Wallaby 31 players for 2015 RWC

[Scrubber2050]

He can kick from 22 to 22, is that not good enough?

Mate he IS a shithouse kicker. When did he kick the 22 to 22 or was it just straight up and down.

 

[Scrubber2050]

He had a below average EOYT at the end of a very long season but realistically, how can you say that his test career has been anything short of excellent so far?

There are things he needs to work on like any player but Folau is clearly our best fullback. He also just won the John Eales Medal.

He routinely makes lot of metres after contact and is good at getting us over the advantage line and onto the front foot.

It seems some people are using a couple of average tests as an indication he should be replaced. I certainly don't see it happening.

Hooper shoulda won the Medal with Slipper a close second. My Tin Hat Conspiracy is alive and well. All about keeping him in the game after RWC. The bloke will go. So far in his footballing careerwhether at NRL or AFL (and npw rugby) he has never shown any loyalty for a particular game . Its all been about the $$$$$$$$. If you disagree with that comment you need to take a real look at yourself (Personally I don't have a problem with guys chasing the $$$$ - but at least be honest about it))

Personally I think Australia would be better served with Izzy playing wing

 

[fatprop]

I never realised Folau is such a shit rugby player

 

[Tomikin]

Folau is a fantastic athlete and his still learning rugby.. In no team and no world do we not need him... He may not be perfect but his better then most

 

[Tomikin]

I never realised Folau is such a shit rugby player

Well his kinda slow and plays for the Tahs

 

[Viking]

lol what a load of shit. you're right about the angles though

He has a long punt. Certainly further then Foley's our primary wallaby kicker. He does look very uncomfortable kicking though, which I find bizarre given his AFL training.

 

[Tomikin]

He has a long punt. Certainly further then Foley's our primary wallaby kicker. He does look very uncomfortable kicking though, which I find bizarre given his AFL training.

Its funny who kicks.. Brumbies used White..But.Link liked To'omua.. Cheika gone Foley (he understandable as he knows it) our best kicker is Quade now.. But too me we don't understand who should kick let alone who can

 

[Lorenzo]

I've got a longer punt than Foley.

 

[Lorenzo]

You're all obsessed with what we need to do when we have the ball and are in a position to attack. Every post is just dripping with attack, attack, attack.

What about the other 75 percent of the time? When they have the ball, or we have the ball and are in our own half? Why aren't people more concerned about this?

The fullback needs to be able to slam the fucking ball down the other end of the park. Folau looks bloody uncomfortable kicking the ball and despite assurances made in this very thread that he can reliably kick the ball 56 metres (like hell) he has never shown that he can do that at test level in any consistent fashion if at all.

I am not an advocate of him being dropped. He's about perfect for the wing.

Our half-exit has been fucking atrocious this year. Appalling. Even the shithouse Fox commentators are starting to pick up on it.

We're going to get pinned in our own half and give away points. It's guaranteed to happen. And when it happens in a must-win match and we lose, half this board will blame the forward pack regardless of how they performed, and the others will pick players from a S15 franchise they dont support and blame them, and there'll be much confusion about why ball-in-hand failed again even though major deficiencies in the lineup are obvious as fuck and will have been for more than a year.

 

[Brumby Runner]

He can kick from 22 to 22, is that not good enough?

His stand out attempt to kick out of the 22 in the match against England went approximately 5m high and 20m in the air before bouncing. Not what I'd call an adequate boot for a test full back. He must be able to kick better than that, or be taught to, but atm he isn't the complete full back at test level.

 

[Viking]

You're all obsessed with what we need to do when we have the ball and are in a position to attack. Every post is just dripping with attack, attack, attack.

What about the other 75 percent of the time? When they have the ball, or we have the ball and are in our own half? Why aren't people more concerned about this?

The fullback needs to be able to slam the fucking ball down the other end of the park. Folau looks bloody uncomfortable kicking the ball and despite assurances made in this very thread that he can reliably kick the ball 56 metres (like hell) he has never shown that he can do that at test level in any consistent fashion if at all.

I am not an advocate of him being dropped. He's about perfect for the wing.

Our half-exit has been fucking atrocious this year. Appalling. Even the shithouse Fox commentators are starting to pick up on it.

We're going to get pinned in our own half and give away points. It's guaranteed to happen. And when it happens in a must-win match and we lose, half this board will blame the forward pack regardless of how they performed, and the others will pick players from a S15 franchise they dont support and blame them, and there'll be much confusion about why ball-in-hand failed again even though major deficiencies in the lineup are obvious as fuck and will have been for more than a year.

We already have 2 kickers in To'omua and Foley in the backline. It's not vital for Falou to kick too. Compare this to the All Blacks who also only have 2 kickers and do just fine.

We just need a better and clearer exit strategy, and our kickers need to do better. To'omua is usually good with the boot, but had a poor Test season. Foley needs a lot of work.

Potentially, Quade to come back will help as well as JOC (James O'Connor) on the wing will be a boost too.

Unless a genuine fullback suddenly arises which I don't see happening, maybe Mogg will step up and start tackling, Morahan might have an outstanding season, they are probably your best best bet but even that is still out of left field.

Stick with Folau.

 

[Highlander35]

The Darkness normally have 3 kickers: Fly Half, Dagg and Ben Smith. On top of that, Aaron Smith is a great kick from 9, and both the centers are half-decent field kicks.

