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I slept through the alarm and missed it. Reports seem to say we were OK for a half and a bit, then terrible. Pocock the stand out as usual this year, forwards solid, lineout great until Simmons left then diabolical, and no cohesion in the backs at any stage. Is that about it?

No bench back rowers is interesting. I would have guessed Skelton and Mumm were playing for 1 spot with Palu/McMahon/McCalman the other. Otherwise looks good to me.

Yeah that was good - glad I stayed up.

They're out on their feet. Will be a good effort to keep this lead to 10.

That's probably the game. Any one of 6 of them could have scored that.

Ref's explanation for not reversing that penalty that gave the Kiwis that try: "Swinging arms at opposition heads is only a penalisable offence if you don't have advantage!"

I'm coming around to McMahon, just. Running through a few possible combos: Sio, Moore, Kepu, Simmons, Mumm, Fardy, Hooper, Pocock, Phipps, Foley, Mitchell, To'omua, Kuridrani, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Folau. Res: Slipper, TPN, Holmes, Skelton, McCalman, Genia, Cooper, Beale. Squad Extras: Smith, Douglas, McMahon...

Just trying to let this sink in. Without a doubt the biggest shock is only 2 hookers. This is a huge risk in order to allow a 6th backrower or 5th winger. I just can't make any sense of it at all. Firstly, in most games, Beale is going to be the outside back reserve, so even a 3rd winger is...

I'd pick Lilo but it requires dropping Cooper which I doubt they'll do. Douglas adds a strong lineout option, which has been weak, but picking him would mean Mumm is essentially seen as cover for Fardy because we don't need 5 locks. Alternatively if Douglas isn't picked, Mumm is purely a lock...

I reckon the smokey will be either Douglas or Higgers.

Pretty much. The selectors are left with the dilemma of sticking by failing options in the hope of a revival or taking the next cab on the rank. Given the public comments made about Cooper especially, all signs point to the former, most likely to the detriment of the squad. But we'll see what...

I thought that was strange too but figured they weren't quite sure if Douglas could handle 40 mins yet and just wanted to ease him back. Realistically I think Douglas is up against Genia and maybe even Lilo for that 31st spot once the 17-13 are selected. Who they go with I guess depends on...

It depends how you view Mumm. If he's a backup for Fardy, Douglas is the backup lock. His advantage is in likely being our second best lineout option, which recent form suggests may need reinforcement.

I'd say that's the case in a 17-14 set up. There may still be some temptation to take Douglas in an 18-13, given only really Simmons of that quartet is performing in lineouts.

He's assuming a 17-14 split too. That being the case, we already know 15 of them (Horwill included) and the last 2 are Smith vs Faulkner and Palu vs Higgers so Douglas won't make it. If they opt for 18-13, which is just as likely, he's likely to be there.

I don't think the same can be said of Cooper and Foley. It's a case of "we had 2 options and they're not working. Do we stick by and hope for a turnaround or take another option?" I doubt they'll pick Lilo having not played him, but I certainly would, even if it meant leaving behind Cooper...

It looked that way at the time. But given what has been dished out since, it was relatively good.

He might be a bit like Genia in that might work in his favour given all options tried were awful and we haven't found a satisfactory one yet.

I think the stocks in Higgers, Genia and Lilo all went up over the weekend, thanks to their absence. It's a tougher squad to pick now than it was on Sat morning, but I'll have a crack. I think there are 36 in contention: Props: Sio, Kepu, Slipper, Holmes, Smith, Faulkner Hookers: Moore, TPN...

Well, fuck.