Wallaby Watch 2014

[Slim 293]

FFS. Coleman is playing well but he's got nothing on JOC (James O'Connor).

JOC (James O'Connor)'s got at least a couple of whoppers on him..........

 

[Scythe]

There was a time when we thought JOC (James O'Connor) was irreplaceable but that was a long time ago. He needs to show a lot of mental fortitude and impact on the field to warrant another look in at all




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[qwerty51]

He doesn't need to show anything on the field, he needs to show off-field progress.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Also think Charles is pushing hard to get the 3rd hooker spot he is starting to find the form he was in back 2012 before he did his knee.

I would rank the aus hookers like this

Moore
TPN
Charles
Hanson
Fainga
Tessmann
Siliva
the rest

Put Leafa after Siliva and both with a star as they will be shooting up the charts over the next twelve months.

 

[GaffaCHinO]

Put Leafa after Siliva and both with a star as they will be shooting up the charts over the next twelve months.

I agree they will be good players in the future by not sure in the next 12 months they are stuck behind 2 wallaby starters who I'm not sure will be going anywhere soon.


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[Brumby Runner]

I agree they will be good players in the future by not sure in the next 12 months they are stuck behind 2 wallaby starters who I'm not sure will be going anywhere soon.


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I'd suggest post-RWC there is a good chance that neither Moore nor TPN will be in the picture. Retirement or overseas will probably intrude.

 

[Scythe]

He doesn't need to show anything on the field, he needs to show off-field progress.

You can't say he's anywhere near his best ATM ??????


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[qwerty51]

You can't say he's anywhere near his best ATM ??????


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He's going pretty well for London Irish, some of the talk about JOC (James O'Connor)'s ability is way over the top (on the negative side). He walks into the Wallabies XV purely on ability.

 

[Tomikin]

He doesn't need to show anything on the field, he needs to show off-field progress.

would you pick him before the Badger, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Speight or even Tomane.. oh and this form Coleman..

I think/thought JOC (James O'Connor) was one of the most talented players to come play for Australia... I just think the down sides his brought (and in my thoughts arent actually that bad) but is his up's better then his down's.. I also think his not playing as good as he did when he was younger

 

[Tomikin]

He's going pretty well for London Irish, some of the talk about JOC (James O'Connor)'s ability is way over the top (on the negative side). He walks into the Wallabies XV purely on ability.

Really... The form his in ?? I rate him as brilliant but Speights Better, Izzy's better so there one wing left with Badger, Mogg, Beale, Betham, all fighting for it... we all know James is a talent.. gifted but has he showed that since he went to the rebels.. I would say no..

 

[Bairdy]

Really. The form his in ?? I rate him as brilliant but Speights Better, Izzy's better so there one wing left with Badger, Mogg, Beale, Betham, all fighting for it. we all know James is a talent.. gifted but has he showed that since he went to the rebels.. I would say no..

How can you say Speight is better? He has played 0 tests.
JOC (James O'Connor) in contrast has 44 caps at 23 years of age, and was in the top 3 wingers in the world at one stage (2010?)

All this talk about him playing for the Wallabies again is just a distraction from all the other Australian wingers tbh. If I were coach, I would channel my inner Deans and wouldn't even pick him for the Wallabies in 2015. The guy relinquished the Wallabies jersey when he left in 2013, and planned to sign a contract with Toulon that would enable him to fly in, use the Force or the Reds as a stepping stone to the RWC squad, and fly out to the South of France

Sorry to go off on a tangent above btw!

A guy to watch out for higher honours, I think is Luke Jones. A player that is sort of in the mould of a Fardy; a 4 and 6 with some mongrel. And has had to up his workrate for the Rebels to cover for others. A handy bench replacement or at the very least, a squad member.

I have to say though, that Pyle, a guy I've been talking up on this thread, has been disappointing and is definitely down the Wallabies pecking order.

