Wallabies 2023

[Derpus]

Sure - because a lot of the time we punters miss the detail (and, to be fair to him, it was in a game where the ABs belted us and - by design or bad luck - a lot of that came down his channel.

The other thing you said was Samu better than Hooper historically. If you’d said over the last 2 yrs I would have agreed with you. Maybe I’m just being too pedantic in the intent in your comments.

Samu has been excellent off the bench at test level - no argument at all from me there. But Gleeson appears to be the anointed next big thing - even pulling the wheels off the Charlie Gamble express. I’m happy enough to see how Gleeson get his chance.

I won’t be surprised when if, when it comes to final WC selection it may be one of McReight or Hooper that misses out and both Gamble & Samu go.

Gleeson will have the same issue Samu has at 7 being he is not a big enough presence in defence and will probably be lacking in workrate. There was a great analysis piece around last years Bledisloe on Samu's performance and just how passive and ineffectual he is in defence, which is pretty fundamental to being an effective breakaway.

I find it odd that people suggest Samu should be starting 7 when he has almost never played there (same for Gleeson?). He doesn't really do much of what you want from your 7 particularly if we are starting a fairly traditional 6 like Holloway.

In my opinion openside is for the first time in a very long time a pretty serious issue for the Wallabies. Hooper looks cooked and I'm not sure McReight is the answer. Gamble might have been but his season was ruined by injury. Maybe Wilkin or Wright? Either way we are a long way from Hooper, Pocock, Gill, McMahon etc all fighting for the gig.

Bit of a shame about Hardwick changing allegiances.

 

[Derpus]

The perfect 7 was George Smith. Pocock's selection forced him overseas. Pocock was a very good 7 and better than Hooper any day of the week. He got slower during his last season or two. What disgusted me with Pocock was the rest of the pack standing in the D whilst he got his neck wrung. No self-respecting pack in my day would allow one of their own to take this kind of punishment time and again.

I'm guessing your day was around the 1920s?

 

[TSR]

I assume when people suggest Samu or Gleeson at 7 they are endorsing a game style where the 7s role is more like a second 6 (noting that most teams don’t leave it up to their 7 to pilfer at the breakdown)

 

[Derpus]

I assume when people suggest Samu or Gleeson at 7 they are endorsing a game style where the 7s role is more like a second 6 (noting that most teams don’t leave it up to their 7 to pilfer at the breakdown)

Presumably to do that you would need a pack that can compensate for the absence of a more athletic, mobile backrower. With Skelton lining up you'd think this is the opposite of what we need from our backrow.

 

[TSR]

Gleeson & Samu aren’t slow. The difference is that they don’t have the workrate/field coverage of McReight or Hooper.

 

[stillmissit]

Some of these Giteau law players have been absolutely non existent when they join the national setup…. I think it’s a fair statement to say someone is using Rugby Australia as a free ticket home if their game is not up to scratch.

Tbh - I don’t see Kerevi and Cooper being difference makers - they are in this team on reputation only In my eyes. koribete is the only one with a bit of chop but even then would we say 2023 has seemed like a bit of a down year Thus far on the international stage

SX, normally enjoy your posts but I see Kerevi as the building block that our RWC Semi???? would be built on. If he ain't up to it, I suspect we might struggle to get out of the pool stage. Cooper as always is mercurial, he can win you a game easily and not do much another time. I am in the give Cooper time camp. Kerevi is a no brainer.

 

[stillmissit]

Gleeson & Samu aren’t slow. The difference is that they don’t have the workrate/field coverage of McReight or Hooper.

Very, true TSR but that work rate gets lost at the breakdown if the rest of the pack doesn't get there quickly enough to support them and that is the situation we had during Rennie's time and in the first Eddie games. I would argue that Samu's work rate for his 20 mins a game last year was right up there.

 

[Tomthumb]

SX, normally enjoy your posts but I see Kerevi as the building block that our RWC Semi???? would be built on. If he ain't up to it, I suspect we might struggle to get out of the pool stage. Cooper as always is mercurial, he can win you a game easily and not do much another time. I am in the give Cooper time camp. Kerevi is a no brainer.

I guess we aren’t getting out of the pool stage then

 

[stillmissit]

I'm guessing your day was around the 1920s?

Ha! Closer to the 1870s, when you could rely on them to tell the truth and do what was expected of them, to the best of their endeavours. Whilst not making excuses for piss-poor performances. They also supported their fellow players in what was a tough game and still is.
If you think what happened to Pocock is all OK with you. I am surprised you are on a site talking about young men enjoying the battle, risking injury and doing what you most probably never have been able to do.
No! I am not having a sensitive moment and I did think your previous post before this little potboiler was a good one!

