Roar Rookie
Joined January 2021
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When you think of the most prolific Australian one-day batters in the more than 50-year history of the men’s white-ball format, I'm sure many…
With Australia’s top six all but finalised for the third Test against India at the SCG, Australia still have one unanswered question about their…
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'Needs to be considered': Bell out of Super Rugby season as ex-Wallaby suggests left-field positional switch
People are seeming to forget that Coleman took over a team coming off the worst ever recorded SR season. Coleman took the Rats and Gordon from the bottom to become Shute Shield champions. Last week aside, the overall quality of play at the Tahs this year has been much improved since last year; compare last year’s 41-12 QF loss to the Blues with 12-10 in Round 4. It appears that fans expect the 2014 Waratahs to come back overnight, but our squad is nowhere near up to that quality at the moment – they can be, but they need time. For goodness sake, we’re on the way up, all we need is some consistency in the coaching department – give Coleman some time!
Rugby Australia kicks off review into Waratahs as pressure mounts on Coleman ahead of Brumbies clash
For me it’s more that they keep giving Super contracts to guys who haven’t played any 1st grade club rugby yet. The guy debuts in 1st Grade the same season he makes his Super debut (i.e. half the current squad, who are good now but we all saw what happened in 2021…). It’s like picking a high schooler in the NFL and completely skipping college football. There are players in the Shute Shield currently who are better than the current Tahs squad, but they didn’t go through the Junior Wallabies or Gen Blue so won’t get a look in, and we lose them overseas. Guy Porter should’ve been playing Super Rugby years ago, now he plays for England.
'What the hell's going on': Ex-Wallabies question 'losing' culture, pathways at Waratahs
Re tightheads, is HJH still injured? He had a solid SR season and has a test cap to his name, plus years of SR experience that van Nek or Nonggorr don’t carry
Wallabies fans appear comfortable with 0 and 4 – but some obvious questions remain
Porecki’s far better at set piece. He’s played consistently in his first handful of Tests, no reason to leave him out, he’s the best hooker we’ve got.
'Butch defence, Larkham glide': What Eddie sees in Test rookie as Wallabies make SEVEN changes
And he did convert his own late try against the Boks
'Butch defence, Larkham glide': What Eddie sees in Test rookie as Wallabies make SEVEN changes
Not sure what Foketi has to do to get a run. He had an outstanding season in SR, both him or Kerevi could easily cover 13 and has played well for the Wallabies in his few opportunities so far. Petaia didn’t play in the centres the entire SR season, and had some very questionable games, particularly defensively. He’s a good player, but IMO not the right replacement for Ikitau. I guess time will tell.
'Butch defence, Larkham glide': What Eddie sees in Test rookie as Wallabies make SEVEN changes
Not questioning Perese’s selection, no idea what Petaia is doing there. Didn’t play a single game in the centres in SR and his defence was questionable. Training can only account for so much.
Exclusive: Carter's meteoric rise continues with young gun replacing Quade at No.10, Tate set to start
What does Jones have against Foketi? He was far better than both Perese and Petaia in SR, and either him or Kerevi can play 13
Exclusive: Carter's meteoric rise continues with young gun replacing Quade at No.10, Tate set to start
Although they were backrow/lock hybrids, both Williams and Harris were originally listed as second rowers on the Tahs’ website. Williams was only considered a 6 when he moved there after a few games for the Tahs.
Aussie giant who rejected Eddie ruled ineligible for World Cup
I don’t think that’s necessarily true Scott, the Tahs’ new second row signings in 2019 for example, were Le Roux Roets (who never played a game), Will Harris and Jeremy Williams (who skipped Shute Shield and were signed straight out of HS). One of those spots going to Meafou may have kept him here
Aussie giant who rejected Eddie ruled ineligible for World Cup
Especially when the Tahs picked up two for 2019 with absolutely no first grade experience
Aussie giant who rejected Eddie ruled ineligible for World Cup
Still unclear though why Donaldson was listed under the same utility umbrella, I can’t see him packing into the scrum any time soon. If it was to be a utility FH/FB, you’d assume that would fit into the “backs” category like Hodge. Very strange…
'Even more confused': Wallabies bolters open up on 'utility' call-ups as Eddie gets creative ahead of World Cup
I do agree to an extent Jeznez. Although that format does make sense and in theory would work, realistically would RA ever be able to draw the market? With crowds for example, the NRL for example averages just over 20,000 people a game for their 17 teams, while the 5 Super Rugby franchises struggle to get 12,000. I remember a couple of years back being able to go to Shute Shield games with higher attendances than the Tahs home games. Would a 12-team competition be financially viable for RA?
Aussie giant who rejected Eddie ruled ineligible for World Cup
I don’t think Hazlewood would be able to play two tests in a row. Starc in. I’d also love to see Neser come into consideration.
