Australian Squad Announced

[Johns Magic]

Gidley was useless in Origin. Provided absolutely nothing off the bench. Didn't even look like worrying the defence.

Yet in game 3 when he started he was one of the best on the field.

 

[Johns Magic]

I think he would do OK at lock but the rest are a write off, aside from his specialist position at fullback'
dont get me wrong, he is a world class player at fullback and one of the best in the world at #1, but he isnt worth a pinch of sh*t at hooker or half, you'd almost be better off throwing a front rower in those positions before Kurt Giddley
Have never seen him at wing or centre so i cant comment on those spots
And i dont think he offers enough versatilty or impact to warrent a bench spot under the tag "utility"

I've seen him play a couple of games at centre and I was very impressed.

He's never offered much at rep level at hooker(in his very limited opportunities), but when he filled in there in Hilder and Buderus's absence this year for the Knights his performance was more than sufficient.

 

[Joker's Wild]

don't care what bias opinion you have but we all know if it was reversed it would be full of NSW players and qld wouldn't get a look in.

Whatever whinge you need to have to justify your obviously bias opinion champ.

Deal with the selectors not agreeing with you and move on

 

[abrichta]

Yet in game 3 when he started he was one of the best on the field.

He went okay, nothing special though.

 

[the kirwan kid]

My thoughts on the Australian Squad:

Terry Campese (played great and deserves a selection but he only plays 5/8 and with Prince & Thurston in the side they've got that covered ... would have picked Luke Lewis as he can cover from 2nd row through to wing or another forward like Luke O'Donnell, Sam Thaiday)

Petero Civoniceva (yep)

Michael Crocker (no issue but I thought we weren't picking players heading overseas?)

Craig Fitzgibbon (should have been Sam Thaiday)

Israel Folau (yep)

Paul Gallen (ok)

Kurt Gidley (he's obviously the back up hooker and utility player?)

Justin Hodges (yep - not his greatest year but he's been out a bit)

Greg Inglis (yep - not his greatest year but he can cover 5/8 - fullback)

Brent Kite (yep)

Anthony Laffranchi (ok)

Darren Lockyer (yep)

Joel Monaghan (can't see him getting a game so I'd have gone with another forward ... maybe a hooker. See Terry Campese)

Josh Perry (yep)

Steve Price (yep)

Scott Prince (yep)

Billy Slater (yep)

Cameron Smith (yep)

Brett Stewart (yep)

Glenn Stewart (yep)

Brent Tate (yep)

Johnathan Thurston (yep)

Anthony Watmough (yep)

David Williams (can't see him getting a look in personally)

The backs picked are fine - the forwards not so great. Thaiday is a very noticebale admission

I think the top 17 from this should be:

1. Slater/Stewart
2. Falou
3. Tate
4. Hodges
5. Inglis
6. Lockyer
7. Thurston
8. Civoneciva
9. Smith
10. Price
11. Crocker
12. LaFranchi
13. Stewart

14. Kite
15. Perry
16. Gallen/Watmough
17. Gidley

 

[t-ba]

David Williams?

I'd have Robbo over him tbh.

Good player, potential future rep, but there's no way he should have been selected. Waaay to raw.

 

[Johns Magic]

David Williams?

I'd have Robbo over him tbh.

Good player, potential future rep, but there's no way he should have been selected. Waaay to raw.

He comes in off his wing too much in defence. But he does seem to be flavour of the month in the NRL.

 

[ozbash]

thats a pretty old squad, green and gold geriatrics...

 

[Twizzle]

thats a pretty old squad, green and gold geriatrics...

good enough to beat your lot

 

[East Coast Tiger]

thats a pretty old squad, green and gold geriatrics...

As opposed to the "Samoa B" side NZ is putting out.

 

[TheDalek079]

Gidley was awesome in origin three.

Fitzy deserves to be there. He's consistant, provides leadership, a tackling machine and he can kick goals (one of his many kicks: http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=KgGQYtmW7q0). He's just one or two kicks away from reaching 1500 points!! A remarkable achievement for a forward

 

[Deleted member 10972]

Team i would pick:

1. Brett Stewart
2. Brent Tate or David Williams
3. Justin Hodges
4. Israel Folau
5. Greg Inglis
6. Darren Lockyer
7. Johnathan Thurston
8. Steve Price
9. Cameron Smith
10. Petero Civoniceva
11. Anthony Watmough
12. Craig Fitzgibbon or Mick Crocker (i would have had Thaiday or Myles though)
13. Glenn Stewart

14. Kurt Gidley
15. Paul Gallen
16. Anthony Laffranchi
17. Brent Kite

Definitely a good team IMO. Thaiday and Myles being omitted for Crocker and Fitzgibbon is a bit questionable, but Croc and Fitzy are both proven players who had good seasons. I would have had another hooker instead of Campese though.

