Magpies 2017
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@Nepia Geez all we seem to hear about is players leaving, and no one coming. I assume there will be and no names have as yet been released. It's bloody good the business is taken care of off the paddock, but to do the new facilities justice, we have to do the buisness on the paddock otherwise it becomes a bloody big white elephant.
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According to Manawatu Standard club season preview, Mark Atkins (Magpie 2013-2014) has left PN OB Marist and returned to Hawke's Bay.
He didn't play for Manawatu at all in 2016 due to a broken leg and only played twice for them in 2015.
Mark Abbott has signed a two-year deal to play in Japan, and will leave after this Hurricanes season. Ben May is yet to re-sign with Hawke's Bay.
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The news about all these Magpies leaving or not re-signing is depressing.
This is what we know:
Leaving/have left:
Robbie Fruean - Bath
Ryan Tongia - Bayonne
Ricky Riccitelli - Taranaki
Mark Abbott - Coca-Cola Red Sparks
Matt Garland - BOPStaying:
Jonah Lowe
Mason Emerson
Tony Lamborn
Brad Weber
Geoff Cridge
(Brodie Retallick)
(Israel Dagg)Contracted Academy players:
Lincoln McClutchie (1st five 8th)
Danny Toala (fullback)
Folau Fakatava (halfback)
Jacob Devery (hooker)
Kianu Kereru-Symes (prop)
Al Momoisea (winger)
Mitch Drew (center)
Will Tremain (openside flanker)
Tim Farrell (LH prop)Unconfirmed/unkown (to me, anyway):
Fa'alemiga Selesele (indications are that he's returning)
Marino Mkaele-Tu'u (who has been missing in all Hurricanes U20s games, but was selected for NZU20s camp; I assume he's staying)
Pouri Rakete-Stones (U19s last year, played all Hurricanes U20s games at TH, named in NZU20s trial squad; maybe getting a contract?)
Tiaan Falcon (not sure for how long he was signed for last year, played all Hurricanes U20s & Dev team games, named in NZU20s trial squad; I assume he's staying; will be crucial if West decides to leave)Gareth Evans (don't know his contract status and unsure for how long he's signed with the Highlanders)
Hugh Renton (don't know his contract status and unsure for how long he's signed with the Hurricanes; played one U20s game, but now absent: injured again?)
Ash Dixon (his contract with the Highlanders runs until the end of the 2017 SR season)
Brendon Edmonds (under contract with the Highlanders until the end of the 2018 season, but will he play again?)
Michael Allardice (his contract with the Chiefs ends after the 2017 SR season and hasn't played due to injury for a very long time)
Ihaia West (coming off contract)
Ben May (has not yet decided)
Tolu Fahamokioa (might not return because he is playing club rugby for Tawa (Wellington)
Ross Filipo (reading between the lines - in his tweets - I think he has now really retired)Richard Buckman???
Gillies Kaka??? -
Andrew Horrell is back in the bay. That's good news
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@Number-10 said in Magpies 2017:
Unfortunately, Stockcar, I think he is only back between Japanese seasons. The Japanese Top League starts August as our Mitre 10 Cup does, and he's got one more year on his contract with Coca Cola Red Sparks.
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Lewis Marshall has returned to Manawatu.
Did he play at all last year? Think he was injured all season?He played eight games for the province over two seasons.Anyway, I'm looking forward to hearing about all those fine, new Magpie recruits ... [insert Tui ad here]
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He played just the first two matches - Wellington and Taranaki - and not selected for the third - Counties Manukau - due to concussion against Taranaki, and didn't appear again. Whether his non-appearance for the remainder was still due to the concussion or the coaches just preferred to stick with Marshall's replacement Matthew Garland, I don't know. He never appeared for the Development team, so maybe the concussion lingered?
Other provinces have announced signings already this year so it makes you wonder if the HBRU are actively recruiting at the moment? There definitely are positions where outside recruitment would be beneficial. Although in their defence, they had signed Brad Weber for four/five months before it was announced, so maybe they are just not into announcing signings this far out from the Mitre 10 Cup?
