Wallaby Squad Predictions 2010!

[RugbyReg]

I couldn't image two more dissimilar players than Higgers and Brown? Well....I could.

But, anyway, in what way are they similar? Brown seems more a work horse (ala his openside beginnings) whilst Higgers more a power forward/impact type of guy.

 

[en_force_er]

Higgs and Brown are similar in that they:

• They both cover 6 and 8, some would say 7 also.
• They both have that "I play rugby to hurt people" attitude.
• They both love to give the other team a spray.
• They are both reasonably similar physically.
• They both relish running good support lines.
• They both have good offloads.
• They both have the same star sign.

I just think they'd both be too similar to be on the field at once. Maybe if Higgs starts you could rotate him and Brown at the 60 minute mark.

 

[Godfrey]

I've never been impressed by Brown for the Wallabies. I wouldn't pick him over any of the other names that have been mentioned.

 

[TOCC]

Higgs and Brown are similar in that they:

• They both cover 6 and 8, some would say 7 also.
• They both have that "I play rugby to hurt people" attitude.
• They both love to give the other team a spray.
• They are both reasonably similar physically.
• They both relish running good support lines.
• They both have good offloads.
• They both have the same star sign.

I just think they'd both be too similar to be on the field at once. Maybe if Higgs starts you could rotate him and Brown at the 60 minute mark.

i dont agree, Higginbottam is more similar to Elsom in terms of physique and skill set then he is to Brown.

Brown did nothing to impress me in his last few wallaby outings

 

[Lee Grant]

Not a lot of talk about tight five forwards on this thread yet they are one third of the team.

Not a lot of talk about which forwards are more likely to turn up at the coal face play after play and which support ball runners time after time so they don't get isolated. Add 10 other things here that require character plus mental and physical endurance.

I got sick of Oz teams last year being bullied by the Boks (except once) and by the All Blacks, who weren't that great in that area themselves when they played the Boks. That one game against the Boks was, in a way, even more frustrating because it indicated what our 2009 3N forwards were capable of, yet exhibited only once.

Last year the identities of our backs were unimportant because they had no platform to operate on anyway. If our forwards play with heart, grunt and endurance in 2010 we will be raving about our backs and saying how Fred Nerk was superior to Joe Bloggs last year - and ignore the platform they got.

It was always so.

 

[Reddy!]

I think that's because there is not as much competition for the tight 5 spots.

Front row, Robinson, TPN, Alexander

Second row, Sharpe, Mumm

Big woop.

 

[RugbyReg]

in saying that, I love the emergence of a few 20-21 year old 2m tall locks in Douglas, Simmons and Hocking. Very timely.

 

[TOCC]

I think that's because there is not as much competition for the tight 5 spots.

Front row, Robinson, TPN, Alexander

Second row, Sharpe, Mumm

Big woop.

yeah its the reason i havent been talking about it, there hasnt been much competition, the tight 5 pretty much picks itself.

however as Noddy highlighted there are some young decent locks coming through in Douglas, Simmons and Hockings

 

[Lee Grant]

in saying that, I love the emergence of a few 20-21 year old 2m tall locks in Douglas, Simmons and Hocking. Very timely.

Hockings is a bit older than the young blokes, but it's good to see, isn't it? And I hope that we'll be talking about 18 y.o. Greg Peterson from Oz Schools last year in the same vein in a couple of year's time. Manly made him skip Colts to go straight into 1st grade this season; so they must think a lot of him.

I nearly gave up on Simmons but I shouldn't have and should have known better. It's just that he started so young: playing in the ARC when he was 18 and the Super14 when he was 19 that the mind plays tricks. He's survived the too-young syndrome and Douglas escaped it almost entirely as a boy from the bush - or rather, the beach.

Go you good things.

 

[Ruggo]

I think that's because there is not as much competition for the tight 5 spots.

Front row, Robinson, TPN, Alexander

Second row, Sharpe, Mumm

Big woop.

I don't know about that. Depends on what time frame we are looking at.

First consideration is we are filling James Horwill"s spot, not replacing him. That takes the view of building into the RWC. An aged player will be just as justified as a younger one, bringing Humphries into the equation. His form most certainly warrants selection.

Personally I would like to see all these young fellas see game time during the Bundy Series. The Poms should be good opposition to test a young lock at international level. By the time we get to the Ireland test they would of been assessed and the selectors should have there men for the job.

