Wallabies 2020 thread

Olo · Post by **Olo** » Wed Sep 30, 2020 12:13 am

I might take Adam Coleman to mentor the young blokes. Simmons has a world of experience but he cannot teach the pups how to be hard bastards.We need Hosea, Blyth and co to want to have the opposition feel them in contact. Maybe Parling can do that? I don’t recall that he was particularly destructive.

Post by **Thomas** » Wed Sep 30, 2020 12:29 am

Olo wrote: ↑Wed Sep 30, 2020 12:13 am I might take Adam Coleman to mentor the young blokes. Simmons has a world of experience but he cannot teach the pups how to be hard bastards.We need Hosea, Blyth and co to want to have the opposition feel them in contact. Maybe Parling can do that? I don’t recall that he was particularly destructive.

Blyth didn't make the squad.

Olo · Post by **Olo** » Wed Sep 30, 2020 12:53 am

Thomas wrote: ↑Wed Sep 30, 2020 12:29 am
Olo wrote: ↑Wed Sep 30, 2020 12:13 am I might take Adam Coleman to mentor the young blokes. Simmons has a world of experience but he cannot teach the pups how to be hard bastards.We need Hosea, Blyth and co to want to have the opposition feel them in contact. Maybe Parling can do that? I don’t recall that he was particularly destructive.
Blyth didn't make the squad.

Yet. He might be added in with Arnold a no show.

Post by **Thomas** » Wed Sep 30, 2020 1:02 am

God I hope so. The guy was a gun this season.

Zakar · Post by **Zakar** » Wed Sep 30, 2020 1:48 am

Olo wrote: ↑Wed Sep 30, 2020 12:13 am I might take Adam Coleman to mentor the young blokes. Simmons has a world of experience but he cannot teach the pups how to be hard bastards.We need Hosea, Blyth and co to want to have the opposition feel them in contact. Maybe Parling can do that? I don’t recall that he was particularly destructive.

Coleman is injured.

Farva · Post by **Farva** » Wed Sep 30, 2020 2:01 am

Thomas wrote: ↑Wed Sep 30, 2020 1:02 am God I hope so. The guy was a gun this season.

As long as he has shaved that ridiculous "Reds" off the back of his head

shanky · Post by **shanky** » Wed Sep 30, 2020 5:41 am

Thomas wrote: ↑Wed Sep 30, 2020 1:02 am God I hope so. The guy was a gun this season.

He certainly showed as much promise as Hosea, but then Hosea is one of the 'pathway' kids so he gets that extra leg-up

Post by **Thomas** » Wed Sep 30, 2020 5:45 am

shanky wrote: ↑Wed Sep 30, 2020 5:41 am
Thomas wrote: ↑Wed Sep 30, 2020 1:02 am God I hope so. The guy was a gun this season.
He certainly showed as much promise as Hosea, but then Hosea is one of the 'pathway' kids so he gets that extra leg-up

Blyth went to TSS, was in the Australian School Ba-Bas and Australian U20s team.

He couldn't be more pathways.

shanky · Post by **shanky** » Wed Sep 30, 2020 5:51 am

Thomas wrote: ↑Wed Sep 30, 2020 5:45 am
shanky wrote: ↑Wed Sep 30, 2020 5:41 am
Thomas wrote: ↑Wed Sep 30, 2020 1:02 am God I hope so. The guy was a gun this season.
He certainly showed as much promise as Hosea, but then Hosea is one of the 'pathway' kids so he gets that extra leg-up
Blyth went to TSS, was in the Australian School Ba-Bas and Australian U20s team.

He couldn't be more pathways.

That'll teach me to empathise with you...

he can get fcked then. I'll go with Douglas, even though he's ineligible

towny · Post by **towny** » Wed Sep 30, 2020 7:26 am

Zakar wrote: ↑Wed Sep 30, 2020 1:48 am
Olo wrote: ↑Wed Sep 30, 2020 12:13 am I might take Adam Coleman to mentor the young blokes. Simmons has a world of experience but he cannot teach the pups how to be hard bastards.We need Hosea, Blyth and co to want to have the opposition feel them in contact. Maybe Parling can do that? I don’t recall that he was particularly destructive.
Coleman is injured.

