Australian back line

[DoubleD]

With the abundance of talent that Australia have, particularly at full back, if everyone is fit then there’s going to be some unlucky players missing out. Who would you have in the back 5? Here’s a first stab, which means Papenhuizen misses out but I’d have him on the bench. A couple of square pegs in round holes but I can’t think of better. Wighton, Ponga, J Morris and Best also unlucky although Wighton might get a gig at 6 if Keary is out

1. Tedesco

2. Gagai

3. T Turbo

4. Mitchell

5. B Morris

 

[Graham]

That's a tricky one given the number of high quality backs to choose from

1. Papenhuyzen

2. Brett Morris

3. L Mitchell

4. Gagai

5. Josh Addo-Carr

[Cumbrian Mackem]

It’s usually been said in the past that Australia could field 2-3 teams and still be competitive due to their talent depth. Today that’s more like Australia could field 3-4 teams and still be competitive.

[DoubleD]

2 hours ago, Graham said:

That's a tricky one given the number of high quality backs to choose from

1. Papenhuyzen

2. Brett Morris

3. L Mitchell

4. Gagai

5. Josh Addo-Carr

I’d forgotten about Addo-Carr, yes I’d have him ahead of Gagai on wing. Interesting that you’d have Papenhuizen ahead of Tedesco?

[Irish Saint]

If I remember correctly in the last World Cup Australia's back line was players who at that time were all playing full-back for their clubs.

 

[Graham]

1 hour ago, DoubleD said:

I’d forgotten about Addo-Carr, yes I’d have him ahead of Gagai on wing. Interesting that you’d have Papenhuizen ahead of Tedesco?

Yes, I’ve got them both in my SC squad and they both perform consistently well.

I’d be happy to have either.

Both are brilliant.

I like that Paps is not only really good but that he has  improvement in him.

Teddy needs no more improvement.

I’d like to see Papenhuyzen get an Aussie shirt.

 

[Spotty Herbert]

5 hours ago, DoubleD said:

With the abundance of talent that Australia have, particularly at full back, if everyone is fit then there’s going to be some unlucky players missing out. Who would you have in the back 5? Here’s a first stab, which means Papenhuizen misses out but I’d have him on the bench. A couple of square pegs in round holes but I can’t think of better. Wighton, Ponga, J Morris and Best also unlucky although Wighton might get a gig at 6 if Keary is out

1. Tedesco

2. GagaiFor me it is likely to be Tedesco

3. T Turbo

4. Mitchell

5. B Morris

 

I thought the Morris twins had retired from rep rugby? Or am I mistaken? For me, the back 5 is likely to be Tedesco, Addo Carr, Turbo, Latrell and Gagai, but I would like to see specialist centres get a chance. Crighton, Lomax and Best would all look perfectly ok in green and gold. 

[Graham]

I thought of Lomax and Crichton. 
Crichton is Samoan I think. Is he eligible?

20 years old, 6ft4 great player with a big future in the game.

 

[DoubleD]

26 minutes ago, Spotty Herbert said:

I thought the Morris twins had retired from rep rugby? Or am I mistaken? For me, the back 5 is likely to be Tedesco, Addo Carr, Turbo, Latrell and Gagai, but I would like to see specialist centres get a chance. Crighton, Lomax and Best would all look perfectly ok in green and gold. 

Yeah I think you might be right about the Morris twins although a final World Cup might entice them. I’m not sure Lomax is quite at that standard yet, but he’s got a lot of promise. Crichton is probably ahead of him, he played for Australian schoolboys so I’d expect he’d pick Australia over Samoa

[Scubby]

5 hours ago, Cumbrian Mackem said:

It’s usually been said in the past that Australia could field 2-3 teams and still be competitive due to their talent depth. Today that’s more like Australia could field 3-4 teams and still be competitive.

It does feel like England's window was in that 2014-2018 period. Lots of Aussie players were getting old and not so many young stars getting experience. Sadly, we missed the chance, didn't play them enough times and now our stars are older (or retired) too. 

[Spotty Herbert]

3 hours ago, DoubleD said:

Yeah I think you might be right about the Morris twins although a final World Cup might entice them. I’m not sure Lomax is quite at that standard yet, but he’s got a lot of promise. Crichton is probably ahead of him, he played for Australian schoolboys so I’d expect he’d pick Australia over Samoa

I agree Crighton appears to be ahead of Lomax in the eyes of Aus commentators. It gives me hope that I remember him being part of the Australian schoolboys line up that was owned by Harry Newman and Cameron Scott (amongst others) a couple of years ago. 

[DoubleD]

6 minutes ago, Spotty Herbert said:

I agree Crighton appears to be ahead of Lomax in the eyes of Aus commentators. It gives me hope that I remember him being part of the Australian schoolboys line up that was owned by Harry Newman and Cameron Scott (amongst others) a couple of years ago. 

He was, and played wing from recollection. Players develop at different rates though and he's come on leaps and bounds. Some of the England players haven't developed as much, Scott being an example as such

[R L Winger]

18 hours ago, DoubleD said:

With the abundance of talent that Australia have, particularly at full back, if everyone is fit then there’s going to be some unlucky players missing out. Who would you have in the back 5? Here’s a first stab, which means Papenhuizen misses out but I’d have him on the bench. A couple of square pegs in round holes but I can’t think of better. Wighton, Ponga, J Morris and Best also unlucky although Wighton might get a gig at 6 if Keary is out

1. Tedesco

2. Gagai

3. T Turbo

4. Mitchell

5. B Morris

 

Brett Morris retired from representative rugby league a few years ago

[DavidM]

I hope , or do I , they go with Tedesco Papenhuyzen Mitchell Trobjevic The Fox . Just to see it 

If Munster is 6 to Cleary’s 7 then Wighton may be a centre option . Gagai is rock solid , you know what you get at rep level . Lomax is very talented and a gun kicker . Amazing that Ponga doesn’t get a mention , he’s a freak of a talent . I’d love Brett Morris to be around he’s just incredible but I can’t see it 

[Spotty Herbert]

1 hour ago, DavidM said:

I hope , or do I , they go with Tedesco Papenhuyzen Mitchell Trobjevic The Fox . Just to see it 

If Munster is 6 to Cleary’s 7 then Wighton may be a centre option . Gagai is rock solid , you know what you get at rep level . Lomax is very talented and a gun kicker . Amazing that Ponga doesn’t get a mention , he’s a freak of a talent . I’d love Brett Morris to be around he’s just incredible but I can’t see it 

Will NSW / Queensland politics enable there to be an all NSW back line? Hard to see Trbojevic staying fit long enough to take part in the world cup. Am I imagining it or does Ponga have New Zealand heritage that could enable him to play for the Kiwis in the absence of RTS?

[Alan Robertson]

On 19/04/2021 at 03:43, Scubby said:

It does feel like England's window was in that 2014-2018 period. Lots of Aussie players were getting old and not so many young stars getting experience. Sadly, we missed the chance, didn't play them enough times and now our stars are older (or retired) too. 

Sadly, I think that you're correct.

But, then again, I still think about 2003 (amongst other times). We should have battered them in that series but...

1990, Old Trafford, is probably the worst of them all.

I think that Hanley should've selected himself to play in the 3rd test in 94 too. We'll never know what difference that would've made.