If the tight five is expected to pick itself with no competition, expect to get belted across the park again this year. Finally showing depth in these positions and not embrasing it does not make sense.

 

[Scarfman]

Here's Growden's form team.

15. Peter Hynes
14. Digby Ioane
13. Will Chambers or Rob Horne
12. Matt Giteau
11. Drew Mitchell
10. Quade Cooper
9. Will Genia
8. Richard Brown or Leroy Houston
7. David Pocock
6. Scott Higginbotham
5. Nathan Sharpe
4. Dean Mumm
3. Ben Alexander
2. Tatafu Polota-Nau
1. Benn Robinson

I really like the look of this team. Most of those positions are no-brainers. I only disagree with 2.

13. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) deserves a proper shot at his favourite position. Put him there, leave him there. I predict he'l be the world best by 2011.

8. As much as Elsom is playing shithouse, he is the current captain, and I'm not convinced that either B. or H. is the solution.

I'm impressed by Mitchell this season, but Turner is a more solid option in many ways. Maybe Turner and Hynes are too much like each other to select both.

Chambers ahead of Horne on the bench, and I suppose you need JOC (James O'Connor) there as well. Some very good young locks pressing for starting spots from the bench.

 

[fatprop]

I think Elsom isn't playing that shithouse, he just isn't doing enough. His touches are quality, but he seems to be cruising through games too often.

 

[Groucho]

Both Turner and Mitchell have been playing well, Mitchell more obviously so, especially in the front half of the comp. But Turner has more upside than Mitchell IMO: he can score tries that no one else in Australia can.

I don't think we'll see the best of Turner for a few years yet, then he'll be world class.

I also have a lot of time for Leroy Houston: this may be his year, especially if Deans gets a hold of him as well as Link.

 

[DPK]

I think AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) should still be playing wing or fullback, more leaning towards wing. Horne passes better that AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), but on the wing I think AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is the strongest in the tackle and with the leg drive. The power with which he finishes, keeping his momentum all the way, is ahead of the other wingers in Australia (Not saying they're shit, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is just awesome.) The try against England at Twickenham and the No-try against the Tah's are good examples of that momentum preservation.

 

[topo]

By "form team" I presume he means S14 form.
So how can you pick Alexander at THP when he has played LHP all year? A true "form team" would have Weeks at THP and BA at LHP and Fatcat would miss out, much as it hurts me to say it. Mind you, a couple of weeks off to get over a few niggling injuries (there's more to this than the arm) will be very good for him coming into the business end.
Giteau in a "form team"? You have to be kidding. Berrick Barnes would be ahead of him on recent form, but A Finger is the real form IC.
Strongly agree with your thoughts on AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Scarfman. He is an OC and we are short of quality in that position. Horne is too big a risk until he sorts out the dodgy arse muscle/ hammy thing.
I agree with Fatprop about Elsom. He looks good when he is going. He is just not going often enough.
I have no problem with Hynes at FB but would at least give Beale a crack off the bench. He is finally starting to realise his potential and overcome his defensive frailty.

 

[RugbyReg]

agree topo. A form team would be something like:

15 Hynes
14 Diggers
13 Chambers
12 FaingaaA
11 Mitchell
10 Cooper
9 Genia
8 Hoiles
7 Hodgson
6 Higginbotham
5 Mumm
4 Sharpe
3 Weeks
2 TPN
1 Alexander

16 FaingaaS
17 Fairbrother
18 Douglas/Simmons
19 Waugh
20 Sheehan
21 JOC (James O'Connor)
22 McCabe

or there abouts...

 

[Lindommer]

No room for AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Nodster?

 

[RugbyReg]

not in a purely S14 FORM team I don't think? Not in front of Hynes I don't believe.

 

[gone]

Still maintain (as I mentioned earlier in the thread) that Ma'afu should be ahead of Weeks. He had another huge scrummaging game in the weekend. Has to be in the Wallabies squad for me.

 

[David]

Still maintain (as I mentioned earlier in the thread) that Ma'afu should be ahead of Weeks. He had another huge scrummaging game in the weekend. Has to be in the Wallabies squad for me.

It depends what you want most from your prop, Weeks scrummages well but IMO I feel its his work around the park that gives him the jump on Ma'afu.