Wallaby 31 players for 2015 RWC

[Highlander35]

Everybody has a scottish grandparent.

Unfortunately, the organisation formerly known as IRB doesn't believe it. So we have to make them play for the Gunners first.

 

[GunnerDownUnder]

At the rate we are going, doubt he will touch the ball more than twice a game anyway...
He will however, learn how to chase pointless kicks!

 

[cyclopath]

Playing TK at 12 is hardly weird, it just involves playing two centres instead of two playmakers..just like the ABs still do and every other nation (including ours until recently) has done for an eternity.

That said, I will concede that the Cooper/To'omua version of the dual playmaker setup pushed all the right buttons..but that involves QC (Quade Cooper) being both fit and in form.

Indeed. The idea of Kuridrani at 12 is largely dismissed because he is such a good 13, which is true. I reckon with time he could easily be similar level to Nonu as a 12. The issue remains about combination either side to make it all work, but in isolation, I have little doubt Kuridrani could be very good at 12. Not for the RWC this year though! Not enough time, I reckon, especially with his unfortunate injury. But I think it's an interesting theory. Now I'll wait for someone to tell me what the prototypical 12 must do and why I'm wrong!

 

[wamberal]

Nonu had a fairly chequered career, and has really only bloomed into a world class 12 relatively recently.


TK might eventually emulate him. However, the Kiwis have the strength in depth to allow this sort of thing to happen. We don't. We have a shallow pool of talent, and a very limited capacity to invest in major positional changes.

That said, I have always thought that Folau is wasted at 15.

 

[Wilson]

Indeed. The idea of Kuridrani at 12 is largely dismissed because he is such a good 13, which is true. I reckon with time he could easily be similar level to Nonu as a 12. The issue remains about combination either side to make it all work, but in isolation, I have little doubt Kuridrani could be very good at 12. Not for the RWC this year though! Not enough time, I reckon, especially with his unfortunate injury. But I think it's an interesting theory. Now I'll wait for someone to tell me what the prototypical 12 must do and why I'm wrong!

If you spent any time on the internet you'd know Hooper is the prototypical 12, so obviously he should be playing there. TK shouldn't be at 13 though, people keep saying him and Folau are locks for the wallabies so they clearly need to move to 4 and 5 to solve our 2nd row dilemma.

 

[qwerty51]

50 man squad assembling next week. That's more of a case of who's not there than who's in it.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Surely he has a Scottish grandparent?

What about old Hamish McNaiyaravoro?

Pretty sure that Hamish is a 3rd Cousin of Paddy O'Blyendhall.

 

[BDA]

fuck 50 man squad?! sounds like everyone is in. perhaps even Dan Palmer

I'll still be annoyed if Patty Ryan is there.

 

[BDA]

Ok ill throw out some namess:-

-Liam Gill
-Rory Arnold
- Timani
- Jesse Mogg
- Mike Harris
-Greg Holmes
-Patty Ryan

Are they in the 50 or not?

 

[Marcelo]

50 man squad?!

 

[Highlander35]

Gill- Maybe. If there's 3 Opensides, Hodgesons injury guarantees it. Otherwise McMahon will be running as a pseudo 3rd openside

Arnold- Hopefully. He's been good, and even if a cap doesn't eventuate, he looks a good one for the future

Timani- yes. Gets over the gainline, gets quick ball, pushes like hell at the scrum. Probably not in the 31, but somewhat a backup for Skelton

Mogg- No. Folau is easy #1, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Kurtley, Foley and JOC (James O'Connor) will be sufficient cover

Mikey- unlikely. Similar to Mogg, too many in front. In better form, so wouuld be well ahead of Jesse though.

Holmes- No. For mine, Cheiks will go with Kepu, Alexander and either Weeks, Ryan or Faulkner

Ryan- In a 3 way battle with Tetera and the people's champ.

 

[qwerty51]

Ok ill throw out some namess:-

-Liam Gill
-Rory Arnold
- Timani
- Jesse Mogg
- Mike Harris
-Greg Holmes
-Patty Ryan

Are they in the 50 or not?

In a 50 yeah I'd say they all are easily, maybe not Mogg or Holmes as they haven't played. None of them will make the RWC squad however.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Indeed. The idea of Kuridrani at 12 is largely dismissed because he is such a good 13, which is true. I reckon with time he could easily be similar level to Nonu as a 12. The issue remains about combination either side to make it all work, but in isolation, I have little doubt Kuridrani could be very good at 12. Not for the RWC this year though! Not enough time, I reckon, especially with his unfortunate injury. But I think it's an interesting theory. Now I'll wait for someone to tell me what the prototypical 12 must do and why I'm wrong!

And that's the issue for me, who partners him if he moves in one? I wouldn't want another player in the same mould, but that's just me.

 

[Forcefield]

I wonder if that is part of the reason Kyle Godwin has been shifted to 13. It hasn't been a success, but his last game was very good and maybe it has just taken him time to find his feet.

 

[cyclopath]

And that's the issue for me, who partners him if he moves in one? I wouldn't want another player in the same mould, but that's just me.

Well, obviously not the same type of player.
In any event, I wasn't constructing a backline, just musing that Kuridrani could conceivably be a good 12 somewhere down the track.
But, I guess, a player in the Conrad Smith mould, if we could find one. Maybe in the future, someone like Godwin, as Forcefield says??
I doubt it would happen, I don't necessarily think it should happen.
Doesn't hurt to muse.

 

[southsider]

Do people think we should be tailoring our team depending on the opposition, (especially in the forwards) or staying with the same team throughout.

Especially in our forward pack I can see a lot of argument for playing certain players against certain teams for example against the welsh I would play hooper, higgers etc and be a little more free flowing as opposed to say England where I would go with pockcock, McCalman and try to match them in tight and let our superior back line wear theirs down

 

[southsider]

Well, obviously not the same type of player.
In any event, I wasn't constructing a backline, just musing that Kuridrani could conceivably be a good 12 somewhere down the track.
But, I guess, a player in the Conrad Smith mould, if we could find one. Maybe in the future, someone like Godwin, as Forcefield says??
I doubt it would happen, I don't necessarily think it should happen.
Doesn't hurt to muse.

I'd say Godwin or JOC (James O'Connor) would be our most Conrad smith like person to compliment kuridrani at IC

 

[topgun]

Ryan- In a 3 way battle with Tetera and the people's champ.

if Ryan is even considered for a 50 man squad I'll go and rip up all my dunny paper. He couldn't scrum his way through a tower of cards. Surely Talakai, Faulkner, Alexander and Alo-Emile have shut any possibility of that disaster.

Not too sure about Weeks either, looks like they picked him up from a pub while really strapped for props... "That'll do"

 

[qwerty51]

I don't think any tightheads are good enough besides Kepu and Alexander. I reckon Robinson will be the 5th prop and one of Sio Slipper will train occasionally at TH

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Well, obviously not the same type of player.
In any event, I wasn't constructing a backline, just musing that Kuridrani could conceivably be a good 12 somewhere down the track.
But, I guess, a player in the Conrad Smith mould, if we could find one. Maybe in the future, someone like Godwin, as Forcefield says??
I doubt it would happen, I don't necessarily think it should happen.
Doesn't hurt to muse.

If we were to go down that path, I probably would have TK still at 13 and Godwin at 12, mainly because I don't think Godwin has been that great at OC this season. In any case, Cooper - To'omua - Kuridrani as a midfield is pretty formidable.