Waratahs 2015

[Train Without a Station]

Douglas goes beyond the Tahs so you can't really say him.

Not sure exactly why they would have kept Alcock. They have Hooper, McCutcheon offers a replacement and Alcock wouldn't have stayed to bench at best. Timani did nothing in his time and done nothing since. Alofa has gone to France on a better offer than available in Australia. AJ Gilbert has been around for a long time without showing he is Super Rugby quality. Holmes has done the rounds and never stood out (either one for that matter).

There's not really a correlation between the players you say you'd keep and the ones you'd release. Perhaps Phipps and Holmes if you mean Josh, but you'd be just about the only bloke in Aus to think that.

 

[Braveheart81]

Based on this year and last (Crawford only got one game this year) I would rate the wing pecking order as Horne, Bread, Crawford, Betham, Carraro, Naiyaravoro. Of that, we are losing numbers 2 & 3; I'm not happy.

It's a tough position and injuries to Crawford and Betham have made things particularly difficult. Crawford hasn't recaptured his 2013 form and Betham could take a while to find his form next year.

In my mind, Betham and Crawford are fairly similar standard. They have quite different attributes though. Crawford is more of a classic player and has more of an all round game including strong kicking.

Betham is more of a game breaker and has better footwork and tackle busting ability. His handling is poorer though.

I don't know if Betham is already contracted for 2015 and perhaps if he is, that was the deciding factor. Otherwise, maybe Crawford received a higher offer from the Rebels that the Tahs couldn't match.

You certainly haven't said anything of the sort, but I think any assumption that Crawford has lost his place because Naiyaravaro was signed is unlikely to be the reality.

I'm predicting Kellaway will play more Super Rugby next year than Naiyaravaro.

 

[I like to watch]

I think that Naiyaravaro was signed,because Cheika had put a line through Crawford's name.

 

[GunnerDownUnder]

Douglas goes beyond the Tahs so you can't really say him.

Not sure exactly why they would have kept Alcock. They have Hooper, McCutcheon offers a replacement and Alcock wouldn't have stayed to bench at best. Timani did nothing in his time and done nothing since. Alofa has gone to France on a better offer than available in Australia. AJ Gilbert has been around for a long time without showing he is Super Rugby quality. Holmes has done the rounds and never stood out (either one for that matter).

There's not really a correlation between the players you say you'd keep and the ones you'd release. Perhaps Phipps and Holmes if you mean Josh, but you'd be just about the only bloke in Aus to think that.

It was all a bit tongue in cheek to show we all differ on players and how they fit into our perfect team. Most of that list have actually gone abroad for a bit more coin.

 

[gowaratahs]

What recruiting or retention decision has Cheika got wrong since he joined the place?
If you go back to the start people were wrongly accusing him of trying to bring Rocky Elsom back.

My fearless prediction for 2014 is Elsom will hijack the thread around the end of the year... While he's busy running (and significantly revitalising) Narbonne rugby with Class-A-is-OK Harrison, and fellow Randwick old boys Whitaker, Dwyer and Hill, he'll be only 32 when RWC 2015 kicks off. We've seen Cheika (yet another of the galloping green) this year hold open spots on his roster (not to mention giving lifelines to Hoiles and Carraro, and an EPS contract to Horwitz) and I reckon Elsom might be a surprise late inclusion in the Waratahs 2015 setup.

Now that's a whole lotta conjecture mixed with sparse facts, but I reckon Elsom having a tilt at RWC 2015 thru the Tahs is at least as good of a chance as Crawford holding a torch to Woodward at the Rebels. It might depend a bit on the Randwick old boy coaching the Wallabies...

 

[Phil]

Obviously in real terms none as we have vastly improved and are looking like a finals appearance this year, however we all have different opinions of players and even the most loyal of fans have their favourites and those players that no matter what they do they just annoy us
.
I would have like to see the following players retained:
Aho, Alcock, Holmes, Gilbert, L Timani, Hepetema, Douglas, Alofa, Crawford.
There are also a few players we didnt sign that I would have liked us to get.

Players I would release:
Lance, Carraro, Phipps, Latu, Ryan, Dennis, Foley.
(none of these players have done anything wrong I just prefer other players and what they would/do add to the team).

Sorry,you did write Foley,did you?Have you been watching them play this year?He is the current Wallaby 10 I believe.
Some of the ones you mention I would agree with but you lost me with the last name.

 

[qwerty51]

Unless the ones you agree with are Lance and Carraro you're just as crazy.

 

[Braveheart81]

Gunner must be a Halangahu fan

Sent from my HTC_PN071 using Tapatalk

 

[Phil]

Unless the ones you agree with are Lance and Carraro you're just as crazy.

Sorry,Qwerty,you are right.When I read Foley's name I just reacted without really looking closely at the others.Agree only Lance and Carraro would not be missed.

