Wallabies training squad - 14 Force players

[frontrow]

Henjak is a glaring ommision, i feel he is still paying the penalty for his indiscretion in SA, which is really a bloody shame...The YAK should be let back...Leave gits at 12 as he is much better suited to that position, and he has the ability to employ his natural flair and skills...
As for Tai, toward the end of this season he has stood up and showed what he is capable of, but he is an ageing warrior and is probably being overlooked for this reason alone...I would actually prefer tai to trestle as the reserve prop as he can play all three positions up front...
Rodzilla is questionable, match fitness wise...Still would be included in my squad though, but only if fit...

[Mambo No. 5]

No Scotty Fava either....

The bulk of the Australia A team for the Pacific Five Nations will come from this 60 as well.

Can't believe the Henjack is not in the top 4 in Australia.....

They have only picked three Hookers in the 60 so Tai may yet feature in the Australia A squad.

[Burgs]

So there are at least five Scrumhalves better than Hennas, including Cordingley who hasn't played since Round 1?
At least four Hookers better than McIsaac, even though he has started most of the year and can cover #1 & 3?
Gee Mitch, you 've got some issues, here's me thinking we had good players.....

My only guess is that they want to look at some "known unknowns" in the Australia A Series at the expense of the "known knowns" who may still make the Test Squad.
Hopefully this means we will see less experimentation with Test Caps this year...but I doubt it.
Expect up to ten Squad changes betwean each match against 2x Wales and Fiji

[AndyS]

It's what happened last year - they want to assess combinations. They know exactly what they've got with Tai and I'd be surprised if he wasn't in the final squad. Disappointing for Henjak though.

[Sagerian]

Australia A being in the Pac 5 (6 now I guess?) Nations is the best thing for us. I daresay you're right with selections too Burgs, some of the "devil you know" types may have been intentionaly left out.

[Mambo No. 5]

I really don't know why they have done it this way.

They have announced 59 players in the train on squad that will be reduced to 40 for the 3 day camp. So 19 players will be cut before they even train in front of the selectors? Why bother with the 19 additional in the first place.

Maybe they should have named a 40 man Wallaby squad and an Australia A squad.

I would have thought that it is curtains for any player outside of the 59. Why would they not name players to continue training if they were still in the mix. To me it says that Tai and Matt can stop training now as they are not required in the Wallaby/Aust A mix. Can't see anyone being called up to the WC squad of 30 from outside this 59

[JamesBrown]

this list is a debarcle ! only 14 force boys :/

[Evie]

I am in shock... Henjak's form (and combination) definitely warranted selection and I hate to think he is still being judged on one mistake that happened almost 2 years ago. To think that he is "ranked" behind 4 other players seems totally off especially as one of them (full of promise as Holmes is) only started a few games and another has spent the season out injured, Henjak came back from a disappointing year last year and showed that he really can play.

[Happy]

agreed evie - matt's games this year were much better compared to last year!

[inactive]

I agree with All Saints about Mitchell. He has not deserved to be in the starting 15 even 22 since the first game he has maybe 2 blinders and then played very ordinary for the rest. certainly cant take the pressure under high balls and falls over all the time shit kicker what is going on but still cant believe that many tahs oh well. Will be interestin to see the 40 squad.

If connelly does experiment before cup hopefully it doesnt take as long for the right combo like last year where it was left to the last game!!!

[aston aka martin]

Henjak, no McIsaac.......though the latter doesn't surprise me. The fourteen who have been given a chance are all deserving, and hopefully most of them are named in the 30-man squad!!

i agree with this sentiment and also why are there so many Waratahs in there?

[Jamie_S]

Can't see anyone being called up to the WC squad of 30 from outside this 59

Hmmm, no Chris Latham on the list either! If the world's best full-back has been completely ruled out through injury then somebody forgot to tell me.

I wouldn't be so sure that only those 59 selected will get a look in. It wasn't so long ago that some commentators were calling for Matt Burke to come back.

[Burgs]

Thankfully commentators don't select the team

[Evie]

why are there so many Waratahs in there?

Oh yes that was my other point... how the hell does 13th place get 19 players of the 59 even if 2 of their most influential players spent most (if not all) the season on the injured list?
I didn't watch many Tahs games this year but does Lyons warrant his selection because on what I saw wasn't all that impressed. I know that Fava has never been the darling of selectors and he hasn't had a massive year but still a pretty good one, should he have been in the squad ahead of Lyons?

Also, I am trying to work it out but there are about 7-10? players on that list who are either on the comeback trail or the out of action list so that means even after the Wallabies 40 and then 30 is chosen there should be some more guys pulled into the squad for the Aus A fixtures.

[Burgs]

Will be interesting to read what comes out of the Sydney Press re selections now!
They got their darlings in Beale and Turner in.
They got their long shot in Freier in.
They even got their losers Baxter, Dunning and Turinui in.
I wonder where the negative slant will come from?
Probably a section will bang the Hewat drum again I suppose?
I wonder if any have the credability to question (rather than just mention) the ommissions from other Squads at the expense of their own under performers?