Could South Sydney's Tallis Duncan be the answer to Australia's second row World Cup shortage?
The South Sydney backline might be an unusual place to find the answer to Australia's second-row shortage for this year's World Cup, but regardless of position, the form of Rabbitohs tyro Tallis Duncan is fast becoming impossible to deny. While injuries have forced him to spend the last month at centre, his versatility would make him all the more valuable as part of Australia's squad. Duncan's success at centre is proof of his growing maturity, and he's improved out of sight compared to this time last year by leaning on the experience of players like Jack Wighton and the injured Latrell Mitchell, who have both played centre for New South Wales and Australia. Duncan's recent success is also attributed to an increase in trust between himself, South Sydney's ageless wonder Cody Walker, and Alex Johnston, who Duncan cites as key to identifying opposition shapes. At the time of writing, he has as many tries this season as the Dolphins' Herbie Farnworth, the best centre in the league, and he's first in the league among backrowers for line breaks and second for tackle busts. If the Rabbitohs' showing against Canterbury is anything to go by, Duncan will get more than a few chances to push his claims for an Australian jersey. Wayne Bennett's side produced their best performance of the season to all but secure their top eight spot with a series of try-saving efforts the highlight of the 22-6 victory. Duncan's dream of playing for Australia is a testament to his hard work and dedication, and it's something he's dreamed about his whole life. While he hasn't spoken about it too much publicly, it's clear that he's a strong contender for the Australian squad, and his versatility and maturity make him a valuable asset to any team.
