Wallabies 2023

[Wilson]

I know he's being considered for 15 but what are the chances Kellaway gets thrown into 13? He's played there quite a bit for the Rebels and is a really good defender, passer and communicator. Could fill a lot of the roles that Ikitau plays. Also means Petaia can play at 15 which gives is a big boot and some serious aerial ability along with Nawaqanitawse in our back three. Just a thought so please don't @ me.

I expect it's a consideration, but probably much less likely now Wright had been dropped. If we had a set fullback or even if him and Petaia weren't both coming back from injury than Kellaway at 13 would make a lot of sense given Koroibete and Nawaqanitawase are both going well on the wings.

 

[rugbyAU]

I know he's being considered for 15 but what are the chances Kellaway gets thrown into 13? He's played there quite a bit for the Rebels and is a really good defender, passer and communicator. Could fill a lot of the roles that Ikitau plays. Also means Petaia can play at 15 which gives is a big boot and some serious aerial ability along with Nawaqanitawse in our back three. Just a thought so please don't @ me.

Yeah, not a bad shout

 

[eastman]

Pretty sure Eddie doesn't have a clue what he's doing. He drops Wright from the squad but keeps Vunivalu who is less versatile and far, far worse?

Hopefully he stumbles into our best back three combo which is a mix of MK, Kellaway, Petaia and Nawaqanitawase.

Ben Donaldson in as a utility gives me nightmares.

Agreed regardless of Wrights form, he still brings better utility value at 11/12/13/14/15 than Donaldson or Vunivalu.

At this stage of his career, Wright should be a wing or 23 or the Wallabies. He needs to spend more time at 15 in Super Rugby working on his consistency.

 

[Eddie's Eyebrows]

Agreed regardless of Wrights form, he still brings better utility value at 11/12/13/14/15 than Donaldson or Vunivalu.

At this stage of his career, Wright should be a wing or 23 or the Wallabies. He needs to spend more time at 15 in Super Rugby working on his consistency.

That's what we said last year... and he played a full season @ 15. He was actually playing extremely well until the semi-finals.

 

[Wilson]

Agreed regardless of Wrights form, he still brings better utility value at 11/12/13/14/15 than Donaldson or Vunivalu.

At this stage of his career, Wright should be a wing or 23 or the Wallabies. He needs to spend more time at 15 in Super Rugby working on his consistency.

I think the Wright dropping is more about sending a message than Vunivalu/Donaldson being there above him. If this was a RWC squad I expect he'd be retained above them.

Whether or not that style of messaging works I'm not so sure, but I don't think it's unusual for Eddie.

 

[stillmissit]

It's a good group.

Uelese, Vunivalu and Donaldson aside it's hard to argue that anyone who's there doesn't deserve it, and a number who didn't perform to the required standard or were only being experimented with are gone.

Odd the Ulese pick, apart from his size, I expected him to lift but he hasn't, Vunivalu looked slow on his feet. The only one I can sort of understand is Donaldson over Hodge but I'm not sure Donaldson brings more spark than Hodge.

 

[stillmissit]

Agreed regardless of Wrights form, he still brings better utility value at 11/12/13/14/15 than Donaldson or Vunivalu.

At this stage of his career, Wright should be a wing or 23 or the Wallabies. He needs to spend more time at 15 in Super Rugby working on his consistency.

Don't think he has the brains or the temperament for a 15. Wing or nothing! He's a big fast winger we can use, better than what Vunivalu has shown so far.

 

[SouthernX]

People really not picking up on the “6
Inches taller or 10kg heavier” being a factor in when selecting one or the other come test rugby squad time.

It’s probably a reason why Vunivalu and Uelese are getting pick. It’s more the upside of their athleticism as opposed to Tom wright who we’ve seen his ceiling.

 

[griffins]

Simple really. His Super Rugby form never translates at an international level. He plays a completely different style of game than what the coaches want at 7.

Was expecting there to be some very rigid erections in Queensland with Samu missing out. Tempered somewhat by Wilson missing again I suppose.

 

[Marce]

My starting XV according the squad update

1 Bell
2 Porecki
3 Alalaatoa
4 Philip
5 Skelton
6 Holloway
7 McReight
8 Valetini
9 White
10 QC (Quade Cooper)
11 Koroibete
12 Kerevi
13 Petaia
14 Marky
15 Kellaway

16 Faessler
17 Slipper (This is not possible due James is Eddie's captain)
18 Tupou
19 Frost
20 Gleeson
21 McDermott
22 Gordon
23 Perese

 

[Linerunner2023]

Did you carry this same attitude with Jorgensen? Or is it just because Sua'ali'i plays rugby league?

