• Welcome to the Green and Gold Rugby forums. As you can see we've upgraded the forums to new software. Your old logon details should work, just click the 'Login' button in the top right.

Wallabies 2023

rugbyAU

rugbyAU

Arch Winning (36)
Hawko said:
Like any good coach, Eddie will have a plan on how he wants selection to go over the tournament. Like any war, plans have to change as soon as contact with the enemy occurs, but making the plan informs your strategy and individual tactics, training intensity day to day, injury rehab etc.
Here's my guess at what Eddie will do based on his overall reads on players so far:


Position​
vs Georgia​
vs Fiji​
vs Wales​
vs Portugal​
Team for the finals​
5:3​
6:2​
6:2​
5:3​
6:2​
Loose headBellBellBellSlipperBell
HookerPoreckiPoreckiPoreckiFaesslerPorecki
Tight headTupouTupouTupouFa'amausiliTupou
LockFrostArnoldFrostPhilipFrost
LockSkeltonSkeltonSkeltonArnoldSkelton
BlindsideLeotaHooperHooperLeotaHooper
Open sideMcReightMcReightMcReightKemenyMcReight
Number EightValetiniValetiniValetiniGleesonValetini
Finishing hookerUeleseFaesslerFaesslerUeleseFaessler
Finishing loose headSlipperSlipperSlipperSchoupSlipper
Finishing tight headFa'amausiliFa'amausiliFa'amusiliNonggorrFa'amausili
Finishing lockArnoldFrostArnoldArnoldArnold
Finishing lock/backrowLeotaLeotaFrostLeota
Finishing backrowGleesonGleesonGleesonGleeson
HalfWhiteMcDermottMcDermottFines-LeleiwasaMcDermott
Five-eighthGordonGordonGordonDonaldsonGordon
Blind wingerKorobeiteKorobeiteKorobeiteVunivaluKorobeite
Inside centreFoketiKereviKereviFoketiKerevi
Outside centrePetaiaPetaiaPetaiaPetaia/IkitauIkitau
Outside wingVunivaluNawaqanitawaseNawaqanitawaseNawaqanitawaseNawaqanitawase
FullbackKellawayKellawayKellawayJorgensenKellaway
Finishing halfbackMcDermottWhiteWhiteWhiteWhite
Finishing backsKerevi/DonaldsonDonaldsonDonaldsonIkitau/PetaiaPetaia

I think using 6:2 in the important games allows us to shore up our deficiencies, which are likely to be in the forwards. Injury disasters are more easily fixed by shuffling the backs.

I am assuming we will lose one player over the tournament. Ikitau should be the automatic replacement unless we have to replace Gordon, in which case it has to be Foley. My reason for saying that is that Ikitau is one of the automatic picks in the team if fit. In another three weeks he should be good to go. In the finals, that leaves Petaia as supersub - he would go to fullback and Kellaway to five-eighth in case Gordon gets an in-game knock.
Click to expand...
I’d want to have Frost & Phillip before Arnold, it would be great to have Ikitau back in his injury was 6-8 weeks and it’s been about that so hopefully he’s back soon
 
fatprop

fatprop

George Gregan (70)
Staff member
Namerican said:
IMO it is madness that your 9,10,12 pairing has a combined 30ish caps.
Click to expand...
Once you decide that playing off 9 isn't going to work, Tate became the starting option

You have the elderly 10 not playing well after injury, Jones had to decide whether to persist with Cooper or pull the band aid off and go for the only 10 with some form we have

And then you lose your experienced 12, and your best back from 13

Defensive cohesion will be the issue throughout this tournament
 
stillmissit

stillmissit

Chilla Wilson (44)
Purce said:
Foketi was poor on the weekend. I was really impressed with him last year but he looked really out of sorts v France the other day.

Looked like Paisami had a decent game for A?

I think the date has passed for any squad changes though.
Click to expand...
Not sure poor is the description I would use but we are all comparing him to Kerevi.
 
