Wallaby Squad Predictions 2010!

[Ruggo]

Sadly the golden boys Barnes and Gitau will get first crack. Fainga'a deserves it. Forget Barnes, he offers nothing of interest, but the prospect of an illusive player like Gitau feeding off of the quallity ball that Cooper is distributing is moistening.

You could do worse than just inserting the entire Reds backline as is into the Wallabies.

Sorry if I have upset any NSW supporters :lmao:

 

[cyclopath]

Sadly the golden boys Barnes and Gitau will get first crack. Fainga'a deserves it. Forget Barnes, he offers nothing of interest, but the prospect of an illusive player like Gitau feeding off of the quallity ball that Cooper is distributing is moistening.

You could do worse than just inserting the entire Reds backline as is into the Wallabies.

Sorry if I have upset any NSW supporters :lmao:

Of course you could do worse, and 9-13 and 15 make good arguments. I think Mitchell and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) would have stronger claims than Morahan and Davies at the moment.

 

[Reddy!]

Even over Digby? He plays wing. Chambers is our outside centre

 

[Ruggo]

Make rom for AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper). Put Hynes on the wing for Davies. Forget Mitchell, he is nothing more that a glorified speed bump.

Slot AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) in and you have a potent attacking backline which is also solid in defense, full of combination that is currently on fire.

 

[cyclopath]

Even over Digby? He plays wing. Chambers is our outside centre

My bad - I meant Digby at 13. Can't leave Digby out!

 

[Scotty]

Further digressing but to my eye under the current interpretations a hard running more conventional 12 seems very effective. I don't think that AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is the man for the 12 role, but he could certainly be the man for 13. Horne is also blossoming at 13. I think we should leave Digby on the wing, but he could play there at at pinch as well.

If Chambers keeps on his current upward trajectory he could be the Wallaby 13 for the RWC. He may turn out to be the best convert yet!

Cyclo,

Have a look at the Perth test from last year again. When Cooper came on Giteau generally lined up at 13 in attack and 12 in defense, and it turned out to be our most fluent looking backline of the year.

I hope that Deans tries a backline that doesn't have Giteau included for one of the earlier tests.


I agree that at this stage AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is the best option at fullback. While not great, his kicking is better than Hynes'.

 

[Ruggo]

Schiftcoftski was a great convert. It is a shame he didn't make the switch earlier.

Chambers has a bright futre in the code. Territory boy too, which means I like him even more. Not many good union players come from up this way. Justin Harrison is the only other one that springs to mind.

 

[James Buchanan]

Yeah, I'm very impressed with how Chambers has gone about his business.

He works bloody hard off the ball and to my observation has put a lot of work into learning how to handle contact in Rugby.

Possibly the advantage of switching back as early as he did.

 

[Sully]

Was commenting to Red Slug last week that he is starting to look like a Rugby player not a league convert. I would love to hear what his reaction was after Barnes left, Then Mooney was Sacked and then half the Board left. I'm sure it would ba a classic.

 

[James Buchanan]

Was commenting to Red Slug last week that he is starting to look like a Rugby player not a league convert. I would love to hear what his reaction was after Barnes left, Then Mooney was Sacked and then half the Board left. I'm sure it would ba a classic.

I'd be more interested to know what his current thoughts on the Reds are now.

Probably thinks what happened was the best stuff ever.

 

[#1 Tah]

well if robbie is reading this forum (and hopefully he is) then we have done the team a service. or not if you posted from QLD

 

[liquor box]

Yeah, I'm very impressed with how Chambers has gone about his business.

He works bloody hard off the ball and to my observation has put a lot of work into learning how to handle contact in Rugby.

Possibly the advantage of switching back as early as he did.

I wonder if not playing him from the start helped, he had to develop a hunger to learn rather than be given a starting spot and then learn.

 

[disco]

Just going back to Drew Mitchell.

His kicking was shite against the Saders but he is still one of the most elusive ball runners we have, he has always been a player that is good for one or two brain farts.

He tries to kick the ball to hard he needs to just let it flow. Kicking is no different to your golf swing in many ways.

 

[Reddy!]

Just going back to Drew Mitchell.

His kicking was shite against the Saders but he is still one of the most elusive ball runners we have, he has always been a player that is good for one or two brain farts.

He tries to kick the ball to hard he needs to just let it flow. Kicking is no different to your golf swing in many ways.

Yeh his kicking is really letting him down at the moment. I've heard a poster from another forum describe him as a player whose boot is made of sides, because the ball always comes off the side of the boot.

For the most part, however, he has played pretty damn well for Australia over his international career, and is too good of a runner and try scorer/finisher to leave out of the 22.

 

[disco]

player whose boot is made of sides, because the ball always comes off the side of the boot.

Yeah spot on.

 

[Pfitzy]

But if he's playing openside wing its not as big a deal.

He certainly wasn't kidding in the paper when he said he modelled his game on Dell and Lortay.

 

[Viking]

If Chambers keeps on his current upward trajectory he could be the Wallaby 13 for the RWC. He may turn out to be the best convert yet!

I agree. I've been impressed with Chambers especially in his last game against the lions. I think he needs to be put into the wallabies this year, maybe not to start but to be a wallaby tourist for development reasons.

 

[DPK]

Ive done a U-turn. I think having Tommy Carter on the bench for Aus A wouldnt be too bad. In fact, I think he should get a go in at least one of the midweek games.

 

[DPK]

1. Alexander 2.Polota-Nau 3. Robinson

4. Sharpe 5. Chisholm

6. Elsom 7. Pocock
8. Hodgson

9. Genia
10. Cooper
12. O'Connor 13. Horne
11. Ioane 14. Hynes

15. Ashley-Cooper


Rate this team out of ten, then post the changes you would make and why.

 

[Reddy!]

1. Alexander 2.Polota-Nau 3. Robinson

4. Sharpe 5. Chisholm

6. Elsom 7. Pocock
8. Hodgson

9. Genia
10. Cooper
12. O'Connor 13. Horne
11. Ioane 14. Hynes

15. Ashley-Cooper


Rate this team out of ten, then post the changes you would make and why.

7/10 - Not sure about the 2nd row and centre combination. You got your props mixed up as well.

This is what I would like to see at least tested in the early picks, not going to happen though.

1. Robinson 2.Polota-Nau 3. Alexander

4. Sharpe 5. Mumm

6. Higginbotham 7. Pocock
8. Elsom

9. Genia
10. Cooper
12. Fainga'a 13. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
11. Ioane 14. Mitchell

15. Hynes

Bench: Moore, Baxter, Humphries, Hodgson, Giteau, Barnes, O'Connor

My team has big, strong and hard runners in it that will have a physical presence. Mumm and Sharpe are the 2nd row because they are both leaders and in good form. Higginbotham starts because he is an athletic freak.

I have Fainga'a starting because he has been the form Australian 12 and has brought a style of play that suits a test inside centre and doesn't try to out shine the flyhalf. His combination with Genia and Cooper cannot be underestimated.

The bench has experience forwards and quick, smart elusive backs to run rampant over tiring opposition. I see no point in having a reserve half back when Genia will most likely be play all 80mins in all Tri-Nation matches, and Giteau can cover it if he has to. Versatility is the key word this season when selecting the bench.