Blues 2017
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@cgrant said in Blues 2017:
Harry Plumer is an outstanding prospect, at least as a goalkicker. He was very good against the Aussie schoolboys.
He does look the goods doesn't he? I would assume someone has him tied into something. Needs a season of NPC but you'd be silly to let another team get him first if you had an option.
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Trask, who played for the NZ Barbarians against Fiji, showed a few touches of class in that game. I don't remember the name of the Waikato 1st Five who played in the NZ schools final but he is another one who has a big future ahead. NZ are blessed with very good 1st Fives, too many in fact as a good number will head north ...
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@cgrant said in Blues 2017:
Trask, who played for the NZ Barbarians against Fiji, showed a few touches of class in that game. I don't remember the name of the Waikato 1st Five who played in the NZ schools final but he is another one who has a big future ahead. NZ are blessed with very good 1st Fives, too many in fact as a good number will head north ...
However the Blues always manage to not find one of a high enough quality.
I hope for their sake that they get the early selection right this time around and they are locking in Barrett's rather than Bleyendaals.
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These are the players signed for the Blues so far. Fill in gaps if I missed anyone.
Pauliasi Manu
Sam Prattley
Alex Hodgman
Charlie Faumuina
Ofa Tu'ungafasi
Sione MafileoJames Parsons
Patrick Tuipulotu
Jimmy Tupou
Scott Scrafton
Josh Goodhue
Gerard Cowley-TuiotiJerome Kaino
Steven Luatua
Akira Ioane
Kara Pryor
Blake GibsonAugustine Pulu
Billy Guyton
Sam NockIhaia West
Piers Francis
Stephen PerofetaSonny Bill Williams
George Moala
TJ Faiane
Rieko IoaneMelani Nanai
Jordan Trainor
Michael Collins
Matt Duffie
Rene RangerHow many full contracts are we allowed? Last year we had 33 on full contracts and 9 on WTG contracts, but we were allowed to have a bit more due to 7s. If all the players above are on full contracts, we have at most one more full contract left, which would likely go to a hooker.
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As long as Kurt Eklund is nowhere near the side I don't care who it is. Su'a and Moulds would be my guess behind Parsons.
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@African-Monkey said in Blues 2017:
As long as Kurt Eklund is nowhere near the side I don't care who it is. Su'a and Moulds would be my guess behind Parsons.
Pleasants-Tate?
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If we have offered GPT a contract, I think we'd have a good chance of getting him. He would make the 23 every week up here, but isn't guaranteed that at the Highlanders with Dixon and Coltman down there.
@African-Monkey said in Blues 2017:
As long as Kurt Eklund is nowhere near the side I don't care who it is. Su'a and Moulds would be my guess behind Parsons.
With the way Eklund throws the ball, he should just go to the MLB, because his curve ball is something else.
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His contract with NH was for 2 seasons, from which they got great value out of him....assume the Blues one woulda been the same too?
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@taniwharugby said in Blues 2017:
His contract with NH was for 2 seasons, from which they got great value out of him....assume the Blues one woulda been the same too?
Media releases are sometimes very unclear on that point. From the media release from March 2015 (below), I understand that he was available for ITM/Mitre 10 Cup for N Harbour from 2015, so if his contract with NH was for two years, than I assume it was for 2015 and 2016.
The same media release only says that he will return to the Blues in 2016 but doesn't say for how long.
http://www.allblacks.com/News/26798/rene-ranger-signs-with-north-harbour-and-the-blues
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Yeah he was available in 2015 but had neck surgery before he left France.
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As usual, 9 and 10 are probably the biggest concerns.
Hooker and lock deserve plenty of attention too.
Parsons is out of the EOYT with neck/concussion issues. Greg Pleasants-Tate missed most of the NPC with a neck injury. Hopefully both will be fit, and we pickup Gafatasi Su'a from Counties (and formerly Auckland). Adrian Smith looked pretty good for NH, and Molds is tidy.
Anyone else worth considering?
At lock we need a good an "athletic lock" who is a good lineout option to partner "power lock" Tuipulotu. Goodhue may be too young. Cowley-Tuioti is promising, but may not be up to it (in height and ability). It would be good to see Fatialofa in the squad.
Fullback and wing looked to be covered now.