And overrated. He hasn’t played well since 2017

Mog The Almighty · Post by **Mog The Almighty** » Wed Sep 30, 2020 7:31 am

Olo wrote: ↑Wed Sep 30, 2020 12:13 am I might take Adam Coleman to mentor the young blokes. Simmons has a world of experience but he cannot teach the pups how to be hard bastards.We need Hosea, Blyth and co to want to have the opposition feel them in contact. Maybe Parling can do that? I don’t recall that he was particularly destructive.

I don't think anyone can teach that, and if they haven't got it by the time they're playing first class professional rugby, they're never going to. Some fellahs are just born with a streak of mongrel in them. Some a little too much. But I don't think it can be coached.

Ellafan · Post by **Ellafan** » Wed Sep 30, 2020 9:32 am

wamberal wrote: ↑Mon Sep 28, 2020 11:17 pm Yeah, forget about the mercenaries. Let's live or die on our own soil with our loyal players.

Rennie is on record as saying he does not favour "plucking guys out of France". So I think you will see locals.

Having said that, the thin areas right now are in the 2R, and maybe a hooker who throws straight (which rather excludes Latu).

shanky · Post by **shanky** » Wed Sep 30, 2020 1:24 pm

Fairly long article here by Nick Bishop about Arnold’s qualities, while acknowledging he might not get back here.

https://www.theroar.com.au/2020/09/30/w ... orey-rory/

In the comments, he goes to his preference for second row (Phillip and LSL) which is great, because that’d be my pick also.

Mog The Almighty · Post by **Mog The Almighty** » Wed Sep 30, 2020 1:50 pm

shanky wrote: ↑Wed Sep 30, 2020 1:24 pm Fairly long article here by Nick Bishop about Arnold’s qualities, while acknowledging he might not get back here.

https://www.theroar.com.au/2020/09/30/w ... orey-rory/

In the comments, he goes to his preference for second row (Phillip and LSL) which is great, because that’d be my pick also.

That was also my pick.

Although tbf, it's not that hard. Who else is there? Philip is fine, workman-like, big, tall, does all the core duties well. LSL I'm a bit more worried about. He goes missing in big games and runs way too up-right. But there just isn't anyone else. Blythe and Hosea are deserving of a chance to get blooded and get some experience, but they're not there yet as far as being the engine of the Wallaby forward pack--which is more or less the job of the locks--and Hanigan, although a useful utility option is not a pure lock and slightly undersized.

shanky · Post by **shanky** » Wed Sep 30, 2020 1:57 pm

Well apart from Phillip being a lineout captain, which was the whole point of the article, then yeah, no other reason

I’d love to be inside your head, where every single aspect of human existence can be expressed in terms of how ‘big’ a guy is

‘Ghandi? Yeah, short guy, right? good for politics and stuff’

Mog The Almighty · Post by **Mog The Almighty** » Wed Sep 30, 2020 3:19 pm

shanky wrote: ↑Wed Sep 30, 2020 1:57 pm Well apart from Phillip being a lineout captain, which was the whole point of the article, then yeah, no other reason

I’d love to be inside your head, where every single aspect of human existence can be expressed in terms of how ‘big’ a guy is

‘Ghandi? Yeah, short guy, right? good for politics and stuff’

lol.

What?

Second rowers typically have to be pretty tall guys, that's all. I'm also not sure what you're being defensive about. Once again, I was agreeing with you.

That Ghandi comment made me laugh.

shanky · Post by **shanky** » Wed Sep 30, 2020 3:23 pm

Dude. I’ve been patiently pointing out to you (over several posts) that 2nd rowers have roles

They’re not just two ‘tall guys’

LSL doesn’t call the lineout - ever. That means you need someone who does.

