Wallabies Watch

[Braveheart81]

Done that - I just checked the stats and Daley has played less than 120 minutes all season.

BDA - I pretty much agree with all those. In relation to 9) I still think Beale is a pretty good chance to play 10.

 

[Done that]

I think you're getting Holmes and Daly mixed up. Daly has barely played all year.

?
No I'm not.
From memory he has played in the last 5 games ,as I recall.
Perhaps you are forgetting that he has experience at international level.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

So it seems the selection picture is becoming a bit clearer at this stage of the season (at least according to the posters on this site).

I think most of us can now agree that:-

1) Palmer will not be the starting TH and will be merely vying for a spot in the 31.
2) Barnes will probably make the squad, possibly at Mogg's expense
3) Lilo, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), MCabe and Taps will be the centres in the squad
4) Horwill, Simo, Douglas, Timani will be the locks
5) Beale will be in the starting 15
6) Folau will be in the starting 15
7) Fotu will not be in the squad
8) Dennis is likely to miss the squad
9) 5/8 will be either O'Connor or Cooper

I know why people say it and i can see it in his form but I'd be surprised if Dennis misses the squad.
Scott Allen's analysis on the front page yesterday convinced me that Cooper will not be in the 22.

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

No Smith, Sir Arthur?

until he's declared eligible, i've left him out. if he's eligible, i don't know who i would drop as i think both gill and hooper deserve to be there. might drop a prop?

 

[Braveheart81]

?
No I'm not.
From memory he has played in the last 5 games ,as I recall.
Perhaps you are forgetting that he has experience at international level.

I wouldn't bring up Ben Daley's international experience. Those tests against England were one of the Wallabies all time scrum trainwrecks.

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

So it seems the selection picture is becoming a bit clearer at this stage of the season (at least according to the posters on this site).

I think most of us can now agree that:-

1) Palmer will not be the starting TH and will be merely vying for a spot in the 31.
2) Barnes will probably make the squad, possibly at Mogg's expense
3) Lilo, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), MCabe and Taps will be the centres in the squad
4) Horwill, Simo, Douglas, Timani will be the locks
5) Beale will be in the starting 15
6) Folau will be in the starting 15
7) Fotu will not be in the squad
8) Dennis is likely to miss the squad
9) 5/8 will be either O'Connor or Cooper

Taps would not be in my squad. don't think he's been that flash this year. I think the playmaking 12's will be Lilo and Barnes with McCabe and Horne offering the more direct style of play.

Fotu has lost ground with higgers' resurgence.

 

[Scoey]

?
No I'm not.
From memory he has played in the last 5 games ,as I recall.
Perhaps you are forgetting that he has experience at international level.

Daley nearly got scalped at the start of the season in the gym and missed the first 5-6 rounds. Since then he has been selected on the bench I think starting with the Highlanders game. He started against the Blues and wasn't selected for the Force on the weekend because of a calf strain I think. He has played very limited minutes. Holmes on the other hand has been displaying most of the traits you have attributed to Daley and has played a ton of minutes which is why some folk think you have the two confused.

Daley is as tough as teak and great around the park but is not a solid scrummager. The Reds scrum often struggles when he comes on. Given his limited playing time this season it would be hard to even rate his 'form'.

 

[qwerty51]

?
No I'm not.
From memory he has played in the last 5 games ,as I recall.
Perhaps you are forgetting that he has experience at international level.

Well then you're crazy, he's the worst prop to ever play for Australia.

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

i can't imagine daley is in the running......let alone registered for the run

 

[Richo]

Taps would not be in my squad. don't think he's been that flash this year. I think the playmaking 12's will be Lilo and Barnes with McCabe and Horne offering the more direct style of play.

Fotu has lost ground with higgers' resurgence.

I believe BDA is projecting what Deans will do, not what he wants to see.

 

[Try-ranosaurus Rex]

Whilst some questions are crystalising, some are becoming incredibly murky.

1) Is there enough room for three opensides in a 31 man squad? Will Smith make it? At the expense of Hooper or Gill?
2) Who is going to partner Kev in the 1st XV? Will this person have to be the lineout leader?
3) Do Higginbotham's experience give him the no.6 jersey over Mowen?
4) Who is going to get the no.10 jersey.
5) Will Deans play a debutant in the 1st XV, let alone two or three? (Mowen, Lealiifano, Folau)
6) Will MMM get his body right in time? Does he deserve a spot in the 31 man squad?
7) Will Beale get a 1st XV spot after 2 1/2 games back from his indescretion?
8) Can Deans look past Cooper's 2012 comments?
9) Can Barnes get on the paddock for the Tahs? Can he prove himself ready for the Lions?
10) Will Horne come into consideration? Will this be at the expense of Taps or Lelo?
11) Ditto with McCabe.
12) Will Mogg make it despite strong form in 2013?
13) Folau. Has he picked up enough from Super Rugby to be thrown into test match football?

