Wallabies 2020

[Brumbieman]

Coin flip 10/12

I like Wright, but he can't regularly start at the Brumbies so can't see it just yet.

I'm a big fan of someone who has positional nous and can kick in the back 3 to support the FB. Campbell, Kellaway can do this also, but not sure if Petaia can.

Daugunu to me gets in the 34 because A) he has a long term, expensive contract, and B) he is a like for like replacement for Koroibete. Perhaps Vunivalu will replace him in the next couple years, but I always feel we need to have 2 options for strike, power running wings.

Wright - all three top wingers (Kata and Muirhead included) are on a rotation system. All three are fantastic, they agreed to a rotation system apparently.

Kellaway - yup he's in my squad, Dauguna as well. That bloke is greased lightning, he's so much faster than anyone else on the field it's ridiculous. Needs to work hard on his defence though, it's holding him back.

 

[Up the Guts]

Daugunu would probably be at the top of the list if he hadn't gone and got himself suspended.

 

[upthereds#!]

Wright didn’t start every game due to the mumps, but he was included in Rennie’s squad.....

I wouldn’t have thought Campbell was in the mix? On form he wouldn’t be ahead of Kellaway, Wright etc

Didn't realise Wright was in it! That's great news. Yes a throw up between Campbell and Kellaway.

Between the 3 of them it's tough. Kellaway better option for now, Wright has some serious wheels and promise, Campbell a developing FB option which will be needed when DHP leaves (think 2021 is his last?)

Super tough choice.

 

[TSR]

I don’t think Campbell is directly comparable to the others.

Campbell has looked handy on the wing, but nothing extraordinary.

At Fullback he’s been a revelation - but that still may not be enough. To get in the squad I think he needs to push out either DHP or Banks and I’m not sure that’ll happen.

With regards to the wingers I’d be happy to see any of Wright, Kellaway and Daugunu get a crack (okay - I do have a preference for Daugunu, but he did himself no favours getting suspended). Not sure if he has missed his chance, but Speight has been one of Qld’s best every week too.

 

[rugboy]

Ive been underwhelmed with the test performances recently when selecting fullbacks and utility players as starters on the wing. DHP, Banks, Hodge etc have hardly set the world alight. Id been keen with the form of some of our wingers to see two actual wingers selected in starting positions, Koroibete obviously as one. The problem that creates is at fullback, Both DHP and Banks deserve selection with their form so far this year. Neither have the versatility we need in the bench utility back which I think someone like Hodge brings, especially with JOC (James O'Connor) and To'omua at 10/12.

 

[Rebels3]

Ive been underwhelmed with the test performances recently when selecting fullbacks and utility players as starters on the wing. DHP, Banks, Hodge etc have hardly set the world alight. Id been keen with the form of some of our wingers to see two actual wingers selected in starting positions, Koroibete obviously as one. The problem that creates is at fullback, Both DHP and Banks deserve selection with their form so far this year. Neither have the versatility we need in the bench utility back which I think someone like Hodge brings, especially with JOC (James O'Connor) and To'omua at 10/12.

Just about every side plays a utility or wing/fullback option in their side now as one of the wingers. Gone are the days of the quick guy holding width, kicking games are too developed and maneuvering a single full back option around the park is too easily done. That’s why most teams have gone with the model of only 1 out and out winger.

 

[TSR]

Pick one of Banks & DHP and the other misses the 23.

I want to see a winger on the wing and there appears to be some good options coming through even if they are unproven.

We’ve spent the last 5 years trying to shoe-horn guys into positions to manufacture balance and, as good as some of those guys were individually it just hasn’t worked — albeit that has been only part of the problem. Lack of options has been part of the issue but I feel like we are finally seeing the end of that.

Edit : actually I’m not against a fullback at wing - if he is the best option. I just don’t think any of
Banks, DHP, Campbell or Beale fills that brief.

 

[Derpus]

We’ve spent the last 5 years trying to shoe-horn guys into positions to manufacture balance and, as good as some of those guys were individually it just hasn’t worked — albeit that has been only part of the problem. Lack of options has been part of the issue but I feel like we are finally seeing the end of that.

15 at least.

 

[rugboy]

Just about every side plays a utility or wing/fullback option in their side now as one of the wingers. Gone are the days of the quick guy holding width, kicking games are too developed and maneuvering a single full back option around the park is too easily done. That’s why most teams have gone with the model of only 1 out and out winger.