Mog The Almighty · Post by **Mog The Almighty** » Wed Sep 30, 2020 3:34 pm

shanky wrote: ↑Wed Sep 30, 2020 3:23 pm Dude. I’ve been patiently pointing out to you (over several posts) that 2nd rowers have roles

They’re not just two ‘tall guys’

LSL doesn’t call the lineout - ever. That means you need someone who does.

Sure, I get it. But you picked LSL and Philip too. I suppose we maybe look at Simmons & <whoever> until one of them is trained and confident in that role. As a not-so-side-point, does Philip not call line-outs? Who calls for the Rebels? Hosea?

shanky · Post by **shanky** » Wed Sep 30, 2020 3:54 pm

I picked combos

Phillip is the lineout caller at the Rebels.

Simmons is a recognised lineout guy

Hanigan is a lineout specialist

LSL and Hosea are ‘tighthead’ locks. I’d say Blyth and Douglas and Neville are, as well.

Lineout calling at pro level is an art. Yes, you can learn it, but some guys are just suited to it - it suits their brains.

They’re cerebral.

On the other hand, some guys just want to smash blokes. There’s room for everyone!

Some guys are a hybrid. Phillip is both. Arnold is both. Which makes them versatile and therefore useful.

towny · Post by **towny** » Wed Sep 30, 2020 4:06 pm

Locks are Phillip and LSL. Fact!

Olo · Post by **Olo** » Wed Sep 30, 2020 9:46 pm

They should bring Blyth into the wider squad and if Wright is at 6 or comes off the bench they have an alternate caller. He does a good job at the Reds.

Post by **Thomas** » Wed Sep 30, 2020 11:08 pm

Olo wrote: ↑Wed Sep 30, 2020 9:46 pm They should bring Blyth into the wider squad and if Wright is at 6 or comes off the bench they have an alternate caller. He does a good job at the Reds.

Wright has to be in the run on squad. He's our long term 6.

Zakar · Post by **Zakar** » Wed Sep 30, 2020 11:12 pm

Thomas wrote: ↑Wed Sep 30, 2020 11:08 pm
Olo wrote: ↑Wed Sep 30, 2020 9:46 pm They should bring Blyth into the wider squad and if Wright is at 6 or comes off the bench they have an alternate caller. He does a good job at the Reds.
Wright has to be in the run on squad. He's our long term 6.

I'm increasingly coming around to this idea. I just hope he's got enough timber to make an impact at test level.

Post by **Thomas** » Wed Sep 30, 2020 11:16 pm

Zakar wrote: ↑Wed Sep 30, 2020 11:12 pm
Thomas wrote: ↑Wed Sep 30, 2020 11:08 pm
Olo wrote: ↑Wed Sep 30, 2020 9:46 pm They should bring Blyth into the wider squad and if Wright is at 6 or comes off the bench they have an alternate caller. He does a good job at the Reds.
Wright has to be in the run on squad. He's our long term 6.
I'm increasingly coming around to this idea. I just hope he's got enough timber to make an impact at test level.

Oh, he'll be fine. He's our black Kaino (but better in the ruck and hopefully not as prone to drink driving and shagging chicks in hotel rooms).

wamberal · Post by **wamberal** » Wed Sep 30, 2020 11:31 pm

Thomas wrote: ↑Wed Sep 30, 2020 5:45 am
shanky wrote: ↑Wed Sep 30, 2020 5:41 am
Thomas wrote: ↑Wed Sep 30, 2020 1:02 am God I hope so. The guy was a gun this season.
He certainly showed as much promise as Hosea, but then Hosea is one of the 'pathway' kids so he gets that extra leg-up
Blyth went to TSS, was in the Australian School Ba-Bas and Australian U20s team.

He couldn't be more pathways.

He did not play club rugby for Sydney University, though.

Ellafan · Post by **Ellafan** » Thu Oct 01, 2020 11:51 am

Olo wrote: ↑Wed Sep 30, 2020 9:46 pm They should bring Blyth into the wider squad and if Wright is at 6 or comes off the bench they have an alternate caller. He does a good job at the Reds.

