Quade Cooper Tribute

[Rex Messup]

I thought the bloke was easily the best player on the field watching it live. Watching his positioning and game management made me realise he really is a world class act. You get a wonderful close up of his individual skills on TV but to watch his tactical nouse, positioning and game management can only be appreciated from a whole field perspective.

The bloke is better than any 10 the wallabies have ever had. He is world class.

If we can take a pack to the world cup that will give us front foot ball and good set piece ball, with him in 10 we can win the world cup. He is that good. If we can keep him in rugby, he could be remembered as the best ever a decade from now.

What surprised me even more was his attitude after the game. The bloke stayed to greet fans after the pitch invasion when most players had left. He was there till the end smiling and getting photos and signing autographs.......with a huge smile on his face.......mobbed by Force fans in blue.

Thanks for being so considerate of the game of rugby Quade. Champion effort bloke.

[Hoolly Doolly]

Technically he was the best fullback really.

[Rex Messup]

On attack he is calling the shots
In defence he is the best tactician and counter attacking player in Australian rugby
Not bad for Link a former prop to devsie such a cunning plan. Cooper makes coaches look good these days

[Hoolly Doolly]

The western force could have taken QC out of much of the game if they had simply just kicked the ball out for touch.
Instead we saw aimless kicking and aerial ping pong creep into the game which made no sense when we were clearly dominant when we held on to the ball. QC's tactical kicking for territory and counter attacking was excellent and we knew that before the game. Dumb! Dumb! Dumb! Dumb! Just like the low percentage long throw in at the end. DUMB!

[Rex Messup]

Agreed
That shite comes from the coach. The bloke just isn't very clever. His tactical replacements cost us the game as well. He's a moron plane and simple. Thank christ he's not part of the wallabies anymore.
Our backrow absolutely dominated and we seemed to create good go forward and our backs looked an even bet to create chances on attack. It seemed senseless and poor kicking to me
I thought JOC was disappointing. His mate QC dominated

[TOCC]

Link has said a few times that Quades a real student of the game, watches more replays and studies the opposition more then anyone else in the squad..

Of course it could be just link blowing smoke up his arse

[Rex Messup]

To be fair to Link.......he doesn't blow smoke up a-holes. Link doesn't give much away. He treats the players as employees and expects results. Perform or get replaced. You rarely see him giving pats on the back or talking it up. In fact he rarely smiles.

If he says anything, its gospel

[James]

That Cooper interception was pretty magical, well except from a Force perspective. What could have been another try to bring us out to a 15-0 lead ended up practically levelling the scores.

Although that's part of the danger with Cooper. Too often with his tackling he sees an opportunity to strip a ball in the tackle and doesn't focus on just making the tackle- too upright in the tackle. When the strip pays off it's great guns but when it doesn't, and when there isn't a forward to support him in the tackle, its pretty dreadful. But he'll sharpen up and hopefully be a long term star.

I know it is a long shot, but part of me hopes that with Pocock, O'Connor and Cooper all off contract in 2012 that Cooper will come over to the Force to join Pocock and O'Connor. There's probably a greater chance of it happening the other way around, but it would definitely be awesome.

[palitu]

not so much as the reds are at the top of the ladder, why move to a franchise that hasn't been above half way?

[slomo]

cooper was all class last night, still a bit questionable in defence, but a great pass for their final try.....

[Burgs]

Agreed with all the above apart from the "The bloke is better than any 10 the wallabies have ever had." He may be among the greatest enigma's for opposition defenders but you do a serious diservice those past who are among the best to have ever strapped on a boot.
Certainly the best in Australia today, but let's not get too carried away, he still has flaws in his game that get exposed.

[JediKnight]

Cooper, IMHO, is still a little too Carlos Spencer-esque to really dominate a game of rugby but he will always have the potential to be a match winner and that's what the Wallabies need.

Saying that, all I was hoping last night was that someone would line him up when he did yet another little skip 2m away from the approaching Force defensive line!!!

[Burgs]

Follow the hips and hit them hard.

[James]

not so much as the reds are at the top of the ladder, why move to a franchise that hasn't been above half way?

Why not? A change is as good as a holiday. There may be more money on offer in Perth plus the lifestyle of having 9 months of sunshine and close proximity to the beach and being close to friends O'Connor and Pocock. Let's face it, with the pack that we have, Cooper + O'Connor in the same backline would see us into the finals. Plus if he wins a trophy this year, he might like a new challenge.

Like I say though. More likely to happen in reverse.

[Rex Messup]

Agreed with all the above apart from the "The bloke is better than any 10 the wallabies have ever had." He may be among the greatest enigma's for opposition defenders but you do a serious diservice those past who are among the best to have ever strapped on a boot.
Certainly the best in Australia today, but let's not get too carried away, he still has flaws in his game that get exposed.

Name one better

Cooper will be the best by years end

Ella. Sydney media would have you believe he was the best. Fat, lazy, slow by modern standards and suspect in defence
Knox.........no comparison
Lynagh......good player. Didn't dominate like Cooper does at state level. Very tackle shy. rarely made breaks
Larkham........ran sideways a lot. The only challenger
Flatley.......couldn't put a sentence together let alone adapt to game siuations
Giteau......urban myth
Barnes......reliable but no match for the skill set

Cooper- more speed than any of them, more elusive than any of them, better stepper than any of them, more acceleration than any of them (with exception of Giteau), throws perfect 30 m passes in any direction, as good a kicking game as any of them, great goal kicker
Cooper will have no peers by the end of 2011. He's that good