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Wallaby No 10 jersey - Barnes or Cooper?

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Athilnaur

Athilnaur

Arch Winning (36)
Even with a limited season JOC (James O'Connor) has managed to be in the top 10 players for metres gained per game, with 75m, more than Ioane or Andre Taylor for example. And that from mainly midfield positions.

If hes fit I would be benching AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Horne or Mitchell.
 
Scoey

Scoey

Tony Shaw (54)
JOC (James O'Connor) best position is at 21. Hands down.

9. Genia
10. Barnes
11. Ioane
12. McCabe
13. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
14. Shipperly/Mitchell (if 100% Drewster is the pick but only if he's 100%)
15. Beale

21. Tapaui/JOC (James O'Connor)
22. White
 
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wikman

Guest
With Barnes at 10 in the June Tests, the Wallabies managed only 5 tries over the 3 games, three of which came in the first test. In order for the wallabies to beat quality sides such as the All Blacks and Springboks we need to score more tries. Wouldn't this make Quade the obvious choice at 10 due to his superior attacking capabilities?
 
Swat

Swat

Chilla Wilson (44)
wikman said:
With Barnes at 10 in the June Tests, the Wallabies managed only 5 tries over the 3 games, three of which came in the first test. In order for the wallabies to beat quality sides such as the All Blacks and Springboks we need to score more tries. Wouldn't this make Quade the obvious choice at 10 due to his superior attacking capabilities?
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Not really, one could argue that because of superior defence we didn't need to score as many tries to win each match...
I'm not saying we shouldn't start with Quade, just that it isn't an obvious choice. Consider too that we were missing our best counter attackers in KB (Kurtley Beale) and JOC (James O'Connor), normally good for setting up/scoring a couple of meat pies.
 
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wikman

Guest
Swat said:
Not really, one could argue that because of superior defence we didn't need to score as many tries to win each match.
I'm not saying we shouldn't start with Quade, just that it isn't an obvious choice. Consider too that we were missing our best counter attackers in KB (Kurtley Beale) and JOC (James O'Connor), normally good for setting up/scoring a couple of meat pies.
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I agree, missing JOC (James O'Connor), KB (Kurtley Beale) and Quade certainly put a dampener on the try scoring side of the wallabies game. But i remember back to a few years ago when it was Quade at 10, and Barnes at 12 which seemed to be working fairly well. Any reason couldn't be an option for the Wallabies this year?
 
Braveheart81

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
The only reason it wouldn't be an option is for the sake of consistency.

If Cooper comes in and doesn't perform and we switch around our midfield which defended really well and we start letting in tries, Robbie Deans will look really stupid.

On paper, the backline with Cooper offers us more however it's a brave move to make many changes to a team which beat Wales 3-0 (which in recent years is a great result. 3 test wins in a row against quality opposition is not something we have made a habit of). Moving Barnes out of 10 after consecutive MOTM performances is also a gamble.

It's a tough question to answer as to whether you take a gamble from the start and go with a team that is potentially your best or you begin the Rugby Championship with the combination that was successful most recently.
 
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Paradox

Guest
Barnes is hardly a great distributor either. I would pick him to control a match from 12 and to relieve pressure off Cooper...Cooper at 10 for me.
 
Braveheart81

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
Roundawhile said:
Sorry, end of story. We need someone who can bring the outside backs into the game. If we don't, we're toast.
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His passing game has improved massively from 2011 to 2012.

Most of us want to see him at 13 eventually. If he can keep improving his ball playing, he has the physical attributes to be an excellent player.
 
Richo

Richo

John Thornett (49)
Roundawhile said:
Sorry, end of story. We need someone who can bring the outside backs into the game. If we don't, we're toast.
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So you wouldn't be keen on Nonu? I think McCabe will develop sufficient distribution skills, just never great ones. One advantage of moving him to 13 is that those skills are less important there than at 12.
 
Sully

Sully

Tim Horan (67)
Staff member
Did you really just compare McCabes distribution skill to Nonu's. This solace is hilarious.

Sent using Tapatalk
 
Brumbies Guy

Brumbies Guy

John Solomon (38)
Athilnaur said:
Even with a limited season JOC (James O'Connor) has managed to be in the top 10 players for metres gained per game, with 75m, more than Ioane or Andre Taylor for example. And that from mainly midfield positions.

If hes fit I would be benching AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Horne or Mitchell.
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If it's per game, why does it matter if his season was limited or not?
 
Ignoto

Ignoto

Peter Sullivan (51)
Braveheart81 said:
On paper, the backline with Cooper offers us more however it's a brave move to make many changes to a team which beat Wales 3-0 (which in recent years is a great result. 3 test wins in a row against quality opposition is not something we have made a habit of). Moving Barnes out of 10 after consecutive MOTM performances is also a gamble.
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I never buy into this whole incumbent crap. Big whoop if X players played in the team 3 months ago, especially when our back line didn't really set the world alight. Using the logic of hey we won so lets not change the team, lets look at the front row that we fielded prior to the June tests:
3. Salesi Ma’afu​
2. Tatafu Polota Nau​
1. James Slipper​

It's arguable that combinations in the front row are more important than back line combinations, so do you really think we should have rolled out Slipper and Ma'Afu?

After the big break and going back to their respectful Super teams they're essentially starting from square one again. Since we have zero teams in the super finals, perhaps we could use this time away from games to get accustomed to one another again.

I honestly couldn't care who wears the 10 jersey come the first game, it wont really be where we win or lose the game. I'm more concerned which Forward pack are going to turn up for the entire campaign. The Suncorp 8 that rolled the All Blacks or the cats who let the Irish run amuck.
 
Richo

Richo

John Thornett (49)
Sully said:
Did you really just compare McCabes distribution skill to Nonu's. This solace is hilarious.

Sent using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

My point is that being a first-class distributor isn't a necessity if you have enough offsetting skills. And if you can, as Nonu did, improve those skills substantially.

But if it's more fun being snide, go right head. :rolleyes:
 
F

Forcefield

Ken Catchpole (46)
Why not play Cooper off the bench? He will be more of a threat and less of a liability against a tired opposition. Barnes' best quality is his all round game supports a bit of a conservative approach. Try to keep up for 60 minutes and then bring on Cooper to create a few tries in the final 20. You could always have Nic White come off the bench around that point too. Cooper and White would send a jolt of energy through the backline.
 
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