The incumbent(s):
Luke Burgess (NSW): Nice timing. He’s just been benched by the Tahs. I don’t know if it’s intended to be a wake up call for him. Or he’s being rested. Or he’s bearing the brunt of backlash surrounding the backline not…ummm…b..b..b..being good?. From my perspective he, along with Lachie Turner, have been the only NSW backline players who have even threatened to create something of late. He’ll be back.
The likely candidates:
Brett Sheehan (NSW): Nice timing. He’s just been selected to run on for the Tahs in a key game against the Force. It can’t be through weight of performances because he hasn’t really performed. Perhaps he hasn’t had a chance? Regardless, he was a Wallaby tourist last year and will be there or there abouts (if other candidates don’t step up) this year.
Josh Valentine (WA): Nice timing! Gets to face up to two Wallaby candidates this weekend in Sheehan and Burgess. I reckon Josh has been fantastic this year and has shown probably the best pass out of all the Aussie 9s. He has a quality kicking game, and is an abrasive character. He has a real shot at establishing himself in a Wallaby jersey this year, even if it has ‘20’ on the back of it.
The Roughies:
Josh Holmes (ACT): Was talked about pre-season as a Wallaby bolter, then started the first part of the season on the bench. Has received the call up to the starting team of late, with some glimpses of magic, but you can just sense Phibbs is about to take his spot again. Which I guess would make Phibbs a roughie as well. But I sure as hell wouldn’t pick him. Either of them.
Will Genia (QLD): Along with Valentine, and arguably above him, he has been the form Aussie scrumhalf this year. Unfortunately he can’t kick goals, otherwise he would have been starting all season ahead of Ben Lucas. Just back from suspension this weekend, so I hope he can regain his previous form pretty damn quick. Beautiful pass, wonderful organiser and likes a snipe, rarely overplaying his hand.
Ben Lucas (QLD): He’s only really a roughie on last year’s form and his potential. I still think he should have toured with the Wallabies last year. Regardless his 2009 form has been below what has been expected and he looks to be trying too hard to do too much. Perhaps in that Reds backline the more understated approach (ala Genia) is the way to go?
Matt Giteau (WA): Ok, even more of a roughie. And he’d have to be more of an outside chance than Phibbs I guess. But I am a fan of him at 9. Not saying he should be there instead of 10 or 12, just that I think that he could be a world class 9. Meh, probably shouldn’t say too much more here.
What is Deans looking for?
As Robbie was telling me last night, scrumhalf is the link between backs and forwards, but also the refer… Ok, just a reminder, this is just me guessing what Robbie would want. Or more to the point, what I would want if I was coach of the Wallabies. I rarely, if ever, speak to Robbie about his team selections. So, quickly, ball distributor first and foremost – someone to get the ball into the flyhalf’s hands ASAP. But someone who is also a danger from the ruck, someone with a running game to mix things up a bit. And an organiser and communicator, able to get his forwards doing what needs to be done. Seemingly Robbie (not me) also likes a box kicker. I mean that in the rugby meaning of the phrase, and nothing else.
Who is the answer?
Well I would have thought Burgo was the man. I know he cops criticism for an inconsistent pass but I don’t think it is as bad as it is made out to be. Perhaps I am biased, but I see Nick Farr-Jones II when I see Burgo play, and I love it. I would’ve said his form was on the rise, but apparently Hickey sees differently. Valentine and I would hope Genia are probably next in line…..or Gits….
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="2430 https://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/?p=2430">13 Comments
Love these articles Noddy.
Would have to say though that Valantine would be my first choice number 9 on the back of this season.
Playing with Gits each week will his selection I think as well.
Then I would have Holmes on the bench.
I think the aggressive scrum half backed up by the sniping running scrum half is the way to go.
You said you wouldn’t play phibbs or holmes but they have scored well recently…
I agree, which is why Holmes is in the box seat for RwC 2011!
I pity you Burgo doubting fools…. ;)
Burgo on the form he showed last year but on this years form Will Genia for me… I think his service is 2nd to none, he’s strong. Only his discipline is the question mark…
I think this is a weak position for australia. valentine for me followed by sheehan. bye bye burgo
i like your sheehan suggestion.
Valentine has deiniftely shown the more consistent form at scrumhalf, his pass has always been silky, and he has a snipe that is hmm, ok now. His kick is good, but his ability to organise play is fantastic. HE IS an orgnaiser.
I just question his defence, and this hasnt changed since he was playing Premer rugby in Brisbane. You want an abrasive defender at 9 for sure, but if you cant have that, then you dont want a liability. i think sometimes he leaves himself open.
And im saying this even though i have beef with Valentine.
Sheehan however is the tough Kelleher like man that Deans would fancy…Deans was always a fan of kelleher, even when justin marshall was playing…no backwards steps, good pass, organiser (THER IT IS AGAIN, WOW IT MUST BE A TRAIT 9’s ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE) tough defender, can take a bal forward (and even moreso, do it through half gaps nto just full gaps as he has the strength to get over advatage line well)…
Is Holmes elegible for u20’s? if so, he’ll be there, probably in extended squad, but Park football for him for the rest of the year.
Genia…i dont like him, but truth be told, yes he is playing well. He will be in extended squad and probably with injuries have time with the squad. Not sure of game time…i think he needs another Super season.
Burgo. I am prepared to face the fact that he is going to be there, probably at 9. I dont like it, but, im accepting it.
