Wallaby Watch 2014

[Viking]

Mogg is still fresh for Test footy, He is improving well - I thought he handled the pressure in the shark's game well and whilst he was occasionally pinned on the right side of the field he handled the pressure well and generally won the kicking battle.

But as mentioned above Mogg marking up on a 1 v 1 on a Test Level player would be a horrible scenario. He still needs more physicality and some more consistency in the pressure games. BUT the potential is there.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Running Rugby ?

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No.No.
That white broke something in Canberra.

 

[Slim 293]

You cannot pick Mogg on the right wing FFS.
He has no right foot kick to speak of.

Again, that seems like an odd requirement.........

Especially as that side of the field would benefit a left foot.........

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Mogg is still fresh for Test footy, He is improving well - I thought he handled the pressure in the shark's game well and whilst he was occasionally pinned on the right side of the field he handled the pressure well and generally won the kicking battle.

I'll give Mogg this from that game: he stuck at it.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Again, that seems like an odd requirement...

Especially as that side of the field would benefit a left foot...

Firstly, at that level in the positions he is being considered for you should have both.
Secondly, a right winger who avoids his left foot is extremely vulnerable to charge downs. He will be far less reliable kicking infield.
I'm not sure why you would propose him for right wing: none of these points would be worth making if you picked him for the left wing - he'd just be another Australian outside back who can really only kick with one foot: but at least he would be on the side where he was less likely to be charged down and his kicks once he got outside his man would be less likely to spray off into touch.

 

[Scrubber2050]

Jeez Kearns is a poor commentator if he thinks there are only 3 certain test starters, being Hooper, Izzy and Moore.
Whilst I agree with those 3 I reckon the following guys will be certain selections as well.

Slipper at LHP
Alexander at THP
Fardy at 6
Cooper at 10
Matt T at 12
Kirendrani at 13
AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) at either 11 or 14

To me the interesting selctions will be between

Genia and White (with White certainly having the edge based on form),

8 between Palu and Higgers (with Palu the most likely -IMO)

and both locks (Horwill doesn't belong there on form and Simmo, the incumbant may also be on shakey ground)

 

[Braveheart81]

Jeez Kearns is a poor commentator if he thinks there are only 3 certain test starters, being Hooper, Izzy and Moore.
Whilst I agree with those 3 I reckon the following guys will be certain selections as well.

Slipper at LHP
Alexander at THP
Fardy at 6
Cooper at 10
Matt T at 12
Kirendrani at 13
AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) at either 11 or 14

To me the interesting selctions will be between

Genia and White (with White certainly having the edge based on form),

8 between Palu and Higgers (with Palu the most likely -IMO)

and both locks (Horwill doesn't belong there on form and Simmo, the incumbant may also be on shakey ground)

There is still some conjecture over pretty much all the selections you've listed, often relating to what position they'll be selected in. I think that's the point Kearns was making.

I think Slipper will probably be LHP but his suspension does add a little bit of doubt there.

Alexander will almost certainly be THP based on form, but Kepu finished last season there and Slipper can also play THP. Again, not 100%.

Fardy is 100% in the starting team. What position he plays isn't certain though. To'omua is in the same boat.

Cooper will probably be there unless Link decides that To'omua is 10.

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) will be in the starting side but could play 13 pushing Kuridrani to the bench.

 

[Slim 293]

Firstly, at that level in the positions he is being considered for you should have both.
Secondly, a right winger who avoids his left foot is extremely vulnerable to charge downs. He will be far less reliable kicking infield.
I'm not sure why you would propose him for right wing: none of these points would be worth making if you picked him for the left wing - he'd just be another Australian outside back who can really only kick with one foot: but at least he would be on the side where he was less likely to be charged down and his kicks once he got outside his man would be less likely to spray off into touch.

As I said earlier, Mogg has his faults that would put him out of test selection, but this isn't one of them......... especially as we're not selecting him for flyhalf...........

Who are our right winger options?

Speight, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Tomane.......... how is their kicking from either foot?

I'm not suggesting Mogg for test selection, but the idea of playing him on that side of the field would utilise his speed and provide the back 3 with a kicking option while potentially negating his defensive liabilities..........

 

[Benaud]

While I can't advocate agreeing with Kearnsy on anything ever, that unfortunately aligns with my thoughts. Moore, Hooper and Izzy are the only 3 certain in their positions.

Slipper, Fardy and To'omua will be there somewhere but Slipper could play either side, Fardy could be lock or 6 and To'omua could be 10 or 12.

The rest are up in the air.

