Wallabies Watch

[D-Box]

Only when he can goal kick

Only when he can goal kick

Why does ten need to be the goal kicker?

 

[Pete King]

Wallabies like every other team in sport I believe are best served picking the best team to win the game they are picked for. the notion that you shouldn't pick smith because of a rebuild towards the World Cup is ridiculous

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

How is Genia in form? He's played 40 mins

the only guy that's been better than him is white.
but i did include him as there is no chance he wont return to his best and get selected.
he would have to be the first pick in every team.

 

[qwerty51]

Why does ten need to be the goal kicker?

No it's not that he has to kick, if he went to 10 he's pushing out a goalkicker.

the only guy that's been better than him is white.
but i did include him as there is no chance he wont return to his best and get selected.
he would have to be the first pick in every team.

Can we seriously stop picking a Wallabies team on reputation or what you think it will be. This thread was for discussion on the form Aus players so far from only Super Rugby 2013. That's not George Smith.

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

tsk tsk.
ok White at 9 then and Genia on the bench as no other aussie 9 has been any good.

 

[Paradox]

Wallabies like every other team in sport I believe are best served picking the best team to win the game they are picked for. the notion that you shouldn't pick smith because of a rebuild towards the World Cup is ridiculous

The Lions are fucking massive for this country. This is an invasion. All hands on deck. The next rugby world cup is meaningless at the moment.

 

[barbarian]

Qwerty this is a generic Wallaby discussion thread. Not all posts have to rigidly adhere to form-based analysis, although that may be the general premise of the thread.

 

[Paradox]

Another big game from Paddy Ryan this week. The number 3 jersey looks to be a battle between Palmer and Alexander (knowing Robbie), but if Paddy keeps this form up he could really push for a bench spot.

Add Sio into the mix now - he can play both sides and was excellent against an All Springbok front row. Alexander was outstanding as well at tight head. It would be nice if posters stopped running him down. Last year posters were talking up Kepu and talking down Alexander but we all know who won that battle. Deans opted for Kepu first as well.

I'd probably go for Robinson and Palmer starting for Oz at this stage.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

I'd probably go for Robinson and Palmer starting for Oz at this stage.

i would drop robinson from the Tahs after this week's performance: having been dropped he showed how well he could play when stung. He reverted to something less on Friday which seems like an attitude issue - something i would not have thought of him.

 

[cyclopath]

Add Sio into the mix now - he can play both sides. Was excellent against an All Springbok front row. Alexander was outstanding as well at tight head. Would be nice if Tah fans stopped running him down. Last year you were talking up Kepu and talking down Alexander but we all know who won that battle. Deans opted for Kepu first as well.

I'd probably go for Robinson and Palmer starting for Oz at this stage.

I think you're tilting at windmills a little there. In the past, his scrummaging was rightly criticised by a lot of posters, and while I don't have the breakdown by provincial affiliation, I doubt they were all from NSW. Some, like me, have 'fessed up that he has strongly changed my mind. Clearly some of the issue was that he was used differently at Provincial and Test level.
The talk about him on these boards this year has been generally very positive, and with good reason, and the talk about Kepu has mostly been the opposite.
I'd have to agree with Palmer / Alexander and guys like Ryan improving at a pleasing rate.

 

[barbarian]

Add Sio into the mix now - he can play both sides and was excellent against an All Springbok front row. Alexander was outstanding as well at tight head. It would be nice if Tah fans stopped running him down. Last year you were talking up Kepu and talking down Alexander but we all know who won that battle. Deans opted for Kepu first as well.

I'd probably go for Robinson and Palmer starting for Oz at this stage.

Why does it always have to come back to petty provincialism? I made a simple post about Paddy Ryan having a good game, didn't say a bad word about anyone at any time. And yet you come back with a sniping, stirring response.

From what I remember it wasn't just 'Tah fans' who were generally opposed to Ben Alexander playing tight-head for the Wallabies. Most people agreed he is a natural loosehead. No-one questioned his general ability, more that he may not be a TH.

