Wallabies 2019 Thread

[Up the Guts]

Absolutely BH - that’s a fair comment based on their performances. I’m certainly not expecting to see Timu selected for Hooper or Pocock.

I guess my comment reflects my thoughts that Timu brings stuff to the table that didn’t come out in the first test. If I’m right, then I expect Cheika will share that view from his close quarters experience. If I’m wrong, then you’re spot on and Timu will struggle for another look in - although I do think there is more scope for squad rotation over the course of the RC & EOYT then there was against Ireland in the recent series. Time will tell I guess.

Timu might do better against NZ than the Irish as the game won't be played nearly as tightly and there will be more opportunities for him out wide. I'd like to see him given minutes in the RC, perhaps against Argentina. I think we've reached a point where our depth is good enough that you can rest some starting players against Argentina and not risk too much (e.g. Tupou for Kepu, Maddocks/Banks for DHP or Koroibete, Latu for TPN etc.).

 

[Strewthcobber]

Hoping Timu can do well out wide is a bit like wanting Higgers in the team - they can absolutely do that, and under the right coach (for those players) it might be a pretty good gameplan, but it's not how Cheika sets up his team.

They need to slot into the 1-3-3-1 pod system to play in Cheika's Wallaby team, and it looks like neither of them really do.....

 

[Up the Guts]

Hoping Timu can do well out wide is a bit like wanting Higgers in the team - they can absolutely do that, and under the right coach (for those players) it might be a pretty good gameplan, but it's not how Cheika sets up his team.

They need to slot into the 1-3-3-1 pod system to play in Cheika's Wallaby team, and it looks like neither of them really do...

Wasn't Timu in one of the centre pods with BPA and Sio? Couldn't they shuffle him out more?

 

[Strewthcobber]

Wasn't Timu in one of the centre pods with BPA and Sio? Couldn't they shuffle him out more?

Sure, but then you reduce the effectiveness of Hooper or Pocock, bringing them into the pod rather than roaming around as required

But having said that, Tui was on the edge with Hooper on the other for the third test by the look of things with the front row one pod and Pocock with the second row so who knows?

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[Up the Guts]

Sure, but then you reduce the effectiveness of Hooper or Pocock, bringing them into the pod rather than roaming around as required

But having said that, Tui was on the edge with Hooper on the other for the third test by the look of things with the front row one pod and Pocock with the second row so who knows?

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Agree that you wouldn't swap him with Hooper or Pocock but he seemed to be playing a lot tighter than some of the other guys we've had at 6 over the last year or so. Certainly don't remember Dempsey playing in a pod with front-rowers when he had his cracker in Brisbane last year. Anyway I'm sure we've had this conversation on another thread and came to the same conclusion that any big ball carrying 8/6 we have is never going to play in wide channels with Hooper and Pocock in the team.

 

[Derpus]

Agree that you wouldn't swap him with Hooper or Pocock but he seemed to be playing a lot tighter than some of the other guys we've had at 6 over the last year or so. Certainly don't remember Dempsey playing in a pod with front-rowers when he had his cracker in Brisbane last year. Anyway I'm sure we've had this conversation on another thread and came to the same conclusion that any big ball carrying 8/6 we have is never going to play in wide channels with Hooper and Pocock in the team.

No Pocock last year hey.

 

[Up the Guts]

No Pocock last year hey.

True but I assume McMahon wasn't attached to a pod the same way Pocock is not.

 

[USARugger]

Timu might do better against NZ than the Irish as the game won't be played nearly as tightly and there will be more opportunities for him out wide. I'd like to see him given minutes in the RC, perhaps against Argentina. I think we've reached a point where our depth is good enough that you can rest some starting players against Argentina and not risk too much (e.g. Tupou for Kepu, Maddocks/Banks for DHP or Koroibete, Latu for TPN etc.).

Timu's lack of ball running opportunity had a lot to do with often being one of the support runners in the pod and not the main carrying option most of the time. It was presupposed on here by some that this was done intentionally to allow him to ease into his first test, and I'd have to agree with that logic. He did a good job moving bodies around the ruck and if he's in gold again in the future I'd suspect we'll see his carrying total go up considerably.

