Wallabies 2019 Thread

[VassMan]

1. Sio
2. Fainga
3. Allatoa
4. Rodda
5. Skelton
6. Jones
7. Hooper
8. Nisarani

9. Genia
10. Cooper
11. Koroibete
12. Kerevi
13. Kuridrani
14. Maddocks
15. DHP

16. Uluese
17. Slipper
18. Tupou
19. Arnold
20. Pocock
21. White
22. To'omua
23. Beale

24. TPN
25. Kepu
26. Robertson
27. Coleman
28. LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto)
29. Samu
30. Dempsey

31. McDermott
32. Foley
33. Petaia
34. Naivalu
35. Hodge

Extra squad spots cause I couldn't split them and not sure how many of each position they'll take this time.

 

[dillyboy]

I'm too young to have an opinion of opensides pre-Smith.

All I'll offer is this gem of a highlight clip from GAGR showing the definitive flankers of our current generation. McCaw was the only player worthy of sharing their dais.

I like Quade but jeez his tackling was atrocious in that highlight reel

 

[Sully]

I’ve always been intrigued Wilson doesn’t get more praise. For mine, his influence on games was up there with pretty much everyone bar maybe Eales & Horan. His battles with Kronfel & Neil Back were worth the price of admission alone. Really great player.

Better than Smith & Pocock - I’m not sure. There is a lot of folly in comparing players of different ages. I am just grateful I got to watch all theee play.

This!

It's so hard to compare players when the game has changed so much. I loved Wilson and Poido. Smith was amazing and Pocock good but never a complete player like the rest. Loved them all.

 

[Breakaway22]

Any update on Petaia and his injury? Feel like he could be a real dark horse if he can get up in time.

 

[Forcefield]

I've never seen a player own a test match like Pocock in the 2011 Quarter final (Jonah Lomu '95 maybe?). He deserves special credit for that.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I've never seen a player own a test match like Pocock in the 2011 Quarter final (Jonah Lomu '95 maybe?). He deserves special credit for that.

It was a truly incredible performance, the likes we haven't seen too often in a knock out game at the RWC.

 

[TSR]

1. Slipper
2. Fainga'a
3. Ala'alatoa
4. Rodda
5. Skelton
6. Jones
7. Hooper
8. Pocock
9. Genia
10. Foley
11. Haylett-Petty
12. Kerevi
13. Kuridrani
14. Maddocks
15. Beale

16. Uelese
17. Sio
18. Tupou
19. Coleman
20. Samu
21. White
22. To'omua
23. Hodge

Welcome back. It’s been a long time (unless I’ve just been watching the wrong threads)

 

[Derpus]

All this talk of best ever 7s has me curious about the age of posters. Im betting at 29 im one of the youngest.

 

[Dctarget]

All this talk of best ever 7s has me curious about the age of posters. Im betting at 29 im one of the youngest.

Is that your polite way of saying, "fuck you guys are old"?

 

[Rebels3]

Is that your polite way of saying, "fuck you guys are old"?

Smith is the greatest in my life time. I’m mid 30s

 

[formerflanker]

All this talk of best ever 7s has me curious about the age of posters. Im betting at 29 im one of the youngest.

I want you to know that also I will not make age an issue of this forum. I am not going to exploit, for point scoring purposes, another poster's youth and inexperience.
(h/t Ronald Regan)

 

[Froggy]

At 64, as I said, my favourites are Poidevin & Smith, however I don't remember Geurasimoff and only saw the latter part of Greg Davis' career. Someone commented that they couldn't remember Davis playing open side, my recollection was in those days we played left and right, not open and blind. Also, the blind side winger threw the ball into the lineout

 

[RugbyReg]

I'm 45. Poidevin considers himself a blindside that was switched to openside by Dwyer for the 91 RWC campaign.

 

[wamberal]

I am old enough to remember when our breakaways were interchangeable, and usually pretty small. Jules Guerrasimoff and Greg Davis for example.

 

[Derpus]

Does Skelton make the team if he is available?

 

[RoffsChoice]

He'd be in the top four locks on form. Whether he makes the 23 is another question.

 

[Tex]

I'm 33 and can only nameSmith, Waugh, Poey, Gill and Croft off the top of my head.

Smith > Pocock

 

[Tomikin]

I'm 33 and can only nameSmith, Waugh, Poey, Gill and Croft off the top of my head.

Smith > Pocock

Hooper ..

 

[Tex]

Hooper ..

fuck that's a glaring miss!

 

[BDA]

My 31 man squad:

Props
Sio
Slipper
AAA
Tupou
Kepu
Robertson

Hookers
Fainga
Uluese
TPN

Locks
Arnold
Rodda
Coleman
Skelton (if he’s eligible, otherwise LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto))

Backrow
Hooper
Pocock (if fit, if not Dempsey)
Samu
Jones
Naisarani
LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto)

Halfbacks
Genia
White
Phipps

Flyhalves
Foley
To'omua

Backs
Kerevi
Kuridrani
Hodge
DHP
Beale
Maddocks
Petaia (if fit, if not Koribete)

I think the front-rowers basically select themselves. surely the best group we’re ever taken to a world cup. A good mix of experience and youth. Most are genuine ball runners. Strong scrummaging. It’s a nice luxury to have guys like TPN and Kepu at our disposal. I’d have neither in my starting 23 but both provide excellent injury cover. I could see TPN winning a spot on the bench (or even starting) in certain games where scrums are likely to be a focus.

The backrow is fairly easy to select. Unfortunately there are some good players that will miss out (possibly Dempsey or LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto)). I’ll blow up if I see Ned Hannagan in the squad ahead of Samu.

I believe they are the halfbacks that will be chosen. I’ll start by saying I think McDermott and Powell probably have the potential to play better than Phipps and White, but for a world cup I don’t have any major issue simply going with the experienced guys.

As much as I’m a long term fan of Cooper, I wouldn’t select him. If we’re going to win this world cup it will be through a gritty forward pack, tactical nous, defence and consistency. I think Cooper unfortunately lacks some of those qualities. He’s a rocks and diamonds player. I just don’t think that works in a knock-out tournament. We took him to the last world cup and Cheika didn’t really have the guts to play him at crunch time. To'omua, might not generate the same options in attack, but he also makes less errors, is a strong defender and has better in game kicking imo. I’d start the test season by giving To'omua some time at 10 and see how he settles in to the role.

Backs are pretty easy to pick. I’d go with K and K in the centres and Beale at Fullback or on the bench.