O'young

[blindsid3]

I know I have said this before, but for those that came in late:

Yak had a tough season last year because it was the first year in several seasons that he was required to play 80 minutes of rugby each week (not ten or so as Gregan's understudy)...

I am informed by those that know that the mindset / fitness / preparation for regular starters is different from that of regular benchwarmers...of which yak was one for so long. It can take a season to get that mindset / fitness / preparation right. If you need convincing checkout the tape of Maximus' first season with the Tahs after switching from the Reds - he had a shocker (by his own admission) but in season two he was selected for the Wallabies.

Its great to see that Yak has well and truly got the splinters out of his bum that were distracting him last year. He has been solid in defence and his running game is very strong - now if he can clean up on his delivery and nail all his passes Gregan will be his understudy come France.

[Greydemon]

I tried to support Henjak last season while acknowledging that he had a frightful season. Getting rid of the Red Rooster streak in his hair seems to have helped this season and He has improved 100%.

Watch how many times now he passes out without taking a step, last season he was trying too hard, would take a few steps to see if he could make a break and make a name for himself, then realise there was no-where to go and pass out far too late. Now he will sometimes go for a run, which he needs to do to keep the opposition honest, but he is making the decision to do one thing or the other much earlier.

In terms of Wallaby selection, who is actually playing better than Henjak? Certainly not Josh Valentine. For some reason I don't seem to have seen much of Gregan this year but assuming he is going OK I would have thought that Gregan and Henjak should go to the World Cup with Gits as a general purpose backup who I think should start as inside centre.

[Sagerian]

henners played a blinder and of course oyoung looks better because he is fresh and most of the others on the field had played 70mins of rugby. but oyoung deserves a bit more game time i think

I think a lot of people forget that. Good post.

[Woolfe]

HENJAK FOR WALLABIES!!!!!
the Yak is having a blinder of a season and has certainly grown up a lot this season and his game has come along in leaps and bounds!!! Would love to see him get a run at the world cup!!!

^^^^^^^^^^^

WHS

[frontrow]

Good post greydemon, i agree with you 100%

[pruc]

I think a lot of people forget that. Good post.

[Nick]

Yep I was unimpressed with him last season but he has improved a huge amount and is realy starting to play some good footy.

As far as being the Wallabies scrum half, well thats still up for grabs I think. I wouldn't be surprised if Connely still has Gits / Greegan floating around in the back of his mind for that with a few options for fly half and centre. Apparently pretty excited with Berrick Barnes, and Quade -Cooper, so they might be in the mix for 10 as back up for a more experienced fly half.

Henjack is improving but it might come down to a utility Gits and Gregan. If they take gits he can cover Scrum half, fly half and centre allowing them to experiment in soem other positions rulling out the need for Henjack if they go with gregan...

[RuckNMaul]

yak is playing 2005 better this season but i think O'young does deserve more time on the feild

[MysticBalls]

You're not the only one who believes that O'Young deserves more of a chance or that he might be the better halfback. The point for all you hardheads is that we'll never know with the amount of chances he gets at Force.

The preference for Henjak goes back to his schoolboy connection with Giteau and subsequent combination, which for all the hardheads benefit, is why Hennners is playing better this year.

It was O'Young's rocket pass that allowed the time and chance for Shepherd's triumphal try. Compare that to Henners infuriating RL style double-pump pass which wastes precious split seconds and leaves his runners guessing.

So Number9 you can see who gets my vote too, and I'm damn sure the three other Oz teams have got O'Young's name highlighted when he comes off contract. Then we'll see their comparative talents. There were plenty of threads last year on this same issue, so you're not the only one who thinks that way or sees that way.

Welcome to the forum and keep posting in!

[BeeJay]

Yak has certainly stepped up to the mark after last season and shown us his true potential. I think he is a good reader of the game and picks the right time to have a snipe. His understanding with Gits should make him the starting no 9 every time. I agree he is a bolter for the world cup.
However I am impressed by the speedy and crisp clearance from the base of the ruck by O'Young and I reckon he needs more game time even if just to get him used to the big game atmosphrere and pressure so that scrums like the last one last friday dont happen!!

[slomo]

O'young finally gets a run in what is it 5 weeks. let me just say that with his time on the field things flowed alot better. his ball is cleaner and faster than henjaks.
He needs to start a game this seasons.

sorry no9 youre about a year late with this post, yaks lifted his game and thats been good for himself and the team as a whole.