 

[Pete King]

How can you say Speight

All this talk about him playing for the Wallabies again is just a distraction from all the other Australian wingers tbh. If I were coach, I would channel my inner Deans and wouldn't even pick him for the Wallabies in 2015. The guy relinquished the Wallabies jersey when he left in 2013, and planned to sign a contract with Toulon that would enable him to fly in, use the Force or the Reds as a stepping stone to the RWC squad, and fly out to the South of France''

 

[Pete King]

spot on

If I was picking a starting team tomorrow to play on the weekend it would look like this

1 Sio
2 Moore
3 Alexandar
4 Horwill
5 Simmons
6 Fardy
7 Hooper
8 Higgenbottom
9 Nic White
10 Quade cooper
11 AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
12 MATT TOOUMA
13 KUDRIANI
14 Cummins
15 Folau

barring injury.

2nd row for mine was the toughest to pick[/quote]

 

[LAS]

spot on

If I was picking a starting team tomorrow to play on the weekend it would look like this

1 Sio
2 Moore
3 Alexandar
4 Horwill
5 Simmons
6 Fardy
7 Hooper
8 Higgenbottom
9 Nic White
10 Quade cooper
11 AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
12 MATT TOOUMA
13 KUDRIANI
14 Cummins
15 Folau

barring injury.

2nd row for mine was the toughest to pick

[/quote]

Surely Beale locks up the first bench spot for the backs then - covers Cooper, To'omua and Folau in the event of injury.

 

[Braveheart81]

I rekcon Higginbotham would currently be behind Palu and McCalman (and Mowen if McKenzie is likely to pick him at all this year) at number 8 and behind Fardy at number 6.

I think that lock is currently the only problem position and the biggest selection quandaries would be over the props, locks, half back, outside centre and wing.

 

[farva]

Can we get the wings right?

Cummins, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Betham and Tomane are 11
Speight, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Mogg, Tomane and JOC (James O'Connor) are 14.

JOC (James O'Connor) is a fantastic player and would be a challenger straight away for the 14 jersey. He is ahead of pretty much every other 14 we have. I would certainly have him in the squad and he would either take the 14 jersey, or the 22 or 23 jersey.

In terms of whether I pick him if he does come back, as long as he is available and complies with the ARUs eligibiliy rules then yes, I would pick him. This is a professional environment. The ARU has rules and as long as you comply with them then you should be picked. We want the strongest team available to play.

 

[fatprop]

I always question talented players who change clubs regularly. The ones I played with that did that were never ever missed when they left

I wouldn't have JOC (James O'Connor) anywhere near an aus side until he demonstrates humility and the right attitude.

 

[Slim 293]

JOC (James O'Connor) is a good player, but not good enough that he commands a starting position on old form.......

There are currently better options for the back 3, and he would need to come back and prove himself.......

 

[I like to watch]

I always question talented players who change clubs regularly. The ones I played with that did that were never ever missed when they left

I wouldn't have JOC (James O'Connor) anywhere near an aus side until he demonstrates humility and the right attitude.

Good point.
The players you always missed were the workhorses,not the flashy stars.
Workhorses tend to be one club men.

 

[Viking]

IMO the best balanced back 3 Aus could possibly have at this stage would be 11. Digby/Spreight 14. JOC (James O'Connor) 15. Falou.

Although I did compare JOC (James O'Connor) and Robbie, I agree Robbie has a long way to go before getthing to JOC (James O'Connor)'s level. But I see similarities, both play above there weight, are playmakers, and have good footwork.

JOC (James O'Connor) as a winger he has always performed at a high level for the wallabies, I thought he was the form winger of the RWC. As a 10, not so much. But I blame that more on Dean's then JOC (James O'Connor).

Get his off field behaviour in tacked and he balances out the back 3 nicely, he adds an extra playmaking and kicking option. Put Falou at the back, then a hard runner on the other side in Spreight/Digby/Cummins.