Wallaby Watch 2014

[Tomikin]

I like your side better than your expected side! Godwin would certainly be a bolter.

I think you can't argue with the fact that if the Force win there catch up game they are top the table.. I was always big on when the Brumbies where going well selections should show that.

My expected team I wouldnt be unhappy with, I think the EOYT they had has to count.

But we do know what the incumbents offer so seeing what some of the other roughies can do might not be a bad idea.

 

[BDA]

Cooper did some good stuff today, but he was trying to make something out of nothing because the blokes outside him were pretty dreadful. Cooper wont have the same issues playing for wallabies with the likes of Folau, To'omua, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) etc outside him. His passing game is still better than the other options. He should and will get first shot at 10.

I'd like to see the stats from today's game. I actually thought Horwill and Simmons did their core duties pretty well. I know a lot of people will take this opportunity to say they shouldn't be picked, but they scrummaged well and were strong in the lineouts. Their workrate was good too. There were some members of the reds squad that were badly exposed today but it wasn't in the tight five.

 

[GaffaCHinO]

Who is suggesting he is in form? He wasn't in the tests last year and he isn't now.

Scott Allan for one reckons Horwill is the form lock in aus but questions if he should be captain.

If you ask me Scott's red glasses are abit to thick.

 

[Tomikin]

Cooper did some good stuff today, but he was trying to make something out of nothing because the blokes outside him were pretty dreadful. Cooper wont have the same issues playing for wallabies with the likes of Folau, To'omua, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) etc outside him. His passing game is still better than the other options. He should and will get first shot at 10.

I'd like to see the stats from today's game. I actually thought Horwill and Simmons did their core duties pretty well. I know a lot of people will take this opportunity to say they shouldn't be picked, but they scrummaged well and were strong in the lineouts. Their workrate was good too. There were some members of the reds squad that were badly exposed today but it wasn't in the tight five.

And we shoudl remember less then a week ago the Crusaders dished up the Brumbies as well who sit second on the table..

 

[Pete King]

Slipper. Moore. Longbottom
Carter. Jones
Fardy. McCalman. Hooper
White. To'omua
Godwin. Kuridrani
Cummins. Folau. Beale

TPN. Sio. Alexander. Simmons. Skelton
Genia. Lilo. McCabe

You can thank me later.

How does AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) miss the squad??

 

[Gnostic]

At this stage what I think will happen on form and incumbency:-

1. Slipper
2. Moore
3. Alexander
4. Simmons (Would like to see Jones)
5. Horwill (would like to see Carter)
6. Fardy
7. Hooper
8. Palu
9. Genia (White is better)
10. Cooper (I think many of the issues remain his lack of support options)
12. To'omua
13. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)/Kuridrani (it really is a toss up)
11. Cummins
14. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)/Morahan (will he be back, what's his status?) Tomane would have been a cert IMO.
15. Folau

16. TPN
17. Kepu (would prefer Longbottom IMHO)
18. Sio
19. Skelton
20. McCalman
21. White
22. Beale/Foley (would prefer Foley)
23. Lilo/Morahan

 

[Tomikin]

How does AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) miss the squad??

Agree AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) needs to play, Also what are you doing if one of Hoopers Fardy or McCalman gets hurt..

Drop Simmons/Skelton pick up Palu/Higgers/Gill/Hodgson you can't go into a game with no cover for your 6 7 8

 

[farva]

How does AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) miss the squad??

Oh.
Bugger, he needs to be there too. Lilo out AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) in.

 

[farva]

Cooper did some good stuff today, but he was trying to make something out of nothing because the blokes outside him were pretty dreadful. Cooper wont have the same issues playing for wallabies with the likes of Folau, To'omua, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) etc outside him. His passing game is still better than the other options. He should and will get first shot at 10.

I'd like to see the stats from today's game. I actually thought Horwill and Simmons did their core duties pretty well. I know a lot of people will take this opportunity to say they shouldn't be picked, but they scrummaged well and were strong in the lineouts. Their workrate was good too. There were some members of the reds squad that were badly exposed today but it wasn't in the tight five.

?
Their scrum was destroyed. Simmons can at least call the line out but he does some very stupid things. I'd still have Simmons in the 23 mind, I think he offers something.
Plus they were well beaten in the ruck which is the other core duty of a lock.

Horwill is running on reputation from a few seasons ago. Post injury he has not been the same player. It's unfortunate as a form Horwill is great.

 

[vidiot]

?
Their scrum was destroyed.

There aren't many games where you look at Daley (and Holmes at tighthead) and think - this reds front row is right in this scrum contest. They miss Slipper badly.

Agree on the rest. Horwill is not the energetic presence of yesteryear. I think he is trying to do too much to carry them, and doing none of it with any impact. Writing cheques his body can't cash.

 

[BDA]

Competition between White and Genia is pretty close atm. Genia will get the nod but I could see White getting a few starts this season.

I watched the Force game last night... Hodgson is playing right on the boundaries of the laws at the moment. Made a real nuissance of himself last night. It's working for him this season for the force but at test level playing like that could hurt us....He is playing with a lot of heart though so he has to be considered the back up 7 atm. Gill hasn't done much wrong but Link should be taking advantage of the winning culture that the force players are carrying right now.

