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Aussie Player Exodus

Sully

Tim Horan (67)
Staff member
Again, what?
I really couldn't be bothered adding a couple of letters to help you with your comprehension. All I did was point out a flaw in your argument and you called it pathetic. You're the one who couldn't stay on topic and went personal, but that's pretty normal isn't it?
 
B

Bobby Sands

Guest
If anyone can explain to me why a McMahon, Po, Isa backrow is not our ideal back row and or unbalanced let me know - because for me it’s one of the few beacons if hope I can see in the near future.

Fan of Dempsey & Hoops too obviously.

If McMahon and Dave with a jumping 8 is unbalanced - what do we call the status quo?
 

KOB1987

Rod McCall (65)
If anyone can explain to me why a McMahon, Po, Isa backrow is not our ideal back row and or unbalanced let me know - because for me it’s one of the few beacons if hope I can see in the near future.

Fan of Dempsey & Hoops too obviously.

If McMahon and Dave with a jumping 8 is unbalanced - what do we call the status quo?
Mainly because Isa is untested at test level. The hype on him is mainly around his 2017 form, he was relatively quiet this year. Perhaps he is our solution to our #8 woes but let’s not forget that Lopeti was meant to be as well.

Additionally McMahon is unlikely to be available, at least under the current selection constraints, but that may change as alluded to in other threads.

Of those that are currently available the best we have is some combination of pocock, hooper, Tui, Dempsey, and throw Ned in for a bench spot. The jury is out on Isa, he may unseat Ned come RWC time, as may Cottrell.
 
B

Bobby Sands

Guest
All McMahon needs to do is sign on to a team this year for 2020.

Not insurmountable at all.

I think he’s just enjoying Japan.

If he wants to play, he will play.

Isa is a ball runner, a natural 8 and a jumper.

Even out of form (??) he’s clearly the leading candidate for balance alone.
 

KOB1987

Rod McCall (65)
True but he (McMahon) is a bit angry with Australian rugby and doesn't really value the jersey. He may come back and make himself eligible but only if he thinks it's the best thing for Sean.
 

upthereds#!

Ken Catchpole (46)
Is he angry? Does he not value the jersey? Or perhaps he is enjoying earning double or even triple the coin in japan for a shorter and less intense season? If Higs got 1 million a season, surely mcmahon is similar.

I tell you right now, if most people had their salary doubled or tripled, pretty sure they would move too, loyalty or not.
 

KOB1987

Rod McCall (65)
Is he angry? Does he not value the jersey? Or perhaps he is enjoying earning double or even triple the coin in japan for a shorter and less intense season? If Higs got 1 million a season, surely mcmahon is similar.

I tell you right now, if most people had their salary doubled or tripled, pretty sure they would move too, loyalty or not.

I'm not being critical of it, it's his right to do that. Just going off what I've heard ;)
 

KOB1987

Rod McCall (65)
Very good yes, world class..I dunno? Depends what you consider world class, I’d say you’d have to be top 5 in the world or thereabouts, are either of these guys in the top 5 lineout jumpers in the world?

On their own probably not, but when they're in a lineout with their peers they are. It's an interesting argument, is someone world class because of their individual talents, or their ability to integrate with the players they have around them? Israel Folau probably falls into the former, Keiran Read the latter.
 

Slim 293

Stirling Mortlock (74)
Mainly because Isa is untested at test level. The hype on him is mainly around his 2017 form, he was relatively quiet this year. Perhaps he is our solution to our #8 woes but let’s not forget that Lopeti was meant to be as well.

Additionally McMahon is unlikely to be available, at least under the current selection constraints, but that may change as alluded to in other threads.

Of those that are currently available the best we have is some combination of pocock, hooper, Tui, Dempsey, and throw Ned in for a bench spot. The jury is out on Isa, he may unseat Ned come RWC time, as may Cottrell.

To be fair, that’s not true about Lopeti.........

He was never rated that highly, and his selection came out of desperation from a lack of go forward and better options in the backrow at that time.

Naisarani offers much more if he can live up to his potential.
 
B

Bobby Sands

Guest
We haven’t had a ball running, line out jumping 8 in cooee, if this is lost on anyone - I give up.


A reason backrows are unbalanced the world over is a shortage of blokes who can do both.


Give yourself an uppercut if this is not obvious to you.
 

KOB1987

Rod McCall (65)
To be fair, that’s not true about Lopeti...

He was never rated that highly, and his selection came out of desperation from a lack of go forward and better options in the backrow at that time.

Naisarani offers much more if he can live up to his potential.

I'll meet you half way. He was in the squad for ages without being selected and MANY pundits were giving it to Cheika for not picking him because he was allegedly 'the answer'.

From the outside Naisarani does look a far superior type of player, at least on his 2017 form.
 

Froggy

John Solomon (38)
Naisarani, like so many before him, is 'the answer' until he actually gets selected and doesn't live up to the hype. The same seems to be said about Valetini on here, who has played, what, one super rugby game!
I'm not suggesting any of them won't be the next Kefu, just that citing them as part of a 'world class backrow' without them even having played a test is extraordinary optimism. For mine, Isi has to become more consistent, during 2018 Super season he had some very good games, and some where he was a bit invisible. I hope he does come on. Valetini, I don't have an opinion on.
 

Brumby Runner

David Wilson (68)
Mainly because Isa is untested at test level. The hype on him is mainly around his 2017 form, he was relatively quiet this year. Perhaps he is our solution to our #8 woes but let’s not forget that Lopeti was meant to be as well.

Additionally McMahon is unlikely to be available, at least under the current selection constraints, but that may change as alluded to in other threads.

Of those that are currently available the best we have is some combination of pocock, hooper, Tui, Dempsey, and throw Ned in for a bench spot. The jury is out on Isa, he may unseat Ned come RWC time, as may Cottrell.

First up, it is Isi, not Isa. Isi had a quiet start to 2018 but once the decision to move to Melbourne in 2019 was announced, he showed the sort of form we mostly think will see him start for the Wallabies. I fully expect with a full pre-season at the Rebels, he will be a standout next year. Just on his ball carrying and line bending ability alone, he is so far superior a player to Hanigan that it's just not funny. Then, he is a much stronger defender (as in he makes his tackles count) and almost as good in the lineout.

I really would like to see Dempsey get back to his earlier form and for both Cottrell and Valetini to continue to improve to put pressure on the backrow selections in 2019.
 
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