Aussie Fullback Position

[TOCC]

fuck, i can catch, pass and kick..
pick me for wallabies fullback..

I will turn against the Wallabies if SNK ever wears the wallaby jersey again, i cant stand him as a player.

 

[Biffo]

The clip in my avatar is from last weekend. This is a decent pass from the halfback under no pressure and he's completely ballsed it. Imagine if he was trying to play 10 from Burgess' finest... and this wasn't an isolated incident either.
Entertaining? Sure... Wallaby fullback material? No farking way!

He's just living up to the Queensland claim to be the entertainers. In this case, he's putting on a show for everybody who is not a Reds supporter.

 

[Sully]

SNK is also great at backing up!

 

[Cutter]

Characteristics of a good fullback:

1. strong in defence;
2. good positionally;
3. reliable boot;
4. counterattacking threat (including pace).

SNK doesnt have 4. Gerrard can be flaky with 1 and is slow. Mitchell doesnt have 1 or 3. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) doesnt have 2 or 3. Shepherd has all 4 but there is a question mark about his pace, the reliability of his boot and his propensity to be injured. Turner, Cooper and Beale havent demonstrated they can competently tick 1, 2 or 3. Shepherd is still the best bet. Hynes fills all 4, has good pace and a good attitude. On that basis, I dont mind Hynes either. Given we have a bit of depth on the wings (Costa, Turner, Mitchell, Ioane), I would have Hynes as a slight favourite given Shepherd's injury history and the fact that he occasionally underwhelms when I expect big things of him.

 

[cyclopath]

Characteristics of a good fullback:

1. strong in defence;
2. good positionally;
3. reliable boot;
4. counterattacking threat (including pace).

SNK doesnt have 4. Gerrard can be flaky with 1 and is slow. Mitchell doesnt have 1 or 3. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) doesnt have 2 or 3. Shepherd has all 4 but there is a question mark about his pace, the reliability of his boot and his propensity to be injured. Turner, Cooper and Beale havent demonstrated they can competently tick 1, 2 or 3. Shepherd is still the best bet. Hynes fills all 4, has good pace and a good attitude. On that basis, I dont mind Hynes either. Given we have a bit of depth on the wings (Costa, Turner, Mitchell, Ioane), I would have Hynes as a slight favourite given Shepherd's injury history and the fact that he occasionally underwhelms when I expect big things of him.

Well, if they are your criteria, after Shepherd I'd say SNK fills the bill 2nd best. Hynes? Really good winger, but I would find it hard to gauge his positional play for 15 or his ability to kick long and well. I disagree about SNK's counter-attacking ability - I think the coaching in Oz over the past couple of years has killed counter-attack stone dead in favour of the aimless, unchased midfield bomb. All provinces have been at fault, as has Deans. Only the Reds have shown any hint of wanting to be different this year. In past years I thought he showed good ability to run it to the line with deceptive pace (in the way Larkham moved quickly enough when he had to) and throw a good long pass, as well as the chip and chase. He may not "bust" tackles, but who says you have to?

 

[steiner]

I think Cooper will come under consideration for the 15 jersey, especially if Kurtley leapfrogs him for the 10 jersey which he'll probably do.
For the same reason Deans played Mitchell there on occasion last year, he loves the counter-attackers and Mitchell can step off either foot, confuse the defence and set the counter in motion. Cooper can do a similar thing. Despite the fact that both players have failings here, Deans will be hoping they will improve. JO'C would be another candidate. Cooper and JOC (James O'Connor) will be tried at some stage I think but Shepherd and the incumbent AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) would be favourites at this point. SNK doesn't get the consistency, for mine. He muffs too many things.

 

[Lindommer]

There's no doubt the pecking order for the 15 jumper at the moment should be Shepherd followed by Gerrard and then SNK. Shepherd and Gerrard have everything but foot speed, and I can't understand why this hasn't been rectified. They both should've been given a plan to transform their lower body muscle profiles over a summer's break as well as doing a shitload of work at their local athletics clubs on sprinting technique.

SNK? He's never going to be physically robust enough to be a great tackle-breaker. Unless he succumbs to steroids. :-X :-X :-X But his bread-and-butter fullback work can't be faulted. His positional play's always very good and when he slots in at 10 his passing is invariably accurate. He's an excellent kicker, and here I agree with Lee: his effortless golf-like swing of the leg when kicking looks tailor-made for place kicking. And this year the timing of his insertions into the backline has been exemplary, either backing up to take a pass on attack or when Beale's not at first receiver. He really should give up any ideas of being a top notch number 10 and continue developing his fullback skills. And hit the weights.

 

[cyclopath]

I think Cooper will come under consideration for the 15 jersey, especially if Kurtley leapfrogs him for the 10 jersey which he'll probably do.
For the same reason Deans played Mitchell there on occasion last year, he loves the counter-attackers and Mitchell can step off either foot, confuse the defence and set the counter in motion. Cooper can do a similar thing. Despite the fact that both players have failings here, Deans will be hoping they will improve. JO'C would be another candidate. Cooper and JOC (James O'Connor) will be tried at some stage I think but Shepherd and the incumbent AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) would be favourites at this point. SNK doesn't get the consistency, for mine. He muffs too many things.

