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Wallabies 2023

H

Herman

Allen Oxlade (6)
Randwick have given us the template on how to play running rugby. We should only kick when things are dire. Run the ball and run other teams off their feet. The new way. The Wallabies way. The Australian way.
 
Sully

Sully

Tim Horan (67)
Staff member
Look I'm as down on Suli as everyone else, but he scores tries. He already has try scoring records at the Reds. I'm sure Reg can tell us which ones. I think half the problem is he looks slow going fast if that make sense.
 
Derpus

Derpus

George Gregan (70)
Sully said:
Look I'm as down on Suli as everyone else, but he scores tries. He already has try scoring records at the Reds. I'm sure Reg can tell us which ones. I think half the problem is he looks slow going fast if that make sense.
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The problem is he can't do anything else.

Setting aside the cliches about looking pretty - wingers actually have a lot of roles they need to fulfill. They need to pivot with their other wing and fullback to cover the sidelines and backfield for kicks, they need to return kicks, chase kicks, compete in the air, position themselves correctly to defend their wing, etc. Koroibete, for example, somehow does all of this and more.

Suli finishes fine or well even. It's all the other stuff.
 
The Ghost of Raelene

The Ghost of Raelene

Andrew Slack (58)
Derpus said:
The problem is he can't do anything else.

Setting aside the cliches about looking pretty - wingers actually have a lot of roles they need to fulfill. They need to pivot with their other wing and fullback to cover the sidelines and backfield for kicks, they need to return kicks, chase kicks, compete in the air, position themselves correctly to defend their wing, etc. Koroibete, for example, somehow does all of this and more.

Suli finishes fine or well even. It's all the other stuff.
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These should be simple for him honestly. Big man who had plenty of aerial presence in League…

His best game was v the Chiefs when he went looking for work. It’s just an unknown if he will in a game or if he won’t. Getting involved is what has got Mark N (Nawaqanitawase) into the Wallabies.
 
Derpus

Derpus

George Gregan (70)
The Ghost of Raelene said:
These should be simple for him honestly. Big man who had plenty of aerial presence in League…

His best game was v the Chiefs when he went looking for work. It’s just an unknown if he will in a game or if he won’t. Getting involved is what has got Mark N (Nawaqanitawase) (Nawaqanitawase) into the Wallabies.
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If the South Africa game is anything to go by, they are not.
 
Wilson

Wilson

Michael Lynagh (62)
Derpus said:
The problem is he can't do anything else.

Setting aside the cliches about looking pretty - wingers actually have a lot of roles they need to fulfill. They need to pivot with their other wing and fullback to cover the sidelines and backfield for kicks, they need to return kicks, chase kicks, compete in the air, position themselves correctly to defend their wing, etc. Koroibete, for example, somehow does all of this and more.

Suli finishes fine or well even. It's all the other stuff.
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I think it's all he's there for though - a flat track bully to help maximise points difference against Portugal, which may be important if Wales, Fiji and us all take a game off of each other.

Certainly that's what saw him in the squad above Pietsch who's finishing has let him down more than any other part of his game the last two years.
 
Derpus

Derpus

George Gregan (70)
Wilson said:
I think it's all he's there for though - a flat track bully to help maximise points difference against Portugal, which may be important if Wales, Fiji and us all take a game off of each other.

Certainly that's what saw him in the squad above Pietsch who's finishing has let him down more than any other part of his game the last two years.
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Guess so. Would rather Toole, Daugunu etc.
 
Wilson

Wilson

Michael Lynagh (62)
Derpus said:
Guess so. Would rather Toole, Daugunu etc.
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I'm not sure Daugunu had a better season at wing then Vunivalu, but given he was injured for the entire RC he was never going to be in direct contention for the world cup squad.

Toole is a more interesting alternative, but Vunivalu likely wins out by virtue of being more able to physically bully opposition with a mismatch. Probably doesn't hurt that he has the same style of game as Nawaqanitawase either, means they can sub him in in an emergency without needing to change too much up.

Wright is probably the clearest improvement as a wing candidate with good strike power. I'm guessing the decision there was he needed time on the field to find form/improve decision making and he was better off getting that at fullback with Aus A/Barbarians to be called in in an emergency than he was holding tackle bags and playing 1 or 2 pool games on the wing.
 
Proud Pig

Proud Pig

Ted Thorn (20)
Looking at a highlight reel to assess Vunivalu is precisely the issue. The highlights appear to be all he does.
Invisible for 95% of the game and pops up for one spectacular try and then disappears again.
 
LeCheese

LeCheese

Peter Johnson (47)
Proud Pig said:
Looking at a highlight reel to assess Vunivalu is precisely the issue. The highlights appear to be all he does.
Invisible for 95% of the game and pops up for one spectacular try and then disappears again.
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To some extent, this could probably be said for most wingers
 
KOB1987

KOB1987

John Eales (66)
I reckon Foley and O’Connor are playing off for a place in the RWC squad in the A game v Portugal. I heard a couple of days after the squad was released that Kemeny was just a placeholder - the bloke that told me that wasn’t sure who for, but thought it might have been Ikitau. Thinking about it, it was possibly more because Eddie had decided not to persist with Quade, wasn’t sure who to replace him with, but need to announce a 33 man squad. Given Kemeny’s hand injury it wouldn’t surprise to see him on the plane home with the A guys at the expense of one of the aforementioned.
 
W

whitefalcon

Bob Loudon (25)
KOB1987 said:
I reckon Foley and O’Connor are playing off for a place in the RWC squad in the A game v Portugal. I heard a couple of days after the squad was released that Kemeny was just a placeholder - the bloke that told me that wasn’t sure who for, but thought it might have been Ikitau. Thinking about it, it was possibly more because Eddie had decided not to persist with Quade, wasn’t sure who to replace him with, but need to announce a 33 man squad. Given Kemeny’s hand injury it wouldn’t surprise to see him on the plane home with the A guys at the expense of one of the aforementioned.
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It will be an absolute crime if Ikitau doesn't get called into the squad when fit.

He has consistently been one of our best backs for the last 3 years.
 
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