Good team, very strong, should win.

 

[Cletus]

Fitzgibbon and Crocker very lucky to be there. Fitzy looked past it in SOO, Crocker looked exhausted towards the end of the year. Crocker might go ok after a rest, but Fitzy is too long in the tooth.
Rest of the squad is good, you could argue about who plays in what position but they all deserve their spots.

 

[oneeyedeaglesman]

gotta feel for Ben Cross - best prop over last 3-4 weeks of the season, and best NSW prop in origin series.

Perry, Fitzgibbon, WTF

Best prop wtf.Has not played for 3-4 weeks.Kite is and was head and shoulders above all props including Petero.Fitzy can only have been picked as a back up goal kicker.Cross might deserve a spot but best prop:sarcasmif you only watched the Knights maybe).

B.Stewart
Wolfman
Hodges
Inglis
Falou
Lockyer
Thurston
Kite
Smith
Petero
Watmough
Gallen
G.Stewart

Gidley
Perry
Price
Crocker

That is who I like and think it will be pretty close to what Sticky goes with.

 

[sooperdooper]

how does josh perry and david williams make it?

there are far more capable players in both positions that didnt get selected.

Only coz they won the Gf... its laughable...

 

[Downie]

Yeah, as I said they're wrong.



I'm happy for Perry to be picked, I was his biggest fan at Newcastle. But for you to say Perry "shat on Cross" this season when the stats prove the opposite, is a bit rich. I've had both of them at my club, and I know which one I'd prefer.

These are the stats I am came up, using your method of doing it yourself as each player had games counted which they didn't play in:

Cross: Total 983m, 112 all runs (at 8.78m a run, 109.26m a game), 94 hit ups (at 10.46m a hit up, 108.78m a game).

Perry: Total 2676m, 308 all runs (at 8.69m a run, 102.94m a game), 230 hit ups (at 11.63m a hit up, 102.88m a game).

Don't really know what the difference between all runs and hit ups are? I take it hit ups are just running it up at the defence whilst all runs include passing before the line, line breaks etc? Either way, I divided all run metres by both to get those stats.

So pretty even across the board really, just that Perry played an entire season. Perry's metres were also well down for the last several games after his injury, which he played through.

Either way, both would be better than White

 

[JasonE]

I read Carl Webb was one of the PM13's best players v PNG and also played the last test v NZ, so his omission is a surprise.

 

[Johns Magic]

Best prop wtf.Has not played for 3-4 weeks.Kite is and was head and shoulders above all props including Petero.Fitzy can only have been picked as a back up goal kicker.Cross might deserve a spot but best prop:sarcasmif you only watched the Knights maybe).

Clearly he was referring to the last 4 weeks of the regular season, when Cross actually played. During that period:

Cross = 499 metres, 94 tackles
Kite = 453 metres, 82 tackles

 

[Johns Magic]

These are the stats I am came up, using your method of doing it yourself as each player had games counted which they didn't play in:

Cross: Total 983m, 112 all runs (at 8.78m a run, 109.26m a game), 94 hit ups (at 10.46m a hit up, 108.78m a game).

Perry: Total 2676m, 308 all runs (at 8.69m a run, 102.94m a game), 230 hit ups (at 11.63m a hit up, 102.88m a game).

Don't really know what the difference between all runs and hit ups are? I take it hit ups are just running it up at the defence whilst all runs include passing before the line, line breaks etc? Either way, I divided all run metres by both to get those stats.

So pretty even across the board really, just that Perry played an entire season. Perry's metres were also well down for the last several games after his injury, which he played through.

Either way, both would be better than White

Yes, that much we can agree on.

I don't know what the difference between hit-ups and runs are either. Always been a mystery to me.

 

[Calixte]

Not a bad looking squad.

Some interesting contests for positions especially at the back.

Makes the RLWC a bit more interesting again I feel...certainly those suggesting it is all over bar the shouting are simply wrong.