Wallabies 2025

[Tomthumb]

What’s the update on Gleeson, been out since Joburg but no communication from the team

You don’t say

 

[Mr Pilfer]

I know most countries have lost players overseas but I just think it has more of an impact on Australia because we don't have the same depth as the others.

Below is a classic example;

- James Slipper - test debut 2010 - played 151 tests
- Will Skelton - test debut 2014 - played 33 tests
- Samu Kerevi - test debut 2016 - played 50 tests

Those last 2 players we could have built a side around for the last 10 years and had a lot more success, but we went down this path of not picking overseas players. I understand why they did it but I just don't think we were strong enough to exclude once in a generation type players.

 

[Strewthcobber]

I know most countries have lost players overseas but I just think it has more of an impact on Australia because we don't have the same depth as the others.

Below is a classic example;

- James Slipper - test debut 2010 - played 151 tests
- Will Skelton - test debut 2014 - played 33 tests
- Samu Kerevi - test debut 2016 - played 50 tests

Those last 2 players we could have built a side around for the last 10 years and had a lot more success, but we went down this path of not picking overseas players. I understand why they did it but I just don't think we were strong enough to exclude once in a generation type players.

Worth noting that for all their careers pSkelton and Kerevi could have been picked under the Giteau laws, but our coaches chose not to select them

 

[Slim 293]

Worth noting that for all their careers pSkelton and Kerevi could have been picked under the Giteau laws, but our coaches chose not to select them

Both of them were pretty much picked as much as possible under the Giteau law when available.

Kerevi in particular was regularly selected after he left.

There wasn’t really as much push to select Skelton until a few years ago.