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Wallabies 2023

The_Brown_Hornet

John Eales (66)
This is one of the few times where I'm not going to be too critical and just park a test match and move on. With the enormous disruption to personnel and game plan we've seen over the last few weeks I was always worried about this game. And so it proved.

With the majority of our best players being available for the next couple against the Bokke I'm feeling OK about it all at the moment.
 

Joe Blow

Peter Sullivan (51)
I do not see the value in Rory Arnold at the moment. He was not putting his body on the line as our other locks have been. I’d guess its the same for Skelton. We have good local talent in the second row and these guys should only be considered due to injury. By all means include them in the squad when possible to get them up to speed, but don’t just throw them a jersey for the hell of it.
 

Joe Blow

Peter Sullivan (51)
JOC (James O'Connor) has a tendency to throw the ball too late and hence forward. In every game he is trying to play close to the line, which is good but often he plays beyond the line. Maybe he will be better for the run? Donaldson is worth a look over time. Not sure what the answer is for now at 10.
 

RugbyReg

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
Yeah. Agree about Arnold and Skelton. It’s not working. Whether it’s because they struggle to get up to speed with what the wallaby coaches want in such a short time or it’s because they just aren’t up to it. They won’t ever get prolonged time with the team so let’s stop giving them another chance to prove themselves.
 

PhilClinton

John Hipwell (52)
JOC (James O'Connor) (James O'Connor) has a tendency to throw the ball too late and hence forward. In every game he is trying to play close to the line, which is good but often he plays beyond the line. Maybe he will be better for the run? Donaldson is worth a look over time. Not sure what the answer is for now at 10.

I’m not sure we bother blooding another flyhalf during 2022, I can’t see any of the young guys being genuine options for RWC23,

Will have to make do with JOC (James O'Connor), Noah, Hodge and hopefully Cooper makes it back into the squad for 2023, but I’m not sure he will be ready.

Another Super Rugby season for guys like Donaldson, Carter, Edmed etc without the pressure of performing for the Wallabies will be good.
 

Wilson

David Codey (61)
Yeah. Agree about Arnold and Skelton. It’s not working. Whether it’s because they struggle to get up to speed with what the wallaby coaches want in such a short time or it’s because they just aren’t up to it. They won’t ever get prolonged time with the team so let’s stop giving them another chance to prove themselves.
Yeah and the guys at home have really stepped up in their absence. It might be a different story if either had played under Rennie before leaving and had more exposure to his systems, but at this point they don't look worth bothering with.

I guess Arnold gets a bit longer with the squad to prove himself on the back of the injury crisis, but given Skelton isn't even available until the second Bledisloe test I don't see the point of bringing him in.
 

Joe Blow

Peter Sullivan (51)
I’m not sure we bother blooding another flyhalf during 2022, I can’t see any of the young guys being genuine options for RWC23,

Will have to make do with JOC (James O'Connor) (James O'Connor), Noah, Hodge and hopefully Cooper makes it back into the squad for 2023, but I’m not sure he will be ready.

Another Super Rugby season for guys like Donaldson, Carter, Edmed etc without the pressure of performing for the Wallabies will be good.
If anyone can put in the work and get back on the field in quick time its Quade. He has stated it is his goal and he will pursue it doggedly as well as him already being as fit or fitter than most in the squad. I’m confident that he will be an option.
 

SouthernX

Peter Johnson (47)
Will have to make do with JOC (James O'Connor) (James O'Connor), Noah, Hodge and hopefully Cooper makes it back into the squad for 2023, but I’m not sure he will be ready.

Another Super Rugby season for guys like Donaldson, Carter, Edmed etc without the pressure of performing for the Wallabies will be good.

the one guy I am most interested in is Carter Gordon.

There’s probably other options battle ready before him - but I just want to know where abouts he is on the flyhalf pecking order. He had finger surgery when the Aus A/wallabies team was being picked and I believe he’s not getting a fair shake of the sauce bottle with the NSW centric media propping up the NSW flyhalf options. (Victoria rugby media asleep at the wheel)

I do remember one of the rebels games from this season when they cut to Dave Rennie in the stands (sitting alongside Craig bellamy) and Carter put on a cracker of a performance.
 

Joe Blow

Peter Sullivan (51)
Yeah and the guys at home have really stepped up in their absence. It might be a different story if either had played under Rennie before leaving and had more exposure to his systems, but at this point they don't look worth bothering with.

I guess Arnold gets a bit longer with the squad to prove himself on the back of the injury crisis, but given Skelton isn't even available until the second Bledisloe test I don't see the point of bringing him in.
Philip and Swain were an excellent combo last week. They really took it to the Argies at the coal face along with AAA, Slipper and FF (Folau Fainga'a).
 

stillmissit

Chilla Wilson (44)
JOC (James O'Connor) (James O'Connor) has a tendency to throw the ball too late and hence forward. In every game he is trying to play close to the line, which is good but often he plays beyond the line. Maybe he will be better for the run? Donaldson is worth a look over time. Not sure what the answer is for now at 10.
I watched Donaldson v Edmed in the Shute Shield semi's and Edmed had it over him, particularly in goal kicking.
Still think Carter Gordon will be great but won't be ready for RWC.
 

