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Waratahs 2026

The Ghost of Raelene

John Eales (66)
He's a way down depth pickup that I think has jumped at the chance to come home and be paid something over being a genuine starting guy come round 1.

Walton, JAS, O'Donnell, Ropata, Poolman as the Centres
Jorgo, Kellaway, Potter, Reilly, Hendren, Harvey the outside backs.

Likely to always have a couple on the sidelines.
 

The Ghost of Raelene

John Eales (66)
We are seeing the best of Walton currently. I would also temper expectations on Poolman when he's shown nothing at Super Rugby thus far to think he'll be something extraordinary right away.

O'Donnell, Ropata would be ahead of Poolman IMO
 

bomber06

Ward Prentice (10)
If McKellar doesn't pick JAS at 13, then that would be ridiculous. And whilst Walton is industrious, tahs aren't winning anything of note with him starting. He's a good squaddie IMHO.
 

The Ghost of Raelene

John Eales (66)
I hope with the back 3 depth in the group he is up front. I do understand DM consistently picked JAS at Fullback but I'd personally being trying to get as many attacking threats on the park as possible when the pack is going to have to be more workmanlike with Bell and Gleeson not there. Huge amount of punch gone regardless of Samu.
 

A mutterer

Chilla Wilson (44)
Dan and Les need to have a chat about where JAS will play under him and build around that. If it's at 13 then he needs time in the position and build the backline around that.

Haven't seen enough of O'Donnell to know if he can play 12?
 

Wilson

Tim Horan (67)
Dan and Les need to have a chat about where JAS will play under him and build around that. If it's at 13 then he needs time in the position and build the backline around that.
I think there's probably even less chance of that happening next than there was this year when Schmidt stayed pretty hands off. No super coach is going to want one of their opposition coaches chiming in on who to pick and where to play them, and Kiss has been pretty clear he won't be doing anything like that while he's the Reds coach.

The most we can probably hope for there is that there's a request from Horne/RA to get Sua'ali'i practicing his place kicking again (and kicking in game if he's doing well enough) so that we have some options if Carter ends up at 10 for the Wallabies.
 

The Ghost of Raelene

John Eales (66)
I think they would gauge ideas off each other but Les isn't going to make requests. These guys are HCs because they enjoy running the ship and usually don't enjoy being told how they should drive it.

I think there's probably even less chance of that happening next than there was this year when Schmidt stayed pretty hands off. No super coach is going to want one of their opposition coaches chiming in on who to pick and where to play them, and Kiss has been pretty clear he won't be doing anything like that while he's the Reds coach.

The most we can probably hope for there is that there's a request from Horne/RA to get Sua'ali'i practicing his place kicking again (and kicking in game if he's doing well enough) so that we have some options if Carter ends up at 10 for the Wallabies.
The other guy in this is Jorgo. Was a kicker his entire youth and don't know how much he does now but it should be practised.
 
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