 

[KOB1987]

SX, normally enjoy your posts but I see Kerevi as the building block that our RWC Semi???? would be built on. If he ain't up to it, I suspect we might struggle to get out of the pool stage. Cooper as always is mercurial, he can win you a game easily and not do much another time. I am in the give Cooper time camp. Kerevi is a no brainer.

I think the jury is very much out on Quade - if you'll recall in 2021 when Quade put in a few good games he had Kerevi outside him, I think Kerevi had to go back to Japan and Quade then played a couple of games with a different 12 and wasn't nearly as effective. For mine Quade needs Kerevi at 12, Kerevi doesn't necessarily need Quade at 10 though.

 

[stillmissit]

I guess we aren’t getting out of the pool stage then

I did state that we MiGHT struggle. I bloody hope you are wrong but if Kerevi is not there our chances drop.

 

[fatprop]

I think the jury is very much out on Quade - if you'll recall in 2021 when Quade put in a few good games he had Kerevi outside him, I think Kerevi had to go back to Japan and Quade then played a couple of games with a different 12 and wasn't nearly as effective. For mine Quade needs Kerevi at 12, Kerevi doesn't necessarily need Quade at 10 though.

I think the quarter back metaphor works well with quade, he is better when he has a "running back" to dump shit ball to, Digby was one his options for this at the Reds as well

 

[Tomthumb]

I did state that we MiGHT struggle. I bloody hope you are wrong but if Kerevi is not there our chances drop.

We all hope they do well, but relying on a guy coming back from ACL surgery to be great is not really a good strategy

 

[SouthernX]

Very, true TSR but that work rate gets lost at the breakdown if the rest of the pack doesn't get there quickly enough to support them and that is the situation we had during Rennie's time and in the first Eddie games. I would argue that Samu's work rate for his 20 mins a game last year was right up there.

Kerevi is a great talent and is the 1st preference for 12 , I do think he is underperforming… I’m just disappointed in rugby Australia, bending over backwards, tearing up their own rules all in the name of overseas talent.

If we are not going to win the World Cup with these gitea law players I’d much prefer repaying the faith with next gen super rugby players… give me a loyal Fraser Mcreight any day of the week over a overseas based Sean McMahon.

 

[KiwiM]

Presumably to do that you would need a pack that can compensate for the absence of a more athletic, mobile backrower. With Skelton lining up you'd think this is the opposite of what we need from our backrow.

I think the suggestion of Samu or Gleeson at 7 is more a reflection of what Hooper and McReight aren't providing. Hooper looks well off his best and McReight didn't exactly grab the opportunity with both hands last weekend. Both Hooper and McReight have looked a little lightweight in TRC so far. What's the value of an athletic mobile backrower if they can't physically match it at the breakdown.

 

[Joe Blow]

Kerevi is a great talent and is the 1st preference for 12 , I do think he is underperforming… I’m just disappointed in rugby Australia, bending over backwards, tearing up their own rules all in the name of overseas talent.

If we are not going to win the World Cup with these gitea law players I’d much prefer repaying the faith with next gen super rugby players… give me a loyal Fraser Mcreight any day of the week over a overseas based Sean McMahon.

I sort of agree but Kerevi is imperative to our cause. Foketi is serviceable but Kerevi in form transforms our backline and our 10. Chasing McMahon and Rory Arnold was fruitless. Chasing league players the same, but Kerevi is different. He is world class and gives our backline teeth.

 

[Joe Blow]

The other area we are lacking is in the second row. Arnold and Skelton are great. Big strong technicians but we lack dynamism at lock. I would have been looking at Darcy Swain again. There is something just a bit different about his game(besides the obvious flaw). He is a bit faster and more dynamic.
He is young and they could work on his discipline.

 

[Joe Blow]

I know Frost has the dynamism but I would include Swain as well.

 

[stillmissit]

I know Frost has the dynamism but I would include Swain as well.

Agree with both of these Joe. We need to make the most of this talent pool, considering we have been short of good locks for years. Frost's speed and Swain if they can tame his 'enthusiasm' would make a couple of good additions to the RWC squad.

 

[Adam84]

Swain and Swinton really only have themselves to blame, and it’s on them to get rid of the silly shit from their game.

no doubt Eddie & England targeted Swain during the last England series because they knew he would react.