Do we need to make changes?

[Scotty]

MMM probably would have been the solution if fit and not going os.

 

[disco]

If Deans wants to play a lightweight at 8 he will pick Smith there with Pocock or Waugh at 7.

Why not Hodgson?

I think Higginbotham & Mowen should go on the spring tour this year as they are genuine blindside flankers & should be ready made back ups for Rocky.

Kimlin, Mumm & Chisolm should be seen as locks only so we can build some real depth in that position also.

MMM probably would have been the solution if fit and not going os.

Not @ 6 he was kak this year & played his best rugby when starting in the 2nd row.

 

[GC]

I'd swap Barnes and Gits. In are Alexander, Mumm, Pocock, Sanchez and Elsom. Out are Baxter, Sharpe, Brown, Palu and Burgess.

1. Fat Cat
2. Moore
3. Alexander
4. Mumm
5. Horwill
6. Elsom
7. Pocock
8. Smith
9. Genia
10. Barnes
11. Turner
12. Gits
13. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
14. Mitchell
15. O'Connor

16. Fuse
17. TPN
18. Sharpe
19. Brown
20. Burgess
21. Hynes
22. Cross

I like the idea of training up TPN as a no 8.

 

[Moses]

I agree on TPN, he's in our best 8 forwards so we've gotta have him on the park. I'm still not convinced about his throwing, perhaps THP could be an option from him ala Smit?

 

[Cutter]

The quality of rugby analysis on this site is sinking fast. Hoiles? Louie you must be Hoiles' mum. You mention him at every opportunity. Chisolm after 1 game back from 3 months off? A host of changes after a close loss that Wallaby mistakes were largely responsible for?

Both locks were quiet in the first half. Both should be on notice. Kimlin needs to step up at training and he will be given a shot. Palu was quiet, but I havent watched it again to see whether that is because he was doing a mountain of work in tight making up for his locks having a holiday.

Elsom hasnt played for upwards of 2 months. If he is super fit, I would have him on the bench.

Burgess wasnt great but only threw 2 bad passes that I saw. Who was calling for the ball? Where was the direction for him? Scotty there are three other blokes who obviously rate Burgess who arent on this forum: R Deans, R Graham and J Williams. Gagger's analysis will be interesting this week but in the absence of that I'm happy to give Genia a start.

Gits deserves a week on the sidelines for his shot on FdP. He was rubbish anyway. I would play Barnes at 10 and Tyrone Smith at 12. We need a 12 who will take it over the advantage line and who doesnt kick everything. JOC (James O'Connor) is the other option at 12 but I think he is better off at 15, but moving into 10 off phase ball on occasion. If Gits isnt suspended, I would play him at 10 and Smith at 12 with Barnes on the bench.

I dont really like having Cross on the bench as T. Smith could cover 13 and Cross cant play anywhere else, but, apart from QC (Quade Cooper), I dont know we have too many other options. Its a pity Staniforth isnt in the selection frame.

My team:

1. Robinson
2. Moore
3. Baxter
4. Sharpe
5. Mumm
6. Brown
7. Smith
8. Palu
9. Burgess
10. Barnes
11. Hynes
12. Smith
13. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
14. Mitchell
15. O'Connor
16. TPN
17. Alexander
18. Horwill
19. Pocock/Elsom
20. Burgess
21. Cross
22. Turner

 

[louie]

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,25910256-32464,00.html

hopefully he goes through with this. the performances are not good enough for an Australia jumper.

 

[Moses]

Kimlin needs to step up at training and he will be given a shot.

Kimlin picked up an injury in France, is out for the rest of the year most likely..

I dont really like having Cross on the bench as T. Smith could cover 13 and Cross cant play anywhere else, but, apart from QC (Quade Cooper), I dont know we have too many other options. Its a pity Staniforth isnt in the selection frame.

and an even bigger pity that Digby is injured. Would you seriously drop Gits from the 22?

 

[louie]

cutter i am holies mum. *off topic comment cut*

dean needs more options in his squad. train with more, have more to develop and in turn have more to pick from so that when players go missing with have cover.

deans needs an australia a.

 

[Cutter]

Kimlin needs to step up at training and he will be given a shot.

Kimlin picked up an injury in France, is out for the rest of the year most likely..

I dont really like having Cross on the bench as T. Smith could cover 13 and Cross cant play anywhere else, but, apart from QC (Quade Cooper), I dont know we have too many other options. Its a pity Staniforth isnt in the selection frame.

and an even bigger pity that Digby is injured. Would you seriously drop Gits from the 22?

I have assumed Gits will be rubbed out for a week. Didnt realise Kimlin was injured in France. I agree completely about Diggers.

 

[Spook]

Has anyone seen any convincing evidence that playing 2 "fetchers" has yielded anything good as yet? And still the Smith and Pocock combo gets touted.

I think it could work if you have a genuine lineout option at 6 who can carry - ie, Elsom. Furthermore, Pocock and Smith can also carry.

 

[Scotty]

Burgess wasnt great but only threw 2 bad passes that I saw. Who was calling for the ball? Where was the direction for him? Scotty there are three other blokes who obviously rate Burgess who arent on this forum: R Deans, R Graham and J Williams. Gagger's analysis will be interesting this week but in the absence of that I'm happy to give Genia a start.

