Wallabies 2020

[Derpus]

The logistics might mean Rennie doesn't bother, anyway. Presumably the players will also need to leave two weeks before the end of the test window to sort out quarantine in their club country to be available.

 

[Dctarget]

The logistics might mean Rennie doesn't bother, anyway. Presumably the players will also need to leave two weeks before the end of the test window to sort out quarantine in their club country to be available.

No Quarantine required for players returning to Europe, just getting let out of Aus is the hard bit.

 

[Try-ranosaurus Rex]

The logistics might mean Rennie doesn't bother, anyway. Presumably the players will also need to leave two weeks before the end of the test window to sort out quarantine in their club country to be available.

I would suggest that RA wouldn't have made the announcement without sounding out the Head Coach and advanced discussions with some of the likely target players.


... Although this is RA we're talking about.

 

[Derpus]

I would suggest that RA wouldn't have made the announcement without sounding out the Head Coach and advanced discussions with some of the likely target players.


. Although this is RA we're talking about.

RA seem to be going alright at the moment.

 

[TSR]

I don’t think he watches anyone other than the Reds, that includes the opposition to the Reds when they are on the field.

Campbell hasn’t even been the best fullback, that goes to Maddocks. Campbell has been the best fullback for the last 2/3 games. Maddocks still has the 2 best performances of a fullback all tournament. Plus (ino it was at wing) but it was only a month ago Campbell was dragged from the field for potentially the worst 40mins of a back all tournament. He’s a good young player but let’s cool our jets.

Ready as a project player at 27 (oldest of the starting hookers in Super Rugby) is a good idea lol

Maddocks has been hot and cold. If you compare their play purely at fullback Campbell has been better across the tournament and also earlier in the year. Banks was good earlier in the year but has struggled at Super AU. DHP has missed most of the tournament through injury.

Personally I do think Campbell has been the best fullback - but that doesn’t mean he will or should get the Wallaby gig. I would still have DHP in front of him for the Wallabies. I could see them using Maddocks as well, but as good as he has been in some games he’s been terrible in others. I don’t see him as a lock in at all and Banks form of late is doing him no favours. I think Hodge is more likely to be the back up because he has better utility value and his form is more consistent than the other two and his international experience gets him in front of Campbell.

Campbell has sucked on the wing though.

 

[cyclopath]

Is he really better than Fainga’a & Ulese though? Or did he just have a good tournament.

I’m not to bothered by the offield stuff if he’s left it behind him. We all did various levels of dumb shit when we were young (and sometimes not so young) and I take it as a given that most people on here who are plugging for him have an unwritten caveat that they are plugging for him on the basis he’s pulled his head in.

I guess my query is - what is his form like now? If he’s kept on playing like he did at the World Cup then yep, he would be a real asset to us. Absolutely on board with bring him back in.

But, for me the World Cup was by far the best and most consistent form of his career. I wouldn’t be picking him unless he’s continued to play at or near that level.

I dunno - maybe I am being unfair on him suspecting he wouldn’t be able to maintain his WC form. But it seems to me that the best thing a lot of these guys can do to improve the their standing in the pecking order in the eyes of many on here is to go OS.

I guess the RWC showed his ceiling, which was pretty damn good. And it's a good place to show your best, and likely a level above Super Rugby AU, just saying. But..............
Problem with anyone playing in Europe is usually that their form (often) gets wildly over-estimated - "Player X is carving it up in France" and so on. Japan too. I'm not sure many have come back and been dramatically better than when they left.
Right now, I'm not sure we need another hooking option as top priority, when talking about 2 as a number. Same for any back-rowers, like McMahon (who is a great player, nonetheless) with all the back row options we have here. I really think at least 1 lock, probably 2 or maybe Kerevi. An X-factor player like Naiyaravoro with a real point of difference is interesting, but really a luxury that is probably a step too far.

 

[Braveheart81]

I find it hard to see that anyone outside of Arnold, Skelton, Latu and Kerevi are going to be on the radar for this.