That's not to say Australia need plenty of kickers, but a third decent one in a position e.g. JOC (James O'Connor) on the wing, would be pretty good for them to have.

 

[Braveheart81]

The biggest improvement Australia could add to our backline kicking is a left footed kicker somewhere in the mix.

The video on kicking from The Dead Ball Area was very good. Often we should have cleared a phase or two earlier than we did. I understand the desire to truck it up for a phase before clearing but often we put ourselves under more pressure and in a poorer position after doign that than if we'd just cleared immediately.

 

[fatprop]

Our half-exit has been fucking atrocious this year. Appalling. Even the shithouse Fox commentators are starting to pick up on it.

We're going to get pinned in our own half and give away points. It's guaranteed to happen. And when it happens in a must-win match and we lose, half this board will blame the forward pack regardless of how they performed, and the others will pick players from a S15 franchise they dont support and blame them, and there'll be much confusion about why ball-in-hand failed again even though major deficiencies in the lineup are obvious as fuck and will have been for more than a year.

I see that as a team issue, not player specific and the kick may or may not be answer.

 

[Viking]

The Darkness normally have 3 kickers: Fly Half, Dagg and Ben Smith. On top of that, Aaron Smith is a great kick from 9, and both the centers are half-decent field kicks.

That's not to say Australia need plenty of kickers, but a third decent one in a position e.g. JOC (James O'Connor) on the wing, would be pretty good for them to have.

I stand corrected.

 

[Lorenzo]

We already have 2 kickers in To'omua and Foley in the backline. It's not vital for Falou to kick too. Compare this to the All Blacks who also only have 2 kickers and do just fine.

We just need a better and clearer exit strategy, and our kickers need to do better. To'omua is usually good with the boot, but had a poor Test season. Foley needs a lot of work.

Potentially, Quade to come back will help as well as JOC (James O'Connor) on the wing will be a boost too.

Unless a genuine fullback suddenly arises which I don't see happening, maybe Mogg will step up and start tackling, Morahan might have an outstanding season, they are probably your best best bet but even that is still out of left field.

Stick with Folau.

Weve one test quality kicker and that is To'omua, who plays in the centres. It's disingenuous to say that we have two and that's fine because the ABs cope with two. Their kickers are in the correct places, one of them isn't Foley, and the other can kick it 60 metres plus.

I can't believe anyone that watched the euro tour can think that our 22/half exit strategy is anything but grossly deficient and that this is primarily attributable to not having good kickers in the right places, including fullback.

 

[fatprop]

Weve one test quality kicker and that is To'omua, who plays in the centres. It's disingenuous to say that we have two and that's fine because the ABs cope with two. Their kickers are in the correct places.

I can't believe anyone that watched the euro tour can think that our 22/half exit strategy is anything but grossly deficient and that this is primarily attributable to not having good kickers in the right places, including fullback.

I think the strategy will be improved, but having an improved kicking game is the least of our issues

 

[Viking]

Weve one test quality kicker and that is To'omua, who plays in the centres. It's disingenuous to say that we have two and that's fine because the ABs cope with two. Their kickers are in the correct places, one of them isn't Foley, and the other can kick it 60 metres plus.

I can't believe anyone that watched the euro tour can think that our 22/half exit strategy is anything but grossly deficient and that this is primarily attributable to not having good kickers in the right places, including fullback.

Look I agree, our exist strategy on the EOYT was horrible. But optimistically I can see this improving dramatically next year. Cooper, To'omua can step up this area, Falou and Foley can improve. An additional kicker on the wing in JOC (James O'Connor) will help too. As well as better coaching and strategy.

Of coarse it would be most efficient if we had Test quality kickers in the right positions at fullback and flyhalf - but we don't. Flyhalf we can have Quade but who is there at fullback? JOC (James O'Connor), AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Beale aren't outstanding kickers and average at best Test fullbacks, so that leaves Mogg as the only great kicker but we all know how he is.

I would go something like this:
9: Genia - average kicker
10. Cooper - good kicker
11. Speight - poor kicker
12. To'omua - good kicker
13. Kuridrani - poor kicker
14. JOC (James O'Connor) - good kicker
15. Folau - average kicker

That's 2 average kickers and 3 good kickers, and only 2 players who don't kick for next year without having to shift Folau.

I'd be interesting to know your thoughts on other fullback options?

 

[aka_the_think]

I'd be interesting to know your thoughts on other fullback options?

Karmichael Hunt - there's a reason AFL recruited him. Amazing under the high ball with a 50+ metre boot. I know this is optimistic, but I think he'll be good. He was great in League and in French Rugby and it's not like he's that old - only 27.
I do not think he will be as good an attacker as Folau, but he runs great lines and has great acceleration - he will do some damage and provide a strong crash ball option, so he will still offer a lot. He is/was a better defender than Folau, and his strength in the last line of defence will help plug a hole we've had for a while now.

Move Folau to Right Wing. This would maintain his attacking prowess and significantly improve our tactical kicking options. Because he's a fullback, Folau is rarely in the right position for tactical-kick passes, cross-field kicks (for tries) or general bombs. Moving him to wing would put him in a better position to field these kicks, and his strength under the high-ball would make these genuine attacking options.

With Hunt and Folau up the back teams will be unlikely to kick to us - they'll be too strong in the air.

 

[Viking]

I forgot about Hunt. Hope your right @aka_the_think.