 

[BDA]

I'm surprised people would leave Taps out of the squad. I don't think he's been poor this season by any means; if fact he was quite good over the first 5 rounds. He plays a pretty direct style for the Reds. He performed very well for the Wallabies on the EOYT. I see him somewhere between McCabe and Lilo in terms of his style. He's had a few ordinary games of late but nothing that would move him completely out of selection frame.

With that said, Deans has a hard-on for Horne, so it wouldn't shock me if Horne was in at Taps expense.

 

[Scoey]

I'm surprised people would leave Taps out of the squad. I don't think he's been poor this season by any means; if fact he was quite good over the first 5 rounds. He plays a pretty direct style for the Reds. He performed very well for the Wallabies on the EOYT. I see him somewhere between McCabe and Lilo in terms of his style. He's had a few ordinary games of late but nothing that would move him completely out of selection frame.

With that said, Deans has a hard-on for Horne, so it wouldn't shock me if Horne was in at Taps expense.

The thing with Taps is not that he's playing badly, it's just that he has plateaued or maybe fallen off a touch from how he was playing late last year. He had a fairly quick rise into the spotlight and sadly for guys like that, when they plateau (or even just go a bit quiet) people will lose interest in them fairly quickly. He's a quality 12 and I wouldn't be worried if he was picked there for the Lions. I also wouldn't mind if Lilo got the 12 gig as long as he had some experience each side of him.

It speaks volumes of the quality of fit players we have at the moment when a guy like Taps can be playing good footy and still not figure in some peoples squads!

 

[Slim 293]

The Brumbies have the bye this week and then take on the Tahs the following week before the first squad is announced.......

I think that game will be make or break for a lot of players, as it now seems that there's quite a few Brumbies' names now being written off after one lousy game, but if they play well in that match they deserve to be rewarded after a dominant year.........

On the flip side, if they're not there's going to be one strong Brumbies team taking on the Lions just before the first test.........

 

[Scotty]

Do we really think Kepu's the second best THP? Or the second best LHP? Surely Ryan's passed him for the 3 jumper, and I'll agree with those banana benders who judge Holmes is doing better at number 1.

But once again, could the expert fatties please tell us what numbers to put on Slipper and Alexander.

Can't we just play them where they normally play?

1 Robinson, Alexander
3 Slipper, Ryan

 

[Done that]

Well then you're crazy, he's the worst prop to ever play for Australia.

Really ?
Maybe I should have discussed it with you before I posted , you could have pointed out why your
opinion is more informed than mine.
Shame I didn't have you around when I was a rep selector.
Thanks.

 

[Slim 293]

Really ?
Maybe I should have discussed it with you before I posted , you could have pointed out why your
opinion is more informed than mine.
Shame I didn't have you around when I was a rep selector.
Thanks.

And Daley didn't play last week, but did play about 4 games before that.......

3 of those off the bench........ and I think that might be his entire playing season?

And Daley won't play for the Wallabies again unless there's a giant injury toll that wipes out every other Super Rugby playing loosehead prop.........

 

[Dumbledore]

How is Daley even getting mentioned? He makes Pies Dunning look like Patricio Noriega.

 

[Lindommer]

1) Is there enough room for three opensides in a 31 man squad? Probably not. Will Smith make it? YES At the expense of Hooper or Gill? Who'd be a selector. Gill's most similar to Smith as a scavenger while Hooper is better with ball-in-hand. Gill to miss out.
2) Who is going to partner Kev in the 1st XV? Douglas Will this person have to be the lineout leader? Not necessarily.
3) Does Higginbotham's experience give him the no.6 jersey over Mowen? Probably, but the first sign of seagulling gets him hooked.
4) Who is going to get the no.10 jersey. I'd pick Cooper. His combination with Genia is invaluable.
5) Will Deans play a debutant in the 1st XV, yes let alone two or three? (Mowen, Lealiifano, Folau) Two's enough, Mowen on the bench.
6) Will MMM get his body right in time? Hopefully Does he deserve a spot in the 31 man squad? Most definitely, providing he's fit.
7) Will Beale get a 1st XV spot after 2 1/2 games back from his indescretion? If he plays in the next few matches like he did last week, yes.
8) Can Deans look past Cooper's 2012 comments? The ARU hierarchy should make perfectly clear to Robbie personalities don't affect selection.
9) Can Barnes get on the paddock for the Tahs? Yes, as a backup. Can he prove himself ready for the Lions? Yes, as a backup.
10) Will Horne come into consideration? Consideration, that's all. Will this be at the expense of Taps or Lilo? No, but that's not accounting for injuries.
11) Ditto with McCabe. Unfortunately, yes.
12) Will Mogg make it despite strong form in 2013? Probably not. He's about third, or fourth, in the Wallaby fullback stakes. EoYT for Jesse.
13) Folau. Has he picked up enough from Super Rugby to be thrown into test match football? Yes, he's improving every week. And he's the only back we've got over 100kg.

 

[Scott Allen]

I wouldn't bring up Ben Daley's international experience. Those tests against England were one of the Wallabies all time scrum trainwrecks.

I watched those scrums in 2010 with Daley packing against England the other day - in my opinion that was some of the worst scrummaging I can recall seeing at test level.

It was ugly, ugly, ugly and painful to watch!