In the first test he had less runs than the entire pack bar Kepu and with knowing his skillset and strengths as a player it's most likely related to coaching and gameplan for that test. Second test we didn't run the ball quite as much but he was already over his runs total from the first game before fucking his ankle at some point in the first half and then coming off.

Not super surprised to see Tui thrown directly into a carrying role as he's had considerably more time overall in camp with the Wallabies and more exposure to their structures than Timu has to date. Perhaps the execution of the gameplan we saw in the third test was the most "mature" version of Cheika's pod system we saw in the series.

 

[RebelYell]

Throwing it out there - if we don't finish top two in TRC, is Cheika in trouble? Less than 50% W/L since RWC, though admittedly we have to play teams in the top 4 more than anybody else...

 

[Derpus]

Throwing it out there - if we don't finish top two in TRC, is Cheika in trouble? Less than 50% W/L since RWC, though admittedly we have to play teams in the top 4 more than anybody else.

Maybe if Dave Wessells or Brad Thorn had their teams at the top of Super rugby or something.

No particularly impressive replacement options means he'll be around until he leaves after the RWC.

 

[upthereds#!]

My 33 man squad for WC...i think its 33. Not necessarily my picks - just what I think will be. (Including the rumour that To'omua may be available)

TPN Uelese Latu
Sio Robertson Thor Ala'alatoa Kepu
Coleman Rodda Arnold Simmons Tui
Naisarani Hanigan Samu Mcmahon Poey Hoops
Genia Phipps Powell
Foley To'omua
Hodge Beale Kerevi TK
Naivalu Koroibete DHP Folau Maddocks

If it's 31 I would drop out Hanigan and Maddocks. Leave them for the next campaign. Tui is going to be 6 or 6 cover anyway, and Hodge can cover what maddocks would have covered.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Upthereds,

Not saying they will miss out, but both Kepu and Kuridrani are probably not looking at a lot of game time. Both are showing signs of struggling to keep up with the pace of the game, reminding me of the last couple of years of Sterling Mortlock, champion that he was. I would be surprised if Curtis Rona doesn't replace TK by the RWC time but I see you haven't included him at all. Kepu had a very quiet series against the Irish, and I expect both Tupou and Ala'alatoa to surpass him during the RC/eoyt this year.

Where does the rumour re To'omua come from? Is there something out there? Or are you just taking a lead from the hopes being expressed on the site? If he comes back, probably will sign with the Tahs as he has a house in Artarmon I believe.

I would also like to see Tom Banks continue to make the squad for development, along with Maddocks. But I can't see how both could be included.

 

[upthereds#!]

Upthereds,

Not saying they will miss out, but both Kepu and Kuridrani are probably not looking at a lot of game time. Both are showing signs of struggling to keep up with the pace of the game, reminding me of the last couple of years of Sterling Mortlock, champion that he was. I would be surprised if Curtis Rona doesn't replace TK by the RWC time but I see you haven't included him at all. Kepu had a very quiet series against the Irish, and I expect both Tupou and Ala'alatoa to surpass him during the RC/eoyt this year.

Where does the rumour re To'omua come from? Is there something out there? Or are you just taking a lead from the hopes being expressed on the site? If he comes back, probably will sign with the Tahs as he has a house in Artarmon I believe.

I would also like to see Tom Banks continue to make the squad for development, along with Maddocks. But I can't see how both could be included.

To'omua thing was in a payto & panda article. I thinkkkk it was along the lines of signing one of those 'futures' 2 year contracts which would mean he could be selected from overseas. It may have been starting when his current deal expires in 2020, but that still satisfies the RA requirement if it gets signed prior to the WC.

 

[RebelYell]

Maybe if Dave Wessells or Brad Thorn had their teams at the top of Super rugby or something.

No particularly impressive replacement options means he'll be around until he leaves after the RWC.

Rob Baxter? Vern Cotter? Dean Richards? Simon Mannix? Scott Robertson?

