Waratahs 2021

[Number 7]

Hanigan moving on makes sense for everyone I think. His best position is 6 but we've got plenty of competition in the backrow with Dempsey, Swinton, Harris and potentially Tafa and we need to do better at lock, particularly with Simmons leaving.

From a moneyball perspective we can't really pay him what he's worth whilst retaining the players we need to retain and recruiting the specialist locks we need.

I agree. Add on top of the backrow queue in NSW there is now a lot of talent nationally so hard to see how he would fit in the Wallabies. He's been a good hard working (and sometimes unfairly maligned) player for us. Good luck to him.

 

[Sportsman]

I’m not denying the value of having experience around him, but I’d actually be pretty happy with how Harrison is going if I was a Tahs supporter.

He’s not ripping the completion up, but given that how the rest of the team is going around him he is going pretty bloody well for a 21 year old playmaker in his first year of super rugby.

I'd be starting fellow Junior Wallaby Donaldson at flyhalf to see what he has to offer. Harrison has had a fair go.

 

[TSR]

I'd be starting fellow Junior Wallaby Donaldson at flyhalf to see what he has to offer. Harrison has had a fair go.

I don’t think that’s how it works at this level mate.

 

[The Honey Badger]

I'd be starting fellow Junior Wallaby Donaldson at flyhalf to see what he has to offer. Harrison has had a fair go.

Ben's Dad?

 

[Froggy]

Sorry to see Ned go but it makes sense. Was probably selected prematurely for the Wallabies, but been a great Super player, huge work rate and there are few better line-out operators in the country.
I really like the look of Donaldson, but I would be sticking with Harrison at 10. He's got a very good kicking game, both in general play and off the tee, he has a calm head, defends well and isn't afraid to take the ball into contact. I think he's growing all the time. If Maddocks can't get himself back into the right head space, maybe Donaldson's worth a crack at 15?

 

[Sully]

Who's going to strut around after the whistle pushing people like a 'tough guy' now?

 

[Brumby Runner]

Sorry to see Ned go but it makes sense. Was probably selected prematurely for the Wallabies, but been a great Super player, huge work rate and there are few better line-out operators in the country.
I really like the look of Donaldson, but I would be sticking with Harrison at 10. He's got a very good kicking game, both in general play and off the tee, he has a calm head, defends well and isn't afraid to take the ball into contact. I think he's growing all the time. If Maddocks can't get himself back into the right head space, maybe Donaldson's worth a crack at 15?

Not so sure Will is a good defender. Think I saw some recent stats where he has missed the most tackles in SRAu. Could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that was the case.

 

[RugbyReg]

Not so sure Will is a good defender. Think I saw some recent stats where he has missed the most tackles in SRAu. Could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that was the case.

 

[KOB1987]

Not so sure Will is a good defender. Think I saw some recent stats where he has missed the most tackles in SRAu. Could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that was the case.

Presumably you’re going to make any direct comparisons with Noah. So I’ll start with him, Will is 4% worse but with twice as many blokes running at him. So 1) there’s a significant margin of error between the two, and 2) if you’re looking at the absolute number, therein lies an explanation. They’ve both played 6 games and averaged 74 and 72 minutes BTW. The attack stats just happened to be above those so left those there, just in case they are of any significance for fly halfs.

 

[Up the Guts]

Presumably you’re going to make any direct comparisons with Noah. So I’ll start with him, Will is 4% worse but with twice as many blokes running at him. So 1) there’s a significant margin of error between the two, and 2) if you’re looking at the absolute number, therein lies an explanation. They’ve both played 6 games and averaged 74 and 72 minutes BTW. The attack stats just happened to be above those so left those there, just in case they are of any significance for fly halfs.

It'll be a Deegan comparison now.

 

[KOB1987]

Here’s the head to head with JOC (James O'Connor).

 

[KOB1987]

It'll be a Deegan comparison now.

True. He’s only played about a quarter of the minutes but FWIW.

 

[Pass it to Dunning!]

I don't think Harrison's problem is his defence. It's his attacking maturity which needs work. I still think he's on track to pan out well.

 

[Up the Guts]

True. He’s only played about a quarter of the minutes but FWIW.View attachment 11709

I don’t think any of the new tens have the defensive issues that Quade and Kurtley had. A Harrison vs Donaldson battle at the Tahs next year for the ten jersey will be decided by their attacking prowess.

 

[KOB1987]

I don't think Harrison's problem is his defence. It's his attacking maturity which needs work. I still think he's on track to pan out well.

Just one poster looking for a weakness. I think it’s his distribution mostly, he can get through a hole himself but hasn’t put too many others through one. As you point out that’s just a maturity/experience thing.

 

[Bobby Sands]

I think Harrison is going well, but i'd be interested in seeing Donaldson as well. Otherwise, why is he there?

 

[Sully]

You always need to be wary of defensive stats in a losing team. Harrison's missed tackles could be covering other players misses.

 

[Adam84]

Also, what those stats don’t demonstrate is the accuracy of the kicking game and decision making, Deegan’s kicking game, albeit from a small sample size has been some of the best out of all the 10s

 

[Brumby Runner]

Also, what those stats don’t demonstrate is the accuracy of the kicking game and decision making, Deegan’s kicking game, albeit from a small sample size has been some of the best out of all the 10s

And it was always a strong point at the Force. He didn't even unleash one of his most accurate and lethal weapons last night in the kick/pass to the winger just out from the tryline.

 

[qwerty51]

We still comparing 10s? Harrison is a great goal kicker. That’s all that matters if you want to win Tests.