Lee Enfield
Jimmy Flynn (14)
I hope you are correct!
The Wallabies Thread
- Thread starter KOB1987
- Start date
I hope you are correct!
When has this been different for any previous coach?
Last season Fardy's test form was poor for much of the year and Mumm's was good. Neither were outstanding but selecting Mumm over Fardy was a reasonable selection. Mumm had a good series against England in June.
I think Fardy's form is streets ahead of where it was last year.
He should be picked regardless of the fact he is going overseas at the end of the year.
Scrubber2050
Mark Ella (57)
Of course Chek will be remembered for his win/loss ratio. Sime on here have said that ratio isn't really important or not a criteria for judging a coach.
Ultimately it is the ONLY way of judging the performance of a coach over his tenure and beyond
Am sure Cheika listens to his Assistants, but as others have said, he is the one that makes the final decision.
He has picked his "favourites", or not dropped them (when they should have been), pandered to a particular franchise, selected guys out of position blah blah.
He, as HC is entitled to do all that but he lives and dies by it as well.
Reckon Chek is pretty lucky to have 3 easybeat tests mid-year to improve his ratios.
Ultimately it is the ONLY way of judging the performance of a coach over his tenure and beyond
Am sure Cheika listens to his Assistants, but as others have said, he is the one that makes the final decision.
He has picked his "favourites", or not dropped them (when they should have been), pandered to a particular franchise, selected guys out of position blah blah.
He, as HC is entitled to do all that but he lives and dies by it as well.
Reckon Chek is pretty lucky to have 3 easybeat tests mid-year to improve his ratios.
amirite
Chilla Wilson (44)
But seriously, I disagree. I think there's a couple of young prospects and the test schedule we have this inbound test period is excellent to blood them.
Obviously it's not always the correct decision to blood players, but I think there's the right set of circumstances here (Fardy exiting, Mumm old and arguably not on form, and the test schedule being weaker).
If you disagree with blooding players, fair enough. Select Higgers.
I don't think there are better options than Fardy & Higgers , there are better options than Mumm
KOB1987
Rod McCall (65)
I've been waiting for this one to appear. If/when we win all 3 tests this one will come out from all angles.
But if you use it you must also recognise that his win/loss ratio also includes a collective 7 tests against NZ and England last year. It will all balance out over his tenure.
Scotland won't be, they are only two down and that match has ambush written all over it
I agree there are a couple of young prospects such as Ned Hanigan.
He has had a pretty good season (although I think played poorly against the Reds last weekend missing a couple of key tackles).
I don't think someone like Hanigan becomes a better player straight away because he gets thrust into the test side. It would be good to have him in the squad though.
If you're selecting Timani at 8 then I would probably select Fardy or Higgers at 6 in the starting team.
Scrubber2050
Mark Ella (57)
^^^^^
Fair enough mate
Reminds me of that old Meatloaf sing
Fair enough mate
Reminds me of that old Meatloaf sing
upthereds#!
Ken Catchpole (46)
upthereds#!
Ken Catchpole (46)
Fardy is needed for his breakdown presence without poey. Hanigan is a great young prospect but should really cement the starting 6 jersey ahead of dempsey when he returns, then to grow into his frame a bit. He's got the right attitude and mongrel, love it, just not quite the threat in the contact zone yet against the bigger and stronger oppositions, and isn't quite quick enough to compensate. I'm hoping he becomes more of a Fardy and less of a Mumm/Dennis. Fantastic development player, take him on the end of year tour just like Tupou and Perese, in the steady hunt for depth for 2019. Italy and Fiji are tempting but better off finding combinations for the Rugby Championship, than blooding new players when not desperately needed.
Twoilms
Trevor Allan (34)
Or, you could perform a qualitative assessment of his various performances taking into consideration central contributing factors such as quality of players available, quality of opposition, state of the game, heck maybe his team played 10 tests in a row in the pissing rain etc.
I'm sure Stuart Lancaster had a perfectly respectable win/loss ratio. A qualitative assessment determined he was under-performing. The subsequent strength of the English team under Jones suggests the assessment was correct.
Stats are such an overrated form of analysis in sport these days. They have their place but they miss too much.
Yeah, we would be batshit crazy to take these games lightly rather than thinking this is the main opportunity to prepare for the Rugby Championship.
Our best players should be picked.
The challenge is how the bench finishes, Timani won't be planned to play 80 so we will still finish with Higs, Fardy & Hooper but I don't see another "Timani" to do another shift at the moment.
We have too many Japanese Islanders taking up space in squads, great players that they are, it doesn't help the Wobs (as does having average Kiwi 10s either)
Twoilms
Trevor Allan (34)
Micheal
Nicholas Shehadie (39)
Mafi and ?
Honestly, even if Mafi is holding back Timani's development as an 8, thank fucking God almighty for that signing.
Hes been the only good thing about the Rebels this season and if it weren't for him some of those scorelines would be even uglier.
Edit: wrong quote. I'm making quite a habit of this.
Mafi at the Rebels and Tui at the Reds.
Mafi would presumably be relied on much less if McMahon hadn't missed the whole season so far, Timani hadn't missed a bunch of games and they hadn't had a disaster with their locks (meaning Timani couldn't just play 8).
Tui would have been used less if Houston had been healthy (and played better).