Wallabies Tri Nations

[rsea]

That video is nauseating. How were we still in the game with kicking like that?

 

[Tiger]

Ah yes the "Fling".

Oh...wait....ahem....now I see what you mean....

 

[Scotty]

he may have, but I wouldn't consider him our answer for the fullback spot. Like the women say he may not be Mr Right, he may just be Mr Right Now. Happy for him to play the part now, but I reckon he's a way off the level I'd like our starting World Cup fullback to be. For me, that's a fit Cam Shepherd or a more mature James O'Connor.

My comment was to do with Richo saying he hadn't improved and implying he was crap. He has been playing fullback for one year, and hasn't played there for the wallabies, so of course he is a way off being our starting WC fullback.

Cam Shepherd is unlikely due to continuous injuries and he may not even play fullback at S15 next year. JOC (James O'Connor) might not even play FB next year for all we know. Anyway, we have a year to assess the options and decide. I have a suspicion that we won't be any closer to the world class fullback we so desire.

 

[fatprop]

he may have, but I wouldn't consider him our answer for the fullback spot. Like the women say he may not be Mr Right, he may just be Mr Right Now. Happy for him to play the part now, but I reckon he's a way off the level I'd like our starting World Cup fullback to be. For me, that's a fit Cam Shepherd or a more mature James O'Connor.

I actually thought Hynes was very very good in the S14 & the Baa Baas game at 15

I just like his decision making on counter from 15, he runs to support, beats defenders and is a real threat. JOC (James O'Connor) takes the show boat option too often. The ABs highlighted on Saturday what happens when your 15 counters smartly and doesn't isolate himself (but he needs units around him working back).

 

[rsea]

fatprop - Absolutely. Can he kick though?

 

[fatprop]

fatprop - Absolutely. Can he kick though?

I hope not, with the rules as is you want a 15 to counter first and keep the ball in hand. Mils isn't considered less of a 15 because he ain't the greatest kicker. He kicks it out when he has to, the rest of the time he is working to get to his supports and make something happen.

 

[rsea]

Point taken re Mills and I guess Kirchner fits into the same category. Certainly didn't hurt Hynes game during the S14 either

 

[en_force_er]

If you have a proper back 3 that supports each other then you can probably do with a fullback who can't kick SO well, but you would need 2 wingers that are great at it.

Obviously good kicking is a plus and serviceable kicking is a requirement. Hynes kicking is good enough.

 

[Scotty]

If you have a proper back 3 that supports each other then you can probably do with a fullback who can't kick SO well, but you would need 2 wingers that are great at it.

Obviously good kicking is a plus and serviceable kicking is a requirement. Hynes kicking is good enough.

That doesn't hurt the ABs.

 

[RugbyReg]

Part of me would like to see Gits at 15. For a number of reasons.

1) I think he is one of our best players, but I don't think he is playing his best footy at the moment. I don't think he is what we need at 10 or 12, in any combination (Cooper & Gits; Gits & Berrick; etc) but I think he is good enough to be in our starting team ahead of the likes of Berrick, JOC (James O'Connor) and KB (Kurtley Beale).
2) I think moving him to 15 will give him the challenge I think he is looking for/needs in elite footy at the moment. He looks frustrated and has been snooping overseas looking for other challenges. I reckon a significant positional change might be enough for him.
3) I think he has the game for it. He has an ace kicking game, his very solid in defence, reads the game very well, his a great runner of the ball (and more direct than JOC (James O'Connor) or KB (Kurtley Beale)) with decent pace.
4) I think we need his goal kicking. RWCs and most big trophies are won with good goal kicking. Come the RWC finals there are no 4 try bonus points. NB Burkie's 15 penalty goals in the 1999 RWC semi and then final. Gits is the best we have (once he gets over his current yips) and I still think I'd prefer to see him taking the key kicks next year rather than the likes of Quade, Berrick and JOC (James O'Connor).
5) I think it would work well for the Brumbies too. Back in 98 when McQueen wanted Bernie Larkham moved from 15 to 10, Eddie Jones didn't because he had David Knox at 10 (meaning that Bernie's first game at 10 was that brilliant performance v the Poms at Lang Park). So Bernie still had a couple of seasons (don't think he played the S12 season in 99 due to injury) at his new position. Gits could fit in a full S15 season, before the RWC. And with To'omua and Lealiifano, there's scope to make the move. Keep To'omua at 10, Lealiifano at 12 (where he played damn well this year) and let Gits move to 15, with AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) replacing Morty at 13. It's a very good backline for the Brums.

