The Silver Fern

@KiwiMurph Good to see Akira get a mention. His work on defence and breakdown was crucial.

Sullivan was the official Blues player of the match

Because RM and BB showed they can play well when their packs are going backwards, DMac stuggled badly in a low quality game.

As you say, up to him to prove that wrong.

Blues picked Akira as player of the game too. I think our polls and their choice has lined up a lot this year

@Machpants

I'd describe him more as more of a lock that can cover loose forward.

His ball carrying at lock is something the other lock possibilities can't match. Potentially a good bench option too, it would make it easier to carry a specialist openside on the bench

I've been saying for a while that his style of play reminds me of Hemopo

Maybe not this year though

@KiwiMurph said in Blues MOTM v Tahs:

Hard to pick 3.

Went Clarke, Zarn and Ricky.

Could have easily gone 3 others

Same. Lots of forwards I could have picked too.

No way Beauden was in the top 3 after that first half.

RR, Tuips, Zarn.

I thought Perofeta and Segner were stand outs.

A bunch of others that were ok to goodish. I’m not a fan but I thought Plummer did some good things in straightening the attack. Sullivan looked steady. The winger with the longest name in SR and clearly one that TJ practiced all week, did some nice things in addition to the AFL specky try. Suafoa was massive in close. Choat was a real nuisance and won TO ball.

Thought Sotutu looked bloody good, but by gee hope we don't take it as indication for test team, his picking up one handed out of scrums may not be so easy playing international rules.

Papalii
Sotutu
Ioane
Suafoa

i went for sotutu, was very prominent early with ball in hand

@Crucial also he let the English first five waltz past him with BBS yellow card.

@broughie said in All Blacks MOTM v Scotland:

@nostrildamus who are you talking about? Coles? Are you testing my attentiveness?

Sorry, rather than testing you I am undoing myself, not enough sleep, meant Codie I think...

Fucking Scooter man. As much as you want to get on him for a multitude of reasons, it's just so hard to because of that workrate .

Savea an obvious choice despite the egg-dive. Paps great, both hookers awesome, Whitelock with some wicked tackles. Amd Smith learned to run again.

Fun!

I'm astounded the love Dalton is getting.

Came on, bustled, made a few tackles. That's his job. Did fuck all Cane didn't when he was on. We gave up metres and a try when he was on. ALB arguably had more impact, made 5 tackles and he's a centre.

The stats on this game are weird.

I only voted for Plummer, looks so much more comfortable at 12.

after the Manawatu game:
Reihana 3, Macilai 2, Rush 1, Matich 1

Rush wins our MVP for the season quite easily, with the Canterbury games scores not even in

Season total
Rush 15
Reihana 8
Moorby 7
Murray 7
Tua 6
Goodhue 5
Matich 5
Tu'ungafasi 4
Mau'u 4
McNamara 2
Milo-Harris 2
Macilai 2
Hallam-Eames 2
Nock 1
Te Whata Colley 1

@Duluth said in Auckland MOTM QF:

Hard to give it to any backs

Akira and Tuipulotu were excellent in the middle of the field. Peita for his cameo showing Pugh how it should be done

Peita is such a busy player, has to start surely?

Peita, Beehre, Taavao.

Funaki and AJ were good in the backs.

@kev for me, it's been Macilai's defence that has stood out this year, easily his best season defence-wise and still offers an attacking threat.

@nzzp said in All Blacks MOTM v Australia II:

@voodoo said in All Blacks MOTM v Australia II:

Seems I'm the only person that feels Smith is worthy of a top 3 spot, and other than Clarke, he was the only guy left to not get a vote.

Youse are crazy!

he suffers from sustained excellence. His normal is massive for us - but he also isn't quite what he was.

How you'd vote for Taylor over Smith I do not know

Yeah, I get that - but I also thought his 1st half in particular was noticably commanding, and such a step up from his recent outings.

The other thing I always notice about Smith is how fast he exits the field after being subbed - he motors and looks fresh as a daisy like he hasn't just played 66mins of rugby!, Bloody show off

@Chris-B said in All Blacks MOTM v Aussie I:

@nzzp Just to be clear, this is last week's poll. 🙂

oh holy shit. You're right.

As you were, man, that's a bloody sneaky move.

Tasman MOTM vs Northland

Levi Aumua - Votes 1,000! 🙂

Ummm so many mixed performances

Rayasi kept creating chances. Beehre was solid despite subbing relatively early. Lam was mostly good apart from one drop

Hodgman was close, gets through so much work. Funaki would’ve got a vote but that card changed the match

After Canterbury: Rush 3, Hallam-Eames 2, Reihana 2

Season
Rush 8
Moorby 6
Tua 5
Murray 4
Reihana 4
McNamara 2
Milo-Harris 2
Mau'u 2
Goodhue 2
Tu'ungafasi 2
Hallam-Eames 2
Nock 1
Te Whata Colley 1

I don't know about Ahio cost us 3 scrum penalties. Choat, Hodgman and Gibson for me.

First game i had watched in a few weeks as we always seem to play while I'm working or I would have something else on and like you @Duluth AJ and RTS were easy to pick. The 3rd was near impossible to pick so I just gave it to Plummer because he scored a try haha.

Disappointing effort from a very lacklustre Auckland side.

@kev I honestly think both CTC and O'Donnell would be so much better if they were properly fit...I'd love for CTC to get really fit, he'd be a real weapon as a prop, love his work, but as it is I think his fitness causes lapses where he looks bloody strong at scrumtime, then gets demolished the next.

Got so excited about the game I forgot who played well - chose Murray for that sensational break, Reihana for the clutch kick and a good alround game, and the vision of Macilai steaming on to the ball on the break turning back the years was enough for 3rd. I think the loose forwards played well also. Couldn’t choose who.

@dogmeat said in All Blacks MOTM v Argentina II:

@Crucial I wonder why Papali'i is rated N/A when guys that came on with or after him are given a score

N/A = Not Around? 😀

Plummer seems a very good captain, talk alot, incluing alot to the ref, probably a bit much at times, but its a fine line.

Thought the starting props and Trainor went well.

Yes the Funaki - Plummer axis is working well. Good to see both getting consistent minutes.

Backline has a good balance to it - the midfield compliments each other well.

Census Johnston doing well with the scrum.

I went Tua , Rush & Macilai ..honourable mentions for Tuangafasi , Harris & McNamara

Whitelock was strong but he gave away a penalty after 15 seconds in the second half which is not how you want your leaders to lead and set the tone for the second half.

@bayimports

Yeah he played well too. Up until this game I was worried he was a dud signing

After the Waikato game:

Moorby 3
Tua 2
Nock & CTC 1 each

Season

Tua 5
Moorby 3
Milo-Harris 2
Mau'u 2
Nock 1
Te Whata Colley 1

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks MOTM v Boks II:

@MN5 said in All Blacks MOTM v Boks II:

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks MOTM v Boks II:

@MN5 said in All Blacks MOTM v Boks II:

Only saw the highlights, not the full game but went for Frizell, R Ioane and Savea.

Havilii looked decent too but out of principle I can’t vote for him.

Because Tonga beat Scotland in 2012 and anyone of Tongan descent feels your highland ire a decade later?
I'm guessing this is not true but a decade long burning sense of Utu is a great reason.

Jesus Christ, what a bizarre post.

Really? It was just a test to see if you are like those Scottish men I know who hold obscure grudges that everyone else has forgotten about.

Reminds me that my Glaswegian bro in law used to say 'While the Irish English and Welsh were fighting each other we were fighting our natural enemies: ourselves."

Yeah but I’m from Wellington