Wallabies Watch

[Brumby Runner]

So we have

1 Robbo
2 Moore
3 Palmer or Slipper
4 Douglas
5 Horwill
6 Mowen or MMM
7 Smith
8 Palu
9 Genia
10 Cooper
11 Ioane
12 Lilo or Taps
13 AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
14 Folau
15 JOC (James O'Connor)

16 TPN
17 Alexander
18 Palmer or Slipper
19 MMM or Mowen
20 Gill or Hooper
21 White
22 Lilo or Taps
23 Mogg

For me, not many question marks.

This is very close imo. If MMM is fit, I would have him at 6 and Mowen at 8 based on this year's form. Also, I don't think JO'C deserves a spot on his current form. I like Folau at 15 and think he will shine there at test level. Moggy on the bench to cover wing and 15. Other wing starting place to Tomane until HB is back fit and raring to go.

 

[Brumby Runner]

People keep saying that but it isn't true. Folau took a substantial pay cut to come to rugby.

This is a bit disingenuous isn't it? Without Rugby this year, he would have taken a 100% pay cut. He was to all intents and purposes finished in AFL and the NRL couldn't offer him a contract position as I recall.

 

[Train Without a Station]

Taps is underrated in this regard, I think. He doesn't need to play this role for the Reds, but he creates space and is a good and willing passer. He probably can't step into 10 like Lilo can, but he's certainly not one-dimensional like McCabe.

I have seen Taps play 10 in club rugby. Freakish ball skills. Obviously not the same level of rugby. More so just highlighting your point that he is not one-dimensional. Taps is more the Horan mould 12, that could probably play 10 at Super level, where Lilo is more the NZ 2nd five mould 12, that is a 10 playing 12. Comes down to the player you want. favour Taps for 2 reasons. First is he is an inside centre, not a 10 playing 12, not a 13 playing 12, not a winger/fullback playing 12. He is a 12 out and out. Secondly, his history defensively shutting down the teams with big, strong, line breaking midfields (SBW & Fruen at Crusaders 2011, SBW & Kahui at the Chiefs 2012, Aki & Kahui at the Chiefs 2013), whilst still being a great, creative, attacking player, unlike Pat McCabe for example.

 

[jay-c]

its all about combinations for me
genia, cooper, taps

 

[Richo]

I'd favour Lilo by a bee's dick or two, but otherwise totally agree with you.

 

[Train Without a Station]

Yeah personal preference really and how you are going to play. Also if To'omua, was at 10 (or any other less experienced 10), Lilo would be a better option as well I think as he can take some of that responsibility.

 

[something]

Good post train without a station. If i were selecting the wobs backline i'd pick Taps at 12 for exactly that reason. I'd also have lilo on the bench though because he can cover both 10 & 12.

9. Genia (white)
10. Quade (Lilo/JOC (James O'Connor))
11. Digby (Folau)
12. Taps (Lilo)
13. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
14. JOC (James O'Connor) (Folau)
15. Mogg (Folau/Lilo)

5-3 bench with White, Lilo & Folau

Similarly to O'connor, Lilo off the bench offers so much as they can cover so many positions. Lilo has to be in the team in my books.

Barnes & McCabe should stay well away from the wallabies

 

[Richo]

It's kind of amazing, really, the degree of consensus on G&GR. I don't recall so many people having such similar Wallaby teams in the past.

When Deans selects McCabe for the first test, this place is going to explode.

 

[Rebel rouser]

I have seen Taps play 10 in club rugby. Freakish ball skills. Obviously not the same level of rugby. More so just highlighting your point that he is not one-dimensional. Taps is more the Horan mould 12, that could probably play 10 at Super level, where Lilo is more the NZ 2nd five mould 12, that is a 10 playing 12. Comes down to the player you want. favour Taps for 2 reasons. First is he is an inside centre, not a 10 playing 12, not a 13 playing 12, not a winger/fullback playing 12. He is a 12 out and out. Secondly, his history defensively shutting down the teams with big, strong, line breaking midfields (SBW & Fruen at Crusaders 2011, SBW & Kahui at the Chiefs 2012, Aki & Kahui at the Chiefs 2013), whilst still being a great, creative, attacking player, unlike Pat McCabe for example.

This is a completely fair argument. I think it's very hard to split them. I don't think Taps form is quite at his all time best though, but he has a few months before the lions.

