Wallabies Watch

[Tex]

I think Deans will select an experienced team for game 1. He's hardly shown a proclivity for 'exotic' selections and given the pressure on him to win the series, I can't see him experimenting now.

Leali will have his time. Izzy could fit in on a wing.

 

[Cosmo Jones]

Ye

Genia and Cooper do make a good combination but saying it's hard to have one without another is silly. Genia is going to be picked at halfback regardless of who plays 10. He is the best 9 in Australia by a large distance.

Ultimately, I think Cooper's non-selection will come down to the fact that Deans will consider his job on the line in this series and will be thinking that it will be a close series where potentially one decisive moment will decide the series either way.

In the same vein that we lost the '89 series on the back of one cataclysmic error, there'll be the fear that the same could potentially happen in 2013 and Cooper would be a prime candidate to commit it.

Rightly or wrongly, I think that is why Deans will run with someone who is considered a safer option at 10 like JOC (James O'Connor) or Beale.

Yea thats fair enough, I wasnt questioning Genia's selection by the way imo he is the best 9 in the world and can effectively combine with any of these options. Yes coops is a slightly riskier option but it cant be denied that he has almost unmatched ball handling skills and vision. To be honest my opinion is that JOC (James O'Connor) and Cooper are both great options and both would work well with the team so its not that big of a problem I just dont think you can completely count out Coops just for being potentially more risky considering his skill. This season hes been a much more mature player than previously and is getting up his best form.

 

[Cosmo Jones]

Yea i

I think Deans will select an experienced team for game 1. He's hardly shown a proclivity for 'exotic' selections and given the pressure on him to win the series, I can't see him experimenting now.

Leali will have his time. Izzy could fit in on a wing.

I agree, as depressing as it is i think we will see McCabe in the 12 jersey and Leali missing out. Deans has always turned to McCabe (which shits me) and i can see him doing the same in a position like this.

 

[Dumbledore]

I think Deans will select an experienced team for game 1. He's hardly shown a proclivity for 'exotic' selections and given the pressure on him to win the series, I can't see him experimenting now.

Leali will have his time. Izzy could fit in on a wing.

He's done it all the time. McCabe, Timani, JOC (James O'Connor), Vuna, Pocock over Smith, Barnes at fullback, Digby at 13, Cooper at 12, McCalman at 7. You might not like those selections, but that's a different issue entirely.

 

[Dumbledore]

With this line up, especially if Lilo is at 12, the Wallabies might have too many chiefs and not enough Indians. They could have 4 blokes who like to pop up at first receiver and make things happen. Deans would be running the risk of having a back line looking confused and muddled because everyone is trying something different (I'm well aware that the Wallabies have looked confused and muddled for a long time). Right now I'd say pick Izzy at 15 or have him on the bench as outside back cover, he doesn't need to shoe horned into the team.

It's potentially a phenomenal backline. Having a second playmaker outside JOC (James O'Connor) is good news for everyone. He's an outrageously good runner of the ball with an exceptional short passing game, an underrated long passing game, an acceptable kicking game and very solid defence. What he isn't too crash hot at is really leading the team around the park. Having another voice in his ear helping him to string the phases along is a no-brainer for mine. A Lilo-AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) centre partnership is solid defensively and has more than enough going forwards to trouble the Lions. Digby and Folau on the wings with Beale at fullback is just frightening. Get that backline running together for a couple of weeks before the series, give them a practise game or two to get everything right and they will fly.

 

[Tex]

In the context of a Lions series I see him sticking with tried combinations and experienced performers.

Liking or disliking the selections isn't in question, it's trying to read the tea leaves and second guess the coach and his staff.

I'd love to see a team selected that will outplay the Lions rather than out-penalise them, but see Deans being conservative with his team.

 

[Dumbledore]

Well why didn't you just say that instead of throwing up strawmen to support your view? It's a huge, huge, career defining series - of course his natural instinct is going to be conservative. Look at how Graham Henry ran and selected the All Blacks at the last WC. That doesn't mean Deans is going to blindly ignore form and raw ability.

 

[Tex]

No strawmen used, Dumbledore. My point is that form in S15 may translate well to form in the test arena. This being the case someone like Lealiifano will be selected on said form and be given a chance to prove it.