As I said I do and rate jorgo above Sua'ali'i
Sua'ali'i is physically built well but lacks game smarts, while jorgo not the same physical presence is ahead of Sua'ali'i in most parts of rugby

 

[Linerunner2023]

You've seen success from Kerevi in terms of play or his speed? He's not at 75%.

And he is still playing quite well
Just because it’s not 10 out of 10 - more like 8 out of 10 he isn’t playing well? We have no other 12 near Kerevi so give him a chance
Yes test match rugby is not easy to come back from injury but what other options do we have? We have no NPC / NRC and every game he plays before RWC he will get better

 

[Linerunner2023]

Woulda-shoulda-coulda? The problem is that not every sportsman returns from ACL with the same speed he had before it. I'm hoping that Kerevi does indeed "get there". But I'm not convinced it is automatic. We have not seen any chance for him to play rugby before the Wallabies and it is a pretty poor place for him to be proving his fitness. So far without success.

Who else plays 12? Massive drop to next man up
What else can he get game time in? We have no NRC or NPC
He is still playing well! Just not a 10 out of 10 yet
He is playing better then half the team at the moment

 

[dru]

@LR You are working in polemics. I am not all slightly against Kerevi. If he was indeed at 80% I’d agree with much of what you suggest. He is not however close to And he might not get there.

the real issue is he has no way of gaining game time to prove himself other than the WBs. It is a problem.

time is against him, this next game is the litmus for me. He needs to show something close to the 80% you talk about or we need to desperately work through centre alternates.

Or I would start that alternate program now. With the bench solutions EJ (Eddie Jones) has been working Kerevi misses that opportunity. He’d have to work from the squad training.

 

[Bullrush]

Yeap, I saw him out on the wing seagulling........

So Pete Samu started just 3 Tests last year including 2 Bledisloe Tests. In the GAGR Player polls, Samu got the top spot for both Bledisloe games and came in 4th overall for the year.

Not bad for a guy who apparently just seagulls on the wing....

 

[Doritos Day]

But given both players are underdone, it would be a huge ask to throw either player in against the All Blacks.

There is no need to rush them with so little time left for the RWC

I'd prefer to pick Campbell or Wright 100% fit

This doesn't make any sense. So better for them to be underdone at the RWC?

They need minutes as an individual. The team needs game time together. It really is getting to the stage of now or never.

 

[Marce]

This doesn't make any sense. So better for them to be underdone at the RWC?

They need minutes as an individual. The team needs game time together. It really is getting to the stage of now or never.

You have too many players coming from injuries: Bell, Tupou, Kerevi, Gleeson, Kellaway, Petaia and even Ikitau in next weeks. So you have to be carefull in their returns.

 

[Derpus]

So Pete Samu started just 3 Tests last year including 2 Bledisloe Tests. In the GAGR Player polls, Samu got the top spot for both Bledisloe games and came in 4th overall for the year.

Not bad for a guy who apparently just seagulls on the wing....

He has been phoning it in all year. Very average in Super Rugby. I think his form last year meant he got the initial benefit of the doubt but hasn't capitalized.

 

[Doritos Day]

You have too many players coming from injuries: Bell, Tupou, Kerevi, Gleeson, Kellaway, Petaia and even Ikitau in next weeks. So you have to be carefull in their returns.

They need to play games or drop out of selection contention, it's that simple. Bell and Tupou are a special case given they're so much better than the next man up.

There is no use cotton-wooling half the team until the RWC because you can take it to the bank; they will be exposed. I have said this for months, too much hope is being put into too many injured players that aren't close to match fit.

 

[KiwiM]

I know he's being considered for 15 but what are the chances Kellaway gets thrown into 13? He's played there quite a bit for the Rebels and is a really good defender, passer and communicator. Could fill a lot of the roles that Ikitau plays. Also means Petaia can play at 15 which gives is a big boot and some serious aerial ability along with Nawaqanitawse in our back three. Just a thought so please don't @ me.

13 is a tough position to cover as a utility. When I've seen him there for Rebels i've felt like he's doing a job but it's not ideal - you are comprimising him by not playing him in his best position (the physicality of test midfield probably doesnt play to his strengths) and you are comprimising the team by not playing a centre at centre. Of course for the Rebels it's often been a case of him at 13 out of need as there has been limited other options.

Ideally you'd have Kellaway on the wing as that's where he's looked most comfortable but certainly more suited to fullback than centre in my opinion.

Petaia would provide the size you want at 13 but Perese has the advantage of having mostly played centre the last few years. Foketi might lack some pace for 13 - especially up against Rieko. Perese 13, Petaia bench Kellaway 15 makes sense for Melbourne I think.