Who will be our starting half back in SA

[disco]

So will Deans stick by Burgess or will he go with Genia? Last year with Cordingley & Sheehan as back up halves I would have stuck with Burgess but I have a feeling that Deans may go with Genia after being so quick to throw him into the squad after injury & very little match practice.

I thought during the inbound tests that Deans must be keen on Genia after basically not playing Valentine at all even aginst the Italians.

I would like to see Genia start but I think Deans will give Burgess 1 more chance.

 

[TheRiddler]

Where's the option for a bolter? Bring back Sheehan. Give Vinnie Byrne a go

 

[fatprop]

If it is a dry day, Burgess.

A wet day ...........................

 

[formeropenside]

Burgess will get a "vote of confidence" and start. But if he f*cks up again, that might be it.

I'd start Genia, myself. Hynes for Mitchell, with Mitchell to the bench with JOC (James O'Connor) and Burgess.

Elsom for Brown, Mumm stays on the bench, and I dont know which of Waugh or Pocock gets to sit on the bench. Pocock made zero impact against the AB's as far as I could see, so perhaps Waugh gets a run.

Baxter has to stay at THP, simply because there are no other options, and between the ARU cutting Blake and not picking a backup 3, that is solely a management level error.

I hope Horwill's schnozz is OK.

 

[Scotty]

Burgess will get another shot, but I expect Deans will use Genia earlier if Burgess starts badly again.

 

[cyclopath]

I voted who will, not who should. Genia should.

 

[jason]

^^ agreed, Cyclopath. Burgess is definitely a Deans "project player", but he's just too bloody inconsistent. Genia should, Burgess will.

 

[fatprop]

I watched the game again last night.

Burgess just can't do a box kick and test rugby isn't the place to learn.

Early in the game his speed to the breakdown and speed of clearance was important to keep the momentum going.

But as the game went on his ability to get quick ball was negated by a better AB tight 5 working as a unit. Then Burgess's weakness at pressure clearances was there for all to see a couple of times.

I can understand why Deans wants him out there, but he is a clear compromise.

Genia may grow into a better compromise.

 

[ACT Crusader]

Giteau anyone......

Barnes to 10, Morty to 12 and bring in Cross or shift AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper). O'Connor to FB

Mortlock rarely has two poor-ish games in a row, so he will be fired up and will want his hands on the ball more often. Not sure Burgess is the guy that is going to provide the service that will see Mort at 13 get decent ball.

 

[Ash]

Unlike the above, I stupidly voted who should, not who will. Thus I voted Genia.

 

[Scarfman]

Gits at 9 again? He'll just pick the ball up and run into the 12 channel.

Nothing much wrong with the backline at the moment, apart from catching.

 

[Scotty]

giteau - no

 

[Scotty]

I think Genia has much greater potential than Burgess, is obviously considerably younger, and appears to still be improving (where as Burgess hasn't really gotten any better over the last year or so).

Burgess could be very damaging coming off the bench with his running game through the middle.

 

[spectator]

Stick with Burgess but pull him earlier if he is not travelling well. No use rushing Genia in too quickly, he is only just back from injury.

 

[waratahjesus]

i voted burgo.

i think down the track if genia is consistant he will be the wallaby 9 for years to come but his time isnt now, if he had had the inbound tests it may have, but were here now and he isnt ready to start on the back of the last 8 minutes of a game.

ive been surpriseed how everyone has been blowing up about how great his ball was when he seemed to make a couple of option errors and the fact he only played ten minutes allowed him to look quicker, eighty minutes might be a different story.

i think when genia finally starts a test, having burgess to come on with 15 to go with his speed to the breakdown and running game will be a great game breaker!

at the moment

burgess
genia (just, based soley on experience)


sheehan



valo

daylight

 

[TheRiddler]

at the moment

burgess
genia (just, based soley on experience)


sheehan



valo

daylight

Holmes? Phibbs? Byrne? Such a complete range of (non) options.

Forgot to mention O'Young who I've always liked but for some reason he appears to have had poor career guidance, coaching, mentoring. How Henjak was considered to be better than him at the Force amazed me.

 

[Moses]

Kingi...

 

[RugbyReg]

Thanks Moses. I was going to suggest its a case of out of sight out of mind for you Sydney folk.
Ben Lucas would be up there too.

 

[fatprop]

Lucas?

I can't remember him playing a decent game at 9

 

[Scotty]

Lucas didn't play a decent game at 9 this year, but did last year.

Kingi is a long way away from a XV player at the moment. His decision making can be very average.

They both have the talent though, just need a few more years.