Bruce Ross
Ken Catchpole (46)
I'll second that. It's not blindingly obvious what they could have done about a loss of satellite signal, but whenever anyone wants to put the boot into Murdoch and Telstra I'm up for some tandem slipper work.
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Wallabies vs Italy - 25th Nov
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Penguin
John Solomon (38)
Disagree about Mitchell, Gaffa, he did a lot of work in defence & went looking for work a bit. Cummins was great again though!
humanbeast
Ted Fahey (11)
May as well, who else can we put there
It is what it is
John Solomon (38)
Thankfully next year's tour isn't the British, Irish & Italian Lions.
kiap
Steve Williams (59)
If they added in France they'd really have some BIIF up front.
Isn't it insightful how poor decisions can lead to subsequent events biting the original perpetrator on the arse? One delicious example: who was the Victorian Labor party goose who lodged that faulty preference flow sheet before the 2004 federal election. The result, the Family First fella makes the Senate on the back of unintended Labor Party preferences, Howard gets control of the Senate, complete control of the parliament goes to his head, WorkChoices legislation passes and proves to be massively unpopular, Labor elected in 2007 with a leader who patently isn't up to it and we end up with the hung parliament mess we have today. All because one lazy official in Melbourne didn't put enough care into checking the preferences form he submitted. Another (slightly more important) example: who was the tragic poor bastard, a Democrat no less, who didn't check the voting forms and machines more carefully in Florida in 2004 ending up in the hanging-chards fiasco and George W's farcical reign. Was there something in the water party officials were drinking in 2004?
To which we can now add Dingo Deans: WTF didn't he pick Sheehan as run on halfback against the Poms and give the lesser Phipps another go in the least important match on tour, the Italian one? I don't think anyone can argue the youthful Phipps has a brighter future than the veteran Sheehan, on the strength of his performances this tour Phipps may well disappear without trace. All I want a scrummie to do is pass the bloody pill out quickly and accurately. Without a windup. And taking ANY steps before passing. It's no co-incidence Australia's period of successful endeavour last night came to a screeching halt when Brett went off injured late in the first half. Timani's timing to put in a shit performance certainly didn't help. The selection of halfbacks to play Wales next week is now a major concern, it could well cost us the test.
Your concern for Sheehan is touching, yms, but shouldn't old codgers his age be thinking about a pipe and slippers?
yourmatesam
Desmond Connor (43)
Your concern for Sheehan is touching, yms, but shouldn't old codgers his age be thinking about a pipe and slippers?
Granted that Brett Sheehan has probably played his last game for his country and should probably be looking to settle down into a cushy office job or lucrative overseas contract.
My concern is that Sheehan has been head and shoulders over players like Phipps for a fair while now and it's unfair that a player who should have been running on at least three seasons ago gets his chance (in a nothing game) and gets injured.
Further to this - how many other players are in the same boat with regards to the selection policy of Robbie Deans?
brokendown
Bill McLean (32)
the wallabies don't handle a heavy track too well,do they?
It is what it is
John Solomon (38)
No, and struggle with fields 6 metres narrower than normal too.
The Red Baron
Chilla Wilson (44)
That was a listless display from the Wobs. Kinda annoyed I stayed up last night to watch it. Here are some points I made:
Timani had an absolute shocker. Why was he playing so wide? Why was he trying flick passes and shit? Unfortunately, he couldn't be hooked because we didn't have a genuine second rower to replace him with. As our scrum was under immense pressure, slotting Dennis into the second row would have invited disaster.
Italy well and truly outplayed us in the second half, and were unlucky to lose that one. It is really frustrating, as the Wobs went into the break in total control of that match. They should have come out in the second half and finished the job.
And the interchanges were baffling. Robbie has no idea how to use his bench effectively. We were getting rumbled up front, so he changes Honey Badger for Digby.
A lucky win, that's the way I see it.
- Deans does not know how to use his bench
- The Wobs body height is woeful when cleaning out
- I couldn't discern a gameplan in the second half, other than "kick it back to them"
- The Wobs have no ability to put a team to the sword whatsoever.
Timani had an absolute shocker. Why was he playing so wide? Why was he trying flick passes and shit? Unfortunately, he couldn't be hooked because we didn't have a genuine second rower to replace him with. As our scrum was under immense pressure, slotting Dennis into the second row would have invited disaster.
Italy well and truly outplayed us in the second half, and were unlucky to lose that one. It is really frustrating, as the Wobs went into the break in total control of that match. They should have come out in the second half and finished the job.
And the interchanges were baffling. Robbie has no idea how to use his bench effectively. We were getting rumbled up front, so he changes Honey Badger for Digby.
A lucky win, that's the way I see it.
ChargerWA
Mark Loane (55)
It has been said that Phipps is dating Dean's daughter.
I don't know if that is the case, but if it is true the continued selection of Phipps ahead of other halfbacks has to be looked at by the ARU to assess if there has been any Nepotism. It just doesn't add up otherwise.
I don't know if that is the case, but if it is true the continued selection of Phipps ahead of other halfbacks has to be looked at by the ARU to assess if there has been any Nepotism. It just doesn't add up otherwise.
wamberal
Phil Kearns (64)
So, Deans is under a very considerable amount of pressure from all sides, and his natural response is to choose his future son-in-law ahead of more deserving candidates?
Really?
qwerty51
Stirling Mortlock (74)
Well spotted, seems to be the main issue I think, same type of pitch as the French game. Twickers is in top shape.
Hugh Jarse
Rocky Elsom (76)
.... Who then does a Sheehan and gets himself carded almost before you know he is on the park!
Was that our Scotland 2011 moment? The game we shouldn't lose but do?
Only this time despite our best efforts to lose the match, we somehow blundered our way into a victory.
ChargerWA
Mark Loane (55)
Because Deans selections are usually the obvious player for the position?
ChargerWA
Mark Loane (55)
Digby has been off all year. With all of the shit that is going on in Aus rugby I wouldn't be surprised if he is mentally down in the dumps a bit.
He was pretty close to taking off to Japan at the end of 2010. I imagine the Cooper saga, playing an unattractive brand of rugby that doesn't suit him, having copped a fairly hefty ban during S15 for a fairly innocuous tackle might all be weighing on him. He is probably wondering why he bothered to hang around.
Hugh Jarse
Rocky Elsom (76)
^^^^ Diggers is becoming mentioned in dispatches far too often with the other three musketeers (JOC (James O'Connor), KB (Kurtley Beale), QC (Quade Cooper)) of Australian Rugby.
Are there four athletes representing the Toxicity of Australian Rugby?
Are there four athletes representing the Toxicity of Australian Rugby?
The Four Muppeteers - Tattos, Bouffos, Tweetos and Wassupbredly.
Just a little levity, folks.
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