Wallaby Outside Centre

[Godfrey]

Geez O'Connor is hard to place in a backline. Such a utility.

True, but even though I like the idea of JOC (James O'Connor) at 12 I think the wing is actually kind of a good spot for him. We talk about wingers like Ioane and Mitchell getting a roving commission but I think this works equally well, if not better for someone like JOC (James O'Connor) who can not only do the broken field running and the glitzy finishing but also the link play. For example, his role in the first try against France last year was very midfield-like yet was result of playing on the wing with a roving commission.

 

[Richard D. James]

and JOC (James O'Connor) has to be there for his goal-kicking as well. No question now, he's the best kicker in Oz

 

[Scotty]

Barring injury I would put the house on our backline for the game against Ireland being:

9. Genia
10. Cooper
11. Mitchell
12. Barnes
13. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
14. JOC (James O'Connor)
15. Beale

They are our best players. Form is largely irrelevant. The only spot in that backline that is possibly up for grabs is 12 and then the bench.

Debate over. Forwards are a much bigger concern in my eyes.

Ioane is our most damaging runner and most likely line breaker against the top sides. Would think he is a likely candidate for 13 or wing.

 

[El Gamba]

How about Shep at 13? No comments - am I way off the mark? As said, I think that there is plenty to like.

 

[waratahjesus]

How about Shep at 13? No comments - am I way off the mark? As said, I think that there is plenty to like.

sheps is a fullback or wing, no need to experiment with positions for aplayer in a world cup year. unless he played there for the force for the rest of the year i dont think you could try him in the limited time we have.

think he misses out currently, nless there is an injury, his years out have been at the wrong time.

 

[Godfrey]

So much of 13 is about your positioning and reading in defence, something that I don't think people should just get thrusted into at international level without experience.

 

[El Gamba]

Plenty of players have been moved around position to position, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) notably. Shep will never get a run at 13 provincially because he is too good at 15 but in terms of skill set I'd assume he'd be an asset in the side. Some players take to new positions like a duck to water and arguably back three would set you up nicely to pick defensive structures. This whole article is about how bare the cupboard is at 13!

 

[Ruggo]

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) for outside center. Ionae will be in if fit and most likely at the expense of Mitchell. Would be happy to see Barnes used from the bench, JOC (James O'Connor) to inside centre and Digby and Drew on the wings.

 

[Godfrey]

It's not bare though. The following have all played regularly at a very high standard at 13:

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
Horne
Inman
Ioane
Chambers
Mortlock

Granted, form and injury counts against this list at the moment but form and injury are temporary. None of these players are expected to be out of action or dropped forever (well...Mortlock).

 

[El Gamba]

It's not bare though. The following have all played regularly at a very high standard at 13:

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
Horne
Inman
Ioane
Chambers
Mortlock

Granted, form and injury counts against this list at the moment but form and injury are temporary. None of these players are expected to be out of action or dropped forever (well...Mortlock).

I suppose there-in lies the problem, if they're all fit and in form only AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) has shown he can play at international level at 13 and you wouldn't give him "best in the world" status. Horne get's injured just thinking about Rugby although I would love to see him get to a stage that he is building international experience. Is the World Cup the best time for this? Ioane probably has the most potential to be a great centre although, again, he lack's experience at international level and his unpredictability would perhaps make him better suited as a winger once his form returns. Inman? A lot to like in my opinion although he's played very few provincial games let alone international. Mortlock? Good fairytale - a long way to go to regain his explosiveness of 7 years ago. Chambers? Maybe... still has a lot to learn - he shines outside Genia and Cooper when going forward in space at pace (and is in form) yet haven't seen great games at provincial level.

I'd say, right now, it's pretty bare.

 

[Tank]

It's not bare though. The following have all played regularly at a very high standard at 13:

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
Horne
Inman
Ioane
Chambers
Mortlock

Granted, form and injury counts against this list at the moment but form and injury are temporary. None of these players are expected to be out of action or dropped forever (well...Mortlock).

Thanks Godfrey - this will sound oxymoronic, but I think you have both alleviated and enhanced my concern in one list. I am concerned that we are a bit lean in options: you suggest 6 players as having been at a regular high standard so perhaps my concern about options is ill-founded.

On the other hand, not one of those players will line up at 13 for his Super team this weekend.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

How about Shep at 13? No comments - am I way off the mark? As said, I think that there is plenty to like.

A difficult one to know really. I like guys to be playing in the same position (or at least similar) from provincial to test level, because at least you get a look at how they perform there before throwing them at the deep end of test footy. Does Shep have any kind of pedigree playing in the centres?

