There were a few surprises in the Oceania 29 for me but not a lot.
The Oceania event is not all about winning at Bond University, but about doing well in Georgia also.
In the Worlds they will be playing five games in 19 days and they need to look at players who can deal with three games in nine days at Bond.
As much as we don't like to use versatile players because specialists tend to play better in any position, every team playing in Georgia will have to compromise because they will have only 28 players available.
Therefore the remarks of Braveheart above, regarding the no. 8 position, make sense.
But sometimes it's difficult to know which compromise to take.
The choice of Swinton above Girdler for Bond may look odd but he can play 6 and lock with equal facility, and is a lineout expert, whereas Girdler's best attribute is being a ball runner.
On the other hand it's a bit of a risk because with Leota crocked for the season they will won't have a big bopper ball runner in the backrow and they may need all the ball runners they can get, even if they are not as large.
And there are no versions of Lukhan T and Rodda in the second row this year to balance that, as I have been saying for months.
They may even look at scrumhalf Strang playing at flyhalf in parts of games in the Oceania Champs next week.
That may be one reason why he was safe for selection there: who knows what would happen if two flyhalves get crocked in Georgia at short notice, maybe in the same game?
All that said, I was a bit surprised that Goddard was overlooked for Lonergan, who was a schoolie last year. He played well enough for Aus Schools in 2016 but Goddard is talented and is a good enough goal-kicker.
But Lonergan has always got spots ahead of older players; so let's see how he goes.
Glad to see Maddocks pronounced healthy, and likewise the emergence of Horton was a complete good surprise. But he wasn't in the Gen Blue team, even the extended squad - no doubt because of injury - so he could be underdone.
Good to see Jack Mac at 10. Dunno if he was injured before but his exclusion for the original 48 invitees to the first Bond camp was otherwise unaccountable.
.
The Oceania event is not all about winning at Bond University, but about doing well in Georgia also.
In the Worlds they will be playing five games in 19 days and they need to look at players who can deal with three games in nine days at Bond.
As much as we don't like to use versatile players because specialists tend to play better in any position, every team playing in Georgia will have to compromise because they will have only 28 players available.
Therefore the remarks of Braveheart above, regarding the no. 8 position, make sense.
But sometimes it's difficult to know which compromise to take.
The choice of Swinton above Girdler for Bond may look odd but he can play 6 and lock with equal facility, and is a lineout expert, whereas Girdler's best attribute is being a ball runner.
On the other hand it's a bit of a risk because with Leota crocked for the season they will won't have a big bopper ball runner in the backrow and they may need all the ball runners they can get, even if they are not as large.
And there are no versions of Lukhan T and Rodda in the second row this year to balance that, as I have been saying for months.
They may even look at scrumhalf Strang playing at flyhalf in parts of games in the Oceania Champs next week.
That may be one reason why he was safe for selection there: who knows what would happen if two flyhalves get crocked in Georgia at short notice, maybe in the same game?
All that said, I was a bit surprised that Goddard was overlooked for Lonergan, who was a schoolie last year. He played well enough for Aus Schools in 2016 but Goddard is talented and is a good enough goal-kicker.
But Lonergan has always got spots ahead of older players; so let's see how he goes.
Glad to see Maddocks pronounced healthy, and likewise the emergence of Horton was a complete good surprise. But he wasn't in the Gen Blue team, even the extended squad - no doubt because of injury - so he could be underdone.
Good to see Jack Mac at 10. Dunno if he was injured before but his exclusion for the original 48 invitees to the first Bond camp was otherwise unaccountable.
.