I agree, he was holding a spot open to Arnold/Skelton/Coleman. If they are crocked, I want Blyth.

towny · Post by **towny** » Thu Oct 01, 2020 1:33 pm

Thomas wrote: ↑Wed Sep 30, 2020 11:08 pm
Olo wrote: ↑Wed Sep 30, 2020 9:46 pm They should bring Blyth into the wider squad and if Wright is at 6 or comes off the bench they have an alternate caller. He does a good job at the Reds.
Wright has to be in the run on squad. He's our long term 6.

No he’s not. I think that Wells kid might be though. What do you reckon Shanky?

shanky · Post by **shanky** » Thu Oct 01, 2020 2:44 pm

I’m not getting dragged into this

(Terrific player though.)

Zakar · Post by **Zakar** » Thu Oct 01, 2020 10:32 pm

Some excellent nerd has collated all the Super RUGBY Au stats

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... =drivesdk

Mog The Almighty · Post by **Mog The Almighty** » Fri Oct 02, 2020 10:33 am

Zakar wrote: ↑Thu Oct 01, 2020 10:32 pm Some excellent nerd has collated all the Super RUGBY Au stats

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... =drivesdk

Very interesting.

Isi Naisarani leads Super Rugby AU in runs per game.

My backrow selection, Hopper, Wilson, Wright are #4, #6 and #5 in tackles-per-game. Nice backrow! Lock that in right now ... who was it that laughed at my selection and was saying Wilson doesn't do anything except glory runs?

(The top 3 are all Force forwards, which makes sense considering they probably played more defence relatively).

Mog The Almighty · Post by **Mog The Almighty** » Tue Oct 06, 2020 8:07 am

Cocks on the block fellahs. Obv. nobody knows what Rennei's gameplan is or what he's thinking, so bragging rights for mind-reading are small.

That said, who can get closest to Rennie's selections?

The team I picked a couple of weeks back is still the one I'd want to see, but I don't expect it will be the closest to the one Rennie picks. For whatever reason, I have a hunch that he's going to go with Samu in the back-row and Nic White at scrumhalf. My pick, Gordon, will probably lucky to even make the squad. I'd prefer Gordon but I expect the safer pick of White for Rennie's first ever team. I'd be likewise surprised if he picks Hodge at fullback, although I do expect him in the team as a multi-positional backup. DHP would be the conservative pick. Ramm on the wing is also very iffy, but I'll go out on a big limb there and predict Rennie will pick him, based on previous reports I've read that Rennie rates him.

My reasoning for the above is simply that for his first game, Rennie will be more conservative and less experimental.

Also is the possibility he will reverse Conner/Toomua, but I do expect them to form the 10,12 combo.

Mog The Almighty wrote: ↑Sun Sep 27, 2020 8:06 am This is actually pretty tough. Just off the top of my head, maybe something like this, but I'd be happy to tweak it a bit more. Not entirely happy with the backs but it's difficult with a 6:2 split. Might be better to have Hodge on the bench considering he's backing-up so many other spots, but then I'd have to drop someone else to make way for another FB (Maddocks?).

Props
Sio, Tupou
Back ups: AAA, HJH

Hookers
Fainga'a
Back ups: Uelese

Locks
Philip, LSL
Back ups: Hanigan, Simmons

Backrow
Hooper (c), Wilson, Wright (Samu)
Back ups: Samu, Hanigan

Scrumhalf
Gordon (White)
Back ups: McDermott

Flyhalf
JOC
Back ups: Toomua, Lolesio, Hodge

Centers
Toomua, JP
Back ups: Lolesio, Hodge, JOC

Wings
Koroibete, Ramm
Back ups: Hodge, McDermott

Fullback
Hodge (DHP)
Back ups: JOC

Zakar · Post by **Zakar** » Tue Oct 06, 2020 11:01 am

No idea what Rennie will choose, but I'd go

1. Sio
2. Uelese
3. Tupou
4. Phillip
5. LSL
6. Wright
7. Hooper
8. Wilson
9. McDermott
10. JOC
11. Korobiete
12. Toomua
13. JP
14. Wright
15. Banks