But I think this goes back to my previous post. It's a philosophy question. How do you want your backline to run. Personally, I like the second 5/8th model so I go Lilo. But otherwise they are pretty much neck and neck

 

[Joe Blow]

I think Mowen would be a great starter at 6 with Smith at 7 and Palu at 8. MMM on the bench to cover 4/5/6 and Gill or Hooper as the back row reserve. This gives you a lot of flexibility with your back row throughout the game.

 

[cyclopath]

It's kind of amazing, really, the degree of consensus on G&GR. I don't recall so many people having such similar Wallaby teams in the past.

When Deans selects McCabe for the first test, this place is going to explode.

I really don't think he will. Tapuai, Leliifano have been going very well, can do all McCabe does and more. And McCabe has been hardly sighted. For that matter, Horne has played more time, and at 12 looks much better for the Tahs than he did at 13. I'd pick him over McCabe. But the other 2 are the goods.

 

[Richo]

I really don't think he will. Tapuai, Leliifano have been going very well, can do all McCabe does and more. And McCabe has been hardly sighted. For that matter, Horne has played more time, and at 12 looks much better for the Tahs than he did at 13. I'd pick him over McCabe. But the other 2 are the goods.

I don't think he will either. But I'm preparing myself (and others) emotionally just in case. Bitten by the Dingo too many times before.

 

[Rebel rouser]

I think Mowen would be a great starter at 6 with Smith at 7 and Palu at 8. MMM on the bench to cover 4/5/6 and Gill or Hooper as the back row reserve. This gives you a lot of flexibility with your back row throughout the game.

I agree, I would pick Mowen in 6. Higgers, MMM and him all offer a similar skill set. However, what sets him apart is his composure and the fact that he calls the lineout rather than just jumping. Assuming that 4/5 is Horwill and Douglas, I would have Mowen calling. This takes one thing off Horwill's plate when he is captaining and gives him more time to consider game management etc.

 

[RugbyNut101]

I agree that Lelifano is the form 12 of the australian conference and that the second ball player primarily plays at 12, but the most likely candidates at 15 for the wallabies, Beale, JOC (James O'Connor) and Barnes are all 2nd ball players, all former 10's (maybe not JOC (James O'Connor)). Then again, if we had 2 big wingers who could do the grunt work (like the welsh wingers) then we could aford to have 3 ball players but we just dont have the size to counter Roberts and Tuilagi. So my pick is Taps or the inevitable Mcabe

 

[BDA]

1 Alexander
2 Moore
3 Palmer
4 Douglas / Simo
5 Horwill
6 Mowen
7 Smith
8 Palu
9 Genia
10 Cooper
11 Ioane
12 Taps
13 AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
14 Folau
15 JOC (James O'Connor)
16 TPN
17 Robbo
18 Slipper
19 MMM
20 Gill
21 White
22 Lilo
23 Mogg

Players to round out the squad - Cowan, Tomane, Hooper, Beale, Fotu, Simo, Timani, Higgers, McCabe/Horne

 

[tigerland12]

Just a few thoughts on the props.

Alexander and Slipper have been the best props this season. Palmer has his moments, great scrummager but is not really offering much else (although he can, he isn't right now). Robinson has been improving but the jury is still out IMO.

Slipper has been underrated this year, I think he is one of the (if not the) most consistent Reds player. His scrummaging is actually pretty good this year, the Reds scrum has been solid, and when we have been pinged its almost always Greg Holmes.

 

[Bowside]

Getting back to the original aim of this thread.

Bernard Foley has impressed me. I think along with cooper he is the form flyhalf in the conference.

 

[cyclopath]

Getting back to the original aim of this thread.

Bernard Foley has impressed me. I think along with cooper he is the form flyhalf in the conference.

I think he has certainly been the most improved. It's nice from a Tahs point of view to have that question answered, and who knows, in the future he could aim for higher honours, at least as a pretty good back up. Nice to have some good variety of 10 options running around in Oz.

 

[RoffsChoice]

Cooper, Foley and To'omua are rotating as best Australian 10 in the competition.

 

[Groucho]

This is a bit disingenuous isn't it? Without Rugby this year, he would have taken a 100% pay cut. He was to all intents and purposes finished in AFL and the NRL couldn't offer him a contract position as I recall.

I don't think it's disingenuous at all. He had a higher offer from Kevin Sheedy and he turned it down. Saying he went from AFL to rugby for the money because rugby offered a nonzero amount is a real stretch. If that were the case then a checkout job in Coles could be portrayed the same way.