It will be interesting to know whether the announcement has been made in advance of really working with the preferred options to have them come back for this or whether they've already worked out a lot of the detail of making it happen and the announcement of the eligibility change is just making it a formality before it happens.

If they haven't done the first bit it might not even happen. There's a lot of moving parts between releases from teams, immigration issues for multiple countries and quarantine exemptions before it can become a reality. That is if the desired player is keen to begin with.

 

[Derpus]

I guess the RWC showed his ceiling, which was pretty damn good. And it's a good place to show your best, and likely a level above Super Rugby AU, just saying. But......
Problem with anyone playing in Europe is usually that their form (often) gets wildly over-estimated - "Player X is carving it up in France" and so on. Japan too. I'm not sure many have come back and been dramatically better than when they left.
Right now, I'm not sure we need another hooking option as top priority, when talking about 2 as a number. Same for any back-rowers, like McMahon (who is a great player, nonetheless) with all the back row options we have here. I really think at least 1 lock, probably 2 or maybe Kerevi. An X-factor player like Naiyaravoro with a real point of difference is interesting, but really a luxury that is probably a step too far.

With MK, Daugunu and Wright all in good form i don't think Naiyaravoro would be worth it.

 

[TSR]

I definitely think lock & 10 are the spots of weakness at the moment - but there is no one overseas at 10 who is, to me, a better option than To'omua & JOC (James O'Connor) at this time.

On the other hand our best locks are OS & the next crop lack experience. I’m confident they’ll be great in time, but 1 or 2 more experienced options there would be great.

I don’t see the need for any OS based players in any other spot personally.

 

[Number 7]

I guess the RWC showed his ceiling, which was pretty damn good. And it's a good place to show your best, and likely a level above Super Rugby AU, just saying. But......
Problem with anyone playing in Europe is usually that their form (often) gets wildly over-estimated - "Player X is carving it up in France" and so on. Japan too. I'm not sure many have come back and been dramatically better than when they left.
Right now, I'm not sure we need another hooking option as top priority, when talking about 2 as a number. Same for any back-rowers, like McMahon (who is a great player, nonetheless) with all the back row options we have here. I really think at least 1 lock, probably 2 or maybe Kerevi. An X-factor player like Naiyaravoro with a real point of difference is interesting, but really a luxury that is probably a step too far.

I agree 100%. As good as McMahon is I am pretty excited to see a couple of the younger guys (Wright/Wilson/McReight) or Samu get a decent crack in the backrow along with Hooper & Naisarani. I would like to see Kerevi as a point of difference at 12 as the options seem to be shaping up as O'Connor/To'omua based on the PONI list so a big body could be handy for gain line metres.

We should definitely choose a lock. Skelton is problematic as it means we are a lineout jumper short but that could be combated with Wright at 6, LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) and an 8 who can jump also. Arnold feels the safer bet and he might be a good mentor for LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto)/Blythe/Hosea in camp. You're right that players rarely come back from Europe fitter than they left so that also places a question mark over Skelton for mine who was never know for putting in the full 80 mins.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

just ya know, day dreams.

Nah, saw an interview with him on facebook and forgot how he's Australian through and through. I know he was capped for Fiji 5 years before he came good but he seems like a solid bloke that's a terrific footballer.

I had no idea! I went and looked him up and it turns out he went to Nudgee. Never knew that.

 

[Dctarget]

Can one of our more fleet footed friends explain to me the mechanics of a winger and why it seems like they're hot for a season or two then drop off? Is it that top speed is so hard to maintain?

Could be confirmation bias but it seems like we burn through wingers and never have any consistency there compared to our other players. It seems like you have to go back to Drew Mitchell or even Tuqiri to find any wingers who racked up the caps (unless you say IF was a winger).

