Tomikin
Simon Poidevin (60)
Well Douglas isnt avaliable so they still beat Timani. They do some good cleanout work and solid at set pieces.
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The Wallabies Thread
- Thread starter KOB1987
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topgun
Billy Sheehan (19)
Did we see Arnold against the Bull's in the 1st half? put in an unbelievable shift, I'd pick him for Wobblies over Carter or Timani. Can obviously jump, has plenty of physical presence and a big engine. What's not to love? Carter has never impressed against any test team but the lukewarm French outfit that stumbled over here in June 2014
Brumbieman
Dick Tooth (41)
He won a MOM against the All Blacks didnt he? Back when Laurie Fischer was still coaching here
He has played the All Blacks 3 times and the GAGR player ratings suggest that none of them were good performances.
Scrubber2050
Mark Ella (57)
Viking
Mark Ella (57)
I think he debuted against the All Blacks, heavily criticised before the match even started that he wasn't up to it. Mainly on an impact level. I think he silenced a lot of doubters with a solid enough performance. Far from poor but far from MOTM status. I think it got worse after that.
And that's the best you will ever get with him. A solid but forgetful performance. Definitely not the type of lock I'd like to see pair with Simmons.
Give me Arnold over him.
And that's the best you will ever get with him. A solid but forgetful performance. Definitely not the type of lock I'd like to see pair with Simmons.
Give me Arnold over him.
The world according to GAGR Player Ratings. Obviously Chek is an avid student.
Given it is hard to find the official MOTM online it was the best I could find.
Safe to say that he wasn't MOTM in any of the three games against the All Blacks.
Viking
Mark Ella (57)
Pretty sure we got smashed each game. Which reflected poorly in the wallabies G&GR ratings. Carter was probably one of the best on field for the wobs, so one of the best in an overall poor bunch. I think that's why people remember him being MOTM.
The reality is that he is a very average test player.
He debuted against France in the first game of the 2014 mid-year tests. He played really well against a patchy Frog team (Reg gave him an 8/10 in the player ratings), but then got injured and missed the rest of the series.
He came back in the Rugby Championships, but never regained the form of that first test against the French.
.
We drew the first test 12-all and Hooper was rated our best player. Sam Carter was rated a 6.
We got flogged in the second test in Auckland and then in the third test we lost at the death and then Ewen McKenzie resigned. Tevita Kuridrani was rated as our best player. Sam Carter was rated a 4.
It doesn't appear that there were ratings done for the second test.
Viking
Mark Ella (57)
So it was the French game I was thinking of. I think this game gave people false optimism of his abilities.
Scrubber2050
Mark Ella (57)
Thought he had a beauty that game.
Same with Skelton
Think both have not continued with the EXCELLANT promise shown on that day
Brumbieman
Dick Tooth (41)
Must have been the Boks. He got two MOM, my hazy memory is telling me.
Its so frustrating. All of our locks have the potential to be 8 or 9s out of 10, but none are performing above about a 6 average.
Laurie Fischer is being badly, badly missed here, he should be on a roving contract with the ARU attending each teams sessions and working on their techniques.
Brumby Runner
Jason Little (69)
Can't say that I agree that all of our locks are potentially 8 or 9 out of 10. At the national level, we seem to have a penchant for selecting bean-pole locks who just might be good at lineout time, but are quite powder puff at the rest of the game.
I saw on another thread where some one posted that many of our players seem to have been coached from school days to run at the opposition and go to ground quickly to recycle the ball. That seems to be especially relevant to many of the locks we've had in the Wallabies for quite some time, thinking Nathan Sharpe, Timani (the elder), Rob Simmons, Dean Mumm and Sam Carter. Time we muscled up at lock imo, and the likely ones are Douglas, Coleman, Arnold and Staniforth. Lopeti to me is a No 8, not a lock and I don't think Big Willy plays with the aggression his size should dictate as well as being a little deficient at set piece.
I saw on another thread where some one posted that many of our players seem to have been coached from school days to run at the opposition and go to ground quickly to recycle the ball. That seems to be especially relevant to many of the locks we've had in the Wallabies for quite some time, thinking Nathan Sharpe, Timani (the elder), Rob Simmons, Dean Mumm and Sam Carter. Time we muscled up at lock imo, and the likely ones are Douglas, Coleman, Arnold and Staniforth. Lopeti to me is a No 8, not a lock and I don't think Big Willy plays with the aggression his size should dictate as well as being a little deficient at set piece.
The_Brown_Hornet
John Eales (66)
Totally agree that Lopeti is an eight and not a lock. We would lose too much in the lineout jumping stakes if we were to pick him in the second row. In any case, McCalman and Holloway provide defence, go forward and jumping ability off the bench in the context of the current back row we field.
I'm of the Bakkies school when it comes to the second row pairing: you pick an athlete for the lineout and ball running in the loose and the rock shifter for the hard dirty stuff at the breakdown. Both players need to be able to scrummage. Simmons will be playing, no doubt about it (barring injury or suspension). What remains is who to partner with him. I'd say it will come down to Carter, Arnold or Coleman, with Carter my front runner.
I'm of the Bakkies school when it comes to the second row pairing: you pick an athlete for the lineout and ball running in the loose and the rock shifter for the hard dirty stuff at the breakdown. Both players need to be able to scrummage. Simmons will be playing, no doubt about it (barring injury or suspension). What remains is who to partner with him. I'd say it will come down to Carter, Arnold or Coleman, with Carter my front runner.
Brumby Runner
Jason Little (69)
I wouldn't rate Sam as a rock shifter - more the athletic jumper in the Rob Simmons mold. Too much like chalk and chalk for me to have them partnering in the Wallabies' second row. I think we need one of Douglas, Arnold, Coleman or Staniforth to perform the role of rock shifter.
I really think Holloway has shown the potential to be the running, jumping No 8 we've been missing for a long time. IMO would offer more on the bench than Ben McCalman, and I think the stats in the front page article on the No 8 spot confirm that. In fact, I'd say the stats also suggest Curtis Browning would be next best. If anything, I think Ben McC's stats confirm he has less impact than his reputation suggests he has.
Froggy
John Solomon (38)
What you say is right, BR, however I think Cheika will be mindful of how Ben McM stepped up when it came to the big stage, ie the WC, where in those last few games he was outstanding. There are those players at all levels, as you no doubt know, who play their best on the big occasion. Ma'a Nonu would be a case in point.
Don't get me wrong, I am a big Holloway fan, just think it's unlikely Cheika will have abandined McCalman yet
Don't get me wrong, I am a big Holloway fan, just think it's unlikely Cheika will have abandined McCalman yet
The_Brown_Hornet
John Eales (66)
I would love to see Arnold or Coleman in the job (forgetting Douglas for the moment, won't be available) but Carter will be selected I think. He did some outstanding work against the Bulls last weekend, so hopefully that continues. Cheika will select some new blokes I'm sure, but he'll also largely pick those available from last year I think. With good reason too, the Wallabies had an excellent tournament.
I'm a huge rap for Holloway, but we'd have to break up our existing back row to accommodate him starting, which I don't think will happen. Froggy is right too: the Big Dog was outstanding when the whips were cracking in the RWC. I'll never forget that defensive shift he put in late in that Wales game. He'll end up being replaced, but not yet. So one of those two for the bench, with Fardy - Hooper - Pocock to start.