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

In any case, worrying about centres is kind of pointless if they don't have the ball. The pack is of far greater concern right now. The backs I think are pretty much set as a squad, but the pack is far from the finished article.

 

[The Mayor of Perth]

Agree with comments re incumbency of AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper). Also feel there is a big opportunity for Nick Cummins to move up the rankings. His two starts at 13 have been good, up against Fourie this week and then three Aussie derbies - against Stirlo; Turner/Cross (assuming Horne still out); AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)/McCabe/Tyrone/? - let's see how he rates after that.

 

[Tank]

In any case, worrying about centres is kind of pointless if they don't have the ball. The pack is of far greater concern right now. The backs I think are pretty much set as a squad, but the pack is far from the finished article.

Sorry TBH, but disagree on both counts (in some respects )

Every position on the field is important. If you have rubbish centres, you are not going win the WC. If you have a rubbish front row, you are not going to win the WC.

On the second point, as quite a few posts have been wanting to go to the forwards instead, I will too.

I actually think, if we take form and fitness out of it, the forwards may actually be more settled than the backs. If (and again if) all fit and playing well, the pack is almost certainly going to be Robbo TPN Slipper Sharpe Horwill Pocock Elsom and Palu.

THP is probably only spot not certain (on a form and fitness excluded argument) and of concern over ability. Moore might get the hooking spot but we probably all agree, that Hooker is one of (if not the only) the very few areas that we have 2 world class players.

 

[El Gamba]

A difficult one to know really. I like guys to be playing in the same position (or at least similar) from provincial to test level, because at least you get a look at how they perform there before throwing them at the deep end of test footy. Does Shep have any kind of pedigree playing in the centres?

Don't know and I agree. It only struck me because of the following attributes:
- Size: We do have the world's smallest back-line.
- Ability to off-load (say thank you Alfi Mafi)
- Vision out wide (say thank you Nick Cummins)
- Defense is generally strong
- Experience, not necessarily at 13 but is a senior member of the team

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

This is a juicy debate

Tank, I don't doubt that every position on the paddock is important, but the old adage that the battle in the forwards decides the outcome has some truth.

Our midfield won't hurt anybody if they are receiving the ball on the back foot or spending most of the game tackling. To me AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) has that OC spot sewn up until somebody steps up to take it from him. Inside centre is less clear cut and it rather depends on how Cooper goes. If he plays well, then I can see Deans playing Barnes at 12, for his tackling, kicking and organisation skills. If Cooper goes poorly, I expect to see at Barnes at 10 and have a suspicion that JOC (James O'Connor) would go to 12.

As far as the pack is concerned, I don't think its as clear cut as people think. I think the whole front row is up for grabs. Robinson isn't playing the full 80 at the moment and TPN seems intent on killing himself every time he's out there, as much as we laud his undoubted commitment. Slipper would appear to be the choice at THP, but that's not necessarily cut and dried either. The locks are probably sorted, but Vickermann is the wild card. If he comes back in good nick, there is a chance he'll displace either Horwill or Sharpe. Kev is injury prone too, so his position isn't assured. The open and blind side flankers are pretty much locked in, but eight isn't. Palu has played hardly any footy and as much as I like his size around the pitch, I don't think he's the default answer there by any stretch. He has a tendency to fade out of games, which we can't have in the test programme ahead of us this year.

By comparison, I think we know what our best backline looks like: Genia, Cooper, Mitchell, Barnes, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), JOC (James O'Connor) and Beale. The only contentious decisions are where to play JOC (James O'Connor) and whether or not we can find a spot for Diggers.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Don't know and I agree. It only struck me because of the following attributes:
- Size: We do have the world's smallest back-line.
- Ability to off-load (say thank you Alfi Mafi)
- Vision out wide (say thank you Nick Cummins)
- Defense is generally strong
- Experience, not necessarily at 13 but is a senior member of the team

All good points. I'd be less nervous if he'd played in the midfield before, but Cummins is doing a job at 13 and I have a feeling that we'd be reducing a strength (fullback) to cover a perceived weakness (outside centre).

 

[Lee Grant]

I suppose there-in lies the problem, if they're all fit and in form only AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) has shown he can play at international level at 13

Agree, what we have with Mortlock "not now that strength which in old days moved earth and heaven" and Horne always injured, is not really depth - it is width. Below AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) we have a few players of more or less the same ability who on their day can play a top game as outside centre at the Super level.

 

[Bowside]

I think Ioane brings more to the backline at 14 than Barnes does at 12, and JOC (James O'Connor) should be moved off the wing to accommodation him.

Now gateau's gone the biggest problem with the back line is quades defence. The rest of it is pretty much perfect.