 

[BDA]

I hope those To'omua rumors are true.. looking at the likely squad members, it's probably the best stock of forwards we've ever taken to a world cup. In particulars it's nice to see us finally have quality depth in the tight five...ironically the weak link looks to be the halves, traditionally an area of riches for us.. behind Genia and Foley there's a steady decline. In terms of half back, I think Powell has the potential to hit another level next year ( he seems to be really starting to find his footing this year). Powell aside it doesnt look like there's much there. We're in desperate need for someone to start challenging foley. If he goes down with an injury we're pretty much toast. It's too late to build up any new talent. In that regard, To'omua would be a handy option. I know he's not really what larkham might want at 10 but he'd probably be our best back up for foley. Plus he's a proven quality test player.

 

[Derpus]

I hope those To'omua rumors are true.. looking at the likely squad members, it's probably the best stock of forwards we've ever taken to a world cup. In particulars it's nice to see us finally have quality depth in the tight five.ironically the weak link looks to be the halves, traditionally an area of riches for us.. behind Genia and Foley there's a steady decline. In terms of half back, I think Powell has the potential to hit another level next year ( he seems to be really starting to find his footing this year). Powell aside it doesnt look like there's much there. We're in desperate need for someone to start challenging foley. If he goes down with an injury we're pretty much toast. It's too late to build up any new talent. In that regard, To'omua would be a handy option. I know he's not really what larkham might want at 10 but he'd probably be our best back up for foley. Plus he's a proven quality test player.

Hrmm, Phipps had a great game in the final Irish test. There is very little between Powell and Gordon. Some other decent talent that could step up - Ruru, Sorovi (apparently), Tuttle seemed pretty handy to me.

10 is the worry.

 

[Brumby Runner]

To'omua thing was in a payto & panda article. I thinkkkk it was along the lines of signing one of those 'futures' 2 year contracts which would mean he could be selected from overseas. It may have been starting when his current deal expires in 2020, but that still satisfies the RA requirement if it gets signed prior to the WC.

Would any Super Rugby franchise be willing to enter into a contract soon for a two year period starting 2020? Wouldn't they be more likely to want to keep their options open to see what happens with their current players and others coming through from club/NRC? Not to mention, the absence of certainty atm about the whole Super Rugby structure post 2020.

 

[Joe Blow]

Upthereds,

Not saying they will miss out, but both Kepu and Kuridrani are probably not looking at a lot of game time. Both are showing signs of struggling to keep up with the pace of the game, reminding me of the last couple of years of Sterling Mortlock, champion that he was. I would be surprised if Curtis Rona doesn't replace TK by the RWC time but I see you haven't included him at all. Kepu had a very quiet series against the Irish, and I expect both Tupou and Ala'alatoa to surpass him during the RC/eoyt this year.

Where does the rumour re To'omua come from? Is there something out there? Or are you just taking a lead from the hopes being expressed on the site? If he comes back, probably will sign with the Tahs as he has a house in Artarmon I believe.

I would also like to see Tom Banks continue to make the squad for development, along with Maddocks. But I can't see how both could be included.

We will see about Kepu. I think he still has a few good years in him. Experience wins RWCs and there is nowhere on the paddock where experience is more prized than at TH.

 

[upthereds#!]

Would any Super Rugby franchise be willing to enter into a contract soon for a two year period starting 2020? Wouldn't they be more likely to want to keep their options open to see what happens with their current players and others coming through from club/NRC? Not to mention, the absence of certainty atm about the whole Super Rugby structure post 2020.

As someone not in the industry..can't speak for that. Just on what I read. I wouldnt personally sign someone that early, though a letter of intent would be a start. Perhaps RA take that as enough evidence...

 

[KOB1987]

Would any Super Rugby franchise be willing to enter into a contract soon for a two year period starting 2020? Wouldn't they be more likely to want to keep their options open to see what happens with their current players and others coming through from club/NRC? Not to mention, the absence of certainty atm about the whole Super Rugby structure post 2020.

That's a good point but you would think that a 2 year contract could be constructed which contains a caveat that it's contingent on the competition continuing in it's current or a similar form.