The Wallabies Thread

[cyclopath]

SO Cheika says yes he is looking at Hunt.but he's also looking at Perese, Magnay and Kellaway..He likes that Magnay is big and has high hopes for kellaway.

And how can he even think about dempsey, hanigan and korczyk in the same breath as higs.

Yes Cheika has to have his eye on pathways, but he is the wallabies coach.not the u20 coach, not a development coach, and not the high performance manager. PLEASE Cheika.focus on the players that are really are going to be having an influence in 2019. Sorry but most those players just won't be. It's not THAT far away.

Is Kellaway going to overtake Folau, Hunt, DHP?
Is Perese or Magnay going to overtake Kerevi, Tk, Naivalu, Speight, Koroibete? Even Peni and Rona have been outplaying them
Is Korczyk playing better now or look like he will be playing better then poey, hoops, mcmahon, higs, fardy or even Mccalman? Does he have more potential then Hardwick, naisarani or RHP?

You've extrapolated an awful lot from him saying "He likes the look of.........". Ear-marking players he thinks might have the goods to step up in the future - they talked about having guys like this in the larger squad to get a better look at them, and give the players a better understanding of what's required. It absolutely is in his purview to have an eye on the future. Plus it deflected from the other questions about who was going to be in the actual squad / 23 for Tests, which he clearly was trying to avoid. You think Graham Henry just got dumped a list of players the high performance manager says he had to look at / use without some input? Be realistic.

 

[Joe Blow]

The more I watch him the more I'm convinced Karmichael Hunt will fit really well into Cheika's Wallabies. He is so physical in contact situations. The perfect Cheika player.

I also think we may see a McMahon/Hooper/Timani back row combo. Not sure if Cheik will pick Fardy or Higgers if history is any guide.
.

History should be a guide as the two shorter backrowers in the same starting side model has virtually never proven ultimately successful. They have had their moments but there is always a way to expose this approach.
Timani is an OK part time jumper. That back row will be slain at the lineout.
I don't see any point in playing Fardy or starting both Hooper and McMahon unless the cupboard is bare. McMahon is an excellent bench option and it would be nice to see us at least starting with 4 genuine lineout targets.

 

[Twoilms]

History should be a guide as the two shorter backrowers in the same starting side model has virtually never proven ultimately successful. They have had their moments but there is always a way to expose this approach.
Timani is an OK part time jumper. That back row will be slain at the lineout.
I don't see any point in playing Fardy or starting both Hooper and McMahon unless the cupboard is bare. McMahon is an excellent bench option and it would be nice to see us at least starting with 4 genuine lineout targets.

This is the only sane approach, really. I can't see any reason not to give Higgers a chance in the June tests. He's back in form and has test experience.

It's worth keeping in mind that the best season Cheika has had as a coach started with experimentation as he felt out his best options. Hopefully he takes the same approach and focuses on the games against the Saffas and Argies as the key matches this year.

 

[barbarian]

History should be a guide as the two shorter backrowers in the same starting side model has virtually never proven ultimately successful. They have had their moments but there is always a way to expose this approach.
Timani is an OK part time jumper. That back row will be slain at the lineout.
I don't see any point in playing Fardy or starting both Hooper and McMahon unless the cupboard is bare. McMahon is an excellent bench option and it would be nice to see us at least starting with 4 genuine lineout targets.

Well the Pooper got us to the World Cup Final, so the model hasn't been a complete failure either.

McMahon is quite a good jumper, and Timani is OK as a part timer. I agree it presents lineout issues, but those are manageable to some extent. Also not saying it's the combo I'd pick, just that I think we will see it at some point in the Test season.
.

 

[Scrubber2050]

^^^^
big statement re the pooper getting us to the RWC final - fuck me there were another 21 blokes out there slugging their guts out.

It's no different to singling out Moore and saying HE got us to the final (or any other player/s)

 

[Twoilms]

'Tim Horan says Wallabies can't win Bledisloe Cup without Kurtley Beale'

He says as if the Wallabies didn't have a snowflakes chance in hell of beating them anyway.

