Uelese is made of glass, history suggests he will get wounded again sooner rather then later
Wallabies 2023
- Thread starter RugbyReg
- Start date
Slim 293
Stirling Mortlock (74)
Not John Ulugia...
Joe Blow
Peter Sullivan (51)
And being proven in the test arena. Let’s hope that EJ (Eddie Jones) can extract what we have all seen at times in him on a more consistent basis.
Tomthumb
Colin Windon (37)
Ah yes hookers must be massive apparently. That Dane Coles chap is never gonna make it then...
Slim 293
Stirling Mortlock (74)
I hope so too, but six years is a long time since that one game off the bench...
Tomthumb
Colin Windon (37)
Proven? He's the reserve hooker for a team that didn't even make the QF's of super Rugby
Joe Blow
Peter Sullivan (51)
You Brumbies folk have short memories. It will be what it will be. I’m shocked he was picked but obviously Jones sees something.
Joe Blow
Peter Sullivan (51)
How old are you Tom? He has been around a while.
Do you remember Phil Kearns? We will see.
Slim 293
Stirling Mortlock (74)
Just to rehash...
Pros:
- Big
Cons:
- Attitude adjustment
- Fitness
- Work harder
- Lineout throwing
Undecided:
- Brumbies
Slim 293
Stirling Mortlock (74)
I do...
In the context of this discussion he's too small, but not Brumbies... not sure where he fits?
SouthernX
Jim Lenehan (48)
Honestly when it comes to test rugby you want the biggest, fastest and strongest specimens when it comes to picking the players of similar skillset
Tomthumb
Colin Windon (37)
I'd take the best rugby players
Highlander35
Andrew Slack (58)
Dane Coles has at least 3 or 4cm and 10kg on McInerny, probably more on Lachie Lonergan, and has 80+ caps to 1 and 4. That's not a reasonable comparison to make.
I don't agree with Uelese selection btw. Whether it's mental or injury he doesn't play with the same physical ambition he had in the couple of seasons up to the 2019 WC, and his throwing, even when high on confidence, has always been on the TPN level of acceptable rather than genuinely good.
But minimums of 183-185cm and 105-110kg is clearly what EJ (Eddie Jones) wants to see.
Dane Coles also had an extraordinary skillset. What he lacked in size he more than made up for with his pace and ball playing ability.
Uelese has clearly been selected for his size as a different option. Porecki and Faessler are very similar in size and Lonergan a bit smaller. My take is that Lonergan would have needed to be seen as having a little bit more advantage around the field versus Porecki and Faessler to be picked to make up for his smaller size.
I tend to think Porecki will get first crack but Faessler could well be a fixture in the 23 this year. I think they've got quite similar games. Similar size, good around the park and solid at set piece.
Part of me wonders whether some of these third choice options in the main squad might be there for Jones to get a closer look at for longer but could easily drop out for the RWC squad for the player currently in the train on squad.
Uelese has clearly been selected for his size as a different option. Porecki and Faessler are very similar in size and Lonergan a bit smaller. My take is that Lonergan would have needed to be seen as having a little bit more advantage around the field versus Porecki and Faessler to be picked to make up for his smaller size.
I tend to think Porecki will get first crack but Faessler could well be a fixture in the 23 this year. I think they've got quite similar games. Similar size, good around the park and solid at set piece.
Part of me wonders whether some of these third choice options in the main squad might be there for Jones to get a closer look at for longer but could easily drop out for the RWC squad for the player currently in the train on squad.
SouthernX
Jim Lenehan (48)
Plus he played at Randwick
Wallaby Man
Trevor Allan (34)
Uelese I’m surprised is there. His throwing just isn’t to the level required when under pressure. One thing I take exception with however is people calling him lazy, he actually has a solid work rate. His down side is his throwing and sometimes has hands like feet. But his work rate is solid, very good scrummager and as many mentioned injury prone.
LeCheese
Peter Johnson (47)
In the last few rounds, the commentators referenced a few times that the Reds' lineout was the most successful in Super this season (and by some margin, if I recall correctly). I don't think it's a stretch to say that Faessler was mostly responsible for that.
As an aside, it'd be nice if fans had access to the magical stats pack that seems to get sent around to Stan and Sky every week.
For the lineouts won percentage, the Force were the top team with 88.5%. Reds 87.3%, Waratahs 86.8%, Brumbies 86.5%.
The Rebels were fourth last with 83.6%.
Given that is for a team and not specific players it's hard to take anything too definitive out of those top four Aussie teams as the gap between them is statistically insignificant.
The Rebels were fourth last with 83.6%.
Given that is for a team and not specific players it's hard to take anything too definitive out of those top four Aussie teams as the gap between them is statistically insignificant.