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Wallaby Captaincy

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Gnostic

Mark Ella (57)
The problem for Mackenzie was after Moore was broken there were not any other immediate candidates for the position of Captain.

1) Horwill - out of form and really not that effective to even be a starter any more and his discipline has never been that good anyway. Last night's game was a great indicator of where he is at, concedes a penalty for lying on the ball and then the try with the ole defensive move on Aaron Smith (who took the tap more than 5 metres from the mark)
2) AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) - comes out in support of Beale in the media. Enough said. Support a mate, but do it face to face with the mate on a personal level.
3) Hooper - just not moderate enough on field with his interactions with the ref or authoritative enough with the team. Using base invective against the opposition does not raise one's standing with the officials. ALso do not forget his comments to the ref in Argentina MH "I've already told them twice" Owens "Well they're not listening. Its not my problem"
4) Slipper - The only other real option in my view as skipper. Perhaps would have been a good choice. I am dismayed that he was reported as one of the "senior" players who lobbied Link to retain Beale on the Argentina trip.
5) Higginbum - if Palu and McCalman were fit he would be lucky to make the 23, and I remain unsure he is a real leadership option.
6) Hodgeson - A real option, but his selection as Captain would mean a very unbalanced backrow if Hooper is a certainty of selection.

In this context the loss of Mowen is a big blow to the depth of candidates, as I think he would/should have been a walk up start this year. Link did make some big bloopers in calls around selection IMO such as Beale at 10, but the issue of the Captaincy isn't really one of them.
 
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Train Without a Station

Guest
The problem for Mackenzie was after Moore was broken there were not any other immediate candidates for the position of Captain.

1) Horwill - out of form and really not that effective to even be a starter any more and his discipline has never been that good anyway. Last night's game was a great indicator of where he is at, concedes a penalty for lying on the ball and then the try with the ole defensive move on Aaron Smith (who took the tap more than 5 metres from the mark)
2) AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) - comes out in support of Beale in the media. Enough said. Support a mate, but do it face to face with the mate on a personal level.
3) Hooper - just not moderate enough on field with his interactions with the ref or authoritative enough with the team. Using base invective against the opposition does not raise one's standing with the officials. ALso do not forget his comments to the ref in Argentina MH "I've already told them twice" Owens "Well they're not listening. Its not my problem"
4) Slipper - The only other real option in my view as skipper. Perhaps would have been a good choice. I am dismayed that he was reported as one of the "senior" players who lobbied Link to retain Beale on the Argentina trip.
5) Higginbum - if Palu and McCalman were fit he would be lucky to make the 23, and I remain unsure he is a real leadership option.
6) Hodgeson - A real option, but his selection as Captain would mean a very unbalanced backrow if Hooper is a certainty of selection.

In this context the loss of Mowen is a big blow to the depth of candidates, as I think he would/should have been a walk up start this year. Link did make some big bloopers in calls around selection IMO such as Beale at 10, but the issue of the Captaincy isn't really one of them.

Mowen would have been 4th choice at 8 and after the EOYT would have been 2nd choice at 6 at best. Great leader, but not a certain starter. Could potentially fall out of a fully fit squad even.
 

Tomikin

Simon Poidevin (60)
Mowen would have been 4th choice at 8 and after the EOYT would have been 2nd choice at 6 at best. Great leader, but not a certain starter. Could potentially fall out of a fully fit squad even.
Maybe that's the choice you make.. We won alot when he was Captain.

"Attitude reflects leadership"
 
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Train Without a Station

Guest
Tomikin, the England loss was a terrible loss from a winning position. Mowen had his faults too.
 

Tomikin

Simon Poidevin (60)
Tomikin, the England loss was a terrible loss from a winning position. Mowen had his faults too.
Of course but we never questioned him did we.

I've been closer as I follow the Brumbies. The guy wasn't the best player, although the best lineout runner. But as he said he does the shitters. There is so much their you can respect in the man. Even the leaving for family.

You have to admit we could do with having a bit of that around now.

Not saying I don't respect the guy's skills traits and Izzy TK Hooper Are great AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) Carter Simmions all too.