16. FF
17. Slipper
18. NRMA
19. Simmons
20. Samu
21. White
22. Paisami
23. Hodge

mightyreds · Post by **mightyreds** » Tue Oct 06, 2020 12:09 pm

Zakar wrote: ↑Tue Oct 06, 2020 11:01 am No idea what Rennie will choose, but I'd go

1. Sio
2. Uelese
3. Tupou
4. Phillip
5. LSL
6. Wright
7. Hooper
8. Wilson
9. McDermott
10. JOC
11. Korobiete
12. Toomua
13. JP
14. Wright
15. Banks

16. FF
17. Slipper
18. NRMA
19. Simmons
20. Samu
21. White
22. Paisami
23. Hodge

Looks like you and Dave Rennie think alike about no. 15, Zakar. Radio 4KQ NEWS today announced Banks is confirmed to play 15 on 11 October (without quoting any source). Seems like there was another 'position leak', too, as Towny is claiming it as fact that Phillip and LSL will be the run-on locks.

shanky · Post by **shanky** » Wed Oct 07, 2020 1:01 am

Zakar wrote: ↑Tue Oct 06, 2020 11:01 am No idea what Rennie will choose, but I'd go

1. Sio
2. Uelese
3. Tupou
4. Phillip
5. LSL
6. Wright
7. Hooper
8. Wilson
9. McDermott
10. JOC
11. Korobiete
12. Toomua
13. JP
14. Wright
15. Banks

16. FF
17. Slipper
18. NRMA
19. Simmons
20. Samu
21. White
22. Paisami
23. Hodge

Not a bad shout. Blend of optimism and realism.

Couple of observations:
I'd switch Samu and Wilson. I think Samu is a work-horse, not a last-20 game-changer, whereas Wilson might look more like that.
I expect he'll start with Simmons against the ABs, just that bit more experience.
Not convinced on Banks, at all. But just as happy to be wrong.

But then, it's Rennie's team, so hope he picks a good 'un

Zakar · Post by **Zakar** » Wed Oct 07, 2020 1:08 am

I'd pick Simmons to start in the row if we didn't have Wright starting at 6, if that makes sense?

I actually think we may see Samu and Wilson starting together, in which case we might have

4. Phillip or LSL
5. Simmons
6. Samu
7. Hooper
8. Wilson
19. Phillip or LSL
20. Wright

Post by **Thomas** » Wed Oct 07, 2020 1:08 am

I'm a Wilson fanboy but he could swap with Samu in that team and I wouldn't be upset. Wilson could probably cover for 6 as well.

shanky · Post by **shanky** » Wed Oct 07, 2020 1:14 am

All things considered, I reckon that's not a bad team

Certainly one of the most inspiring (on paper) teams we've had in a few years.

Look at that front row, ffs

kiwigreg369 · Post by **kiwigreg369** » Wed Oct 07, 2020 2:52 am

Dawn of a new era.

if everyone can hold their nerve this squad should be RWC finalists 2027. Semis 2023 ~ a great 10 and more experience and depth by 2027.

Olo · Post by **Olo** » Wed Oct 07, 2020 3:50 am

I reckon that’s pretty close Zakar.
He may spring a few surprises on us in the backs. I hope McDermott starts. He is definitely ready and will bring more than White.
Starting with L.Wright gives us a bit more on the ball presence but either way is fine. We are going to have to go at them very hard initially up front.

Exciting stuff. Can’t wait!

towny · Post by **towny** » Wed Oct 07, 2020 4:15 am

Zakar wrote: ↑Wed Oct 07, 2020 1:08 am I'd pick Simmons to start in the row if we didn't have Wright starting at 6, if that makes sense?

I actually think we may see Samu and Wilson starting together, in which case we might have

4. Phillip or LSL
5. Simmons
6. Samu
7. Hooper
8. Wilson
19. Phillip or LSL
20. Wright

LSL won’t be on the bench. He’s one of the first players picked - more important than Samu or Wilson.