Wallabies 2019 Thread

[KOB1987]

The Folau at 13 experiment was tried a year or two ago and was a pretty poor. When he plays 15 other teams have to adjust their game plans to try to avoid his impact from 15. His best games for the wallabies and tags have been at 15. I just can't understand the fascination with changing that. Any time he's not at 15, opposition bombs start raining down onto whoever the poor soul is that is now trying to fill Izzy's role.

Similarly with Pocock - he is so utterly dominant when he's on the field then I just can't understand the logic of trying to have him fill another role (that of an 8) when he isn't one. The 8 is a specialist role and a key part of the spine of the team, rigging something up just so we can slot in Hooper at 7 just doesn't make sense to me. Pick Hooper or Pocock - I even kinda agree with ^^^^ whoever it was that suggested Pocock comes on as a sub due to his history of not necessarily finishing games due to the physical attention he receives.

Pick players in their actual positions though, and if it means we can't have our two best on the park at the same time then so be it. One things for sure, we've tried shoehorning players into all kinds of positions over the years and it has not worked consistently, so why not try a different approach and have players play consistently in their actual positions (/roles).

Or we can just continue to do what we've been doing for quite a while and hasn't been working, and just hope that at some point doing the same thing will just magically yield different results.

For once I’m almost agreeing with your post in its entirety except for the bit about playing pocock at 8 so we can pick hooper at 7. It’s actually so they can both be picked, subtle difference but it is a difference.

 

[KOB1987]

Anyone think cheika going to the UK at the same time Johnson hits town is well planned by cheik..
still running his own show..
how can we go to the WC with no bks coach??

Gidday frank and welcome. If you listened to the podcast you would have found out that Cheika was sent to japan for corporate reasons by RA and incorporated Europe into the trip for pretty legitimate reasons

 

[TSR]

When Cheika persisted with Maddocks over Banks, I thought it was a mistake.

But I will concede, whilst I still rate Banks and reckon he has pretty decent upside, Maddocks has really impressed me this season and I think Cheika got that one right. Not the finished article by any means, but is a really key contributor in the Rebels backline.

 

[drewprint]

I was at the Reds - Rebels match last night and boy Luke Jones was impressive. Which got me wondering about the ideal backrow balance. Let’s assume (or hope?) we drop the Pooper plan once and for all. I’m a bit torn between:

Dempsey
Pocock
Naisarani

Or

Jones
Hooper
Naisarani

Trying to keep a bit of mobility and running in there (Dempsey or Hooper) combining with some tighter work (Pocock or Jones).

 

[Pass it to Dunning!]

The Folau at 13 experiment was tried a year or two ago and was a pretty poor. When he plays 15 other teams have to adjust their game plans to try to avoid his impact from 15. His best games for the wallabies and tags have been at 15. I just can't understand the fascination with changing that. Any time he's not at 15, opposition bombs start raining down onto whoever the poor soul is that is now trying to fill Izzy's role.

Similarly with Pocock - he is so utterly dominant when he's on the field then I just can't understand the logic of trying to have him fill another role (that of an 8) when he isn't one. The 8 is a specialist role and a key part of the spine of the team, rigging something up just so we can slot in Hooper at 7 just doesn't make sense to me. Pick Hooper or Pocock - I even kinda agree with ^^^^ whoever it was that suggested Pocock comes on as a sub due to his history of not necessarily finishing games due to the physical attention he receives.

Pick players in their actual positions though, and if it means we can't have our two best on the park at the same time then so be it. One things for sure, we've tried shoehorning players into all kinds of positions over the years and it has not worked consistently, so why not try a different approach and have players play consistently in their actual positions (/roles).

Or we can just continue to do what we've been doing for quite a while and hasn't been working, and just hope that at some point doing the same thing will just magically yield different results.

I'd argue the best backline in world rugby in the last five years was Hooper-Pocock-Fardy at the World Cup. Having both of them on the paddock at once worked wonderfully. We just haven't figured out how to replicate Fardy.

 

[Dctarget]

But I will concede

Huh? We don't do that round here. Please stick to your opinion doggedly in the future, despite all counterarguments.

 

[Rebels3]

I was at the Reds - Rebels match last night and boy Luke Jones was impressive. Which got me wondering about the ideal backrow balance. Let’s assume (or hope?) we drop the Pooper plan once and for all. I’m a bit torn between:

Dempsey
Pocock
Naisarani

Or

Jones
Hooper
Naisarani

Trying to keep a bit of mobility and running in there (Dempsey or Hooper) combining with some tighter work (Pocock or Jones).

The Rebels have the two best performing forwards in Australia atm with Naisarani and Jones. Jones has been absolutely brilliant in every game he’s played.

