Blues 2018
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The 2018 Blues squad is:
Hookers: Leni Apisai, Matt Moulds, James Parsons.
Front row: Alex Hodgman, Sione Mafileo, Pauliasi Manu, Isaac Salmon, Mike Tamoaieta, Ofa Tuungafasi.
Locks: Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, Josh Goodhue, Scott Scrafton, Patrick Tuipulotu, Jimmy Tupou
Loose forwards: Blake Gibson, Akira Ioane, Jerome Kaino, Dalton Papalii, Glenn Preston, Kara Pryor, Murphy Taramai.
Halfbacks: Sam Nock, Augustine Puli, Jonathan Ruru.
First Five: Otere Black/Daniel Kirkpatrick, Bryn Gatland, Stephen Perofeta.
Midfield: Matt Johnson, George Moala, Tamati Tua, TJ Faiane, Sonny Bill Williams.
Outside backs: Caleb Clarke, Michael Collins, Matt Duffie, Rieko Ioane, Melanie Nanai, Jordan Trainor.
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Good to see Tua there. Looks like they've focused on work-rate for loose forwards. Could do with another ball carrier in there.
Kirkpatrick is an absolute joke. Really hope he sees zero game time.
Wider Training Group might be important for cover at 8, lock, wing, and when Kirkpatrick is dumped.
Hope Gibson isn't out for long!
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I don't get the props? Apparently Salmon is a tight head which means we have 4 tight heads and 2 loose? Maybe Salmon can play both?.. It would be a shame to expect Tu'ungafaasi to switch when he is just starting to fulfill his promise at tight head. Unless that is in the AB selectors plans for him. .
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@daffy-jaffy its much better than any prop rotation involving Sam Prattley. Addition by subtraction.
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@tim said in Blues 2018:
Likely XXIII:
- Hodgman
- Parsons
- Tu'ungafasi
- Tuipulotu
- Scrafton
- Kaino
- Gibson
- Ioane
- Pulu
- Perofeta
-- now the speculation starts -- - Ioane
- Faiane
- SBW
- Nanai
- Duffie
-- reserves are more predictable -- - Moulds
- Manu
- Tamoaieta
- Cowley-Tuioti
- Pryor/Papali'i/Taramai
- Nock
- Gatland
- Moala
Key question for the starting line-up: when is Scrafton back from injury. We rely on him heavily for set piece proficiency and organisation. We need an able replacement for that role.
I really like those tight-five replacements to put some heat on at set-piece in the 2nd half. It'd be great to have a ball-carrying 8 on the bench, especially with Kaino likely to have a lighter workload.
Midfield combo will be a big selection question. A lot of talent outside them.
Pulu's form may be the key. Really hoping for a big year from Nock.
That is pretty close to being spot on.
Papali'i ticks all the boxes for the backrow bench role. He plays all the backrow positions and is a good line-out option.
That midfield was what I wanted to see this year, but it never got any time. I do wonder if Tana is willing to shift SBW out one.
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@tim said in Blues 2018:
Good to see Tua there. Looks like they've focused on work-rate for loose forwards. Could do with another ball carrier in there.
Kirkpatrick is an absolute joke. Really hope he sees zero game time.
Wider Training Group might be important for cover at 8, lock, wing, and when Kirkpatrick is dumped.
Hope Gibson isn't out for long!
I thought they had done away with the WTG ?
They can just contract cover players for injury as and when required, and sign promising players to development contracts?
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Totally agree regarding Kirkpatrick,bloody average,we let Ihaia West go for this cart horse..?,would have taken Jade Te Rure from the Turbos,even Turbo fans have told me he's better than Otere Black..!
And who the hell is Isaac Salmon..?.. -
@dice said in Blues 2018:
Papali'i ticks all the boxes for the backrow bench role. He plays all the backrow positions and is a good line-out option.
I didn't realise that he was 113kg. In that case, he should be a good option at 6 and 8 too. There's a big discrepancy between his Auckland and Blues stats though ...
Blues: 193 cm, 113 kg.
Auckland: 190 cm, 104 kg. -
@steven-harris said in Blues 2018:
Totally agree regarding Kirkpatrick,bloody average,we let Ihaia West go for this cart horse..?,would have taken Jade Te Rure from the Turbos,even Turbo fans have told me he's better than Otere Black..!
And who the hell is Isaac Salmon..?..Seriously? I didn't realise Blues fans were such whinge bags.
All we ever hear is that not enough is done by the Blues to lure a 10 into the setup. They have grabbed Perofeta before anyone else did and talked Black into moving as well. It isn't Umagas fault that Black got badly injured after signing.
I do agree that Kirkpatrick isn't the goods but he is there as a the stand in number three choice and is at least experienced. -
@daffy-jaffy said in Blues 2018:
I don't get the props? Apparently Salmon is a tight head which means we have 4 tight heads and 2 loose? Maybe Salmon can play both?.. It would be a shame to expect Tu'ungafaasi to switch when he is just starting to fulfill his promise at tight head. Unless that is in the AB selectors plans for him
This is even more concerning than Kirkpatrick
I can't find any record of Mafileo, Salmon & Tamoaieta ever playing LH. So Umaga will convert one of these guys to cover both sides or screw up Ofa's progress
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