 

[wamberal]

Horan. Great player, hopeless commentator.

 

[Braveheart81]

^^^^
big statement re the pooper getting us to the RWC final - fuck me there were another 21 blokes out there slugging their guts out.

It's no different to singling out Moore and saying HE got us to the final (or any other player/s)

It's not a big statement because it is being used to refute the comment that playing two shorter backrowers together has been a failure.

The evidence available suggests it wasn't.

 

[Twoilms]

^^^^
Pretty stupid argument, it's equally possible that we excelled despite the Pooper or because of it.

 

[TOCC]

Christ, I thought we were done with the short backrow, how many lineout capitulations do we need to suffer before we realise that it doesn't work

 

[Braveheart81]

I think we have to pick one of Higgers or Fardy in the backrow for their lineout ability.

I don't think Timani cuts it as the best lineout jumper in the backrow.

 

[upthereds#!]

You've extrapolated an awful lot from him saying "He likes the look of...". Ear-marking players he thinks might have the goods to step up in the future - they talked about having guys like this in the larger squad to get a better look at them, and give the players a better understanding of what's required. It absolutely is in his purview to have an eye on the future. Plus it deflected from the other questions about who was going to be in the actual squad / 23 for Tests, which he clearly was trying to avoid. You think Graham Henry just got dumped a list of players the high performance manager says he had to look at / use without some input? Be realistic.

I know...Twas a kneejerk post. Felt stupid about it almost immediately. Mainly struggling with Higs being overlooked for guys struggling to hold a bench spot or just having the 1st decent season of their career. Vote #1 Higs. (I'm sure he will be there in the end however)

 

[fatprop]

I think we have to pick one of Higgers or Fardy in the backrow for their lineout ability.

I don't think Timani cuts it as the best lineout jumper in the backrow.

Early last season we tried to run a backrower wide right and left - somewhat like the kiwis. If we try that again then Hooper & Higgers would be the obvious options with a rock shifter playing that central cleanout role with the two locks.

Under that scenario Timani would fit the bill for the third starting backrower

 

[Braveheart81]

Early last season we tried to run a backrower wide right and left - somewhat like the kiwis. If we try that again then Hooper & Higgers would be the obvious options with a rock shifter playing that central cleanout role with the two locks.

Under that scenario Timani would fit the bill for the third starting backrower

Yes, I'd be very happy with that backrow.

 

[Highlander35]

4. Arnold
5. Coleman
6. Higgenbotham
7. Hooper
8. Timani

19. AN Other
20. McMahon

Potentially works pretty​ well.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

 

[KOB1987]

I like it but swap timani and higgers, he's better at the base of the scrum

 

[Braveheart81]

I like it but swap timani and higgers, he's better at the base of the scrum

I agree there and perhaps they swap depending on attacking and defending scrums.

I like Higginbotham working in that wider channel more than Timani though.

Higgers seems to like that left channel better for the Reds too which matches with Hooper playing on the right side more often.

 

[fatprop]

4. Arnold
5. Coleman
6. Higgenbotham
7. Hooper
8. Timani

19. AN Other
20. McMahon

Potentially works pretty​ well.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

The challenge as I see it is McMahon would come on for Timani, but who replaces on of the locks?

I know this is heresy around here, but I see Skelton getting the gig over the two young QLD units, Carter and Arnold the younger although I would pick Carter

 

[Braveheart81]

Skelton has had some really good performances off the bench this year. I think he'd probably get the gig if he wasn't going overseas.

Carter is definitely an option but he lacks impact. Unless you went with Lukhan Tui you're probably not going to get that impact though out of the other options.

 

[fatprop]

Skelton has had some really good performances off the bench this year. I think he'd probably get the gig if he wasn't going overseas.

Carter is definitely an option but he lacks impact. Unless you went with Lukhan Tui you're probably not going to get that impact though out of the other options.

I would prefer less "impact" and more getting the hard stuff done personally. Lots of getting off their arse from the whole tight five and strong second efforts at setting those pillars and moving interlopers from the area