Digby Ioane was class for example then his form just disappeared. Or is it an issue that we just never found the right guy. I mean look how many wingers we've had over the past decade that never cracked it: Speight (only 17 caps, that surprised me), Cummins (15), Turner (15), Davies (1), Tomane (17), Vuna (2), Morahan (3), Shipperly (3), Cummins (15), Mogg (3), CFS (2), Betham (2), Naiyaravoro (2), Naivalu (9), Nabuli (1).

Do wingers come cheap and so they bugger off overseas quick?

 

[Dctarget]

I had no idea! I went and looked him up and it turns out he went to Nudgee. Never knew that.

Yeah older brother of former Reds Chris Kuridrani, so they're cousins of Tevita (and Lote Tuqiri). What a family.

 

[cyclopath]

With MK, Daugunu and Wright all in good form i don't think Naiyaravoro would be worth it.

Hence what I wrote.

 

[Blue]

I agree 100%. As good as McMahon is I am pretty excited to see a couple of the younger guys (Wright/Wilson/McReight) or Samu get a decent crack in the backrow along with Hooper & Naisarani. I would like to see Kerevi as a point of difference at 12 as the options seem to be shaping up as O'Connor/To'omua based on the PONI list so a big body could be handy for gain line metres.

We should definitely choose a lock. Skelton is problematic as it means we are a lineout jumper short but that could be combated with Wright at 6, LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) and an 8 who can jump also. Arnold feels the safer bet and he might be a good mentor for LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto)/Blythe/Hosea in camp. You're right that players rarely come back from Europe fitter than they left so that also places a question mark over Skelton for mine who was never know for putting in the full 80 mins.

"Skelton is problematic as it means we are a lineout jumper short but that could be combated with Wright at 6, LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) and an 8 who can jump also"

Taking enough ball at 2. Trimmed down. Gets up more than well enough. Pick a proper 6 at 6 and an 8 that can jump and this is a non-issue.

Skelton and Arnold. There should no even be a discussion. No backs please. Hard people thank you.

 

[cyclopath]

I agree 100%. As good as McMahon is I am pretty excited to see a couple of the younger guys (Wright/Wilson/McReight) or Samu get a decent crack in the backrow along with Hooper & Naisarani. I would like to see Kerevi as a point of difference at 12 as the options seem to be shaping up as O'Connor/To'omua based on the PONI list so a big body could be handy for gain line metres.

We should definitely choose a lock. Skelton is problematic as it means we are a lineout jumper short but that could be combated with Wright at 6, LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) and an 8 who can jump also. Arnold feels the safer bet and he might be a good mentor for LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto)/Blythe/Hosea in camp. You're right that players rarely come back from Europe fitter than they left so that also places a question mark over Skelton for mine who was never know for putting in the full 80 mins.

Although it has been well documented that they got him down from 140+kg to about 128kg and he was apparently fitter. And was being used in lineouts effectively. I wouldn't have a big question mark over that, per se, but more over how the balance of the different locks would work. I agree Arnold would be a safer bet of the two.

 

[Dctarget]

Taking enough ball at 2. Trimmed down. Gets up more than well enough. Pick a proper 6 at 6 and an 8 that can jump and this is a non-issue.

Skelton and Arnold. There should no even be a discussion. No backs please. Hard people thank you.

You're speaking some good logic there.

 

[Dctarget]

Also, I read somewhere a bit of a crackpot theory that Coleman's drop off coincided with him becoming a dad. I'd probably be less willing to play like a nutter too if I had dependents.

 

[Number 7]

Although it has been well documented that they got him down from 140+kg to about 128kg and he was apparently fitter. And was being used in lineouts effectively. I wouldn't have a big question mark over that, per se, but more over how the balance of the different locks would work. I agree Arnold would be a safer bet of the two.

Yep, he definitely looks fitter. Nick Bishop did a feature on him in The Roar in late 2018 and wrote that while he was taking some 2-ball, Saracens were primarily using him as a lifter not a jumper.

 

[Derpus]

With Samu at 8 and Wright at 6 or 7 he could easily be accommodated. He could bring that size and abrasiveness that we don't really have at the moment.