Rating the Waratahs and the Reds (Again)

It's assessment time at The Rolling Maul. So with the Waratahs taking out the pre-season title for the 12th year running, and in the process scoring a new record for talking themselves up, revealing new star recruits and going even further in their exploration of facial hair (Berrick - a mustache - really?), a system is required to sort fact from fiction and find a way of rating the Tahs against their opponents.

But don't worry, the Tom Carter Scale of Averageness lives on within the brand new 'Overall Value' score. The score adds up the players rating from their performance in 2012, their Tom Carter rating (TCV), their over or underrated score (over = 1, rated = 2, under = 3), their manliness (out of 5 based on the extent of their facial hair) and a Fwoah factor out of 5 based upon attractiveness as determined by Mrs Rolling Maul.

So here's this week's Waratahs and Reds starting XVs and below that a breakdown of the Tahs and how the scores are worked out in more detail:

Reds  (Overall Value)                              Waratahs  (Overall Value)
Greg Holmes  (13.8)                                    Jeremy Tilse  (14.6)
Saia Faingaa    (16.3)                                  Tatafu Polota-Nau  (20.9)
James Slipper   (10.5)                                 Sekope Kepu  (11.9)
Ed O’Donoghue  (6.9)                                 Sitaleki Timani  (18.6)
Rob Simmons  (12.0)                                  Kane Douglas  (13.0)
Ed Quirk  (2.9)                                           Dave Dennis  (15.7)
Liam Gill   (17.1)                                        Michael Hooper  (13.9)
Jake Schatz    (7.6)                                    Wycliff Palu  (11.1)
Ben Lucas    (11.4)                                    Brendan McKibbin  (9.8)
Quade Cooper   (10.6)                               Bernard Foley  (14.4)
Digby Ioane    (14.1)                                  Tom Kingston  (14.8)
Ben Tapuai   (15.1)                                    Tom Carter  (10.0)
Chris Feauai-Sautia (11.5)                          Adam Ashley-Cooper  (18.8)
Dom Shipperley    (13.7)                            Drew Mitchell  (8.8)
Michael Harris    (10.9)                               Israel Folau  (6.9)
GRAND TOTAL  174.4                             GRAND TOTAL  203.2

THE VERDICT
Michael Cheika has selected players on form over reputation. Some big names are missing (Robinson, Barnes, Turner) but there's enough testosterone in the Tahs forward pack expecially to satisfy any swooning female fan (even Mrs Rolling Maul who doesn't like "Rugby types"). The Reds my comparison are clean-cut and borderline handy when conditions suit. While the difference between the two teams essentially comes down to the missing Horwill and Genia, The Tahs are looking good for a comfortable win.

THE WARATAHS OVERALL VALUE BREAKDOWNS


Adam Ashley-Cooper
Position:  Anywhere in the backline
2012 performance rating:  6 / 10
Tom Carter value (TCV) (where Tom Carter = 1 by defintion): 2.8
Over / Underrated?:  Rated
Manliness (Facial hair scale out of 5):  4 / 5 (5-day growth)
Fwoah factor: (As rated by Mrs Rolling Maul: 5 = Weak at the knees, 4 = Cute, I'd do him, 3 = He's a nice boy, 2 = You must be the wingman, 1 = If you're not a forward then at least stick your head in a scrum and leave it there, 0 = Get me a bucket)   4
Overall value score:  (2012 + TCV + Rated (under = 3, rated = 2, over = 1) + Manliness + Fwoah):  18.8


Tom Carter
Position:  Centres / bench / centres / bench etc
2012:  6 / 10 (had his moments - as a cult figure)
TCV:  1.0
Over / Underrated?:  Underrated
Manliness:  0 / 5
Fwoah factor: 0
Overall value score:  10






Dave Dennis
Position:  Anywhere he wants (he's the captain)
2012:  8 / 10
TCV:  2.7
Over / Underrated?:  Rated
Manliness:  0 / 5
Fwoah factor:  4 ("He's alright")
Overall value score:  15.7





 
Kane Douglas
Position:  Lock
2012:  6.5 / 10
TCV:  1.5
Over / Underrated?:  Rated
Manliness:  1 / 5 (needs a shave)
Fwoah factor:  2
Overall value score:  13





 
Bernard Foley
Position:  Wait and see
2012:  7 / 10
TCV:  1.4
Over / Underrated?:  Underrated
Manliness:  1 / 5 (needs a shave)
Fwoah factor:  2
Overall value score:  14.4





Israel Folau
Position:  Right pocket
2012:  1 / 10 (AFL standard)
TCV:  1.9
Over / Underrated?:  Underrated
Manliness:  0 / 5
Fwoah factor:  0
Overall value score:  6.9






Michael Hooper
Position:  Pantheon of the Gods (at the feet of David Pocock) 
2012:  9 / 10 
TCV:  2.9 
Over / Underrated?:  Rated 
Manliness: 0 / 5 
Fwoah factor:   0 ("Squirrel eyes") 
Overall value score:  13.9




Sekope Kepu
Position: Prop 
2012: 6.5 / 10 
TCV:  1.4 
Over / Underrated?:  Overrated 
Manliness:  0 / 5 
Fwoah factor:    3
Overall value score:  11.9





Tom Kingston
Position:  Wing 
2012:  7 / 10 
TCV:  1.8 
Over / Underrated:  Underrated 
Manliness:  0 / 5 
Fwoah factor:   3

Overall value score  14.8






Brendan McKibbin
Position:  Halfback  
2012:  5.5 / 10 
TCV:  1.3 
Over / Underrated?:  Rated 
Manliness:  1 / 5 
Fwoah factor:    1
Overall value score:  9.8




Drew Mitchell 
Position:  Winger  
2012:  3 / 10 (at least he made it back onto the field) 
TCV:  1.8 
Over / Underrated?:  Rated 
Manliness:  0 / 5 
Fwoah factor:    2 ("He's AAC's wingman")
Overall value score:  8.8





Wycliff Palu
Position:  Number 8 
2012:  4 / 10 (at least he made it back onto the field) 
TCV:  2.1 
Over / Underrated?:  Rated 
Manliness:  0 / 5 
Fwoah factor:    3
Overall value score:  11.1





Tatafu Polata-Nau
Position:  Pulling himself back up from the deck 
2012:  7.5 / 10 (at least he made it back onto the field) 
TCV:  2.4 
Over / Underrated?:  Underrated 
Manliness:  5 / 5 
Fwoah factor:    3
Overall value score:  20.9







Jeremy Tilse
Position: Surprise starter 
2012:  5 / 10 
TCV:  1.6 
Over / Underrated?: Underrated 
Manliness:  4 / 5 
Fwoah factor:    1
Overall value score:  14.6






Sitaleki Timani
Position:  Towering over everyone 
2012:  7 / 10 
TCV:  2.6 
Over / Underrated?: Underrated 
Manliness:  4 / 5 
Fwoah factor:    2
Overall value score:  18.6