Blues v Moana Pasifika
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@KiwiMurph said in Blues v Moana Pasifika:
@African-Monkey who are you cheering for?
Honestly, would be happy either way haha, I can't lose this week!
But something tells me that it would be a massive shot in the arm for Moana if they did get up at the same time, not that this season hasn't been already. Finals footy could become a reality.
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@Mauss said in Blues v Moana Pasifika:
@Duluth said in Blues v Moana Pasifika:
Players not considered due to injury: Marcel Renata (calf)
Renata is a big loss. I thought he was back to his form from last season in the previous game, so it's unfortunate for the Blues that he isn't able carry on that form this week. Ta'avao needs to show more than he has this season, if the Blues are going to take this.
Renata, Fusitua and even Tupaea went well last week. Agree on Ta'avao, he's really starting to show his age now.
I'm becoming concerned about out front row options. Ta'avao is on the way out and Renata and Ofa aren't getting any younger either. Fusitua is starting to improve, but who else do we have coming through?
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@African-Monkey Ben Ake and PJ Sheck are the young props in the squad.
IIRC, this is Ta'avao's last season. Lay is always injured.
There have been rumours about Tevita Mafileo. I wonder if they will poach Feleti Sae-Ta'ufo'ou?
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@African-Monkey said in Blues v Moana Pasifika:
Renata, Fusitua and even Tupaea went well last week. Agree on Ta'avao, he's really starting to show his age now.
I'm becoming concerned about out front row options. Ta'avao is on the way out and Renata and Ofa aren't getting any younger either. Fusitua is starting to improve, but who else do we have coming through?
I don’t think the Blues are alone in their lack of tighthead depth. Pretty much every NZ franchise struggles with producing SR-level tightheads. The Crusaders have Seb Calder and Sam Matenga behind Newell, neither of whom are at the level required. Highlanders have Wingham, who looks very raw. Chiefs have decent depth, with Dyer, O’Neill and Ahio. It’s really only the Hurricanes who have actual depth, with Lomax, Tosi and Mafileo.
As far as upcoming players are concerned, I guess Kurene Luamanuvae and Tamiano Ahloo at least have the right frames and athletic profiles to eventually get to that level? But both are still far from getting there. I personally don’t think Sheck will ever be a SR-level tighthead. His best chance would be to focus on loosehead.
If I’m at the Blues, I’d be looking at Tevita Mafileo and try to offer him a good deal.
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@pakman said in Blues v Moana Pasifika:
His brother is handy at scrum time and is a try scoring machine from five out.
Sione? He's not exactly a spring chicken either, he's about the same age as Renata and Tu'ungafasi. But I agree with you that he could certainly do a job, one of the more underrated props around.
Or maybe you're referring to someone else?
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@Tim said in Blues v Moana Pasifika:
@African-Monkey Ben Ake and PJ Sheck are the young props in the squad.
IIRC, this is Ta'avao's last season. Lay is always injured.
There have been rumours about Tevita Mafileo. I wonder if they will poach Feleti Sae-Ta'ufo'ou?
That's the thing, I'm not convinced on Sheck whenever I've seen him play and always thought Sione Ahio would have been a better bet, and Ake is always injured too like Lay.
You're right, we might have to look at bringing some guys in from outside the region going forward.
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@Mauss said in Blues v Moana Pasifika:
@pakman said in Blues v Moana Pasifika:
His brother is handy at scrum time and is a try scoring machine from five out.
Sione? He's not exactly a spring chicken either, he's about the same age as Renata and Tu'ungafasi. But I agree with you that he could certainly do a job, one of the more underrated props around.
Or maybe you're referring to someone else?
Sione. Can fill a hole, but at 31 in last few years.
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Not a fan of them not selecting the Aussie kid at 10. He’s been a point of difference in both set play and broken play.
The locks and loosies have a good mix. Should be a good battle. Not sure who to tip really.
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@Mauss said in Blues v Moana Pasifika:
@African-Monkey said in Blues v Moana Pasifika:
Renata, Fusitua and even Tupaea went well last week. Agree on Ta'avao, he's really starting to show his age now.
I'm becoming concerned about out front row options. Ta'avao is on the way out and Renata and Ofa aren't getting any younger either. Fusitua is starting to improve, but who else do we have coming through?
I don’t think the Blues are alone in their lack of tighthead depth. Pretty much every NZ franchise struggles with producing SR-level tightheads. The Crusaders have Seb Calder and Sam Matenga behind Newell, neither of whom are at the level required. Highlanders have Wingham, who looks very raw. Chiefs have decent depth, with Dyer, O’Neill and Ahio. It’s really only the Hurricanes who have actual depth, with Lomax, Tosi and Mafileo.
As far as upcoming players are concerned, I guess Kurene Luamanuvae and Tamiano Ahloo at least have the right frames and athletic profiles to eventually get to that level? But both are still far from getting there. I personally don’t think Sheck will ever be a SR-level tighthead. His best chance would be to focus on loosehead.
If I’m at the Blues, I’d be looking at Tevita Mafileo and try to offer him a good deal.
Lauaki is a big prospect IMO.
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@cgrant said in Blues v Moana Pasifika:
Lauaki is a big prospect IMO.
The Hurricanes are trying to turn him into a loosehead, though. His only game for them this year was at 1 and he's playing there for the Hurricanes Hunters as well. I think the move does make sense: he seemed to struggle a bit with the technicality of tighthead, and loosehead might suit his scrummaging tendencies (he looks to me to have been more comfortable pushing upwards rather than holding his weight with downward pressure). It's a risk moving him but his development was stagnating so they needed to do something.
I do agree he has massive potential. But he needs to find his feet in the set-piece at the professional level first. Once he does that, I think he'll move up the levels very quickly.
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Good start for the Blues. Keeping it close may be the name of the game today.
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Hope it does’nt come down to goalkicking
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This post is deleted!
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I think the Blues should have taken 3 there.
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Nice try...jeez I do agree with Ardie there though
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Nice bit of skill there by Beaudy. Ardie should be rightly aggrieved about the rip from Dalton. Shit refereeing.