N

Namerican

Bill Watson (15)
fatprop said:
Once you decide that playing off 9 isn't going to work, Tate became the starting option

You have the elderly 10 not playing well after injury, Jones had to decide whether to persist with Cooper or pull the band aid off and go for the only 10 with some form we have

And then you lose your experienced 12, and your best back from 13

Defensive cohesion will be the issue throughout this tournament
Click to expand...
Whatever the rationale, it is still wild to have so many inexperienced/young players in a RWC starting 15/23. Any normal team would plan years out to have players ready to go and experienced come the RWC, but Australia changed the coach and here we are.
 
stillmissit

stillmissit

Chilla Wilson (44)
Hawko said:
Like any good coach, Eddie will have a plan on how he wants selection to go over the tournament. Like any war, plans have to change as soon as contact with the enemy occurs, but making the plan informs your strategy and individual tactics, training intensity day to day, injury rehab etc.
Here's my guess at what Eddie will do based on his overall reads on players so far:


Position​
vs Georgia​
vs Fiji​
vs Wales​
vs Portugal​
Team for the finals​
5:3​
6:2​
6:2​
5:3​
6:2​
Loose headBellBellBellSlipperBell
HookerPoreckiPoreckiPoreckiFaesslerPorecki
Tight headTupouTupouTupouFa'amausiliTupou
LockFrostArnoldFrostPhilipFrost
LockSkeltonSkeltonSkeltonArnoldSkelton
BlindsideLeotaHooperHooperLeotaHooper
Open sideMcReightMcReightMcReightKemenyMcReight
Number EightValetiniValetiniValetiniGleesonValetini
Finishing hookerUeleseFaesslerFaesslerUeleseFaessler
Finishing loose headSlipperSlipperSlipperSchoupSlipper
Finishing tight headFa'amausiliFa'amausiliFa'amusiliNonggorrFa'amausili
Finishing lockArnoldFrostArnoldArnoldArnold
Finishing lock/backrowLeotaLeotaFrostLeota
Finishing backrowGleesonGleesonGleesonGleeson
HalfWhiteMcDermottMcDermottFines-LeleiwasaMcDermott
Five-eighthGordonGordonGordonDonaldsonGordon
Blind wingerKorobeiteKorobeiteKorobeiteVunivaluKorobeite
Inside centreFoketiKereviKereviFoketiKerevi
Outside centrePetaiaPetaiaPetaiaPetaia/IkitauIkitau
Outside wingVunivaluNawaqanitawaseNawaqanitawaseNawaqanitawaseNawaqanitawase
FullbackKellawayKellawayKellawayJorgensenKellaway
Finishing halfbackMcDermottWhiteWhiteWhiteWhite
Finishing backsKerevi/DonaldsonDonaldsonDonaldsonIkitau/PetaiaPetaia

I think using 6:2 in the important games allows us to shore up our deficiencies, which are likely to be in the forwards. Injury disasters are more easily fixed by shuffling the backs.

I am assuming we will lose one player over the tournament. Ikitau should be the automatic replacement unless we have to replace Gordon, in which case it has to be Foley. My reason for saying that is that Ikitau is one of the automatic picks in the team if fit. In another three weeks he should be good to go. In the finals, that leaves Petaia as supersub - he would go to fullback and Kellaway to five-eighth in case Gordon gets an in-game knock.
Click to expand...
Thanks a lot, great effort but I ain't sure White will lead the 9 battles.
 
Braveheart81

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
Namerican said:
Any normal team would plan years out to have players ready to go and experienced come the RWC, but Australia changed the coach and here we are.
Click to expand...

We were somewhat heading in the same direction with Rennie as well. Lolesio had been anointed as the 10 for much of his time in charge and by the time he got fired at the end of 2022 Rennie had basically moved on from him.
 
Tomthumb

Tomthumb

Colin Windon (37)
Namerican said:
Whatever the rationale, it is still wild to have so many inexperienced/young players in a RWC starting 15/23. Any normal team would plan years out to have players ready to go and experienced come the RWC, but Australia changed the coach and here we are.
Click to expand...
We are only in this mess because Rennie failed to develop players in any of these positions
 
fatprop

fatprop

George Gregan (70)
Staff member
Namerican said:
Whatever the rationale, it is still wild to have so many inexperienced/young players in a RWC starting 15/23. Any normal team would plan years out to have players ready to go and experienced come the RWC, but Australia changed the coach and here we are.
Click to expand...
The "planning" just hasn't worked, we have been quite shit for ages, so we could either try something else and continue to fail playing the same shit, failed rugby

Personally, I don't think this will be much better, but there is no fit player left out of this squad that is markedly better
 
Tomthumb

Tomthumb

Colin Windon (37)
fatprop said:
What players weren't "developed"?, and when was test rugby where you develop players?