Based on last year, the first-choice 2016 starting players available to us in 2017 are:
1 ?? (R. Riccitelli gone to Taranaki)
2 A. Dixon
3 ?? (B. May currently not re-signed)
4 G. Cridge - currently injured, will he be available?
5 ?? (M. Abbott gone to Japan)
6 T. Boswell-Wakefield / H. Renton
7 T. Lamborn
8 F. Selesele
9 B. Weber - currently injured, will he be available?
10 I. West
11 M. Emerson
12 T. Falcon
13 ?? (R. Fruean gone to England)
14 J. Lowe
15 ?? (M. Garland gone to BOP; Lewis Marshall gone to Manawatu)Factor in, maybe: Michael Allardice (hasn't played since Super Rugby 2016), Sam McNicol (hasn't played since Super Rugby 2016 due to concussion), Brendon Edmonds (will he play again due to his injury?), Shannan Chase (unavailable for much of last year due to concussion but played on the weekend for Havelock Nth).
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@Number-10 Looking beyond the first choice starting XV, there's also very limited depth. We need to able to fill that bench, too! We desperately need props, locks, but also a couple of midfielders and outside backs!
I assume you can add Gareth Evans to the list of available loose forwards. Surely, Marino Mikaele-Tu'u will be there, too? Loosies are probably the only position where we don't have to despair unless the injury curse hits again. You'd think Will Tremain will make the U19s and maybe the HB Saracens? He and Hannon Brighouse have both played for the Canes U20 and Dev team. These players will probably be used when injury strikes.
I wonder what happened to Mason Kean? Will they add Pouri Rakete-Stones to the squad or the HB Saracens? Tim Farrell?
All that young talent is great, but we'd need experience, too! Damn, I so hope Bucky will return!
Although Tongia's short-term contracts (first with Bayonne, then Agen) have finished and he doesn't seem to have a new contract at the moment, I doubt he'll be back for Mitre 10 Cup.
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Just noticed on the Waikato twitter page a post with the line-ups for the first round of local club rugby. Apart from Zac Guildford, the squad of Hamilton Old Boys also includes a Sam McNicoll (with to "L"s) at 13. Is that "our" Sam or someone with the same name spelled differently?
Oh, and Michael Allardice is named in their opponent's (Melville) team.
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@Number-10 said in Magpies 2017:
According to Manawatu Standard club season preview, Mark Atkins (Magpie 2013-2014) has left PN OB Marist and returned to Hawke's Bay.
He didn't play for Manawatu at all in 2016 due to a broken leg and only played twice for them in 2015.
Mark Abbott has signed a two-year deal to play in Japan, and will leave after this Hurricanes season. Ben May is yet to re-sign with Hawke's Bay.
Mark Atkins is actually in Poverty Bay.
The only player with first-class experience who has arrived in the province this year is Tamati Samuels who has returned to play for Tech OB. He played for Tech OB before going to Wellington in 2014 and playing for Poverty Bay on loan in 2015 and 2016.
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@Number-10 said in Magpies 2017:
Magpies assistant coach Danny Lee has joined Japanese club Honda Heat with immediate effect.
The recruitment process for his replacement will start this week.
Wow, things are really going well at Magpies head quarters. Leaving the sinking ship.
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Having a look at the Japanese teams, I just discovered that Sanaila Waqa - who was injured the whole 2016 Magpies season - has signed with NEC Green Rockets (joining Peter Russell & Grant Dearns). (Former Magpie Tino Nemani has signed with NEC, too.)
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@Number-10 I'm not unhappy about that. He adds some much needed strength & weight to our otherwise light forward pack. Maybe not the best prop in the country, but those are very hard to find anyway. Our club props have been pretty average the last few years, so May is definitely a big step up and a good one to keep! Still keeping my fingers crossed for Edmonds, but I've not heard anything to give us much hope of a return to the field ...
From the Hawke's Bay Today:
"He really enjoyed his time with us last year and is keen to help our young frontrowers Mason Kean, Tim Farrell and Pouri Rakete-Stones push for Magpies contracts," Philpott said.I wonder how May can push these young frontrowers for Magpies contracts when he's with the Canes now, and will only turn up in the Bay when the ink on all contracts should be well and truly dry? Either he means a contract next year, or this is just badly worded and meaning to say that they are already - or nearly - signed and that he'll help them push for a spot in the 23?
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Had another look at the Japan Top League website. If Google translate does its job well, then Andrew Horrell didn't play a single game last season. He has also left Coca-Cola Red Sparks after one year of his 2-year contract.
コカ・コーラレッドスパークス、退団スタッフおよび選手のお知らせ
コカ・コーラレッドスパークスより、2016年度の退団スタッフ・選手について発表がありましたので、ご紹介します。 ● 弊社ラグビー部（コカ・コーラレッドスパークス）の退団スタッフおよび選手をお知らせいたします。 なお、20…
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