Waratahs 2017

[Froggy]

Assuming no injuries, you would have to think the Tahs back row next year would be Dempsey, Hooper and Holloway, so if Hanigan's going to force a run-on spot, it needs to be at lock. The incumbents will be Mumm and Skelton, and if Hanigan continues his NRC form, he would have more impact than the two of them put together. I know everyone keeps saying he's not big enough for lock, but he's listed as 194cm and 110kg, so not dramatically different from Mumm, who's 196cm and 109kg. Shorter I know, but seems very effective in the lineout at NRC level.

 

[Micheal]

I'd prefer him at lock aswell. If he pairs up with one of Skelton / Mumm we'll have a bloody mean pack (I really rate all of Dempsey, Holloway, Hooper, Hanigan, Latu/Roach, Kepu, Robertson).

Whats more confusing is how the backs will line up. Simone has been staking a claim in the NRC just as well as anyone else. Does he play 13? Or strictly 12? Perhaps:

9. Phipps
10. Foley
11. Kellaway
12. Hegarty / Horwitz
13. Simone
14. Horne
15. Folau

Its quite confusing as we have about 10 multi-position players.

 

[topgun]

Is Dave Lolohea an option for backup backup tighthead? who else is looking the goods in the front row?

Also as if no-one has signed Viiga yet, why do we have so many loose forwards??

 

[Highlander35]

9. Phipps
10. Foley
11. Kellaway
12. Hegarty / Horwitz
13. Simone
14. Horne
15. Folau

Its quite confusing as we have about 10 multi-position players.

Interesting choices. I would have gone for:

9. Phipps
10. Foley
11. Kellaway
12. Horne
13. Folau
14. Naiyaravoro
15. Hegarty

21. Lucas
22. Horwitz
23. Robinson

 

[TSR]

I haven't seen enough of Dempsey to have an informed opinion - but Hanigan looks to me an abrasive backrowers in the Finegan mould that could really go well at test level (although I haven't seen a hell of a lot of him either).

Is the preference for Dempsey on the basis that he is a better 6, or is it that he is considered a better player than Mumm and/or Skelton?

 

[Micheal]

I think Dempsey is currently the better 6, but they are quite different players.

Dempsey is very athletic (got a lot of toe), physical, aggressive and offers a really strong ball running option. He's a dynamic 6 that I think Australia needs to develop.

Hanigan seems to be more of an abrasive workhorse of a player. I think they could complement each other, and that Hanigan would transition very well into a physical 2nd rower with a huge engine.

Although people may suggest it, Hanigan is not too small to play lock. He's taller than Itoje and the same height as Brad Thorn. Give him a couple of years and he'll fill out to circa ~115kg and he'll be good to go.

We need more dynamic locks in Australia - Hanigan could fill that gap.

Edit: I described them both as dynamic lol.

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Dynamic.

 

[TSR]

Thanks. It'll be interesting to watch the development of some of Australia's back 5 players over the next few years.

 

[Jagman]

Interesting choices. I would have gone for:

9. Phipps
10. Foley
11. Kellaway
12. Horne
13. Folau
14. Naiyaravoro
15. Hegarty

21. Lucas
22. Horwitz
23. Robinson

I'd go for

Phipps
Foley
Naiyaravoro
Simone
Folau
Horne
Kellaway

Gordon
Hegarty
Robinson

I'd rather big T played on the left side as the back line is completely right handed and he might be better utilized there. Folau switches with on defence and plays better on the right side anyway. Simone is good enough to be the second playmaker IMO. Hegarty is the back up 10 and other players shouldn't shift around to slot him into 15.

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[Highlander35]

Phipps will be at 9, Foley will be at 10, Folau and Horne will occupy 2 of the 11-15 jerseys, one of Horwitz and Hegarty will be in there somewhere and one of Lucas and Gordon will come off the bench.

Virtually everything else is up in the air for you blokes, and even with the loss of Beale, that's an enviable position for you boys to be in, regardless of the final outcome.

 

[Jagman]

Simone is outplaying Horwitz already and often playing the same position even though he has a 12 on his back. Hegarty is a flyhalf. I can't see him playing in the centres and I don't like the idea of weakening the outside backs to fit him in.

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[Highlander35]

Simone is outplaying Horwitz already and often playing the same position even though he has a 12 on his back. Hegarty is a flyhalf. I can't see him playing in the centres and I don't like the idea of weakening the outside backs to fit him in.

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More, a reserve flyhalf will be in the 23 re: Horwitz and Hegarty. I always liked Hegarty at fullback more than 10 TBH, don't think he'd weaken them too much.

But you're right, in that without outstanding form, there's no point changing what was working this season, and Simone has the most outstanding form of all.

 

[Jagman]

I must admit I've never seen hegarty play fullback.

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[Micheal]

I must admit I've never seen hegarty play fullback.

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I always thought he looked quite promising at the Rebels. If he gets more gametime this year (sans injury) he'll go very well.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

I always thought he looked quite promising at the Rebels. If he gets more gametime this year (sans injury) he'll go very well.

Well if you are going on form in nrc Simone compared to horwitz has been killing it. And hence Simone must seriously be in contention for starting role at 12 or 13 for tahs.

Nice to see some much needed mid field talent emerging as let's face it 13 covered well by izzy but 12 after Beale's injury proved problematic to find a replacement who could really step up.


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[Rugbynutter39]

I think Dempsey is currently the better 6, but they are quite different players.

Dempsey is very athletic (got a lot of toe), physical, aggressive and offers a really strong ball running option. He's a dynamic 6 that I think Australia needs to develop.

Hanigan seems to be more of an abrasive workhorse of a player. I think they could complement each other, and that Hanigan would transition very well into a physical 2nd rower with a huge engine.

Although people may suggest it, Hanigan is not too small to play lock. He's taller than Itoje and the same height as Brad Thorn. Give him a couple of years and he'll fill out to circa ~115kg and he'll be good to go.

We need more dynamic locks in Australia - Hanigan could fill that gap.

Edit: I described them both as dynamic lol.

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Dynamic.

Hanigan could also be a good 6 as well. Either way bright future for this player and potential for higher honours as well as lot to like about this player.


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[Lindommer]

Is Dave Lolohea an option for backup backup tighthead?

Rumoured to be off to a lower level Pommie club.

 

[Lindommer]

Hanigan or Dempsey? One area where we've been very weak in Super rugby and at Wallaby level is the lineout, Ned's a deadly lineout technician. I don't think I've ever seen him lose one of his own and he's a dab hand at stealing/disrupting the oppositions'. If I was a Tahs selector he'd start at either lock or BSF, preferably BSF and let Dempsey loose in the last 25 minutes.

 

[GunnerDownUnder]

Let's not forget Wells

 

[amirite]

I think Hanigan and Dempsey could both feature in a good, mobile pack. The pack would lack size, but not physicality.

When you go small you obviously can play more expansively and challenge teams a bit more with your footwork, but you have to be extremely technically good to not get dominated in the contact zones. It's all about coaching and team cohesion.

 

[Braveheart81]

It definitely seems to me that a smaller, more mobile pack works well in Super Rugby.

I think there's a strong chance that the Tahs will end up with Hanigan playing lock and Dempsey remaining at 6 next season.

Both of them 'play big' so I think we would get past the downside of having a slightly smaller side and be able to capitalise on the mobility and speed they offer.

A team featuring Holloway, Hooper, Hanigan, and Dempsey offers a metric !@$%load of fast, strong ball running with good offloading.