Rennie gave a load opportunities, none that even did reasonably have been left out
Click to expand...
Tate McDermott wasnt developed, Noah Lolesio wasn't developed. Both were used as human yo-yo's in and out of the squad as if Rennie was picking his team out of a hat

Developing international players is entirely normal. Young players don't just become great test players overnight
 
fatprop

fatprop

George Gregan (70)
Staff member
McDermott was not developed, but is now captain? OK ...............

Noah Lolesio has had a load of chances (he has 20 caps and has been in the squads for a few years)
 
Braveheart81

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
Tomthumb said:
Tate McDermott wasnt developed, Noah Lolesio wasn't developed. Both were used as human yo-yo's in and out of the squad as if Rennie was picking his team out of a hat

Developing international players is entirely normal. Young players don't just become great test players overnight
Click to expand...

McDermott was further down the pecking order for Rennie which at times was a bit of a mystery.

Lolesio has played at least 17 tests and a lot of those have been starting. I think he failed to develop more than wasn't developed. I don't think he'd be our first choice player now even if he'd played every test under Rennie.
 
dru

dru

Tim Horan (67)
Derpus said:
Dude is easily good enough to be the backup 10 the squad doesnt currently have. Sure, run Carter because he's more dynamic. But what's the harm in carrying an 80% goalkicker in the squad?
Click to expand...

Yeah. It makes no sense to me. BUT like Quade it's kind of irrelevant right now.
 
LeCheese

LeCheese

Peter Johnson (47)
Derpus said:
Dude is easily good enough to be the backup 10 the squad doesnt currently have. Sure, run Carter because he's more dynamic. But what's the harm in carrying an 80% goalkicker in the squad?
Click to expand...
Carter Gordon who?

Edit: this is a misquote, it was just "Carter Gordon?" - for the second time today, I am an idiot
 
Tomthumb

Tomthumb

Colin Windon (37)
Braveheart81 said:
McDermott was further down the pecking order for Rennie which at times was a bit of a mystery.

Lolesio has played at least 17 tests and a lot of those have been starting. I think he failed to develop more than wasn't developed. I don't think he'd be our first choice player now even if he'd played every test under Rennie.
Click to expand...
In regards to McDermott, the inconsistent way both he and Jake Gordon were dealt with didnt help either. These guys are human and confidence is a real thing, it's not a video game

In regards to Lolesio, I thought he was developing. He was solid and a really consistent goal kicker. Played pretty well in the England series last year and his reward was being dropped to the 4th string option out of the blue

Say what you want about Eddie, he's going to stick with Carter Gordon and ride through the normal tough times of a young player in hopes of developing someone for the long term
 
Braveheart81

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
Tomthumb said:
In regards to Lolesio, I thought he was developing. He was solid and a really consistent goal kicker. Played pretty well in the England series last year and his reward was being dropped to the 4th string option out of the blue
Click to expand...

Did he? He was ok from my memory and his goal kicking in that series was good. He made the crucial mistake in the third test going for a loose ball which resulted in the try to Marcus Smith that won the series.

Rennie had already moved to bring in Cooper in 2021.

Lolesio was solid at best in my view and I don't think was ever going to really improve to a level above where he was at that point. He was a pretty obvious selection through most of that time because there wasn't anyone else but I don't think there's an alternate universe where a different coach or getting selected a few more times suddenly makes him a much better player.

Carter Gordon (aside from the goalkicking) pretty clearly has a higher ceiling than Lolesio ever did. Arguably his play so far is as good as anything Lolesio produced after several years in the setup. Obviously Gordon was never an option for Rennie to select but likewise I don't think Lolesio was poorly managed by Rennie. He got a lot of opportunity.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top