Personally I think a backline of:

White
Cooper
Cummins
To'omua
Kuridrani
AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
Folau

is likely, but outside Izzy at the back and To'omua somewhere, I couldn't lock any of them away.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

As I said earlier, Mogg has his faults that would put him out of test selection, but this isn't one of them... especially as we're not selecting him for flyhalf.....

Who are our right winger options?

Speight, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Tomane.... how is their kicking from either foot?

I'm not suggesting Mogg for test selection, but the idea of playing him on that side of the field would utilise his speed and provide the back 3 with a kicking option while potentially negating his defensive liabilities....

All are natural right foot kicks (I think)[I presume Tomane is out isn't he?] : it is lamentable that so far as I know none of them has a left foot kick to rely on - hence my comment regarding all our outside backs.
and just on the "he's not a flyhalf" which back was it that go charged down trying to run around onto his good foot in the first test of a season in the last couple of years???
When a natural left foot comes along, if (in australia) you are going to pick him as a winger you pick him on the left wing.
Presumably he is the same speed whether on the left or right side of the field so that is an irrelevancy.
All his best work has been done on the left side of the field based on why I've seen.
You pick him wherever you want, or don't pick him or whatever.
I would not have him in the frame - but if he is to be picked on the wing it must be the left.

 

[Viking]

I'd be very wary of shifting Mogg to the wing for defensive reasons. Mogg is okay at cover tackling at fullback but bringing him up into the line at wing would be horrible. Also his lack of game-time in the position means he could easily get caught out of position.

 

[Scrubber2050]

Moggy is no chance of a Wallaby spot for a variety of reasons - BUT he is a very good 15 for the Brums at S15 level

He is only an option at 15 and Izzy on one leg will get chosed. And there are too many options at wing for players who play in that spot week in and week out

 

[Viking]

Moggy is no chance of a Wallaby spot for a variety of reasons - BUT he is a very good 15 for the Brums at S15 level

Agreed, He is a specialist fullback with a good boot which is something that has been missing from Aus rugby since Latham and Burke. He could very well push for wallabies selection later on but not this year.

 

[Slim 293]

I'd be very wary of shifting Mogg to the wing for defensive reasons. Mogg is okay at cover tackling at fullback but bringing him up into the line at wing would be horrible. Also his lack of game-time in the position means he could easily get caught out of position.

You're probably right, still remember his back to back games on the wing at the end of 2012............

 

[Braveheart81]

I think the Mogg being no chance is pretty unrealistic.

I think he'd be 2nd or 3rd choice fullback behind Folau and possibly Beale.

One injury and he could be in the matchday 23.

If there are no injuries to back three players in the next few weeks then he could miss the squad, but I'm betting he's in the initial squad and will play some test rugby this season.

It is rare that we aren't forced to select 3rd choice and lower options in multiple positions over the course of a test season.

 

[Viking]

I think the Mogg being no chance is pretty unrealistic.

I think he'd be 2nd or 3rd choice fullback behind Folau and possibly Beale.

One injury and he could be in the matchday 23.

If there are no injuries to back three players in the next few weeks then he could miss the squad, but I'm betting he's in the initial squad and will play some test rugby this season.

It is rare that we aren't forced to select 3rd choice and lower options in multiple positions over the course of a test season.

I don't know about that. I wouldn't be against him being in the squad. Last year however McKenzie put Foley on the bench (whilst Mogg was injured) and brought him on at fullback. I think. McKenzie could go with this option again which is probably more sensible as Foley is a better defender and could effectively cover both 10 and maybe 12 too.

 

[Braveheart81]

Again though, it all depends on what you need.

As you said, Mogg was injured at the time so it's hard to know where he sat relative to Foley on the pecking order last year.

Even if one of Beale or Foley are more likely to cover fullback from the bench, would they be more likely to start there than Mogg if Folau was injured? I don't think anyone can answer that at the moment.

 

[Scrubber2050]

Braveheart81

The answer IMO is that Beale would be a stand-out bench player covering 10, 12, 13 and 15 - at a pinch 11 and 14 - He is the most versatile back running around - maybe AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is close

 

[Lindommer]

Beale's played wing for the Wallabies (his debut on the 2009 EoYT?) but I can't recall him playing 13 for the Tahs, or anyone else. A scrummie plus Kurtley and McCabe are, surely, the best options for the Wallabies bench.

 

[ViiiSnoopy]

I know its off the Mogg trail but another player who i think deserves a run on is Liam gill. Most squads that people pick dont really have a over the ball player (hoopers good but stats wise gill is better). Though he has been injured for parts of the season so far every game he is at the ruck fighting for it and more that once picks it up, and last year (i know its last year but this is interesting) gill had double hoopers pilfers for the season.