Cutter,

I didn’t say that Burgess had a bad game, and my comment about who rates him was obviously about people I have spoken to or who post about it on the internet. I haven’t spoken to any of the coaching staff you mentioned, but I would think it likely that you wouldn’t get any of them to say that Burgess is the next great long term Wallaby half back. I also doubt that they would defend some of his basic skill or judgement errors like some (only Tah supporters) on this site do.

Fact is there wasn’t many other options last year, and Deans saw the positives he brings to a side and tried to fix the negatives. The problem is that he hasn’t managed to consistently improve on those negative areas. There haven’t been any other strong options this year either, due to injury to Genia, but now he seems ready, and is worth giving a go to see if he can offer more than Burgess. Another fact is that if Burgess is selected against the All Blacks and plays like he did in Auckland, then we will once again lose – we cannot afford to have so many poor passes, kick outs on the full and charge downs and expect to win against teams like these.

 

[fatprop]

After O'Conners last test against the All Blacks, I think it would be a very brave move to start him at 15.

The Boks targeted Mitchell's wing all night and coped OK, but Mitchell and O'Conner would see the ball in the skies all night over that side of the field.

 

[Cutter]

Burgess wasnt great but only threw 2 bad passes that I saw. Who was calling for the ball? Where was the direction for him? Scotty there are three other blokes who obviously rate Burgess who arent on this forum: R Deans, R Graham and J Williams. Gagger's analysis will be interesting this week but in the absence of that I'm happy to give Genia a start.

Cutter,

I didn’t say that Burgess had a bad game, and my comment about who rates him was obviously about people I have spoken to or who post about it on the internet. I haven’t spoken to any of the coaching staff you mentioned, but I would think it likely that you wouldn’t get any of them to say that Burgess is the next great long term Wallaby half back. I also doubt that they would defend some of his basic skill or judgement errors like some (only Tah supporters) on this site do.

Fact is there wasn’t many other options last year, and Deans saw the positives he brings to a side and tried to fix the negatives. The problem is that he hasn’t managed to consistently improve on those negative areas. There haven’t been any other strong options this year either, due to injury to Genia, but now he seems ready, and is worth giving a go to see if he can offer more than Burgess. Another fact is that if Burgess is selected against the All Blacks and plays like he did in Auckland, then we will once again lose – we cannot afford to have so many poor passes, kick outs on the full and charge downs and expect to win against teams like these.

I think he's closer to a naughty boy than the messiah, but it annoys me when people blame a player when the performance doesnt warrant that blame. I know you werent blaming him for the Bok loss, but you clearly do for the AB loss. I dont think its quite so straightforward. If our forwards fronted up a bit more at the breakdown both Genia and Burgess would have a better time of it.

 

[Grandmaster Flash]

After O'Conners last test against the All Blacks, I think it would be a very brave move to start him at 15.

The Boks targeted Mitchell's wing all night and coped OK, but Mitchell and O'Conner would see the ball in the skies all night over that side of the field.

He did come on at 12 though. It would be risky starting him, but I'd be happy with either him at 15/AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) at 13 or AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) 15/Cross at 13.

 

[Scotty]

I think he's closer to a naughty boy than the messiah, but it annoys me when people blame a player when the performance doesnt warrant that blame. I know you werent blaming him for the Bok loss, but you clearly do for the AB loss. I dont think its quite so straightforward. If our forwards fronted up a bit more at the breakdown both Genia and Burgess would have a better time of it.

You are wrong, I only blame him for 50% of the AB loss, I blame the ref for the rest!

Burgess puts a lot of effort in, has a fantastic running game and is one of the best defensive halves in the world, but we can't keep persisting with a halfback that can't get is primary duty consistently correct, and we can't keep making excuses for it.

 

[fatprop]

My side would be, assuming Elsom is available, run him until his lungs die.

1. Robinson
2. Moore
3. Baxter
4. Sharpe
5. Horwill
6. Elsom
7. Smith
8. Palu
9. Burgess
10. Gits
11. Hynes
12. Barnes
13. Cross
14. Turner
15. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)


16. TPN
17. Alexander
18. Mumm
19. Brown
20. Genia
21. O'Connor
22. Mitchell

 

[louie]

scotty i agree with you 100% as always

 

[fatprop]

I can't see Genia starting a test until 22/11/2009, Scotland v Australia unless Burgess is wounded.

He has had two cameos so far after missing the back end of the S14, the cameos will continue.

It may have been different if he had been fit for the Italian games.

 

[the gambler]

Gee Moore has escaped scott free for what was a pretty aweful lineout display. I know its not Moore that calls the lineouts and some of the steals were due to good reads by the boks but at least 3 were helped by poor throws which in a half of rugby is not good enough. TPN had a couple not straight but we seemed to do better when he came on which is just unbelievable. Perhaps Mumm took over the calling or did we just get lucky in the 2nd half?

 

[waratahjesus]

i think we need to bring lote back, we miss his work up the middle as an extra forward. he made alot of metres that our back three dont now. we only have mortlock (injured now) , palu and smith who consistantly break advantage lines, agreed we need tpn on field, wish we had lote back.