Gnostic, that's a pretty decent analysis although i disagree about Beale. I think he's delivered plenty, more than many current and past Wallabies have.
I too noticed how shit the ruck work was from the Tahs with their mobile pack.
Regarding squad composition, i think a lot of it is just 'well, this is what we have to work with'. Who has been available to be recruited that would have added weight to the pack recently? Samu last year? i guess. But he's not huge.
If you look at who we've lost and when, we just haven't had the options:
- TPN leaving left us with Fitzpatrick because Latu couldn't get his head right
- Palu leaving left us with Wells/Holloway.
- Douglas, Skelton and Jackpot all left and were replaced with Simmons, Hanigan and Enever.
- Even Dennis was a better ball carrier than Hanigan is.
Can you identify big bodies that were available for recruitment over the last two years to replace those 6 key forwards?