He doenst organise well. He Tries to do too much which often leads to the incorrect option. In playmaker roles its all about corrent option or at lesat making sure you choose the options carefully so you are getting high success percentages. No use sniping 50 times and being succesfful twice (exaggeration). Snipe 3 times, be successful twice is differnet. percentage return on investment. His pass, not as slick, but sure he gets the ball there, but inconsistently and with deans living this fast paced falt attacking line or at least flat first receiver game, the pass needs to be near perfect each time. I just think, he needs to stop being so frantic. If that changes then sure, he is owrth another go…but for mine, he isnt the option Australia want at the moment.
Valentine for me, but I’d certainly like to see more of Genia.
Burgess will probably be given a go, but he’ll be under even more pressure than with the tahs. I suppose his fate is tied to that of the tahs, as long as he’s starting.
It’s certainly open to more interpretation than any other position, especially as you can pick two. I still think Giteau would best serve the Wallabies in 9 but he’s such a star he can rightly play wherever he fancies.
Valentine has such a fluidity to his passing he’ll be hard to resist, especially playing along side Giteau as Bobas said. Genia is a long shot, but as long as he impresses in the remaining games he’s in the mix. He’s tough and uncompromising.
Pedro’s last blog post..Australia Prevail 2-0, One Foot In South Africa
9’s a really interesting position because nobody has it nailed down and all the players there or there abouts are completely different. My preferences would be, in order;
1. Burgess – The best things about Burgess are his speed to the breakdown, his ability to dig the ball out quickly and his attack around the fringes. He’s also a very good defender and is always looking out for opportunities. His biggest weakness is a somewhat inconsistent pass that has nevertheless improved dramatically from last year. He also has a tendency to get himself mixed up when he digs the ball out at light speed then realises there are no options available yet. Basically, when the rest of the team are operating at his pace he can be deadly but if the players around him are tired or lazy he struggles to adapt. Deans obviously sees a role for his skills in the game plan he’s developing and so he would be my starter at the moment.
2. Genia – I think he’s got the best pass of any of the candidates. Accurate and goes like a bullet. His defense is also top notch for a little bloke so long as he keeps it legal. His only real weaknesses are perhaps his long kicking game, his ability to organise his forward pack and his relative lack of experience. If he can step straight back up when he comes back from suspension though, I’d be very surprised if he wasn’t in the squad.
3. Sheehan – The good thing about Sheehan is you know exactly what you’re going to get. He’s a little bulldog and his box kicking is probably the best of any 9 in Australia at the moment. His discipline has been much better recently and he’s actually started making some decent runs, though its generally through the forwards rather than around the fringes. His pass is quite good but he is rather limited and should only really be a bench option.
4. Valentine – Silky pass, second only to Genia I believe, and a good organiser as others have said but I just find him unreliable. Watching the Force this year there have been a few times when the ball’s just sat at a ruck waiting for a scrum half who just never appeared. In one case it even resulted in a try for the opposition. His defense is also probably the worst of the candidates, except for the next bloke. He’d be a bench option only for me.
5. Holmes – Barely makes the list. He’s exceedingly quick, has a nice pass, is good around the fringes and has a bit of size to boot. What’s not to like? Well, a lot as it turns out. His service is far and away the slowest of any 9 int he competition and in these days when the key to unlocking defenses is getting over the gain line then hitting them before they’ve had a chance to regroup, the way he stands behind every single bloody ruck waving his arms at the referee is hugely frustrating. Also, he simply refuses to tackle. Worse than Beale in this regard because at least Beale gives it a shot, even if he does get slapped down by a Smith from time to time. Holmes seems to be revolted at the very idea of wrapping his arms around another bloke. Strange for such a metrosexual young man. I’d be very surprised if he made the squad.
There’s also Lucas and Phibbs but Lucas still looks very much like a 10 playing 9 and Phibbs is even more limited than Sheehan. Still, I’d probably rather have both ahead of Holmes on reflection but I should really go get some work done.
Great assessment of the Burgwan. This year he also seems to have been working on what happens at slow ball time, (the Tahs backline certainly hasn’t known what to do with quick ball)
Well dealing with quick ball shouldn’t phase Barnes or Cooper, let alone Gits! So I am not worried about that as a weakness.
I vote for Burgess or Valentine, for reasons already stated. But that isn’t as important as how much I dislike Brent Sheehan.
I don’t understand why this guy gets any respect or still plays Super Rugby. Surely there is someone else in Aussie Rugby worth having? His pass is not that good. He makes poor decisions quite often (check it out, at least once while he is on the field a forward will receive a ball and look totally perplexed before getting pummeled by the other team’s forwards). And he does at least one completely idiotic thing once a game that makes Phil Waugh look like he wants to strangle him right there on the pitch.
I can’t remember which game it was, but I think two years, or maybe last year ago Sheehan got warned for mouthing off in a important game and Waugh actually grabbed him and threatened to punch him in the face. Sheehan face was classic. He looked like the he thought he was playing a prank that everyone was going to love, but just pissed off the coolest kid at school.
Brent Sheenan sucks. Send him to France. Or Italy. Or Romania
Great article. And great discussion.
Will be good to see how this position levels out with Deans. Hope he can give a bunch of them the chance to prove their mettle.
Pingback: Gold - THE Aussie Rugby Blog for fans of Australia and the Wallabies