 

[It is what it is]

Cheika effectively got rid of Foley though...Michael that is.

 

[Lindommer]

Got a few nice plump salmon there, Jock. Well done.

 

[Phil]

Got a few nice plump salmon there, Jock. Well done.

Hey,if someone's silly enough to write it,I'm silly enough to take the bait

 

[Fowi]

Players I would release:
Lance, Carraro, Phipps, Latu, Ryan, Dennis, Foley.
(none of these players have done anything wrong I just prefer other players and what they would/do add to the team).

You'd release the starting wallabies 5/8 and reserve 9?

As well as out backup hooker and captain?

I'm curious who is better than these players that is available at the moment?

Carraro and Lance I understand but the others are all key players for the tahs.

 

[Braveheart81]

I'm still happy we signed Carraro and Lance. Carraro has generally been good in the opportunities he's had and whilst Lance has had very little opportunity due to limited injuries, I rate him and think he's a good player to have in the squad.

I think the versatility we have in the backline is a big benefit.

 

[Lindommer]

Jock, you've just landed another one. Keep it up.....

 

[GunnerDownUnder]

I apologise
I did say afterwards that is was tongue in cheek.

Phipps, Latu, Ryan, Dennis, Foley - They all play for the corporation, hence not on my players to keep list

But in all seriousness, I prefer Roach over Latu as our future hooker.
I think needing to play Dennis stops us playing our best starting line up in the loose forwards.
Phipps is decent but nowhere near Genia or White standard - would we have been any worse off playing McKibbin for a year and trying to develop a young SH for the next few years? Now we have to play Phipps as number one choice for a few seasons (ok we dont have to but we will)
Ryan - nobody better out there I know but wish we had another Kepu.
Foley - I know he is a great player and Wallabies starting stand-off at the moment, but I still get the sh*ts with what he does at least 5 times a game - he just makes selfish, stupid choices every so often. For ever kick or break that he or the team scores from there is one that he gets wrong.
I am still in the "Beale should be our 10" camp, with Horne at centre (where I think he would be even better).

Carraro is actually a player I would keep - great experienced utility back and exactly what a team needs.

 

[Fowi]

I'm still happy we signed Carraro and Lance. Carraro has generally been good in the opportunities he's had and whilst Lance has had very little opportunity due to limited injuries, I rate him and think he's a good player to have in the squad.

I think the versatility we have in the backline is a big benefit.

I agree with you that both Lance and Carraro are good players, but if we were going to lose any players Lance and Carraro are two we probably wouldn't miss as much as Foley and Phipps according to the list of GunnerDownUnder.

 

[Fowi]

I prefer Roach over Latu as our future hooker.

I agree with this. I really like the look of Roach when he plays. He always seemed a better play than Latu at SS level atleast. Unfortunately he just hasn't got enough game time for me to judge him at Super level.

Phipps is decent but nowhere near Genia or White standard - would we have been any worse off playing McKibbin for a year and trying to develop a young SH for the next few years? Now we have to play Phipps as number one choice for a few seasons (ok we dont have to but we will)

I don't get this Phipps is worse than Genia and White. Phipps has been playing really well this season. I'd like to see him maybe have his head up a bit more and be on the look out for running opportunities a bit more but apart from that i'm happy with his service to foley.

Ryan - nobody better out there I know but wish we had another Kepu.

Ryan will come good. His play around the park is generally top draw he just needs to spend the offseason and the NRC really working on his scrummaging.

Foley - I know he is a great player and Wallabies starting stand-off at the moment, but I still get the sh*ts with what he does at least 5 times a game - he just makes selfish, stupid choices every so often. For ever kick or break that he or the team scores from there is one that he gets wrong.
I am still in the "Beale should be our 10" camp, with Horne at centre (where I think he would be even better).

Beale, is not suited to playing 10 in Cheiks mind. Chekia likes Foley because he straightens the line much better than Beale does and is more direct. He is developing into a very nice 10.

 

[Intruder]

We are sitting in second place overall first in the Australian conference with three games remaining yet there are calls for the axing of Foley, Phipps, Dennis, Latu, Ryan, Lance and Carraro. What is wrong with you lot ?

The more we retain the better.

 

[Braveheart81]

I agree with you that both Lance and Carraro are good players, but if we were going to lose any players Lance and Carraro are two we probably wouldn't miss as much as Foley and Phipps according to the list of GunnerDownUnder.

Without a doubt.

In terms of your next regarding Latu and Roach I think they are both important members of our squad. Roach may end up surpassing Latu but he wasn't at that stage at the start of this season. I think Latu's throwing, scrummaging and physicality are much stronger at this stage.

Roach is a great player in the loose and really combines the speed and agility of a backrower with being a hooker (as evidenced by him playing as a backrower so much last season for Eastwood). I think it's going to take him a while to be able to do that at Super Rugby level though. I see both of them as really good long term options.