Wallabies 2020
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Slim 293
Stirling Mortlock (74)
From memory, I'm pretty sure Nic White has nailed some long range ones for the Brumbies.........
Edit: Beaten to it.
Joe Blow
Peter Sullivan (51)
Hodge should be there first as a contender for 15 and then as a bench utility back. He was good last week. Safe, big boot and takes excellent options.
Maddocks and Banks are inconsistent and DHP is injured. Maddocks has a chance to jump ahead if he continues his good form.
Maddocks and Banks are inconsistent and DHP is injured. Maddocks has a chance to jump ahead if he continues his good form.
The Phoenix
Sydney Middleton (9)
Angus Bell??? He's on the bench for the Tahs because he is not good enough. Yet he's deemed better than Harry Hoopert and JP Smith? Another young New South Welshman picked on reputation rather than performance. Seriously, move to Sydney if you want to play for Australia. Same goes for Tom Horton over BPA and Hanigan over Blyth.
And why no love from anyone for Hamish Stewart. Strong week in and week out. The last stats I saw had him as the most effective tackler in the comp at 98 per cent success rate and was outstanding last week.
And why no love from anyone for Hamish Stewart. Strong week in and week out. The last stats I saw had him as the most effective tackler in the comp at 98 per cent success rate and was outstanding last week.
Slim 293
Stirling Mortlock (74)
Nah, I haven't seen anything from Hodge this year to suggest he makes the squad at all.........
Banks' form in Super Rugby before the break had him as the top contender for the position......... he obviously needs to regain that form if he wants to be back in contention.
DHP was almost as good as Banks during that same period, and I'm on record as being no fan of Maddocks in the past - but if we had to pick a squad tomorrow they'd both be in it.
Derpus
George Gregan (70)
Except he can't actually kick long distance that well. Sure he has the range but the radar is rubbish.
probably fair enough. Hoopert is just back from injury this week having been out for a month. JP Smith is a mystery but we haven't seen him play since 10 July.
Dctarget
John Eales (66)
I know you must want to try and forget his demolition job of the Ponies two weekends ago! Two handy tries and his great field kicking was a decisive factor in that game. Hodge made Banks look like a schoolboy in that game.
sendit
Bob Loudon (25)
Hodge is worthy of a squad position, there arent many players of test caliber in the world who can fill in so many positions and get the job as he can.
Id say most international squads bar NZ and SA he would be a pretty cemented on bench pick, i think the tier 1 northern hemisphere teams would love a player of his type/skillset
Id say most international squads bar NZ and SA he would be a pretty cemented on bench pick, i think the tier 1 northern hemisphere teams would love a player of his type/skillset
Slim 293
Stirling Mortlock (74)
I probably did drink that memory away, but I don't think we pick players on one good performance.........otherwise we've got to have Hanigan, Muirhead and Hunt all in the mix too.
Derpus
George Gregan (70)
I'd certainly rather see hunt at 12 than Hodge.......
dru
Tim Horan (67)
Huh! Yes, but still Hodge.
TSR
Mark Ella (57)
At the risk of seeming to bullish on our chances, I think it’s perfectly reasonable to expect the next 5 yrs to be significantly more competitive. Essentially because the last 15 we’ve had serious underlying issues which we haven’t been able to address.
In no particular order we’ve had props who couldn’t scrum effectively, hookers that couldn’t throw; we haven’t had a consistent quality second row paring formost of the last 10 yrs and we’ve lacked a genuine world class 6 & 8 for much of that period as well (noting Pocock is an outstanding player, but is a genuine 7). We haven’t had a quality lineout pretty much since Fardy left. We’ve had half backs that either dithered at the back of the ruck or sprayed their passes like pellet guns. 5/8 has been done to death, all or almost all (in case I’m forgetting anyone) our 12s have been a compromise, we have regularly filled 1 wing spot with a non-winger and even our fullback for most of that time lacked core positional skills in kicking & defence positioning. The general standing of our out of hand kicking has been horrendous- not helped by placing no value on the skill.
We haven’t had a consistently excellent goal kicker, our fitness has been substandard and tactically we have been consistently poor.
Across all of that list I would say I still have a concern with the throwing of our current batch of hookers - Horton excepted (but I’m not convinced he is big enough to be a test hooker. Fainga’a is the best of the remainder but has had a couple of shockers in big games). There are a couple of others on the list that remain to be proven, but I think Rennie has demonstrated historically he will be very focused on addressing those. I think there is every sign that we will have cattle competing for positions we simply haven’t had for the last 15 yrs or so. Even at lock where Rennie may have to pull a player or two back from OS we appear to have finally developed some genuine depth.
I concede that the rest of the world is hardly standing still waiting for us to catch up, but it does seem a completely reasonable assertion at the moment that we are going to see a marked improvement in our performance going forward.
Adam84
Nick Farr-Jones (63)
I think the improve in success will be slow.. their is too much of a gap between the stars of the team and the new talent coming through.
Lack of a first choice 5, 9, 10, 12 and 15 is the first issue. But a lack of depth in experienced players ready to step up and fill gaps during injuries is the next issue, besides THP and 7/8, there’s a real lack of depth or options in the positions.
I hate the arbitrary Giteau law, but i really think they need to bring back Skelton/Arnold and Rodda for any test series this year, and potentially next year as well. Possibly consider bringing back Kerevi as well.
Lack of a first choice 5, 9, 10, 12 and 15 is the first issue. But a lack of depth in experienced players ready to step up and fill gaps during injuries is the next issue, besides THP and 7/8, there’s a real lack of depth or options in the positions.
I hate the arbitrary Giteau law, but i really think they need to bring back Skelton/Arnold and Rodda for any test series this year, and potentially next year as well. Possibly consider bringing back Kerevi as well.
Adam84
Nick Farr-Jones (63)
Agree, i can only assume Bell is there for what he may offer in 2-3 years and this is an attempt to accelerate that development.
Orr currently has the better form and should be ahead of Bell for any selections this year.
Dctarget
John Eales (66)
If we had Arnold, Kerevi, Skelton/Coleman/Rodda hanging around I'd feel a bit better. Does overseas not value our props? Why have they all stayed here? Are Aussie locks a hot commodity?
If we had no restrictions really I'd just be nervous about 9 and 10 (......still quite essential).
If we had no restrictions really I'd just be nervous about 9 and 10 (......still quite essential).