Wallabies 2025

[Slim 293]

As opposed to your constant groupthink? What’s the point of this forum if no one is allowed a different opinion?

I’m sticking up for his right to say it. Feel free to disagree with it but it’s an opinion piece that has created a lot of passion and interest which is what rugby needs right now. Fan is short for fanatic after all

Hey buddy, you just keep fighting the good fight...

 

[emuarse]

Like TSR said above it's because Wilson probably not starting if everyone's fit, its really the only reason that Wilson wasn't named captain at the start of Fiji camp and why his holding off now.

Probably the captain will be named when the final 23 man squad is named - whether it be Hairy Wilson or whoever.

 

[Sword of Justice]

For the first time I could see Wallabies using a bomb squad approach. Bell, Tupou, Skelton, Gleeson and/or Hooper coming on for 35 mins to absolutely rip in.

Bell and Tupou have a combination as do Slipper and Ala'alatoa.

I think we need to back ourselves to compete early but can’t afford to have a bench made up of second best players, if the super sides showed us anything.

 

[Yoda]

As opposed to your constant groupthink? What’s the point of this forum if no one is allowed a different opinion?

I’m sticking up for his right to say it. Feel free to disagree with it but it’s an opinion piece that has created a lot of passion and interest which is what rugby needs right now. Fan is short for fanatic after all

Doran is an ex Newscorp dribbler. The fact that he is a 'chief' rugby 'journalist' is embarrassing. Bring back Spiro!

 

[Ignoto]

Feel free to disagree with it but it’s an opinion piece that has created a lot of passion and interest which is what rugby needs right now. Fan is short for fanatic after all

I dunno man, the world is negative enough. Why do we have the devolve one of lifes escapism's to click bait journalism to envoke more anger in people. There's plenty of ways to create passion and interest outside of constantly saying the world is ending, that people aren't good enough and that they are doing a terrible job.

 

[RebelYell]

Doran is an ex Newscorp dribbler. The fact that he is a 'chief' rugby 'journalist' is embarrassing. Bring back Spiro!

Spiro's last five years of writing for The Roar was some of the most unreadable trash I have ever seen. Truly awful.

 

[Yoda]

Spiro's last five years of writing for The Roar was some of the most unreadable trash I have ever seen. Truly awful.

Meant the Spiro of old. Surely there are better journalists with rugby knowledge than Christy Doran?

 

[RebelYell]

Meant the Spiro of old. Surely there are better journalists with rugby knowledge than Christy Doran?

I think there are plenty better, but also plenty worse. I gravitate between subscribing to Fairfax or News, only one at a time, so for my AU rugby news free content from the likes of Christy, Sam Bruce, Sam Worthington and Rugby.com is important to me. Rugby.com's own content is puff piece journalism, which I guess is to be expected from the media arm of head office, though AFL.com is run as a genuine separate business unit with strong opinion and news breaking. AAP's feed is good through Rugby.com, but again their format is short and sharp rather than hard-hitting, so it's good that people like Christy and Sam Bruce aren't afraid to have a crack.

In the spirit of the late Greg Growden, controversy sparks conversation and generates eyeballs, something rugby desperately needs.

 

[Tomthumb]

I dunno man, the world is negative enough. Why do we have the devolve one of lifes escapism's to click bait journalism to envoke more anger in people. There's plenty of ways to create passion and interest outside of constantly saying the world is ending, that people aren't good enough and that they are doing a terrible job.

I don’t see how it was click-bait? Calling it negative is subjective, and personally it was actually refreshing to read something that wasn’t just the same bland nothingness, even if I didn’t agree with a large part of it

Different opinions should be encouraged IMO

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Doran is an ex Newscorp dribbler. The fact that he is a 'chief' rugby 'journalist' is embarrassing. Bring back Spiro!

‘Chief’ like I’m the fucking chief Rugby fan in my office.

Nobody to challenge. Titles…

 

[D-Box]

Not playing tests may be the best thing for the Wallabies for the next World Cup

 

[Joe Blow]

On the captaincy situation, could just be overthinking it. Wilson was captain last year, captain against Fiji and is probably captain now he just doesn’t see the need to name him until he names the first test team in a few days.
I don’t think he will suddenly inject Skelton into the starting lineup now, possibly put him and Hooper on the bench together and come on after 50/60 for Williams and Wilson.

I reckon Gleeson may have surpassed Wilson as a starter and Joe is not sure of his 6/8 makeup. With LoLo injured he could also be considering starting Tate and Lynagh. Both of the obvious captain candidates not sure of a starting spot.

 

[Derpus]

I reckon Gleeson may have surpassed Wilson as a starter and Joe is not sure of his 6/8 makeup. With LoLo injured he could also be considering starting Tate and Lynagh. Both of the obvious captain candidates not sure of a starting spot.

Starting Tate isnt the one.

 

[wamberal99]

My simple plan to beat them is to bash them into submission.

 

[TSR]

Starting Tate isnt the one.