Correct. The Tahs have Maddocks, Brumbies have Wright, Rebels have Kellway and Reds have Hegarty/Campbell. They all have utility or are wing/fullbacks. Point is they play wing and bring the versatility as well as playing part of a back 2/3 in their provincial teams. DHP, Banks, are out and out fullbacks and don’t seem to have the versatility/understanding to play on the wing if their performances for the national team are anything to go by, and in Hodge’s case a utility back whos least favoured position is on the wing. So pick a winger with the versatility to play as part of a back 2/3, not a fullback without it.

 

[TSR]

It’s not really a modern invention though. Going back a lot of the great wingers were great because they had skills across the board. Guys like Campese, Moon, Roff, and Jeff Wilson from New Zealand were top flight wingers who could comfortably handle fullback. Other guys like Rogers & O’Connor could play multiple positions and had the speed to be effective on the wing whilst having good all round skills. If anything I think Australia’s selection policy at wing reflects our policy across the board - the decline in general skills and lack of options forced us to compromise on either/or options because classic wingers who were strong under the high ball and had good kicking skills were in short supply.

 

[Braveheart81]

This year is probably the first year for a while where we have had a couple of wingers that are close to the mark formwise who do fill that second fullback role. Kellaway is the most obvious one.

Maddocks would be the closest in the last few years but I think he is probably more halfway in between the two types of wingers in terms of his skillset and his form has been up and down.

We've shoehorned a fullback or utility to the wing (DHP or Hodge) because the actual wingers who have been close to the mark have only been of the Koroibete mold.

 

[TSR]

Agree BH. But I guess part of my point was that I think the term ‘second fullback’ is probably a bit misleading.

Historically 1 or both of wingers in test teams have often had the skills we associate with the ‘second fullback’ - they were just skills that wingers were generally expected to have and even the older power wingers still generally had kicking games.

 

[upthereds#!]

Where's a play like Morohan - or Morohan himself! when you need him. Exactly the sort of player - Tall, actually very fast winger who has fullback experience and skils.

 

[RugbyReg]

Where's a play like Morohan - or Morohan himself! when you need him. Exactly the sort of player - Tall, actually very fast winger who has fullback experience and skils.

who constantly underperforms?

 

[TSR]

I would have put him more in the 'inconsistent performer' category Reg. I remember him having many cracking games for the Reds and when he was on song he definitely ticked all the boxes of a top flight winger.

But, unfortunately, there were other games were he was a bit non existent and those games probably happened a bit too often.

I'd certainly put him in the category of guys probably unlucky not to get more opportunities, but being mindful you often make your own luck.

 

[upthereds#!]

who constantly underperforms?

I don't watch Bristol enough to comment. Just fond memories of solid performances in Red, a long, long time ago now

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

who constantly underperforms?

Agree.

He is a bloke who can't finish simple wingers try but then will score some ridiculous try from his own half.

 

[Up the Guts]

Yeah, I think this ‘second fullback’ is actually just a classical winger. The so called out and out winger is usually just the bloke who makes the side on sheer athleticism without necessarily having great rugby skills (e.g. Taqele). That said, I think some of the candidates we have coming through have skills of the classical winger as well as the athleticism, this is why guys like Maddocks aren’t rating a mention.

 

[Braveheart81]

Yeah, I think this ‘second fullback’ is actually just a classical winger.

How much has the role of one of the wingers changed in recent years though? In the days of all the classical wingers we celebrate, I don't recall any of them being used nearly as much running a crash ball in midfield or even trailing through behind the 9 or 10 as they often do now.

Even Jonah Lomu who largely pioneered what a winger could be largely did his damage out wide. I really don't remember him being used much away from the flanks.

So in asking at least some wingers to bring a new skillset to the position we've potentially got to compromise more and more for the skills they then aren't good at.

I don't think it's any coincidence that a lot of the crash ball style wingers have come from rugby league where they generally aren't asked to kick at all but have been running the ball up in tight against forwards for decades.

 

[TSR]

The All Blacks used Lomu in the midfield regularly, and Tuigamala before him. But they also had players like Bunce & Little inside who were pretty handy crossing the gain line themselves and it created chances for Lomu to get his man 1 on 1.

It’s just that Lomu’s highlights reel is normally based around him running over Mike Catt because, well who didn’t enjoy watching Mike Catt get trampled.

Edit : and I distinctly remember interviews with Campo talking about how important it was for wingers to work hard off their wing to provide options in attack. He often used to pop up mid field and the on the opposite wing in attack. If I recall correctly he ‘robbed’ Peter Jorgenson of a try on debut when he supported on the opposite wing to score. If I recall correctly (and it was a long time ago, so I could be mistaken, the pass was meant for Jorgenson, but Campo ‘intercepted’ it and scored instead.