Chiefs 2025

[Bovidae]

@ARHS said in Chiefs 2025:

I would rather have Kolose than McAlister

I'm not sure Kolose is ready to be a reserve each week. Kolose could still be the no.3 to develop.

If the McAlister rumour is true the Chiefs would have a SR-ready player to use. That said, I was underwhelmed with him against Munster, and he gave away some dumb penalties.

[ARHS]

Is Taukeiaho expected to be missing short term or long term? I was hoping the former

[ARHS]

Wondering if Reon Paul and Joe Johnston get gigs at other franchises too.

[Bovidae]

@ARHS

This was what I posted last month from the newspaper, and an interview with McMillan.

Injured All Blacks hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho will not likely be seen back on the park until several rounds into the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season.

[Bovidae]

As for the Chiefs, I think that the only positions to fill are hooker (need two) and wing, assuming Malimali and Coombes-Fabling aren't back. You would hope that there would be an upgrade in the outside back cover. Cody Vai would be a good option for one of those positions if he joins the sevens exodus. It's not much point signing a winger like Moses Leo for one year.

The only players from the 2024 squad definitely confirmed to have left are Thompson, Florence, Ioane and Kaivelata. One less prop allows for more wing/fullback cover. Selby-Rickit is off-contract but you would have to assume he has been re-signed. The same for Roe and Tahuriorangi.

No announced signings for a month, and I doubt we'll see any before next Tuesday.

[cliff]

@Bovidae I assume Leroy Carter takes one wing spot

[Bovidae]

I've got:
Emoni Narawa
Etene Nanai-Seturo
Shaun Stevenson
Leroy Carter
Peniasi Malimali (or replacement)
Liam Coombes-Fabling (or replacement)

Josh Gray started ahead of Malimali at CM, so another option. He was in the Chiefs Dev team.

[ARHS]

Reon Paul looks OK as wing or centre.

[cliff]

Will Ollie Mathis get a spot or he is still one year away I was very underwhelmed by kaylum boshier

[Bovidae]

@cliff said in Chiefs 2025:

Will Ollie Mathis get a spot or he is still one year away I was very underwhelmed by kaylum boshier

I don't think there are any extra places in the loose forwards. Give Mathis a WTG place to keep him close. McMillan must rate Boshier as he made him a VC. He is a no.8 not a 7.

[Daffy Jaffy]

I think Mathis will play NZ Sevens this season. He played a warmup tourney with them last weekend and they play in Dubai in 3 weeks.

[gt12]

@Daffy-Jaffy said in Chiefs 2025:

I think Mathis will play NZ Sevens this season. He played a warmup tourney with them last weekend and they play in Dubai in 3 weeks.

Booo. I think he needs to be with a super team. I get concerned about the pathway from 7s to Super.

[Crazy Horse]

@gt12 said in Chiefs 2025:

@Daffy-Jaffy said in Chiefs 2025:

I think Mathis will play NZ Sevens this season. He played a warmup tourney with them last weekend and they play in Dubai in 3 weeks.

Booo. I think he needs to be with a super team. I get concerned about the pathway from 7s to Super.

Especially for someone like him who could do with putting some weight on.

[Bovidae]

He will also want to play for the NZ U20s next year so making the switch just for the WC isn't ideal. Needs to be playing more regular XVs.

[Bovidae]

12 pm for the squad.

[brodean]

Yes I hope Mathis will skip the 7s though Ardie did play 7s too .

[Yeetyaah]

https://www.chiefs.co.nz/news-item/gallagher-chiefs-name-cohesive-2025-squad

2025 Gallagher Chiefs Squad (Provincial Union, Chiefs caps):
Aidan Ross (Bay of Plenty, 88)
Anton Lienert-Brown (Waikato, 120)
Bradley Slater (Taranaki, 60)
Brodie McAlister (Canterbury, 0)
Cortez Ratima (Waikato, 42)
Damian McKenzie (Waikato, 126)
Daniel Rona (Taranaki, 23)
Emoni Narawa (Bay of Plenty, 33)
Etene Nanai-Seturo (Counties Manukau, 60)
Fiti Sa (Taranaki, 0)*
George Dyer (Waikato, 37)
Gideon Wrampling (Waikato, 3)
Jahrome Brown (Waikato, 0)
Jared Proffit (Taranaki, 15)
Jimmy Tupou (Counties Manukau, 10)
Josh Jacomb (Taranaki, 4)*
Josh Lord (Taranaki, 22)
Kaleb Trask (Bay of Plenty, 23)
Kaylum Boshier (Taranaki, 29)
Leroy Carter (Bay of Plenty, 0)*
Liam Coombes-Fabling (Waikato, 9)
Luke Jacobson (Waikato, 78) (Captain)
Malachi Wrampling (Waikato, 0)
Manaaki Selby-Rickit (Bay of Plenty, 15)
Naitoa Ah Kuoi (Bay of Plenty, 62)
Ollie Norris (Waikato, 54)
Quinn Tupaea (Waikato, 48)
Rameka Poihipi (Canterbury, 44)
Reuben O'Neill (Taranaki, 29)
Samipeni Finau (Waikato, 45)
Samisoni Taukei'aho (Waikato, 92)
Shaun Stevenson (North Harbour, 96)
Simon Parker (Northland, 22)
Sione Ahio (Auckland, 4)
Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi (Bay of Plenty, 54)
Tupou Vaa'i (Taranaki, 58)
Wallace Sititi (North Harbour, 13)
Xavier Roe (Waikato, 31)

[Yeetyaah]

Gonna be honest and say I'm very disappointed, O'Neill and Proffit shouldn't be there at all, TTT is still there. How do we lose a prop in Kaivelata and not sign another when that's arguably the weakest position.

[Bovidae]

Promoted another lock (Sa) but still lacking wing cover.

[Daffy Jaffy]

In positions -
Chiefs squad for 2025

Props: Sione Ahio, George Dyer, Ollie Norris, Reuben O'Neill, Jared Proffit, Aidan Ross
Hookers: Brodie McAlister, Bradley Slater, Samisoni Taukei'aho
Locks: Naitoa Ah Kuoi, Josh Lord, Fiti Sa, Manaaki Selby-Rickit, Jimmy Tupou, Tupou Vaa'i
Loose forwards: Kaylum Boshier, Jahrome Brown, Samipeni Finau, Luke Jacobson (c ), Simon Parker, Wallace Sititi, Malachi Wrampling
Halfbacks: Cortez Ratima, Xavier Roe, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi
First five-eighths: Josh Jacomb, Damian McKenzie, Kaleb Trask
Midfielders: Anton Lienert-Brown, Rameka Poihipi, Daniel Rona, Quinn Tupaea, Gideon Wrampling
Outside backs: Leroy Carter, Liam Coombes-Fabling, Etene Nanai-Seturo, Emoni Narawa, Shaun Stevenson

Ins: Brodie McAlister, Fiti Sa, Jahrome Brown, Leroy Carter
Outs: Kauvaka Kaivelata, Tyrone Thompson, Tom Florence, Josh Ioane, Peniasi Malimali