'I owe that man a lot': Michael Hooper praises Michael Cheika's time as Wallabies coach

Why can’t we see that as a positive? It is positive team mate behaviour just not an example of outstanding leadership which would have been to see that achieved through others. I think its a shame that despite the circumstances, the team isn’t tearing itself apart and nobody is giving any credit to Hooper, or Cheika for that matter for the bond they built in the squad. Well I think they are telling us porkies - yesterday the comment was that the playing group never knew there were any issues between Cheika and Castle. Today we are finding out that at an Australian Embassy event the week of the Wales match, with players in attendance that Morgan Turinui had to step in and physically separate Cheika and Castle. Cheika and players kept telling us what an amazing set of bonds they'd built but they haven't looked like the happiest of squads to me. And please point out this other captain that for years has just fronted up with comments about how good his side has been looking at training, so much so that it's become a punchline and then we can assess whether anyone thinks that guy is/was a great captain or not.

‘Step off Bro’? What is that? A. I am not your Bro B. Your comments on here say more about you that the topics! For you to think that 95% of comments on here are ‘dumb’. Is extreme. TWAS you have a temper, too much opinion of yourself and too Much time on your hands. Go fishing someone else

How many articles have you written? It appears none. I've said my view. I've said why its' my view. Step off bro.

Ah yes if it isn’t Mr 95% gracing us with his opinions. I am Still waiting for your submission re John O’Neill and Justin Harrison. Maybe you can add in there your history and resume, share with the audience your annoyance with others on here.

Tend agree Fionn, but from what I have seen in our young fellas, the stand out coming through on pure leadership skills is Fraser McReight. Now whether he stays injury free and maintains his rugby standard is another thing. But on pure captaincy material, he is a born leader.

Got to say Jez, your comments have nailed it as to what makes a good leader as per the military thought process. Right or wrong, it works!

"Isn’t exactly like he can do that for each every member of the 30 odd guys in the squad" But there is nothing to say that he has been confronted with that scenario. Its not equivalent to say that be did this here, that is all he'd do if 30 guys had the same issue. The solution for one is not the same as the solution for many, and visa-versa. There was a problem with a player, and he worked hard to fix it. Why can't we see that as a positive? As for the rest of the issues. Show me a captain who hasn't had moments like that? Its much easier to look like a good captain when at the front of a top team. I'd suggest few captains have been challenged by circumstance like Hooper. I think its a shame that despite the circumstances, the team isn't tearing itself apart and nobody is giving any credit to Hooper, or Cheika for that matter for the bond they built in the squad. Yes, tactically Cheika failed, but lets not ignore the positives. Plenty of player groups have eaten coaches for less.

Isn't exactly like he can do that for each every member of the 30 odd guys in the squad - which comes back to my original point that leadership would be getting some of the other guys to work with the struggling player. I don't see a better candidate for the Tahs but am hoping that some alternate viable options show up to challenge for the national role. * He seems to have a prickly relationship with referees and reporters * I'm sick of hearing about how well we've trained * think he makes some poor decisions on pitch * hasn't looked like he had the complete confidence of all players (Pocock speaking to the ref without him, Genia having lengthy chats before we kick for posts or touch) *the team has shown an inability to change tactics when things aren't working under his leadership (barring Argentina last year) He has fantastic qualities, he's apparently the first and last to arrive at training each day, appears tireless in his work to help others while also turning up impeccably prepared himself. He's an outstanding player despite all his detractors. I'm just not convinced he's that good a captain (I similarly didn't like Steve Smith as captain for quite some time before those issues came to ahead) I'm not saying Hooper should automatically lose the role but I also don't think it should be a given that he retains the Wallabies captaincy if a strong contender for the position puts their hand up.

And in my opinion a poor captain would have told a player struggling with motivation and personal issues to just show up an hour early and throw balls at the pole. A better captain imo is the one who is there alongside you pulling you along. Look at the impact we got out of Latu at the end of the year. Without Hooper we may never have seen him realise his potential. A shame he is now off overseas. Is he Kieran Read? No. But I think he is a fine captain. And it seems that so do those who play with him.

If that is truly the case of all he was working on then it sounds like a practice pole would have done the job.

"The story about Hooper getting to Waratahs training early to stand on a ladder and help Latu with his lineout throwing was a case in point. Absolutely gold in his commitment to helping a team mate succeed but actually very poor leadership." I disagree with that Jez. Latu had to work on the mechanics of the accuracy of his throw. He needed to focus on throw after throw after throw. You don't bring the lifters and jumpers in for 50 to 100 repeats just so he can work on getting his throws to the right point. You bring the rest in if the lineout as a whole was off with its timing, but not if it is just him needing to get consistency on his accuracy.

It requires a better captain. Different isn't better by default.

That's not unique. 9s or 10s should be more of a tactician on the field and they would be in every team. They aren't that common as captains though.

But that's like saying guys who haven't played at Wallaby level haven't failed at Wallaby level so give them a go. My point is that haven't even played in successful teams, let alone lead them.

I was talking about failure as captain. Those guys haven’t failed as captain, as Hooper has been captain.

Nah, it isn’t. Because the choice is between someone who has had 7 years as a captain and is still in my view a poor one, and someone who may develop into a better one. Someone like Toomua or White is already more of a tactician on the field.

That’s where we differ somewhat. Generational and cultural change requires a change of captain in my view.

Say something of intelligence or substance occasionally to let us know he has any rugby smarts? If he doesn’t show it through his captaincy on the field, then he had better do it off the field. Because, right now, we have a captain who fails to demonstrate strategic nous or successful captaincy either on or off the field.

TWAS + Enough = Fight Club

he is a pretty articulate hair flicker ?????