In terms of a back up 6? I'd go with Higgers or McCalman. Cottrel should also be in the squad.

 

[gel]

Please, for the love of god, do not let QC (Quade Cooper) anywhere near the wallaby jersey.

He is playing like a complete arsehat (and ribbing his team mates when they make mistakes, yet expecting them to forgive him when he fucks up royally, and fuck up royally he did).

In fact, best that we try to avoid any reds, in case the rest get infected by whatever retardation has a stranglehold on the reds.

 

[farva]

I think the retardation is Richard Graham. The Force were useless when he was there now look at them. Ditto for the Reds.
If Link can get QC (Quade Cooper) right we will be the better for it, but on form he doesn't deserve it. However, he is an amazing talent and if on form he will be in the team.

 

[Pfitzy]

Still a few derbies before the tight five positions crystallise for me. Against the French its going to be torrid up front.

Those saying Skelton needs to play a full 80 at Super level - why? He got a lot of time against the Hurricanes and was one of the most damaging runners out there. He's good for a 20-30 minute stint off the bench against the Frogs to lay some smack. Find out what he's got there, and soon, before deciding how ready he is for the Boks and ABs.

I see these French Tests as proving grounds - so pick Horwill and Simmons if you have to, but give guys like Jones, Skelton, Sio, and Carter their chance from the bench and see what happens.

 

[farva]

I reckon a 20 minute burst by Skelton against tired bodies will be amazing.

And agree on the Frog tests. It will also give Link time to see if Cooper and Genia can be fixed or whether their Grahamitis is incurable.

 

[cyclopath]

Still a few derbies before the tight five positions crystallise for me. Against the French its going to be torrid up front.

Those saying Skelton needs to play a full 80 at Super level - why? He got a lot of time against the Hurricanes and was one of the most damaging runners out there. He's good for a 20-30 minute stint off the bench against the Frogs to lay some smack. Find out what he's got there, and soon, before deciding how ready he is for the Boks and ABs.

I see these French Tests as proving grounds - so pick Horwill and Simmons if you have to, but give guys like Jones, Skelton, Sio, and Carter their chance from the bench and see what happens.

Even if we accept that Horwill and Simmons are suffering from some sort of malaise in a dysfunctional Reds squad, it is a worry to have them fronting the French being somewhat mentally shot. McKenzie would need a serious bag of tricks to turn them around. I don't think Horwill "needs" the captaincy on top of that. I think he'd have a better chance of recovering some mojo if Hooper (for example) skippered them, and he could just focus on his play. And I accept Horwill has been a good captain before, but he has too much on his plate at the moment.

 

[Bairdy]

Still a few derbies before the tight five positions crystallise for me. Against the French its going to be torrid up front.

Those saying Skelton needs to play a full 80 at Super level - why? He got a lot of time against the Hurricanes and was one of the most damaging runners out there. He's good for a 20-30 minute stint off the bench against the Frogs to lay some smack. Find out what he's got there, and soon, before deciding how ready he is for the Boks and ABs.

I see these French Tests as proving grounds - so pick Horwill and Simmons if you have to, but give guys like Jones, Skelton, Sio, and Carter their chance from the bench and see what happens.

Skelton needs to be able to prove he can play 80 at Super level because if he's the lock cover on the bench and one of Horwill or Simmons goes down within the first minute or 10 minutes of the game, he's going to become a liability after 40-60 minutes.

If he can't consistently play 80 minutes of Super Rugby intensity, it is not going to get any easier in international rugby, where the intensity is another step up.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Even if we accept that Horwill and Simmons are suffering from some sort of malaise in a dysfunctional Reds squad, it is a worry to have them fronting the French being somewhat mentally shot. McKenzie would need a serious bag of tricks to turn them around. I don't think Horwill "needs" the captaincy on top of that. I think he'd have a better chance of recovering some mojo if Hooper (for example) skippered them, and he could just focus on his play. And I accept Horwill has been a good captain before, but he has too much on his plate at the moment.

I'd love to see Hooper as captain. He's done a bit of it before, right? I seem to recall he did with the U/20's and may have even done it with the Tahs a couple of times.

 

[Pfitzy]

There is no doubt that the Reds are sitting in the hall of mirrors and seeing a pack of useless pricks at the moment. I expect Richard Graham's notice shortly, because that side looks goneskis.

They've got the Rebels up there next weekend to try and restore some pride, but no idea what the crowd is going to look like. Then a bye which is the best thing for them at this stage. Appoint a caretaker coach, get Graham the fuck out of the country before he's moidered, and let the players run the show for the rest of the year.

The pricks will probably still beat the Waratahs just because Fate likes to pry my jaws apart and take a dump on my tongue.

 

[Pfitzy]

Skelton needs to be able to prove he can play 80 at Super level because if he's the lock cover on the bench and one of Horwill or Simmons goes down within the first minute or 10 minutes of the game, he's going to become a liability after 40-60 minutes.

If he can't consistently play 80 minutes of Super Rugby intensity, it is not going to get any easier in international rugby, where the intensity is another step up.

Hmmm. Interesting point you make.

By that logic, you've already ruled out the selection of Horwill and Simmons because neither of them are playing with intensity for 80 minutes according to the wider audience not wearing a red eyepatch.