Wallabies v Lions Game 2 MCG 26 July

[Brumby Runner]

LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto):

"He said he also took the attitude that he didn’t care about the celebrated status of the Lions players.
“I’ll be honest, I just don’t care,” the heavy lock said.
“I got a taste of them up against the Reds and I just knew that what they’re about means nothing to me, I just go out there and play."

Serious arousal. Get the man in the team. Not for this game, but I'm having dirty thoughts of him coming in all guns blazing in what is hopefully the deciding Test and gleefully wrecking people.

If it is the deciding test, I wonder if there would be any unforced changes to the team at all? Not saying he doesn't warrant a spot in the XXIII, but if the Wallabies win in Melbourne it would make it hard for an outsider to displace one of the incumbents.

 

[PhilClinton]

I unfortunately feel the only way LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) gets into the Wallabies team is to help us win a dead rubber in Sydney. He won't be nearly as pumped up as the series would have been decided and then everyone will call him useless because he lost the mongrel.

 

[Tomthumb]

Why was he ever dropped in the first place?

 

[Wilson]

Why was he ever dropped in the first place?

Needed game time after an injury interrupted season

 

[Backintheolddays]

Stuck in the hybrid second row vs 6 role

 

[Purce]

He was excellent on the EOYT last year playing thr bench lock role.

Surely he proved his fitness for the Reds v Lions. Certainly outplayed his locking partner who was brought into the Lions after that game.

 

[Slim 293]

Stuck in the hybrid second row vs 6 role

When was the last time LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) played 6?

 

[Tomthumb]

Needed game time after an injury interrupted season

A lot of guys had injury interrupted seasons and still got picked

He was involved all last year and just cast aside this year. Feels like a massive selection blunder

 

[Slim 293]

There seems to be some collect amnesia surrounding LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) for the year prior to the Lions series...

By the end of last year he'd slipped down to the bench, when Skelton wasn't selected, following some inconsistent performances.

He barely played all year through injuries and missed out on the initial squad for that reason just like Matt Faessler, and it was hardly surprising that he found himself behind Williams, Frost, Skelton and Tom Hooper...

He's now put in a couple of great performances and would have to assume he'll be reintroduced into the squad for the final test.

 

[Braveheart81]

I think Salakaia-Loto's exclusion is entirely on the basis that he he's considered the third best tight head lock.

We've got Skelton and Williams there and Frost and Canham as loose head locks.

Clearly we can argue whether the pecking order shifts because one of our tight head locks can potentially shift to the other side and beat out Frost there. In the first test we lacked grunt on either side so it was especially noticeable.

 

[Tomthumb]

There seems to be some collect amnesia surrounding LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) for the year prior to the Lions series...

By the end of last year he'd slipped down to the bench, when Skelton wasn't selected, following some inconsistent performances.

He barely played all year through injuries and missed out on the initial squad for that reason just like Matt Faessler, and it was hardly surprising that he found himself behind Williams, Frost, Skelton and Tom Hooper...

He's now put in a couple of great performances and would have to assume he'll be reintroduced into the squad for the final test.

Problem is he is also behind Darcy Swain & Josh Canham, neither of whom even made the end of year tour

 

[Slim 293]

Problem is he is also behind Darcy Swain & Josh Canham, neither of whom even made the end of year tour

Swain is not in the squad...

I was surprised by Canham's inclusion but he was the better performer in the Reds match against the Lions.

 

[dru]

I think Salakaia-Loto's exclusion is entirely on the basis that he he's considered the third best tight head lock.

We've got Skelton and Williams there and Frost and Canham as loose head locks.

Clearly we can argue whether the pecking order shifts because one of our tight head locks can potentially shift to the other side and beat out Frost there. In the first test we lacked grunt on either side so it was especially noticeable.

Hey, BH, I'd honestly missed that. As a lock/6 (OK that point is probably exagerated) I presumed LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) was a loose head lock.

 

[Tomthumb]

Swain is not in the squad...

I was surprised by Canham's inclusion but he was the better performer in the Reds match against the Lions.

Swain was in the Squad for the Fiji test

Problem is with Canham, Williams & Frost there was always going to be a clear problem with power compared to the Lions

 

[Slim 293]

Swain was in the Squad for the Fiji test

Problem is with Canham, Williams & Frost there was always going to be a clear problem with power compared to the Lions

Yes, Swain was in the squad... for the Fiji test.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

He was excellent on the EOYT last year playing thr bench lock role.

Surely he proved his fitness for the Reds v Lions. Certainly outplayed his locking partner who was brought into the Lions after that game.

Others who missed heaps of time were picked. Look at Faessler and Porecki for example.

He’s down the depth chart in Schmidt’s eyes.

 

[Slim 293]

I think Salakaia-Loto's exclusion is entirely on the basis that he he's considered the third best tight head lock.

We've got Skelton and Williams there and Frost and Canham as loose head locks.

Clearly we can argue whether the pecking order shifts because one of our tight head locks can potentially shift to the other side and beat out Frost there. In the first test we lacked grunt on either side so it was especially noticeable.

And Hooper also fills that TH lock role while also covering the backrow...

 

[fatprop]

Swain was in the Squad for the Fiji test

Problem is with Canham, Williams & Frost there was always going to be a clear problem with power compared to the Lions

and that would be more justifiable if they were dominating lineout poaching and technically very effective at cleanouts

 

[Slim 293]

Others who missed heaps of time were picked. Look at Faessler and Porecki for example.

He’s down the depth chart in Schmidt’s eyes.

Faessler wasn't picked for the Fiji squad for the same reason as LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto), but was given a bit more leeway as he was a regular starter last year...

And I think last week vindicated that position to hold them back from the initial squad... and Faessler clearly needed more game time like LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto).

 

[Major Tom]

In the first BIL game I reckon had Joe known that Gleeson was gonna be out he would have brought LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) in for his carry (Desperately needed with the starting team). Now Bobby and langi are back so the carry shouldn’t be an issue.