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Wallabies 2019 Thread

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VassMan

Darby Loudon (17)
I think he'll still go. Need flyhalf for Uruguay and Georgia game. They'll want to rest important players.
 

Derpus

George Gregan (70)
The media outlets banging on about the ABs panicking are god damn fucking morons. Did no one pay attention to the England whitewash?
 

Highlander35

Andrew Slack (58)
As much as I love Richie Gray personally, it's not the same deal to be playing ahead of him as it was 6, maybe even 4 years ago. Even when he's not been injured, which is a rare occurrence as his body is a bit like tissue paper, at both international and provincial level he's been consistently outperformed by both sets of domestic locks (B Toolis and Gilchrist for Edinburgh, Gray and Cummings* for Glasgow) alongside Exeter's Sam Skinner. He's not even been selected in the World Cup training squad, and I'd be reluctant to suggest that even two injuries would see him in the 31: even if two of the five were unavailable, a more flexible player like Rob Harley might be preferred.

That's not to say that Arnold isn't playing extremely well in Europe, but Gray is far from the sole feather in the bonnet of the Scottish pack that he was between and leading up to the last couple of World Cups.

*Cummings hasn't got too much of a run at International level yet, but he is a very good player, and at any other time in the pro era would have a lot more caps for Scotland than he has
 

Derpus

George Gregan (70)
We'll you'd have Rodda and LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) as an experienced combo with Philip and Simmons as back up.

I suspect one of Hockings, Swain or Blythe will play test footy next year.
I'd put money on Rodda, Phillip and LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) to keep the 6 jersey.
 

Brumby Runner

David Wilson (68)
He just won Prems player of the year only playing 7 games.

Yeah, saw that and undoubtedly well deserved. A bit tongue in cheek, I was making a comment about the strength of the Reds backrow for next year. LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) (if not at lock), ASY (Angus Scott-Young), Wright, McReight, Woods as well as Wilson. A couple of Wallabies, and the rest from U20s Wallabies. A lot of competition for three spots.
 

Brumbieman

Dick Tooth (41)
Going a little off topic here, but....


I reckon Aus rugby is only a few years away from the golden years again. Life is all about cycles. IN sport, that translates into success or failure, and each inevitably follows the other. Success leads to stagnation, failure to action.

It's taken a while but the signs are starting to suggest the sunrise is near. RA I think have even sensed the unrest and actually started to make some sensible moves. Too many pissed off fans have gone Broken Arrow on them and taken matters into their own hands and are starting to seize control from the ground up. This started 10 years ago, but is now emerging -

Starting small - Junior and Club rugby.

Living in Sydney I can't really say much for the other states other than ACT, but club rugby in both states is booming. Shute Shield is getting larger crowds than the Tahs are, and Wallabies are playing in the ACT scene. It's not perfect but there is a wave of momentum sweeping through from the club level up.

WE just had our best U20 result since it was actually the U19's, and Lealiifano was our U20 flyhalf, along with Pocock, Search and Destroy, Genia and Turner. Some absolute warriors coming through and a lot of them are already playing Super rugby

There are big changes being made at high levels and if the articles about Rennie are true, it suggests top level might also be slowly getting their shit together. I'd still prefer they went for Jake White and got Rennie as the attack coach, with a potential long term plan for Rennie to take over, but we'll see.


Bigger picture -

Decent coaches are emerging. It's our single biggest weakness and we are paying for our early success in professional rugby. We imported defensive structures straight from league and jumped 10 years ahead of everyone straight away, so no one learned the necessary lessons from failure we've been learning since 2004/2005. Now, with McKeller and Thorn, I think we've got two excellent coaches in a perfect environment to nurture through the golden batch of U20's about to hit the scene.

Thorn has most of the forwards, nursing names like Wright, Wilson, McReight, Rodda, LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto), Hockings, Blythe, Mafi, BPA and Tupou, only one of whom is over 24 I think?

Brad Thorn seems like the right bloke to be teaching that lot how to be really hard fluffybunnys. Plus, he's going to have an O'Connor/Petaia midfield next year, which might look alright with some good front foot ball.

Brumbies have got most of the backs - Lonergan, Arnold, Pasitoa, Kuenzle, Lolesio, Wright, Ikitau, Hansen. You wont get a much easier platform to work off than the Brumbies forward pack, so that lot of young backs who are being actively coached to playing running rugby will have a much easier time learning the ropes.

Gilmore looks like gold - he should be offered a 4 year term as coaching director for junior rugby - all school/club rep teams to be taught the same philosophy/methodology to ensure continuity. Get the conveyor belt rolling, so to speak.

Shame the Tahs couldn't get Cron and Wisemantle to join forces, time will tell there.

Imagine what could happen if over the next 4 years these positions were locked in -

Thorn/McKay his team

McKellar/Gandalf and their team

Gilmore and his proteges setting up a 4 year plan for all juniors, irregardless of a double windsor

Jake White and Rennie, with Gandalf as a ring in, Byrne and Benton in charge of the Wallabies.

Wessels at the Rebels with time to really find his feet.

GRR up and running with the Force figure-heading the growth into SE Asia/Western Sydney until we ditch the Jaapies and go for some kind of TT comp.
 
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