Wallabies v Pumas - Saturday 17 September, nib Stadium Perth

[Marcelo]

RESERVES

16. Tatafu Polota-Nau (67 Tests)
17. James Slipper (80 Tests)
18. Tom Robertson*
19. Rory Arnold (3 Tests)
20. Lopeti Timani*
21. Sean McMahon (10 Tests)
22. Nick Phipps (44 Tests)
23. Tevita Kuridrani (37 Tests)

Finally!!!!!!!! So Cheika reads the forum lol

 

[emuarse]

Of the last 3 times Hooper has played at Suncorp Stadium he's been the official MOTM twice (vs South Africa in 2015 and 2016).

Maybe Queenslanders shouldn't be showing so much provincial bias in his favour.

Why is it that loose forwards nearly always get the MOTM award? Probably because their harassing tactics take place out in the open and so catch the eye.
Poor bloody locks & props can play their heart & soul out and never get recognition.
For that reason, I think MOTM award is a load of crap
Player's pick is probably more realistic.

 

[Braveheart81]

Why is it that loose forwards nearly always get the MOTM award? Probably because their harassing tactics take place out in the open and so catch the eye.
Poor bloody locks & props can play their heart & soul out and never get recognition.
For that reason, I think MOTM award is a load of crap.
Player's pick is probably more realistic.

Over a period of years the players kept rating Cliffy Palu very highly and most punters on the internet thought he was the worst player in the team!

It's very true though that backrowers and fly halves tend to be the eye catching players. Whilst their performance isn't necessarily that much more important to the overall success of the team than a lot of other players, they tend to get the accolades (and the blame when things go wrong).

In NFL the Quarterback gets all the awards, in AFL the midfielders win the MVP award etc.

There are very few sports where there aren't certain positions that make it far more likely to win individual accolades.

 

[KOB1987]

Over a period of years the players kept rating Cliffy Palu very highly and most punters on the internet thought he was the worst player in the team!

It's very true though that backrowers and fly halves tend to be the eye catching players. Whilst their performance isn't necessarily that much more important to the overall success of the team than a lot of other players, they tend to get the accolades (and the blame when things go wrong).

In NFL the Quarterback gets all the awards, in AFL the midfielders win the MVP award etc.

There are very few sports where there aren't certain positions that make it far more likely to win individual accolades.

I'll take that a step further and say that it's often the #7. The traditional brief for the 7 is to be at every (within reason) breakdown and hence they are the most involved. Similarly, as you point out, the fly half touches a high percentage of the attacking ball, but they actually have to do good things with it to get the votes.

 

[fatprop]

It is the tight five's burden to do the work whilst the show ponies get the rewards

 

[tragic]

The media box, which I was a part of last week. We get 3-2-1 slips. I voted for Genia as my 3

Thanks RR. Out of interest how many are in the media box? And is it loaded with local media or evenly distributed with media from across the country?
Not that I really care but there are some decisions from time to time that have left me wondering.

 

[wamberal]

Simmons was totally invisible in last weekend's NRC game.

 

[Train Without a Station]

Yet he's clearly getting through the quantity of work that he should be.

More likely you're just ignoring everything he does because it's not flashy.

 

[Braveheart81]

It is the tight five's burden to do the work whilst the show ponies get the rewards

Mate. It's not a race of Clydesdales that stops the nation on the first Tuesday of November.

 

[Moono75]

^^^
Lets settle this selection dilemma once and for all. Simmons v Mumm in a battle royale cage death match for the Wallabies gold jersey. We can only pray both combatants succumb to their injuries

 

[Tip]

So if the stats are roughly the same over the same period of time is it the coach or the cattle?

To start with, Ewan didn't have three tests against USA, Uruguay and Fiji.

Cheikas win rate against tier 1 opposition is an all time low for an Australian coach

 

[Braveheart81]

^^^
Lets settle this selection dilemma once and for all. Simmons v Mumm in a battle royale cage death match for the Wallabies gold jersey. We can only pray both combatants succumb to their injuries

Mumm would kill him.

No one loves the chance to start or get involved in a bit of a stink than Dean Mumm.

There's never a time when he will run faster than when he's trying to join in or start a fight!

 

[TSR]

It is the tight five's burden to do the work whilst the show ponies get the rewards

Bah - who cares about all that crap. We get to pack scrums - that's where all the real fun is.

The show ponies can keep their token of affirmation.

 

[Groucho]

Mate. It's not a race of Clydesdales that stops the nation on the first Tuesday of November.

Feels that way, based on my betting outcomes. :-(

 

[Braveheart81]

Seems that way, based on my betting results. :-(

You want the fastest horse, not the biggest horse.

That said, in recent years I've managed to bet on the horse that has ultimately needed the green curtain put up around it and a visit from the vet.

 

[dru]

Bah - who cares about all that crap. We get to pack scrums - that's where all the real fun is.

The show ponies can keep their token of affirmation.

The scrum. Last bastion of true male manliness. As a bloke, you just havent lived unless you've packed down in a few scrums. What it is to be a bloke.

And then we see that crap "defensive" LO, not me sir, I have no balls, no I have intention of engaging those brutes, please help my poor useless self with your whistle.

Laughing stock, no forward deserved MOTM consideration who was in those LOs. I was almost barracking for Etzechest to thump one or two of them. It's not rugby. Imvho.

Even with the obvious advantage that the pigs get to pack, my MOTM was the smallest bloke on the field. Weird.

 

[RugbyReg]

Thanks RR. Out of interest how many are in the media box? And is it loaded with local media or evenly distributed with media from across the country?
Not that I really care but there are some decisions from time to time that have left me wondering.

Probably 8-10 I guess. The Brisbane based ones but we had a couple of saffas too.

 

[shanky]

Cheika's comments today about wanting to create depth at lock are very welcome.

I don't expect the coach to pander to the fans but, to be honest, whole swathes of fans are completely baffled by his seemingly 'spin the bottle' selection processes.

There's a lot to be gained by a little explanation as to why he's doing this or that.

So, today's insight gets a thumbs-up and I hope it continues.

 

[wamberal]

Yet he's clearly getting through the quantity of work that he should be.

More likely you're just ignoring everything he does because it's not flashy.

Look, mate, maybe I am a bit old-fashioned, but I would like to notice something that he does. Can you for one second imagine any All Black playing at that level and not being noticed?


Yes, what he does is not flashy. Meaning that he does nothing much.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Phew no Speight.

I can now stop taking those tablets.