I feel a lot better with Smith at full back.

Just looked up the team that played in Dunners last year - this team isn't that far off at all - DMac at fullback, and the midfield are the real significant changes.
I can't really remember that game, but reading the player ratings it was the midfield that let us down / broke down early due to head knocks:

Ryan Crotty 6: Not up to his usual high standards, as went off twice for head assessments (second permanent). Left for dead by Foley in his try and early tackle on Folau rubbed one out for Ioane. Will bounce back.
Sonny Bill Williams 7: Poor start with four early handling errors. But tidied his play after that and came into his own in second half with some nice offloads in the tackle. A night when the chances came outside his channels.

Excited to see how Crotty and Goodhue work out with a different support cast around them.

@jaycee said in Bledisloe I:

I feel a lot better with Smith at full back.

Just looked up the team that played in Dunners last year - this team isn't that far off at all - DMac at fullback, and the midfield are the real significant changes.

wasn't Lima starting at 10 in Dunners ?

Savea is really deserving of his place.

@mikethesnow said in Bledisloe I:

@dogmeat said in Bledisloe I:

@barbarian said in Bledisloe I:

@mariner4life I'm in Switzerland, no idea how I'm going to watch the game.

After the last two Sydney Bledisloe matches I've decided that I am the problem. I'm the bad luck charm, and so have taken myself as far from the ground as feasibly possible.

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Antipode of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

The opposite side of the world to Sydney is Relva, Azores, Portugal
If You're quick - there's still time

Mine
The opposite side of the world to Llandeilo is Papatowai, Otago, New Zealand.

Worth a trip?

Be careful if you are planning on drilling through to get there. I think your map is a bit wonky. You’ll end up drowning in the southern ocean

Interesting calls on Goodhue and Naholo although I think the latter benefits from wanting BFA at 15.
Don’t mind Goodhue there just expected them to go for match experience.
ALB is possibly being looked at as the new Kahui. Might see him as center/wing cover

Two power wingers is not the AB norm nowadays, and vs Folau. I reckon they'll be peppered and turned, if the Ozzies have any sense. Interesting to see how goodhue goes again, at least he vs a crappy new Ozzie midfield. If they shut down Beale, it's all over in the midfield. Squire and cane better pick up their game vs pooper, we have the way better tight five, esp locks.

Naholo's complete meltdown in the quarter final rewarded with a start in the first Bledisloe.

@nzzp
Beauden Barrett 8: Off his game early, but two tries showed his class in second half as came back from head assessment. Made plenty of tackles too. Not quite back to his vintage 2016 form, but a big step in the right direction

I remember saying it in 2015 I think it was, but it's worth noting Naholo is actually pretty good under the high ball, at least as good as NMS. He's worthy of his selection and I'm sure will show that. Oh but wait what about when he played shit in a super game...

Also happy to see BFA at fullback. DMac will be injected in the 2nd half with Smith moving to the right wing.

My biggest concern is the loose forward cover, particularly if there was an early injury to Read or Squire. There are options using Cane or Barrett at 6 and Savea at 8 but none are ideal.

@jaycee said in Bledisloe I:

@nzzp
Beauden Barrett 8: Off his game early, but two tries showed his class in second half as came back from head assessment. Made plenty of tackles too. Not quite back to his vintage 2016 form, but a big step in the right direction

cheers - was watching while exercising, and Lima must have been on for the head knock

Big test for Goodhue though he is likely to be up against a makeshift 13 in Hodge and has Crusaders combo with Crotty.

The loose forward trio need to be on the mark though then again Hooper hasnt played in a almost a couple of months.

@kiwimurph said in Bledisloe I:

Big test for Goodhue though he is likely to be up against a makeshift 13 in Hodge and has Crusaders combo with Crotty.

The loose forward trio need to be on the mark though then again Hooper hasnt played in a almost a couple of months.

At this stage of their respective test careers Goodhue has more to worry about IMHO

To me the acid is on Beauden Barrett,he’s the player that’s got both Mckenzie and Mo’unga breathing down his neck,he’s on notice as far as I am concerned.
As for Goodhue I have no issues,especially when you hear the endorsements coming from many of the players that front up along side him.
I have no doubts that ABL and Goodhue will be a long term midfield combo just as they were in the 2015 AB under 20s.

@bones said in Bledisloe I:

I remember saying it in 2015 I think it was, but it's worth noting Naholo is actually pretty good under the high ball, at least as good as NMS. He's worthy of his selection and I'm sure will show that. Oh but wait what about when he played shit in a super game...

More what about when he was completely underwhelming in every single AB test he's played in, and shat the bed when the pressure came on in Super rugby.

Would love him to prove me wrong but right now he's nothing more than a flat track bully. He's really only there due to BFA struggling on the wing vs the French. My concern with BFA is his struggles were more to do with age rather than playing wing as he's never struggled with that position in the past.

@steven-harris said in Bledisloe I:

To me the acid is on Beauden Barrett,he’s the player that’s got both Mckenzie and Mo’unga breathing down his neck,he’s on notice as far as I am concerned.
As for Goodhue I have no issues,especially when you hear the endorsements coming from many of the players that front up along side him.
I have no doubts that ABL and Goodhue will be a long term midfield combo just as they were in the 2015 AB under 20s.

Based on form he shouldn't be worried about DMac

I would have liked to see Richie M at least given a bench spot but hey-ho

@no-quarter what the fuck? Underwhelming? That's just stupid. Not much point discussing.

Be good for Naholo to have a good game, IMO he has gone ok at this level, but not shown the kind of form he does at super level, he is great over the ball, the other area of his game I do worry about is attacking the high ball, he has done dumb shit there a few times.

So when Crotty gets injured, we will see a mid-field of Goodhue-ALB (which way round is the question)

@jaycee Since when do player ratings in the media count for anything? They're usually bullshit.