Your 4 midfielders for the Lions
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True, but thore are the 2 we missed
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@gollum We definitely missed Retallick and Whitelock in Chicago. However, they weren't rested but unavailable through concussion and injury, respectively.
They may be the 2 most important players in the ABs. Yes, more so than Barrett, Coles, Read etc.
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Yep Whitelock and Retallick are right now irreplaceable and the coaches know it. That's why we've seen them play more and more tests for 80 minutes. Not many tier 1 teams if any, are playing both of their locks for 80 these days.
We could get away with starting one of them with one of the others, but it's still a step down.
Barrett has huge upside. Tuipoluto is a menance around the park, but there must be issues there as he hasn't got the starts even against lower ranked sides that you'd expect. Does he have the fitness and workrate that the AB coaches expect? He might just be an impact player in the coaches eyes (and that's fine).
Barrett looks the goods but has a few work ons. I expect he will be an AB for many years to come.
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@gollum said in Your 4 midfielders for the Lions:
@booboo said in Your 4 midfielders for the Lions:
Romano. Barrett. Tuipolutu. Bird..
Would be more than comfortable with any of those guys starting. Especially if it's with one of the the "normal" starters. But hey two of them ain't bad.
Thats still a massive step down tho', we'd be going from the best locking unit in the world to one that probably wont disgrace itself. In contrast we lose A Smith, TJ steps in. Barrett - Cruden, Savea - Naholo, Dagg - NMS etc.
Our gameplan relies on Whitelock & Retalick to a huge degree. And as NQ says, none of those guys are proven test performers, Bird was awful at test level, Tui is an impact sub, Romano has been consistently "OK-ish" when starting & Barrett has played 10 minutes & is currently a 6...
To be honest, I agree Bird was awful when he played for the AB but that was long ago. He has improved a lot since, notably in terms of workrate and "grunt". He should be given a second chance IMO.
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@booboo said in Your 4 midfielders for the Lions:
@Chester-Draws said in Your 4 midfielders for the Lions:
@cgrant said
Actually, I think Nr.8 is the only position where there is no depth at all (the Chiefs are playing a Japanese international while the Hurricanes use A. Savea as a Nr.8, Luatua's leaving at the end of the season).
Hooker?
Coles, Taylor, Harris, Coltman, Funnell, Riccitelli, Elliott ... oh yeah and Parsons
.. or not ...After Coles not one of them lights my fire, sorry. Elliott is the second best by some distance, but has done something wrong. Riccitelli has real promise.
None of the rest look like anything but a stop-gap for me.
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It seems to be an opinion of more than a few on here that Elliott is the second best rake in the country and is only missing out on the ABs because he has done something wrong. I just don't see it. I see nothing that makes himself standout ahead of the other hookers chasing Coles. I think he would be adequate if given a shot, but so would most of the others.
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I reckon Elliot has been the best hooker in NZ this year so far (given that Coles has been out injured for most of it)
The Chiefs scrum is a force with him the middle, he's an excellent lineout thrower and a big physical presence at maul time.
Been disappointed with Taylorr, thought he'd really kick on this year. Actually think Funnell has been better in limited minutes. Riccatelli was outplayed by Parsons last week. I suppose I'd have Coltman as 3rd best.
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@SammyC maybe I have never forgiven him for getting beaten by Gallen.
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@Crazy-Horse said in Your 4 midfielders for the Lions:
@SammyC maybe I have never forgiven him for getting beaten by Gallen.
Certainly dented his tough guy image
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@SammyC said in Your 4 midfielders for the Lions:
@Crazy-Horse said in Your 4 midfielders for the Lions:
@SammyC maybe I have never forgiven him for getting beaten by Gallen.
Certainly dented his tough guy image
Nah Gallen is as tough as they come anyway.
Shows the value of a karate black belt though. ie Zilch.
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The tight five is probably the place we can least afford injuries.
I think there's a step down to any of the second string and often another step down to the next guy (coming onto the bench).
A few UK scribes identifying Beauden's goal-kicking as a potential issue, which it likely will be if the Lions can stop us scoring tries.
I'm assuming Hansen will just roll the dice and hope he makes his kicks on the day(s). Alternatively, they could try to shoehorn DMac or Jordie into fullback or wing to give themselves a more reliable kicker. Not sure starting Cruden would give you a much more reliable kicker. Sopoaga probably is, but he's not close in ability to set things alight.
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@Chris-B. is Izzy back for the Lions? If so, throw him the ball as soon as he can start practicing.
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@taniwharugby He should be!
Given how competitive most of the backs spots are - everyone should be practicing!
Get into it, Sonny Bill!
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@taniwharugby said in Your 4 midfielders for the Lions:
@Chris-B. is Izzy back for the Lions? If so, throw him the ball as soon as he can start practicing.
From what I've heard, he is not too far away from returning. I guess we'll get an indication of how far he is when the Crusaders name their travelling squad to SA this weekend.
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Apparently he has a bruised rib. TJP kicked when Jordie went off the other week. Personally I think that if he's so injured that he can't kick goals, then he shouldn't be playing. As mentioned, goal kicking is his Kryptonite, or at least was last year, and he needs some serious practice. If these games devolve into an arm-wrestle then we'll be friar tucked if BB can't land his kicks. Starting DMac and JB is tempting, but neither have played in a test of this importance. Even these two have shockers with the boot sometimes.
Comparing other hookers to Coles is impossible. You just don't get hookers who can play like that. The guy is a freak.
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@Rancid-Schnitzel said in Your 4 midfielders for the Lions:
Apparently he has a bruised rib. TJP kicked when Jordie went off the other week. Personally I think that if he's so injured that he can't kick goals, then he shouldn't be playing.
I agree. I would also think that such an injury would restrict you punting the ball but he's still doing that.