 

[Slim 293]

We just haven't figured out how to replicate Fardy.

Too many bad haircuts........ not enough beards.

 

[gel]

I'd argue the best backline in world rugby in the last five years was Hooper-Pocock-Fardy at the World Cup. Having both of them on the paddock at once worked wonderfully. We just haven't figured out how to replicate Fardy.

I'd argue that it's not 2015 anymore.

 

[Up the Guts]

Would love if people expanded a bit more as to who they see playing what roll in the team. These days (across all pro teams) numbers on the back don't mean nearly as much as they used to.

Ie assuming it's a 1-3-31, who is in the pod and who is on the edge. And who is leading the defensive line?

Let's say we had a back row of Jones, Pocock, Naisarani. I'm assuming we'd have Pocock on one edge, Naisarani on the other, Jones and the locks in one pod and then the front row in the other pod. Does this check out? Does Pocock normally play on the edge?

 

[Adam84]

4. Rodda
5. LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto)
6. Jones
7. Pocock
8. Naisarani

Offers the beat balance in a forward pack for me.
LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) could be subbed out for Arnold or Coleman if he returns to form.

 

[Dctarget]

Philip has been the 2nd form lock of the Aus conference after Rodda.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Well, up there with Arnold imo. I could easily accept a back 5 of Rodda, Philip, Jones, Pocock, Naisarani, with a bench of Arnold/Coleman, LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto). Hooper starts if Pocock isn't fit, but otherwise not in the 23. Pocock and Hooper to be named Captains.

 

[Adam84]

Philip has been the 2nd form lock of the Aus conference after Rodda.

That he may be, but for the same reason you don't put Pocock and Hooper in the same team, you need to consider not putting Phillip, Jones and Rodda in the same team. It's about balance. You need a big bodied ball runner like Coleman, Arnold or LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) there as well.

 

[Tomikin]

Does anyone see this year that we have 2 game plans we could play, having say Genia Cooper Kervi TK start play flat at the line and play 2 big centres, but have Foley, Beale on the bench, so we could change up game plan half way through.

Thats a massive advantage, specially since we have been so same same for ever, we should be planning to play 2 different ways...

 

[Adam84]

Shouldn't need two lineups just to adjust the point of attack in the game plan.
On fast ball you play flatter, on slow ball you play deeper. If they're using rush defence you need to use kicks in behind to keep the defence honest, do that a few times and put that doubt in the mind of defenders.

It's like the Wallabies go into games with one gameplan and no ability to shift the point of attack based on how the defence is moving up on them, it's not complicated stuff but I guess we have the luxury of watching from the sidelines and making those assessments.

 

[wamberal]

One problem is that we do not value tactical kicking, and we apparently do not bother to coach kids to kick tactically.

 

[KOB1987]

OK so here is the stats based form Aussie team of the season so far. As previously mentioned, it's only to stimulate conversation and to irritate Slim

1 Johnson-Holmes WAR
2 Fainga'a BRU
3 Alalaatoa BRU
4 Phillip REB
5 Jones REB
6 Dempsey WAR
7 Hooper WAR
8 Naisarani REB
9 Genia REB
10 Cooper REB
11 Rona WAR
12 Kerevi RED
13 Feauai-Sautia RED
14 Folau WAR
15 Maddocks REB
Bench
16 Rangi REB
17 Talakai REB
18 Kepu WAR
19 Holloway WAR
20 McCaffrey BRU
21 McDermott RED
22 Foley WAR
23 Hegarty RED
Next 8
Fitzpatrick WAR
Fotuaika RED
Carter BRU
Samu BRU
Phipps WAR
Lealifano BRU
Meakes REB
English REB

 

[Dctarget]

OK so here is the stats based form Aussie team of the season so far. As previously mentioned, it's only to stimulate conversation and to irritate Slim

1 Johnson-Holmes WAR
2 Fainga'a BRU
3 Alalaatoa BRU
4 Phillip REB
5 Jones REB
6 Dempsey WAR
7 Hooper WAR
8 Naisarani REB
9 Genia REB
10 Cooper REB
11 Rona WAR
12 Kerevi RED
13 Feauai-Sautia RED
14 Folau WAR
15 Maddocks REB
Bench
16 Rangi REB
17 Talakai REB
18 Kepu WAR
19 Holloway WAR
20 McCaffrey BRU
21 McDermott RED
22 Foley WAR
23 Hegarty RED
Next 8
Fitzpatrick WAR
Fotuaika RED
Carter BRU
Samu BRU
Phipps WAR
Lealifano BRU
Meakes REB
English REB

What stats are you using again?

 

[KOB1987]

Th SuperBru fantasy ones because they don't include goal kicking