Which players have enhanced or harmed their reputation this season?

[The_Brown_Hornet]

So we're at the end of the domestic test season and it's time for the usual post mortems etc, but one thing I was thinking about over the weekend was which players took that step up this year and which ones probably harmed their long term prospects.

We've had some younger guys who have really come on this season and are now either test team regulars or at least least knocking loudly on the door. For me, those guys are:

Pocock
Beale
McCalman
Cooper
Slipper
Burgess

There have been some experienced guys who have been very good for us this year too, and I'm thinking mainly of:

Sharpe
AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
Mitchell

Then there are the guys who have either stood still or harmed their longer term prospects. In that category, I would have:

O'Connor
Genia (Arguably. He's looked proppy most of the season -- rest is needed)
Giteau (crested the hill for me and not the player he once was)


This is just off the top of my head. Thoughts?

 

[farva]

Add Brown to the harmed.

Ma'afu to the coming along side. He wasnt good, but there isn't much else. He is now the second choice tighthead.

Take OConnor out of the harmed. He has played in a position he is not familiar with and scored a fair few tries while there. He was out of position a fair bit though.

 

[Brumbies Guy]

This season including Super 14?

Those who have impressed me throughout the year and I beleive enhanced their reputation are:

Slipper
Daley
Humphries
Genia
Cooper
Fainga'a
Chambers
Davis

Alexander
Lealiifano
McCabe

Polatu-Nau
Douglas
Dennis
Beale
Mitchell

Charles
Sharpe
Pocock
Turner
O'Connor

Harmed:

Kennedy
Turinui
Va'lu

Mortlock
Taumoepeau
Mafi

Kepu
Caldwell
Carter
Anesi

Brown
Harris
Haylett-Petty

 

[en_force_er]

I really rate Inman and I like the prospects that he could play the game we (the Wobs) need at 13.

EDIT: My expectation of this are post WC of course, we have to be realistic.

 

[Scotty]

To an extent I think that Stephen Moore has gone backwards in the last year or two.

 

[DPK]

To an extent I think that Stephen Moore has gone backwards in the last year or two.

Definitely disagree. Coming back from injury and without his hooking "partner" TPN he's done a great job this year for the Wob's at hooker.

 

[en_force_er]

To an extent I think that Stephen Moore has gone backwards in the last year or two.

Maybe, but what can you expect from someone who is regularly injured.

I think that he still one of the worlds premier hookers.

 

[louie]

+
KB (Kurtley Beale)
Christian Lealiifano
Pocock
McCalman
Pat McCabe

-
Genia

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I was mainly thinking of guys who have played test footy this year, but if we expanded the list to include the S14, there have been some very encouraging performances from quite a few players.

 

[Ruggo]

Some like them and some don't but add the Fainga'a twins to the list of those on the up. Be honest, how many of us at the beginning of the year were ready to throw them on the shit heap? The rise of both of them is a credit to the sheer guts and hard work they have put in this year.

Not ready for international level but add Ben Daley to the list of those on the up. Keeping Greg Holmes on the bench was no mean feat.

Ther are plenty more but these stand out to me.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I agree about the Fa'ainga boys Ruggo. Nobody would have had them anywhere near the test team at the beginning of the season. They were very good for the Reds and deserved their shot at it.

 

[farva]

I really rate Inman and I like the prospects that he could play the game we (the Wobs) need at 13.

EDIT: My expectation of this are post WC of course, we have to be realistic.

Tend to agree. He has some work ahead of him, but he looked pretty good in the S14s this year gone. I hope he can build on it.

 

[Richard D. James]

While I don't think Sanchez has been at his best in the 3N, has he really been that bad or are our expectations of him too high? He's still very young and compared to the rest of our scrummies he's miles ahead.

Yes, Burgess played well in SA but i think people have very short memories about what it was like with him as our 1st choice 9. Burgess is great to finish off a game with his running but he still can't pass for shit.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Genia has been below his best, but my contention is that he isn't fully fit and hasn't been since the end of the S14. He looked visibly hobbled against England and has been only slightly better since. He's still our best half back, but in my mind needs a rest to get his body right.

 

[Richo]

On the weekend, Genia's passes were 2009 vintage Burgo. But I agree, he looks well short of match-fit. Hope 7 weeks off does the trick.