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Wallabies 2021

Derpus

George Gregan (70)
Bored as fuck so here's my 23 for the first test against the Frenchies third grade subbies team.

1. Slips
2. BPA
3. Tupou
4. Neville
5. Philip
6. Valetini
7. Hooper
8. Wilson
9. White
10. JOC (James O'Connor)
11. MK
12. Paisami
13. Ikitau
14. Wright
15. Banks
16. Bell
17. Kaitu'u
18. AAA
19. Hosea
20. Hanigan
21. McDermott
22. To'omua
23. Petaia

Alternative 6/2 bench:

21. Naisarani
22. McDermott
23. Hodge
 

eastman

Arch Winning (36)
Bored as fuck so here's my 23 for the first test against the Frenchies third grade subbies team.

1. Slips
2. BPA
3. Tupou
4. Neville
5. Philip
6. Valetini
7. Hooper
8. Wilson
9. White
10. JOC (James O'Connor)
11. MK
12. Paisami
13. Ikitau
14. Wright
15. Banks
16. Bell
17. Kaitu'u
18. AAA
19. Hosea
20. Hanigan
21. McDermott
22. To'omua
23. Petaia

Alternative 6/2 bench:

21. Naisarani
22. McDermott
23. Hodge
I think that will be pretty close with potential for Mafi/ Folau to replace Kaitau'u, LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) for Hosea and Gordon for McDermott.
 

scrans21

Chris McKivat (8)
Long time lurker, first time poster. Here's my stab at a wallabies 23 for game 1 of the France series. My reasoning is to give a few of the younger players a crack first, but I would fully expect the senior players on the bench to be starting by the end of the series (specifically Hooper, he's clearly the 1st choice 7 but McReight is demanding a start at this stage).

1. Slipper
2. Kaitu'u
3. Allaatoa
4. Philip
5. LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto)
6. Valetini
7. McReight
8. Wilson
9. White
10. O'Connor (cc)
11. Korobeite
12. To'omua
13. Paisami
14. Petaia/Wright
15. Banks
16. BPA
17. Sio
18. Tupou
19. Neville
20. Hooper (cc)
21. McDermott
22. Lolesio
23. Petaia/Wright

Alternatively, for a 6/2 bench for me would look like 19. Neville, 20. Hosea, 21. Hooper, 22. McDermott, 23. Petaia/Wright. I've picked my bench for impact too, which is why BPA, Tupou, Neville, McDermott and Hooper (for the 1st game at least) aren't starting.

Banks gets first crack at the 15 jersey too, but I wouldn't be surprised if either Wright or Petaia is slowly phased in as the 15 at the expense of Banks.
 

wamberal

Phil Kearns (64)
Reasonable. I do not like Banks particularly, I think his limit is Super Rugby.
So I would go with either Wright or Petaia. Leaves room for Vunivalu in the 23.
 

Members Section

John Thornett (49)
Having a read over a few pages, we have suddenly gone for extreme lack of depth at lock to the bloke who misses out being the unluckiest man in the squad.

I really like Neville's second wind in his career & been really solid in a good pack but if your looking at RWC2023 can anyone really see him above

Philip, Rodda, LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto), Hosea & at the rate of improvement Uru come 2023?
 

James GC

Larry Dwyer (12)
Having a read over a few pages, we have suddenly gone for extreme lack of depth at lock to the bloke who misses out being the unluckiest man in the squad.

I really like Neville's second wind in his career & been really solid in a good pack but if your looking at RWC2023 can anyone really see him above

Philip, Rodda, LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto), Hosea & at the rate of improvement Uru come 2023?
No but only really Rodda in that group calls the LO
 

Members Section

John Thornett (49)
No but only really Rodda in that group calls the LO


Philip started to last year. I know its a skill that doesn't come easy but surely we aren't picking a bloke just because of that.

Its as bad as those outside backs that suggest that we change the hooker just because there was 1 throw that wasn't straight with no idea what else they bring.
 

TSR

Mark Ella (57)
Having a read over a few pages, we have suddenly gone for extreme lack of depth at lock to the bloke who misses out being the unluckiest man in the squad.

