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Wallabies 2021

VassMan

Darby Loudon (17)
A couple of things: season is starting 7th January in Japan, so preseason is on.

On twitter GeeRob was saying that almost all these contracts have injury clauses: if you get injured playing for some other team, they can tear up your contract.

Combine these two factors, and you get a situation where a player might take a risk if they're far enough away from preseason to recover, but not into November when they're expected to do at least 6 weeks of preseason.

(It would be churlish of the Japan Rugby nuffies to stop players representing at the Tokyo Olympics :) )
This makes sense, just wish they'd had the discussions and made a call earlier. In future I would like to see Japan based players available for RC and then Euro based players available for Spring tour. That way we can see where these players are at and create depth while still favouring domestic players.
 

Pfitzy

George Gregan (70)
This makes sense, just wish they'd had the discussions and made a call earlier. In future I would like to see Japan based players available for RC and then Euro based players available for Spring tour. That way we can see where these players are at and create depth while still favouring domestic players.

Suspect player agents were quietly saying "yeah sure go earn me a percentage for the Wallabies in October, but let's sit out the Spring tour, eh?"
 

Dctarget

John Eales (66)
Beale didn't play for Racing 92 last weekend and I thought it was just a rest but he actually was named at 15 then injured in the match warm up just before the game. Can't quite work out what the injury is but assume not too serious because nothing in the media.

He's been named as a maybe for Sunday's game against Toulouse.
 

dru

Tim Horan (67)
To be honest, having Noah there does not fill me with confidence. He is serviceable at best.

Joe, I love most of your stuff but for goodness sake. Sure, Lolesio was catapulted into the role well before his readiness, as we all understand and acknowledge. But he was the #1 selection with JOC (James O'Connor) injured. He may have been "green" but was well more than "serviceable" and comes with the distinct advantage of having trained in the system and of being mentored by Quade through a period where Quade's mentorship seems to have meant something - a matter of great quality and importance to the squad. He has played the best team in the world within this setup, and managed well against France. His state of readiness is a different beast than before we started on the internationals. And hopefully he has learned some hunger for it watching from home.

With JOC (James O'Connor) and Quade in place, and Hodge available it was sensible to reconsider Lolo. He had a sniff and going forward it was there if his cards are played well. BUT Quade out, Hodge out, Lolo becomes a clear #2 with the robustness of our #1 (JOC (James O'Connor)) unproven. Surely he must be reintroduced.

I don't see that as depressing at all, I'm thankful that we had the chance to build his experience before touring Europe. It is very much a good thing.
 

Dctarget

John Eales (66)
surely we aren’t leaving behind McReight and Wilson to bring in Colby Fainga'a.

fullback I understand, but there was actual quality depth left behind in Australia in the backrow.
Oh yeah I don't mean he's ahead of any of those players, just thought if you wanted a tackle bag holder who's already on the ground without having to get McReight and Wilson out of their pre-season etc.
 

Dctarget

John Eales (66)
Just watched highlights of Maddocks' latest game, set up a nice try but got beaten badly twice for two tries, not pretty.
 

Joe Blow

Peter Sullivan (51)
Joe, I love most of your stuff but for goodness sake. Sure, Lolesio was catapulted into the role well before his readiness, as we all understand and acknowledge. But he was the #1 selection with JOC (James O'Connor) injured. He may have been "green" but was well more than "serviceable" and comes with the distinct advantage of having trained in the system and of being mentored by Quade through a period where Quade's mentorship seems to have meant something - a matter of great quality and importance to the squad. He has played the best team in the world within this setup, and managed well against France. His state of readiness is a different beast than before we started on the internationals. And hopefully he has learned some hunger for it watching from home.

With JOC (James O'Connor) and Quade in place, and Hodge available it was sensible to reconsider Lolo. He had a sniff and going forward it was there if his cards are played well. BUT Quade out, Hodge out, Lolo becomes a clear #2 with the robustness of our #1 (JOC (James O'Connor)) unproven. Surely he must be reintroduced.

I don't see that as depressing at all, I'm thankful that we had the chance to build his experience before touring Europe. It is very much a good thing.
I just cannot see it in him. I hope for him to prove me wrong. He is fine as a back up off the bench.
 

Derpus

George Gregan (70)
I just cannot see it in him. I hope for him to prove me wrong. He is fine as a back up off the bench.
Well - took Quade a fairly long time to develop the level of game management he can now exhibit (most of his career?). The kid is just that, a kid. I think he's shown loads and has plenty more development in him (though my money is still on Harrison overtaking him).
 

duckbill

Sydney Middleton (9)
Re the QC (Quade Cooper) and co saga, I've seen heaps of different comments and opinions, so here is my understanding so far - please correct me where I'm wrong:

- The players aren't under contract with RA so Reg 9 does not apply - RA could not force the issue
- Japanese rugby teams are big corporate affairs and managed in the same way, with the added issue of it being a way the companies compete even if they aren't direct competitors in whatever they do.
- As a few have hinted the Japanese are very unlikely to say an outright no until the very end, it's a cultural thing
- The players were caught in this fight and as far as I am concerned have zero blame and have behaved admirably
 
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Adam84

Nick Farr-Jones (63)
Reg 9 has nothing to do with whether the players are contracted to RA or not, the clubs cannot refuse the right to release the player for test matches during sanctioned windows.

What we are seeing here is a different kind of pressure been applied upon the players, its occurred before where certain pacific islanders have ‘retired’ from international rugby at convenient times for the clubs. World Rugby and RA cannot prove that was a result of the clubs pressuring the players To stop them playing in the sanctioned windows, and i suspect its not a fight RA is willing to have right now.
 

Cancelled Account

Desmond Connor (43)
Well - took Quade a fairly long time to develop the level of game management he can now exhibit (most of his career?). The kid is just that, a kid. I think he's shown loads and has plenty more development in him (though my money is still on Harrison overtaking him).
Lolesio is our best match fit flyhalf backup going into games at this point. I reckon Harrison, Carter Gordon and potentially Pasitoa will pass him. Let’s just sit back and see how it all plays out. Good to have some talent coming through.
 
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Mr Pilfer

Bob Loudon (25)
People need to stop getting carried away with recent wins. If Quade and Kerevi played against the all blacks we still would have got flogged. I am sure Noah would have preferred to play against Argentina as well. So the opposition needs to come into it when comparing players.

I also see this as a good opportunity to build depth for the World Cup, that’s why they need to bring in the young players and not the old has beens. Similar to when England came out and got pumped 76-0 with a young team and went on to win the world cup not long after
 

Cancelled Account

Desmond Connor (43)
The ABs have dropped a level IMO and I think our team with QC (Quade Cooper) and Kerevi would have got us across the line. It’s a shame RA doesn’t have the money to keep our experienced test players in Aus because from what I have seen in recent games we were building to take out the World Cup.
 
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wamberal

Phil Kearns (64)
The ABs have dropped a level IMO and I think our team with QC (Quade Cooper) and Kerevi would have got us across the line. It’s a shame RA doesn’t have the money to keep our experienced test players in Aus because from what I have seen in recent games we were building to take out the World Cup.
We are building a pretty competitive team. Players like Kerevi will be back in the fold in time, you can be sure of that.
 
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