But I look at Mowen Moore and Horwill. Their the guys who just have something to trust.
 
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Train Without a Station

Guest
We cod use his leadership. But we are saying that when our first choice captain and a lot of experienced leaders are missing.

He plays in the most competitive position in any team, the back row. You can't carry a 4th choice player as a certain starter there.
 

swingpass

Peter Sullivan (51)
We cod use his leadership. But we are saying that when our first choice captain and a lot of experienced leaders are missing.

He plays in the most competitive position in any team, the back row. You can't carry a 4th choice player as a certain starter there.

well why not ?
the plan is to have the best team, not necessarily the best 15 individuals.
players are often selected as to how they best fit into the game plan. it's an australian thing , select your best player as the captain, cricket, aussie rules rugby, etc but a very outdated concept in professional sport.
if a player, not necessarily the best in his position is the best fit for leadership then they should be the captain. Mowen was good as a captain.
 

Gnostic

Mark Ella (57)
Mowen would have been 4th choice at 8 and after the EOYT would have been 2nd choice at 6 at best. Great leader, but not a certain starter. Could potentially fall out of a fully fit squad even.

I would have had Mowen as 2nd in line for 8 after Palu and 2nd in line for 6 behind Fardy. Higgers had by far his best game for the Wallabies last night and has huge potential, but when there is a dearth of leadership options the second choice becomes first choice IMO. The early lineout issues of the TRC would have been mitigated as well and a real point of difference in the forwards in Skelton would also have become a real option. There are a lot of pluses in having been able to keep Mowen in Australian Rugby. The loss of his calibre of player is a real issue.
 

fatprop

George Gregan (70)
Staff member
I would have had Mowen as 2nd in line for 8 after Palu and 2nd in line for 6 behind Fardy. Higgers had by far his best game for the Wallabies last night and has huge potential, but when there is a dearth of leadership options the second choice becomes first choice IMO. The early lineout issues of the TRC would have been mitigated as well and a real point of difference in the forwards in Skelton would also have become a real option. There are a lot of pluses in having been able to keep Mowen in Australian Rugby. The loss of his calibre of player is a real issue.

Well, you answered your own question

2nd best means he just doesn't meet the simple key criteria being chosen in the run on side

He isn't near the first choice option
 

Gnostic

Mark Ella (57)
Well, you answered your own question

2nd best means he just doesn't meet the simple key criteria being chosen in the run on side

He isn't near the first choice option

The qualifier as stated that 2nd choice becomes first choice in the case of the lack of leadership options.
 

Tomikin

Simon Poidevin (60)
And ill support them both if it's Hooper, Horwill friggin JOC (James O'Connor).. I'm all in balls deep. I'm sick of off field bullshit I'll cheer support back the gold like when I was 6 and dad took me to games..
 

BaysideBird

Bill Watson (15)
Just to add to that he's only (just!) 23 and in many ways it's pretty unfair to expect someone that age to be good at a skill like captaincy.

He's played under 6 other captains in less than 2 years too, not really a very good apprenticeship.


McCaw was vice at 23 and captain at 25...

I think theres a lot of people that look at Hooper and see a good player but not a talisman of the Wallabies such as Eales, Farr-Jones or Kearns. Those players, along with McCaw, could manage their team and also manage the referee, silently influencing their decisions. Hooper just doesnt have that natural trait to manipulate people. When questioning the referee Hooper more Frustrated than probing.
 
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Train Without a Station

Guest
The qualifier as stated that 2nd choice becomes first choice in the case of the lack of leadership options.

So we're lacking running strength severely in the back row, evidenced by Hooper running the ball more than in 2013 because he is our best option and you reckon the 8 with the 2nd weakest running game in all aus is the 2nd choice 8 and 2nd choice 6?

For what he need in the team he's at best 4th choice at 8 and possibly even 3rd choice at 6. Otherwise the only thing he'd be leading us too is getting smashed behind the advantage line.

Let's remember his physicality and position were heavily questioned in last years rugby championship.
 
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