LeCheese

Ken Catchpole (46)
If anyone can put in the work and get back on the field in quick time its Quade. He has stated it is his goal and he will pursue it doggedly as well as him already being as fit or fitter than most in the squad. I’m confident that he will be an option.
The unfortunate reality with an achilles though is that it does just take a significant period of time, regardless of how committed to rehab you are. Absolutely backing Quade to give it his best shot, but it may be too short a window.

You don’t want him coming back in undercooked either.
 

PhilClinton

John Hipwell (52)
The unfortunate reality with an achilles though is that it does just take a significant period of time, regardless of how committed to rehab you are. Absolutely backing Quade to give it his best shot, but it may be too short a window.

You don’t want him coming back in undercooked either.

Yep and I don't want to point fingers - but his over eagerness to get back on the paddock likely resulted in this new injury.

There is a connection between calf and other soft issue leg injuries and that stress resulting in Achilles injuries when proper recovery hasn't occurred.
 

LeCheese

Ken Catchpole (46)
Yep and I don't want to point fingers - but his over eagerness to get back on the paddock likely resulted in this new injury.

There is a connection between calf and other soft issue leg injuries and that stress resulting in Achilles injuries when proper recovery hasn't occurred.
Absolutely, was my first thought as well - not the first time a calf injury has preceded an achilles. Kevin Durant being a comparison already made (by you?)
 

Viking

Mark Ella (57)
Mmmmmmm, agree with you that Marky Mark (Nawaqanitawase) may become a option in the not to distant future. He came along in leaps and bounds for the Tahs this year, under the high ball, defensively and position play. As much as I love koro, given the way the game is played these days with 'bombs away' our best back three could well be Pataia, Vunivalu and Marky Mark (Nawaqanitawase) with Kellaway on the bench. All of them are very good under the high ball and have pace to burn. Except for Kellaway they lack experience though. The players are so fit and conditioned these days that there is limited space for length of the field tries due to defensive patterns. World rugby will never do this but I think they should widen the rugby field by two meters each side to give teams more space so the game starts to open up a bit more. I have always thought that Wright would be better closer in at say 12 with a bigger body hard running 13 outside of him (Kerevi, Perese, Ikatai). I believe Wright played 10 at Joeys so could be a playmaker with lots of pace and vision. As far as the 10 goes, not sure of the answer if Cooper isn't available. Of the young ones I think Donaldson is the one with the most potential. He has a massive boot, has deceptive pace and is a good distributer. Lolesio is a good super rugby player but seems to lack the pace required to get through a gap. A 10 that can make a break is essential if White is half because out of the three No 9's (Gordon, McDermitt and White) White is the least likely to make a break from the base of the scrum/ruck. At least one of the nine and 10 needs the vison, pace and skill to get through a half gap to keep the opposition on there toes and guessing otherwise play can become one dimensional and predictable. Cooper has or had it in spades, Donaldson I believe has potential.

I Agree on Marky Mark (Nawaqanitawase). He is a bigger body with pace and is looking good under the high ball. He knows how to finish too. Wouldn't mind seeing him in the fold soon.
 

eastman

Arch Winning (36)
Which actually leads to an interesting question (and potentially its own discussion topic) - which of the three amigos was the most talented and who has made the biggest contribution to Australian rugby?
 

Joe Blow

Peter Sullivan (51)
Yep and I don't want to point fingers - but his over eagerness to get back on the paddock likely resulted in this new injury.

There is a connection between calf and other soft issue leg injuries and that stress resulting in Achilles injuries when proper recovery hasn't occurred.
I questioned this earlier. Surely rupturing an Achilles after recovering from a calf injury on the same leg means he came back to early. However, he was no doubt guided by the Wallaby medical staff and trainers. It was they who said he was right He does not decide if and when he is ready. No doubt he has some input but there are other people who make the final decision. If it wasn’t this way every concussed and partially injured player would be putting up their hand every week.
To Quades credit, he pulled out of the English series because he was unsure if his leg was right.
 

PhilClinton

John Hipwell (52)
Unfortunately an undercooked Quade Cooper is probably still a better option than everyone else we have at this stage.

If Quade is able to run in time for the World Cup- I think starts at flyhalf.

I think people are romanticising how good Quade has been the last few years due to the lack of other options.

He looked pretty average before he got injured the other week. Probably fair to say he wasn't 100%, but regardless of injury, the RWC is over 12 months away. He isn't getting any younger. Who's to say his form wouldn't fall off a cliff like it did for JOC (James O'Connor)? Obviously all of this is hypotheticals but I'm not sure Quade is a lock for anything from this point onwards.
 
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