Coach Robbie Deans is optimistically looking forward to this year’s program for the Wallabies. Even though none of our teams made the Super 14 playoffs, there was enough encouragement to give us die-hard supporters some hope.

A pack to be proud of

For the first time in many years the Wallaby pack look to have some mongrel in 'em. I don’t mean nasty aggressive stuff but a toughness that has been missing for some time. In all of our franchises our scrum and lineout generally went well, ensuring consistent quality ball for the backlines. With Deans in charge I am sure they will use it much more constructively then some teams did.

A solid platform for attack

Outstanding forwards this year included, Robinson, Alexander. Caldwell, Mumm, Brown, Sharp, Moore, Smith, Pocock and Hodgeson to name just a few. We now have a platform to launch attacking raids from anywhere on the pitch.

Why was Giteau overlooked?

Away from the pack obviously Matt Giteau is key to the Wallabies' game. The way he played this year was outstanding and I find it puzzling that he wasn't included in the top five players voted for Best Player of the year. Perhaps the late start of the Force games meant that whoever the judges were they'd had a few stiff drinks and weren't best placed to assess the brilliant Giteau.

Hodgeson has a bumper year

I want to commend Robbie and his selectors for their vision in selecting Matt Hodgeson who had a sensational year for the Force. He doesn’t get the wraps guys like Pocock, Smith and Waugh get, but his work rate is second to none. Not only can he play tight but he can also carry the ball. Matt was a product of the Lloyd McDermott Rugby Development Team program many years ago, so it is great to see that the program continues to produce quality athletes the Aboriginal community can be proud of.

Second time around for Deans

This is the second year for Robbie Deans and I am sure he will be looking for a better showing than his first. Players have now had the time to adapt to his methods and he will want them to progress faster than they did last year. With a warm up game against a very strong Barbarian team on the 6th June he will undoubtedly be toying with combinations that he'll look to put in place before the Wallabies play a French team that at last will be a force to contend with.

Time for the Northern hemisphere to front up

I applaud the Australian Rugby Union’s stance on demanding that the Northern Hemisphere teams bring their strongest teams down south because games over the last couple of years have been a waste of time and a financial flop for the ARU. This French team will be as good as they can field, barring injuries, so will test the might of the Wallabies and at last give them some indication where they stand in international Rugby Union.

Can we do the Italian Job?

They follow up that series with the Italians who will be no push over. I still think we will win it comfortably as I am sure we can match their forward strength and with the flair in our backline, the score could be anything. So it all looks rosy for the Wallabies, right? Well there might be two other teams that would disagree with me, namely New Zealand and South Africa. Obviously they will be very tough this year, especially the 'Boks after they're done mauling the British and Irish Lions on their home soil.

Mirror, mirror on the wall...

I will stick to my final analysis of the Tri Nations, stick my neck out and back Australia to finally win back the Bledisloe and Tri Nation Cups. I know I will cop some flack, but it's all good. You know, they often said my brothers and I had supernatural vision. I hope they were right.