I was surprised by the criticism he got after the Fijian test. A lot of it seemed to centre in the decision not to kick the ball out at half time but it seems out of proportion. The whole backline was ready to go so it was obviously a group decision to have a crack.

I thought the first half in particular was a good demonstration that Tate’s speed is a weapon even against fresh defence and he was the impetus for a lot of our best attack. At the same time his passing & box kicking - which are the two places he falls down - were fine. His passing I thought was pretty strong.

I’m happy to accept my view is through Red tinted glasses but, across the board, I also think once players get a reputation they struggle to be seen any other way. I feel like there was a fair bit of that in play. Same for Frost from that game.

 

[Running_rugby_1954]

I was surprised by the criticism he got after the Fijian test. A lot of it seemed to centre in the decision not to kick the ball out at half time but it seems out of proportion. The whole backline was ready to go so it was obviously a group decision to have a crack.

I thought the first half in particular was a good demonstration that Tate’s speed is a weapon even against fresh defence and he was the impetus for a lot of our best attack. At the same time his passing & box kicking - which are the two places he falls down - were fine. His passing I thought was pretty strong.

I’m happy to accept my view is through Red tinted glasses but, across the board, I also think once players get a reputation they struggle to be seen any other way. I feel like there was a fair bit of that in play. Same for Frost from that game.

A leader needs to make the tough choices. Evidently not this one.

 

[Derpus]

I was surprised by the criticism he got after the Fijian test. A lot of it seemed to centre in the decision not to kick the ball out at half time but it seems out of proportion. The whole backline was ready to go so it was obviously a group decision to have a crack.

I thought the first half in particular was a good demonstration that Tate’s speed is a weapon even against fresh defence and he was the impetus for a lot of our best attack. At the same time his passing & box kicking - which are the two places he falls down - were fine. His passing I thought was pretty strong.

I’m happy to accept my view is through Red tinted glasses but, across the board, I also think once players get a reputation they struggle to be seen any other way. I feel like there was a fair bit of that in play. Same for Frost from that game.

Fair enough. I thought his passing was pretty average but I also just generally don't like his helter skelter style from the start of a test match. I think he's perfect for the bench.

 

[Uh huh]

I was surprised by the criticism he got after the Fijian test. A lot of it seemed to centre in the decision not to kick the ball out at half time but it seems out of proportion. The whole backline was ready to go so it was obviously a group decision to have a crack.

I thought the first half in particular was a good demonstration that Tate’s speed is a weapon even against fresh defence and he was the impetus for a lot of our best attack. At the same time his passing & box kicking - which are the two places he falls down - were fine. His passing I thought was pretty strong.

I’m happy to accept my view is through Red tinted glasses but, across the board, I also think once players get a reputation they struggle to be seen any other way. I feel like there was a fair bit of that in play. Same for Frost from that game.

The thing that bothered me was him getting dragged down by a tight forward trying to break through a gap the size of Israel Folau's ego. At international level, he only brings the intensity he needs to when he comes off the bench.

 

[TSR]

A leader needs to make the tough choices. Evidently not this one.

I’m fine to accept it was an error.

But that seems a very extreme interpretation to say he’s not able to make tough choices. People also makes mistakes. Eales, McCaw, Johnson, Jordan, Churchill - they all made plenty of mistakes. Doesn’t mean they weren’t great leaders.

If we can only have a leader who hasn’t made a mistake who are we left with. We definitely can take Gordon or White as our halves.

McDermott plays high tempo - it comes with extra risk, no doubt, but for the most part the impact is positive. Having a crack at him for on mistake seems an unrealistic benchmark that no one could live up to.

As for getting tackled having a crack (in response to Uh huh) does that mean the half can only run when it’s a lay down misere? Again - seems an impossible standard that I doubt any coach would agree with and no other half could match up to. I think his intensity was clearly on display regardless of a single incident.

I don’t mean to seem overly defensive - if McDermott is going to be a test player at all he has to be open to close scrutiny of his game. But in both these cases it just seems the criticism is out of proportion.

 

[Running_rugby_1954]

I’m fine to accept it was an error.

But that seems a very extreme interpretation to say he’s not able to make tough choices. People also makes mistakes. Eales, McCaw, Johnson, Jordan, Churchill - they all made plenty of mistakes. Doesn’t mean they weren’t great leaders.

If we can only have a leader who hasn’t made a mistake who are we left with. We definitely can take Gordon or White as our halves.

McDermott plays high tempo - it comes with extra risk, no doubt, but for the most part the impact is positive. Having a crack at him for on mistake seems an unrealistic benchmark that no one could live up to.

As for getting tackled having a crack (in response to Uh huh) does that mean the half can only run when it’s a lay down misere? Again - seems an impossible standard that I doubt any coach would agree with and no other half could match up to. I think his intensity was clearly on display regardless of a single incident.

I don’t mean to seem overly defensive - if McDermott is going to be a test player at all he has to be open to close scrutiny of his game. But in both these cases it just seems the criticism is out of proportion.

I was simply highlighting the one choice you already had.