Again, in the context of the Lions series I don't see Deans being 'exotic' with his selections, particularly in game 1.

I'm very happy to be proven incorrect.

 

[Dumbledore]

This is what you said.

He's hardly shown a proclivity for 'exotic' selections

It's a strawman because it's a complete misrepresentation of what Deans has done in the past. It's a point you're making that doesn't support your conclusion because, well, it just isn't true. Half of the bitching on this place is because of Deans' 'exotic' selections, not because he doesn't make them. Deans might well be conservative come this Tour, but there's plenty of precedent to suggest he won't be. There's enough to criticise regarding Deans that you shouldn't need to make things up.

 

[Tex]

You're sinking your teeth into an element of the post which relates to, but doesn't constitute the argument. In the context of the Lions series, I don't think Deans will be 'exotic' with his selections.

I would like to see a backline picked on merit and form, and with the confidence to play a positive game. The combination you suggested earlier is music to my ears (with reservations about O'Connor at 10).

 

[Scotty]

Genia and Cooper do make a good combination but saying it's hard to have one without another is silly. Genia is going to be picked at halfback regardless of who plays 10. He is the best 9 in Australia by a large distance.

Ultimately, I think Cooper's non-selection will come down to the fact that Deans will consider his job on the line in this series and will be thinking that it will be a close series where potentially one decisive moment will decide the series either way.

In the same vein that we lost the '89 series on the back of one cataclysmic error, there'll be the fear that the same could potentially happen in 2013 and Cooper would be a prime candidate to commit it.

Rightly or wrongly, I think that is why Deans will run with someone who is considered a safer option at 10 like JOC (James O'Connor) or Beale.

But ultimately Campo won us more games than he lost us. That is why this policy is short sighted.

 

[Richo]

But ultimately Campo won us more games than he lost us. That is why this policy is short sighted.

It's not short sighted per se, it's more holy-fuck-I'm-gonna-get-fired sighted.

 

[Train Without a Station]

Go watch the Argentina Test at the GC, you'll never argue Quade for selection again.

Mate I reckon you should watch the fucking game again. He undoubtedly made a few errors in the game, yet despite that, managed to create enough from 10 to get us home.

Nobody would argue he set the standard at 10 that game.We get it, you hate Cooper. Move on mate. Beale dished up shit at 10 for the rest of the year, maybe watch a few of them through your one eye and comment.

 

[qwerty51]

He didn't get us home, TPN did when he obstructed an Argentina defender allowing Phipps a clear passage through. He threw 2 forward passes, 2 intercepts and a charge down which led to a try. He had a poor attitude in that game. I don't hate Cooper, I think he's a useless Test player, big difference.

 

[TOCC]

this threads productive :/

 

[Scotty]

Qwerty - you do hate cooper. Everything you post on him is negative.

I don't know why you even deny it, but I do wish you'd give it a rest.

 

[Train Without a Station]

I think he's a useless Test player, big difference.

If you only look for the bad and disregard the good you could come to that conclusion. He's had an indifferent test career. He's had good games and he's had bad games.

To be honest, I never liked nor rated Cooper as a player until after he made his Wallabies debut but being a Reds fan I've seen too much improvement in him as a player to continue to not consider him any good. People say he take too many risks, but I've always noticed that he doesn't go out in minute 1 and take them. They are generally later in the game, when we need a miracle.

 

[USARugger]

qwerty51

You hate Quade like it'a a full time job, let's be honest here.

 

[qwerty51]

If you only look for the bad and disregard the good you could come to that conclusion. He's had an indifferent test career. He's had good games and he's had bad games.

To be honest, I never liked nor rated Cooper as a player until after he made his Wallabies debut but being a Reds fan I've seen too much improvement in him as a player to continue to not consider him any good. People say he take too many risks, but I've always noticed that he doesn't go out in minute 1 and take them. They are generally later in the game, when we need a miracle.

But there is no good at Test level. He hasn't had a good game since 2010.

 

[Bernie_Larkham]

They won't prioritise shutting him down, they'll prioritise pressuring him so he throws intercepts or gets charged down. He won't be selected because he has zero Test match temperament.

Lmao! That is quite the retarded statement....