Thoughts?

 

[DPK]

Tis beautiful, Nod. But as with most good ideas, it wont happen.

 

[Reddy!]

Yeh Noddy, I've often had similar thoughts about playing Giteau (or Barnes) at fullback. Could be a masterstroke, but the Wallabies seriously have to settle on a starting team very soon.

 

[fatprop]

I think Gits would kick too much

 

[en_force_er]

From a defensive standpoint I think Barnes would be a better 15 but there is merit in playing Gitts there. The only trouble is we have missed the chance to blood him there in the less meaningful tests and positional play at 15 is a big deal (you just can't simulate match pressure).

In the 6N they love a good 5/8 to fullback switch (Cipps and Hook both played there internationally before they did for their clubs). It might work.

 

[Scotty]

Noddy,

There have been others (moi included) that have suggested Gits at 15.

My one big question mark would be his ability to take the high ball.

 

[Brumbies Guy]

Part of me would like to see Gits at 15.

Thoughts?

Brumbies had Giteau playing there a number of times late in the game when they were swifting To'omua or Christian to 10 and bringing a couple of the backs reserves on for some game time. He never really saw too much ball or defensive work to really gauge how he goes there, but seemed right in a positioning sense.

 

[Gnostic]

I am not a fan of playing people out of position. Giteau is a 12. He is not in good form (to say the least) ATM. If he isn't selected at 12 then I think he doesn't make the 22. He is not indespensable. ATM I think Barnes is in better form, but would start with Fainga'a at 12 with Barnes as reserve coverage for 10 and 12.

We have better options at fullback with JOC (James O'Connor), Shepherd, Beale, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Mitchell, Hynes (not in any order) all having experience in the position and not just 10 minutes at the end of a game.

 

[Joe Blow]

How is Gits under the high ball?

That is a big part of back 3 play these days and I don't think he is really up to it there.

 

[RedsHappy]

....Part of me would like to see Gits at 15. For a number of reasons. ....Thoughts?

RugbyReg, you are a superb observer of the game, far better than me, but I ask this: why do we never consider that perhaps Gits is just, at a deeper level, psychologically fatigued with the game and is being drained and negatively affected by that?

He's been playing for Aus since 2002, he's had a large variety of coaches, he's had to glue together some mediocre Wallabies on more than one occasion, from a young age he's been on and off various grand pedestals with all the complex pressures and expectations (and then fears of not being there any more) that creates, he knows for sure that his best (at least for now) is in the rear view mirror, and it's probably true that he and RD weren't born to love each other. He's not a huge bloke and he's been bashed hard by the biggest and best for all this time. It's a well known fact in top sports that even the best long cycle players can get a kind of deep-down fatigue that means the absolute best therapy is a _total_ break from their games for a decent period, 6 months or more. And then, they may come back super refreshed and better than ever, or they may never want to play again with the same pressures.

Perhaps we need to let go of Gits for a while. For his good, and the team's. He's not a talisman. He's not been playing well. One day he'll get a bad injury, or he'll have to leave us for some other reason. What better thing than he has a massive recharge, and comes back mightily for the S15 and maybe the RWC.

 

[RugbyReg]

I am not a fan of playing people out of position. Giteau is a 12. He is not in good form (to say the least) ATM. If he isn't selected at 12 then I think he doesn't make the 22. He is not indespensable. ATM I think Barnes is in better form, but would start with Fainga'a at 12 with Barnes as reserve coverage for 10 and 12.

We have better options at fullback with JOC (James O'Connor), Shepherd, Beale, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Mitchell, Hynes (not in any order) all having experience in the position and not just 10 minutes at the end of a game.

A agree as a centre, but not as a goal kicker and I think we need a first rate goal kicker to challenge for, not only the world cup, but for other trophies. And I would personally rate Giteau ahead of at least Beale and Mitchell as a fullback option.