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Bledisloe 1: 29 July @ MCG

Dctarget

John Eales (66)
People seem to be happy with Jed's performance? I thought he a was ineffective with his carries for a 6. I expect someone else to get the nod this time round.
 

Highlander35

Andrew Slack (58)
People seem to be happy with Jed's performance? I thought he a was ineffective with his carries for a 6. I expect someone else to get the nod this time round.

I think Jed is a necessity within the players selected for this squad for both Skelton and a conventional 7 to play in the same starting lineup, Tom Hooper aside. LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto), Hanigan, Swinton strike me as the alternatives outside of the squad, but all have good arguments against.
 

Dctarget

John Eales (66)
Semi-interesting article by Nick Bishop on hope for the Wallabies.
Not rushing me to be optimistic just yet. For those that doubt Skelton's effectiveness it may convince you.

I disagree with his final position that Eddie should play Frost at 6 vehemently. We already lack from breakdown threats, Frost is not going to bend the line or drive people back in tackles. Maybe in 5 years of muscle growth a la Scott Barrett at 6 but right now he's just not big enough. We need an on baller who will actually dent the line and drive back attackers.
 

The Ghost of Raelene

Andrew Slack (58)
Semi-interesting article by Nick Bishop on hope for the Wallabies.
Not rushing me to be optimistic just yet. For those that doubt Skelton's effectiveness it may convince you.

I disagree with his final position that Eddie should play Frost at 6 vehemently. We already lack from breakdown threats, Frost is not going to bend the line or drive people back in tackles. Maybe in 5 years of muscle growth a la Scott Barrett at 6 but right now he's just not big enough. We need an on baller who will actually dent the line and drive back attackers.
Frost isn't a threat in Defence at all besides box kick pressure.

I think Skelton has been good. I know some don't think it but he's getting up and down from contact faster than those around him, he's definitely able to slow down the oppositions clean ball.
 

Slim 293

Stirling Mortlock (74)
Semi-interesting article by Nick Bishop on hope for the Wallabies.
Not rushing me to be optimistic just yet. For those that doubt Skelton's effectiveness it may convince you.

I disagree with his final position that Eddie should play Frost at 6 vehemently. We already lack from breakdown threats, Frost is not going to bend the line or drive people back in tackles. Maybe in 5 years of muscle growth a la Scott Barrett at 6 but right now he's just not big enough. We need an on baller who will actually dent the line and drive back attackers.

Yeah, I think we're already short on quality locks so I don't see the benefit of taking our sole promising domestic based one and shoving him into an already congested field of backrowers.
 

Tomthumb

Colin Windon (37)
Frost isn't a threat in Defence at all besides box kick pressure.

I think Skelton has been good. I know some don't think it but he's getting up and down from contact faster than those around him, he's definitely able to slow down the oppositions clean ball.
It's not that he hasn't been good per se, its that he's been labeled as "the best lock in Europe" for years now, when in reality NZ has at least 3 locks that are clearly much better than him. He's a solid player that has been talked up as a world beater
 

The Ghost of Raelene

Andrew Slack (58)
Good point.

I wasn't expecting Retallick out there so maybe I'm happier than some others. I would say he has the ability to impact out team in the positive though. He is an international standard Lock and some of the guys he's competing with aren't IMO. We won't threaten the best sides with the Matt Phillip types as much as he does right.
 

Mr Pilfer

Bob Loudon (25)
so guessing
9. White
10. Cooper
11. Koroibete
12. Kerevi
13. Perese
14. Nawaqinatawase
15. Kellaway
22. McDermott
23. Petaia
I don’t think you can go a 6-2 especially if one of them is Petaia. I would still like to see Gordon at 22 with the other 2 you mentioned on the bench.
I have an uneasy feeling that Eddie is going to put Donaldson in somewhere though
 

Dctarget

John Eales (66)
I don’t think you can go a 6-2 especially if one of them is Petaia. I would still like to see Gordon at 22 with the other 2 you mentioned on the bench.
I have an uneasy feeling that Eddie is going to put Donaldson in somewhere though
whoops meant to have Gordon there, don't think he's getting dropped anytime soon.
 
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