Ashes Second Test Teams: Starc pushing for recall ahead of Boland or Hazlewood, England facing dilemmas in key areas
The Reds haven’t officially announced any new signings yet, nor a coach
Aussie giant who rejected Eddie ruled ineligible for World Cup
I don’t think it’s a lack of space or resources, but incorrect priorities. I’ve left another couple of (longer) comments about this below, but Meafou was smashing doors down in the Shute Shield, and instead the Tahs in 2019 invested in a “giant” South African who never played a game, and two locks who were straight out of high school and didn’t have any first grade experience. Granted, Will Harris and Jeremy Williams turned out to be decent players, but neither are anywhere near the Wallabies while Meafou would make the France RWC squad if he was eligible. I understand clubs and RA being worried about losing the high schoolers, but why contract two guys who a) had no chance of playing that year anyway, and b) hadn’t proven themselves against any formidable opposition over players who had dominated in first grade. Consistently baffling.
Aussie giant who rejected Eddie ruled ineligible for World Cup
I think it’s also a mismanagement of priorities. RA should be prioritising the grade competitions around the states, but instead have fallen into the US-like trap of recruiting players straight out of Academy or high school squads with no proven first grade experience. It works sometimes, but often they end up forking out unheralded amounts for guys who play one bad season and head overseas anyway. We lose so much talent overseas because players who toil away in the premier competitions are ignored locally.
Aussie giant who rejected Eddie ruled ineligible for World Cup
I remember watching Meafou playing Shute Shield for Warringah, about 5 years ago, and he was an absolute giant then. He was playing like a beast as well, a key member of Warringah’s 2018 runners up side.
So one that got away yet again, but it’s the same old story. NSWRU really need to put so much more focus on the Shute Shield, we lose too many. Look at Guy Porter for example, a Shute Shield standout for years, couldn’t get a run in Super Rugby and now plays for England. RA were lucky to get Harry Potter back, he was on the same path. There’s so many that get away. Instead, guys are plucked out of Academy squads with no 1st Grade experience and dumped straight into Super Rugby. Occasionally, it works, and I understand the desire to get the raw talent on contract to avoid losing them, but it ends up neglecting players who have made their way up through the pathway and are excelling at Shute Shield level. I’m glad the likes of Hunter Ward and Sateki Latu got some SR exposure this season because they’ve been dominating Shute Shield for a couple of years now, but there’s so much talent that gets neglected and ends up overseas. Two consecutive titles wasn’t enough for most of the (not-already-contracted) Sydney Uni 2018-19 side to get Waratahs deals (but look what the likes of Porter and Potter did overseas, not to mention Kemeny and Wilkin at the Rebels). No member of Warringah’s 2017 Champion side or 2018 runners up played Super Rugby regularly until the last couple of seasons, with Mahe Vailamu taking the long way around to the Tahs (there were rare appearances, with promise, from Seb Wileman at the Reds, Rory O’Connor and Maclean Jones at the Tahs, and of course Sam Thomson at the Force this year). Having coached in the Shute Shield for so long, it looks like DC is a coach who values the Shute Shield (having also taken half his Gordon side with him to the USA), so hopefully we start to see some changes in the trends for the Waratahs 2024 signings.
Aussie giant who rejected Eddie ruled ineligible for World Cup
Cooper was good off the tee for the Wallabies last year, but do understand the hot & cold comment. Lonergan is reliable, Hodge has had a decent season off the tee as well. Not expecting Donaldson or Gordon anywhere near it.
Donaldson in as EIGHT uncapped players picked: Co-captains named for Wallabies as Eddie's first squad revealed
Hopefully he’ll feature for Aus A, it could be that he’s still out from that concussion against the Chiefs so Eddie didn’t consider him, that was a pretty bad knock
Donaldson in as EIGHT uncapped players picked: Co-captains named for Wallabies as Eddie's first squad revealed
Cooper will take the goal kicks, he’ll start at 10. Lonergan is also a good goal kicker, with White and Hodge as backup kicking options
Donaldson in as EIGHT uncapped players picked: Co-captains named for Wallabies as Eddie's first squad revealed
From my understanding by Eddie’s explanation, the “utility” players are players who can play both in the forwards and backs. That makes sense for Kemeny (who can play in the back row and on the wing as mentioned) and Pietsch (who started his career as a back rower despite now being a winger), but I’m scratching my head as to why Donaldson’s listed there? It’s not the traditional meaning of utility, otherwise Hodge would be there as well. Very strange. I’m also scratching my head as to why Donno’s been picked, but that’s a separate issue…
Donaldson in as EIGHT uncapped players picked: Co-captains named for Wallabies as Eddie's first squad revealed
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Super Rugby teams round 8: Tahs drop Marky Mark, Kellaway returns for Rebels, HMP replaces Lynagh