In the end Alexander played a few nice games at 3, but at the same time there is still that element of doubt that he can play that position at the top level (especially against the Lions). I think he probably can, and that is why I named him in my post as one of two candidates for the position.
.

 

[Paradox]

I think you're tilting at windmills a little there. In the past, his scrummaging was rightly criticised by a lot of posters, and while I don't have the breakdown by provincial affiliation, I doubt they were all from NSW. Some, like me, have 'fessed up that he has strongly changed my mind. Clearly some of the issue was that he was used differently at Provincial and Test level.
The talk about him on these boards this year has been generally very positive, and with good reason, and the talk about Kepu has mostly been the opposite.
I'd have to agree with Palmer / Alexander and guys like Ryan improving at a pleasing rate.

Cyco, yeah I shouldn't have mentioned Tah fans. I actually edited my post to not mention Tah fans just before you posted - apologies to Tah supporters. Anyway, I'm glad some people value his work.

 

[Paradox]

Why does it always have to come back to petty provincialism?.

Don't make me dig out your blogs . I have apologised. One NSW fan has been trolling Alexander for some time.

 

[cyclopath]

Cyco, yeah I shouldn't have mentioned Tah fans. I actually edited my post to not mention Tah fans just before you posted - apologies to Tah supporters. Anyway, I'm glad some people value his work.

Fair enough, mate. It's all good.
I'm changing my mind about all sorts of players at the moment. Jake White et al deserve big credit for the upward trajectory of players like Alexander, Mowen, Mogg and so forth.

 

[Paradox]

Fair enough, mate. It's all good.
I'm changing my mind about all sorts of players at the moment. Jake White et al deserve big credit for the upward trajectory of players like Alexander, Mowen, Mogg and so forth.

Early days. I hate this talk of Brumbies being favorites. They could implode as well or suffer more injuries.

Anyway, will Deans take a gamble on any rookies? I think it's unlikely so the Tah incumbents really need to get their heads up.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

When the Ponies started, a few players written off as Sydney B with no rep future were given a fair chance to prove their worth without being hamstrung by petty Sydney Shute Shield politics.

The rest as they say is history.

They shone and many ended up first choice Wallabies. If they had remained inside the NSWRU political cess pit, they would never have had the opportunity to prove their value.

The Ponies have been good for the Wobs, and it looks like they will continue to prove their worth.

 

[Dave Beat]

When the Ponies started, a few players written off as Sydney B with no rep future were given a fair chance to prove their worth without being hamstrung by petty Sydney Shute Shield politics.

The rest as they say is history.

They shone and many ended up first choice Wallabies. If they had remained inside the NSWRU political cess pit, they would never have had the opportunity to prove their value.

The Ponies have been good for the Wobs, and it looks like they will continue to prove their worth.

NSWRU political cess pit, great quote.

 

[BDA]

A lot of people are picking Palmer in the starting line-up. I have no problem with the idea because competing at scrum time might be our biggest challenge in the Lions tour. However I think we're more likely to see Alexander starting at tighthead, and for good reason.

In my eyes its pretty hard to leave Alexander out of the starting side. He's in career best form, makes a shit load of tackles, carries the ball, links well. just a very good prop. Slipper is also very well rounded and offers a lot more in open play.

The real question is will they be exposed at scrum time. if that turns out to be the case then by all means go with Palmer, but we should put our best foot forward initially. Resigning ourselves to playing Palmer is a bit defeatist if you ask me.

 

[Bairdy]

Robinson is our first picked front row forward, why? Because he scrummages well and that's one of his primary roles. You can't then choose an average scrummager on the tighthead; it makes no sense.

 

[Richo]

The fact that we're debating about who is the best prop is a nice change. Used to be we talked about the least worst. IMO, between Robinson, Palmer, Alexander and Ryan/Slipper, we have a better stable than we have for a very long time.