I really like Neville's second wind in his career & been really solid in a good pack but if your looking at RWC2023 can anyone really see him above

Philip, Rodda, LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto), Hosea & at the rate of improvement Uru come 2023?
Maybe not - but if you get 1 or 2 injuries in that group he might be a big chance.

He’s definitely deserving of a jersey at the moment and part of developing our young players has to be making them earn their jersey.
 

RebelYell

Arch Winning (36)
@Derpus best team I've seen namedf yet (though I am now going to slightly enhance ha!)

1. Slips
2. Anybody's guess
3. Tupou
4. Neville
5. Philip
6. Valetini
7. Hooper
8. Wilson
9. White
10. JOC (James O'Connor)
11. MK
12. To'omua
13. Paisami
14. Wright/Petaia
15. Wright/Petaia (would love to see Petaia there this week in the dead rubber...)
16. Fainga'a
17. Sio
18. AAA
19. Hosea
20. Hanigan (or LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto), but I like Ned)
21. Naisarani
22. McDermott
23. Hodge

I like th idea of an all Brumbies front row off the bench. Hooker I can't get a handle on. Is it BPA? Mafi? Uelese? Porecki? Horton? Kaitu'u? Chibba? What's the power ranking? Can we do a poll?
 

Members Section

John Thornett (49)
@Derpus best team I've seen namedf yet (though I am now going to slightly enhance ha!)

1. Slips
2. Anybody's guess
3. Tupou
4. Neville
5. Philip
6. Valetini
7. Hooper
8. Wilson
9. White
10. JOC (James O'Connor)
11. MK
12. To'omua
13. Paisami
14. Wright/Petaia
15. Wright/Petaia (would love to see Petaia there this week in the dead rubber.)
16. Fainga'a
17. Sio
18. AAA
19. Hosea
20. Hanigan (or LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto), but I like Ned)
21. Naisarani
22. McDermott
23. Hodge

I like th idea of an all Brumbies front row off the bench. Hooker I can't get a handle on. Is it BPA? Mafi? Uelese? Porecki? Horton? Kaitu'u? Chibba? What's the power ranking? Can we do a poll?


Haha its seriously a raffle atm. BPA surely has to get 1st crack doesn't he?
 

Adam84

Nick Farr-Jones (63)
I really like Kaitu'u, he seems to have an all round game whereas the other hookers like Mafi and Fainga'a have some strengths, but also some real weak areas in their game if Uelese could stay fit he also has a similar all round game, however he struggles to string games together.
 

Brumbieman

Dick Tooth (41)
At this point I really cant see why To'omua is getting a shot? Not sure what the problem is, he's still solid on defence but when the ball is in his hands... i dont think even his teammates have any clue where it's going. That might give us a fluke try because the opposition have no idea either but that doesn't seem like something you can plan around.

Paisami is 12, that's it. For me anyway.

13 - unless someone can conjure up at a test level 12 better than Paisami, he's not playing there, which leaves Ikitau, Petaia, or Kuridrani, in that order. Perese..maybe, but one swallow doesn't make a summer.

Petaia i'd be more than happy with, and they could be a hell of a combo going forward, but until Petaia puts the junior-freak stuff out of his mind and focusses on setting up players around him like a 13 should, he get's a wing/bench spot.

Watching the first test against NZ last year right now- we had no chance of being close to winning that game without Paisami/Banks/White (obviously, unless the forwards did their job). Even in this game, To'omua did well in defence but was a liability in attack, which has sadly become more obvious this year. Passes to no one, passes behind the shoulder of the receiver, or just......who the hell was supposed to take that?

The last few weeks have put him out of contention, IMHO.

White is 9, JOC (James O'Connor) is 10, Paisami is 12. MK and Wright are the wings, and if you watch that 16-16 first test last year.....we'd have had no chance without Banks and his high ball takes/kicks for the line, and no one else is a better option atm.

Not sure who gets 13 yet, i'll leave that up to Rennie, but it ain't Paisami (too eager to rush out and smash plums) which NZ will exploit ruthlessly.
 

