substantially.

I still hold out hope Carter Gordon will come back as soon as his league contract finishes and will be the answer

 

[Beattie]

I still hold out hope Carter Gordon will come back as soon as his league contract finishes and will be the answer

Nailed it.

 

[Brumby Runner]

I don't think Declan Meredith is ready... but he's also had no chances.

Looking forward to next year when (if) he gets the opportunity to play his own game and not just a copy of Noah's. Has a lot more tricks to his bow than Noah had, or was allowed to show.

 

[Joe Blow]

I still hold out hope Carter Gordon will come back as soon as his league contract finishes and will be the answer

It’s not happening. We did have some very good young prospects coming through along with Tom Lynagh. I imagine that it will be him and a couple of those come RWC. I agree that we stick with him and make sure he has the right personnel around him.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Oh I don't think he's remotely likely to get picked, and I agree that the chances of him getting into space on the end of the current backline are slim. If he were picked, I think the main advantage that he would bring is that he makes every box kick and kick off significantly more effective, leading to better field position. He allows the kicker to go deeper and hits the catcher at pace nine times out of ten (sometimes he even does it legally).

While I agree, Pietsch has been by far our most effective chaser especially at kickoff.

 

[Beattie]

It’s not happening. We did have some very good young prospects coming through along with Tom Lynagh. I imagine that it will be him and a couple of those come RWC. I agree that we stick with him and make sure he has the right personnel around him.

No we don’t. Lynagh yeah. Then zilch.

 

[Derpus]

Disagree. Gordon is the most skilled half back we have.

Maybe. He was still shit.

 

[Derpus]

I still hold out hope Carter Gordon will come back as soon as his league contract finishes and will be the answer

If he recovers and gets back to pro sport maybe.

 

[Beattie]

If he recovers and gets back to pro sport maybe.

Then there is that. I follow him on Instagram and posts from the Titans come up expecting him to play this year. Recovery must be on track.

 

[Major Tom]

Lynagh is developing. I hope we don’t put all of our eggs in the one basket. Flyhalves that are small generally are not test standard. Super Rugby yeah, not test. Look at Dmac.

Moangu, Finn smith, Marcus smith, fin Russell, Lolesio, Foley. Size ain’t everything.

 

[Veritas]

Disagree. Gordon is the most skilled half back we have.

Been reading all the Tom Lynagh comments. Let’s just be brutally honest. If Tom’s surname was not Lynagh he would still be playing club footy in England. No way in hell Tom with surname XYZ would have been given the opportunities he is given.

Here is the true measuring stick, he will not make the bench, never mind start in any of the other tier 1 nations in the world. We all like a feel good story but unfortunately it does not win games. I am a Lonergan fan but bagging Jake for Tom not performing is sad.

 

[Wilson]

Pete Samu training with the Wallabies this week (and posted to Instagram in full kit), could be a smokey for the bench

Wallabies on Instagram: "@pete_samu back in national colours #Wallabies #LionsTour2025"

1,246 likes, 10 comments - wallabies on July 22, 2025: "@pete_samu back in national colours #Wallabies #LionsTour2025".

www.instagram.com

Probably more likely to "officially" join the squad later and be a chance for test 3 though.

 

[Yoda]

Been reading all the Tom Lynagh comments. Let’s just be brutally honest. If Tom’s surname was not Lynagh he would still be playing club footy in England. No way in hell Tom with surname XYZ would have been given the opportunities he is given.

Here is the true measuring stick, he will not make the bench, never mind start in any of the other tier 1 nations in the world. We all like a feel good story but unfortunately it does not win games. I am a Lonergan fan but bagging Jake for Tom not performing is sad.

The elephant in the room! Agree.