Phew, dunno where to start!
Cooper and Beale as maybe 15s? Positional play? Defence?
Mitchell can step, but usually hoists an aimless kick which neither he nor anyone else follows. Deans may love counter-attackers, but we saw precious little of it in last year's tests.
JO'C who is about 75kg wringing wet? Very skilled, good speed, can't recall kicking ability, seems to tackle pretty well. Maybe if he grows a bit. And gets some regular S14 experience.
AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)? Maybe there was some evidence of his performance last year at 15 that we all missed, but I struggle to recall what he did well at 15. His kicking was way too deep, positional play not great.
Why is this concept of trying to change players into something they're not so prevalent?
I agree with Lindommer - Shep and Gerrard should have been sent to running school.

 

[Moses]

No, but I'm hoping a few more months with Burkey and his game will continue to improve...

 

[en_force_er]

Quade at 10, Gitts at 12 would be fun too see. even Gitts at 10, Quade at 12 would be good (at least until he has racked up some caps).

do you people remember in the season on 07 barnes played alot of super 14 fullback? he wasnt bad. he can kick and tackle after all (reallllly tackle).

only problem is with that idea we would have 3 play makers in the backline and only 3 ball runners... if you get my logic. should be experimented with.

 

[Ash]

Don't forget that Beale spent time at fullback for the Tahs two or so years ago, and initially made a little better fist of fullback then he did flyhalf - unsurprising for an 18 year old with no real first grade club experience.

Personally, I like my fullbacks to be bit more of a little more robust built, which Australia has had for a while. Burke wasn't small, neither was Roff, or Latham. Going back, Gould wasn't small either. But SNK works well as the second ball player, which might allow you to carry more robust centres if you play with less width but still provide the odd spark in the backline. A la the Tahs.

I think it is probably too much risk to, say, move Cooper (or Beale) to fullback for the Wallabies when he spends 100% of his time at provincial level at flyhalf.

 

[Scotty]

I think we should stop considering moving a 10 or 12 to fullback. We will need options in these most important playmaking positions, so I'm sure we can deal with what we have already at the back. Gits, Barnes, Cooper and Mortlock will probably all spend time in and around 10/12 this season (with all but one of those players able to play both positions), and Beale may well get a shot as well. The other big question is whether AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) will get ahead of Mortlock in the 13 jumper at some stage. I must say though, I don't mind the prospect of Cooper lining up inside Morty in 12 and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) in 13 in the odd game. Short or inside balls to a straight running Mortlock or long passes to AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) on the outside of his man. Gits on the bench.

It would be wrong on so many fronts to consider Cooper at 15. He is the most skilled attacking 10 we have. Long passes, short passes, inside passes, step, speed off the mark and long and short kicking game. Beale misses out on long passing and long kicking to an extent, Gits missing out on long passing as well as directness of play. Obviously Cooper is still a work in progress, but in my opinion he has the ability to take the 10 position so far past what Giteau can offer it isn't funny. He may even be able to take it past Bernie.

As far as the topic, I'd opt for Shep, although it is a concern that he keeps being played on the wing. As far as the pace issue is concerned, I don't think he is as slow as we think, and definately not that much slower than Latham. Mitchell is a clear second, and I think McLinden is worth keeping an eye on.

 

[Moses]

Halangahu is another potential option, needs game time though

 

[Ash]

Halangahu is another potential option, needs game time though

Unlike the others, he's spent plenty of time at 12 and 15 for Sydney Uni as well No doubt he's one of the people in line to replace SNK if they don't get Mitchell - along with Turner (who I think is a better winger), Tuqiri (ditto) and Batger, I guess. With the departure of SNK, who knows, Batger may actually get retained - in his favour as well is that he plays for Eastwood.

 

[naza]

It would be wrong on so many fronts to consider Cooper at 15. He is the most skilled attacking 10 we have. Long passes, short passes, inside passes, step, speed off the mark and long and short kicking game. Beale misses out on long passing and long kicking to an extent, Gits missing out on long passing as well as directness of play. Obviously Cooper is still a work in progress, but in my opinion he has the ability to take the 10 position so far past what Giteau can offer it isn't funny.

So Giteau to fullback then ?

Geez, Huxley could have been on track for 50 caps if he'd stayed healthy.

 

[RugbyReg]

Quade at 10, Gitts at 12 would be fun too see. even Gitts at 10, Quade at 12 would be good (at least until he has racked up some caps).

do you people remember in the season on 07 barnes played alot of super 14 fullback? he wasnt bad. he can kick and tackle after all (reallllly tackle).

only problem is with that idea we would have 3 play makers in the backline and only 3 ball runners... if you get my logic. should be experimented with.

dont think he played any fullback. Maybe drifting back there in defence. But was never named at fullback.

 

[the gambler]

99% sure Batger is going overseas. Won't play this year so no chance to play himself back into contention. Will go for young blokes instead.

 

[disco]

Why does everyone think Shepherd is slow? I never thought is pace was a problem.

I like Drew Mitchell at fullback his kicking isn't the best but his defence is better than what some people give him credit for.

Under Deans it seems the fullback only needs to know how to kick an up & under to create a contest situation for the other side or kick out from his own 22.

I'd be happy with Shepherd as well he has a good punt, good long distance goal kicker & is probably the best under a high ball.

Gerrard has a great kick & is good under the high ball but is too slow & is the weakest defender.

SNK is moving on so no use in focussing on him.

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is class probably my favourite player of the lot but he is not a fullback & is now probably looking like being a bench player for the wallabies with the amount of classy out & out wingers we have.

My choice would be Drew Mitchell purely for his attack.

 

[Biffo]

On the evidence of yesterday - which, I know, is far too short a judgement period - none of the above candidates.

 

[Ash]

Disco; Drew Mitchell over the last 3 weeks has probably fallen off or missed completely an average of 4 - 5 tackles a game, several of which have led directly to tries. Not good enough for a test level fullback.