Adam84

Nick Farr-Jones (63)
Only reason To'omua is getting a shot is his kicking, as far as I’m concerned he is still the best inside back in Australia for tactical kicking and that counts for a lot at test level.
 

RebelYell

Arch Winning (36)
Haha its seriously a raffle atm. BPA surely has to get 1st crack doesn't he?


I know we need to pick to win now - but I just don't see BPA as our hooker at the 2023 RWC, especially with him going overseas for a couple of years. Yes, he can return, but he won't be building combinations in Gold over that time.

I think Fainga'a on the bench works, and for me it's a choice probably between Uelese, Mafi & Porecki.
 

Purce

Jim Clark (26)
I think there could be a bit of rewriting history going on here. Wallabies were best with To'omua at 12 last year and fell apart when he went off injured. I've made a point of watching him closely over the past couple of games and the criticism of him is a bit misguided. He is distributing well, with the exception of this rebels obsession of trying double cut outs to the wing when they thing there is space which is clearly part of their game plan. Defense is as we have come to expect from him, very high standard. His general kicking is good. His marshaling of the troops is good and his running game is good.

I made a point in another post that he almost appears to be coaching the players when they are on the field. You can see what they are trying to create but the support just isn't running where they should be which has led to a couple of balls to space with no runner there or runner way too late.

He will be playing 12 for the Wallabies. I don't think anyone here is advocating for him to play 10, certainly not me. However I believe he is the first choice 12 with Paisami at 13. I also think his leadership is crucial as is his calm head. The bloke is a proven test performer. I certainly feel much more confident with a To'omua/Paisami 12/13 than a Paisami/Ikitau (or Petaia) 12/13. Not that Ikitau isn't a talent, I just don't think he is quite at a consistent level YET
 

dru

Tim Horan (67)
I think there could be a bit of rewriting history going on here. Wallabies were best with To'omua at 12 last year and fell apart when he went off injured. I've made a point of watching him closely over the past couple of games and the criticism of him is a bit misguided. He is distributing well, with the exception of this rebels obsession of trying double cut outs to the wing when they thing there is space which is clearly part of their game plan. Defense is as we have come to expect from him, very high standard. His general kicking is good. His marshaling of the troops is good and his running game is good.

I made a point in another post that he almost appears to be coaching the players when they are on the field. You can see what they are trying to create but the support just isn't running where they should be which has led to a couple of balls to space with no runner there or runner way too late.

Agree with that.

He will be playing 12 for the Wallabies. I don't think anyone here is advocating for him to play 10, certainly not me. However I believe he is the first choice 12 with Paisami at 13. I also think his leadership is crucial as is his calm head. The bloke is a proven test performer. I certainly feel much more confident with a To'omua/Paisami 12/13 than a Paisami/Ikitau (or Petaia) 12/13. Not that Ikitau isn't a talent, I just don't think he is quite at a consistent level YET

But no I don't necessarily agree that To'omua will play at 12 Gold, it is entirely with Rennie. Right now JOC (James O'Connor) is providing the cool head that is needed. Paisami is proving a must select, and I expect 12 possibly suits him better. His in-game kicking is building, though not with To'omua at this stage. Likewise his ball-handling is building, possibly getting close to overtaking To'omua. His D matches To'omua, and his attack game is better. It is not at all clear to me that To'omua pips him to 12. But maybe. Certainly To'omua is test proven which is a huge leg up.

It is going to be interesting to see how things come together but I don't think that the coaching team will be approaching [Edit, bloody spell check] deletions selections with To'omua as a must at 12. Likely at 12 possibly. Not must.
 

Brumby Runner

David Wilson (68)
Only reason To'omua is getting a shot is his kicking, as far as I’m concerned he is still the best inside back in Australia for tactical kicking and that counts for a lot at test level.

I reckon his kicking in general play this year has gone to shit. If that's the best justification for selecting him, then it's time to move on.
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
I'm still pretty convinced this is a form slump and that he's not past it.

You only have to go back to earlier this season where To'omua had a couple of MOTM or at least best Rebels player performances.
 
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